ABOUT A NEW DAY
As our society faces the impacts of a global health pandemic, it is no surprise that one out of every three citizens suffers from anxiety or depression. Frontline Workers – doctors, nurses, grocery workers, delivery people, hospital support staff, and First Responders – are especially experiencing high and continuous levels of stress with all the physical and mental impact that this pandemic brings to bear. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Madison Fields is working to develop A New Day, a health and wellness program that aims to aide members of our community recover and rediscover their sense of wellbeing.
Initially imagined as a short-term project, our community organizing committee and healthcare partners recognize the unique value Madison Fields has to offer the expanding needs in the community. Although it is impossible to designate an official start date for a full-scale program, we plan to begin with small groups, carefully observing State and County guidelines. Initial experiences will provide important feedback to inform full-scale programming.
Community Organizing Committee
JaLynn Prince
Founder, President and Chairman of the Board,
Madison House Autism Foundation – Madison Fields
Dr. Stewart Edelstein
Executive Director, The Universities of Shady Grove
and Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs,
University System of Maryland
Michael Knapp
Co-Founder and CEO, SkillSmart, and
Former Montgomery County Council President
Catherine Leggett, Esq.
Senior Vice President for Human Resources, ICMA-RC
Stacy Halota
Vice President, Information Security and Privacy
Graham Holding Company
Esther Newman
Founder and Former CEO, Leadership Montgomery
Dr. James E. Smith
Chairman of the Board, Westat
Bobbi Shulman
Community Activist
Barbara Henry
Community Activist
Sarah Meehan
Community Consultant, Strategy/Organizational Development
Honorary Advisory Committee
Congressman Jamie Raskin
Senator Brian J. Feldman Maryland State Senator,
District 15
Delegate Lily Qi
Maryland State Delegate, District 15
Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr
Maryland State Delegate, District 17
Delegate Kathleen M. Dumais, Esq.
Maryland State Delegate, District 15
Sidney A. Katz
Council President, Montgomery County Council
Tom Hucker
Councilmember, Montgomery County Council
Major General Peter S. Cooke, USA (Retired)
Co-Founder, National Center for Veteran Studies,
Former Commanding General of the U.S. Army 96th Regional Readiness Command
Barbara Ebel
Labor Exchange Administrator of Workforce
Development and Services, State of Maryland
Peg Mancuso
Principal, Daly, Mancuso and Associates
Aruna Miller
Former Maryland State Delegate
SUPPORT A NEW DAY
Our first urgent need is funding to support critical staffing including a project manager, a volunteer coordinator, and a consultant to assist with securing a long-term source of public/private funding. A visionary gift will allow us to move immediately with the staffing, acquire essential personal protection equipment and supplies, and open the farm to a new day.
Sponsorship Information
Through a generous gift from Nancy and Fuad El-Hibri, sponsorship support of $1,000 or more will be matched up to $55,000. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Mark Robbins.
EXPRESS GRATITUDE BY VOLUNTEERING
This program is intended to serve First Responders and Frontline Workers to restore a sense of wellbeing in uncertain times. It also provides members of the community an opportunity to express thanks to those working to protect our health.
We are seeking volunteers to help to make this a successful and inviting experience for our local heroes. Those interested in volunteering should fill and submit the form found under “More Information” below.
ENVISIONED ACTIVITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS
Wellness Circles and Facilitated Sessions | Madison Fields offers the perfect setting for facilitated conversations or quiet solitude with plenty of space for social distancing.
Yoga | Enjoy traditional, as well as “goat yoga” or “mini-horse yoga” sessions. 
Soap Making | Learn to make real goats’ milk soap with herbal fragrances and natural vegetable oils. The nourishing properties of real soap renew the skin and keep your hands free of COVID-19. 
Equine Therapy | Enjoy equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) including grooming, feeding and interacting with full-sized and miniature horses. 
Fishing | Our half-acre pond gives visitors an opportunity to put stress in neutral and let the healing begin, with a catch-and-release program. 
Vintage Games | Participate in traditional games like corn holes, ring toss, horseshoes, and bocce.
Picnics | Get off the clock and plan an old-fashioned picnic. Bring a blanket or discover one of the many picnic tables scattered accross the farm. 
Art | Madison Fields abounds with inspiration. Discover the subject of your next drawing, painting, or photograph.
Quilting | Participate in quilting, long a staple of farm life, in the historic Madison Fields farmhouse. 
Gardening | Assist with the growing and harvesting of produce from the one-acre garden which provides fresh food to regional food banks and those who face food insecurity.
Music Therapy | Professional Music Therapists (PMTs) help veterans and others suffering from PTSD, using the power of music to discover profound and lasting healing. 
Wellness Retreats | Take advantage of one of Madison Fields’ many venues where your family, group, or business can gather, socialize, and connect. 
Volunteer |Volunteering gives people of all ages a chance to heal and refresh themselves while making improvements to the Agricultural Reserve. 
Farm Animals |Visit with the wide variety of farm animals including goats, donkeys, a piglet, chickens, and horses of all sizes. 
Nature Trails |Take a tranquil meditative walk through the forest and appreciate the natural springs and local flora and fauna. 
Journaling |Find a peaceful bench with a beautiful view or a quiet corner of the farm and release the thought-storm onto the page. Our Partnerships in Action
We partner with local businesses and organizations like Clarksburg Yoga and Music Therapy of the Rockies to make their professional services available on these peaceful and historic grounds.
SESSIONS
Wellness sessions will be available in different formats so as to be best suited for participants with varying interests.
Typical Session
Standard wellness sessions are designed and offered to the general public. Members of the community can register at their convenience for regular morning or afternoon sessions lasting 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Group activities will be those that must be organized and moderated by our staff. Participants can use free time for any activities that are self-directed.
• Orientation & Welcome
• Structured Group Activities
• Free Time
• Closing Circle
Specialized Session
Specialized wellness sessions are designed to meet the specific needs of a particular group. Examples might include a group of nurses, EMTs, or firefighters. As with Standard Sessions, there will be morning and afternoon offerings lasting 3 hours and 30 minutes.
During the session, trained facilitators will guide participants through healing conversations.
• Orientation & Welcome
• Structured Group Activity
• Facilitated Conversation
• Free Time
• Closing Circle
Retreat Session
Retreat sessions are designed for corporate groups and organizations. These are full-day sessions lasting 5 hours.
Schedule and activities can be customized according to the needs of the participating organization in conjunction with Madison Fields.
MORE INFORMATION
Our registration and scheduling platform for both participants and volunteers is currently under development.
To receive updates concerning this program, please submit your name and email.