Cynthia “Cindy” Powell, a founding member of Advocates for the Aging and its Vice-President died August 15, 2026, following a five-month battle with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Following a career working with the advancement programs at several academic institutions in 1990, she was brought to Frederick by Don Linton of the then financial firm, Linton Shafer, as the Director of the emerging Community Foundation of Frederick County. This was the beginning of her many endeavors over the next 36 plus years to support the residents of Frederick County, especially our lower-income individuals and families, our vulnerable younger residents, and our growing senior populations.
In 1994 she opened Needles and Pins, a fabric shop focusing on the needs of quilters and other types of fabric projects, building a loyal following of regional quilters. While operating the business she volunteered her time tutoring children at the Housing Authority of Frederick. During this time Cindy also assisted several nonprofit organizations by preparing grants that enabled them to obtain funds for various projects such as training of Community Health Workers. When Needles and Pins closed its store front in early 2015 Cindy accepted employment with the Housing Authority which led to the development of a model early learning program and academic enrichment programs for pre-k through middle school students residing in public housing. As the Education Coordinator, she created a wide range of academic supports and worked tirelessly to ensure each child was equipped for success.
In 2010, as the new Montevue and Citizens Care and Rehabilitation Center building was being designed, Don Linton asked Cindy, with a colleague Kay Sheiss, to prepare a book reflecting the history of Montevue which resulted in the publication in 2012 of, Heroic Work: The Story of Montevue Yesterday and Today. This was the start of her in-depth involvement with the needs of our growing aging population. In 2012 she was an active participant with a small group of individuals working to stop the sale of Montevue and Citizens Care and Rehabilitation Center. The successful outcome of that battle identified the growing needs of low-income seniors in Frederick County which was the driving force for the group to establish in 2014 Advocates for the Aging of Frederick County, a non-profit organization advocating for the needs of low-income seniors.
Cindy’s creativity and vision combined with her grant writing skill to a grant for Advocates, in collaboration with Frederick Health and the Housing Authority of Frederick City, to develop a service coordination model for low-income seniors living in single-unit housing throughout the County. This 2.5-year grant, in 2024, led to the development of a Service Coordination program as a new ideation of the Montevue Vision. The program has grown to approximately 300 seniors being supported by the newly established Service Coordination team of the Division of Aging and Independence. This program has come to the attention of the Maryland Department of Aging for possible replication in other counties.
Through communications with the county’s EMS team, Cindy learned of the considerable number of seniors who fell at home due to the lack of grab bars installed in their home. This awareness resulted in a 5-year home assisted devices project providing home safety assessments, equipment, and installation of needed safety equipment for over 1,200 lower-income senior homes. At her death, she was participating in the development of a Home Sharing project to address the affordable housing crisis for seniors and others.
She advocated for those who otherwise had no voice and sought solutions – she made a difference. She will be missed.