New Ventures, Inc. was a non-profit organization founded by Bowie, Maryland women in 1977 for the purpose of providing counseling and training to women experiencing changes in family, career and lifestyle. The organization specialized in providing support to former homemakers entering or re-entering the work force. The organization served the Bowie, Hyattsville, Fort Washington and Riverdale, Maryland (Prince George's County) areas from the time of its founding through the 1980s and early 1990s out of its main office in Bowie. The organization was run by a volunteer Board of Directors and included a small paid staff and many volunteers. The original Board of Directors were: Pat Pease, Penny Scott, and Angela Miotto, three professional counselors; Joan Schmidt, an administrator; Kathy Montgomery, an attorney; and Idaclare Kerwin, a financial officer. In 1986 the organization created a fund in honor of Nancy Melago, a volunteer who passed away from a chronic illness. The fund paid counseling fees for those unable to afford the organization's counseling services.
New Ventures, Inc. was advertised in the Washington Post in 1981 and 1991 as a place to go if re-entering the workforce after being a homemaker. According to the advertisements, New Ventures, Inc. "teaches women who have lost their major source of income through separation, divorce, death or disability of their spouse(offers) career/job search workshops, stress management, assertiveness training, discussion groups and individual/group counseling." (Washington Post, August 6, 1991) To support its work, the group held fundraisers in addition to applying for grants from the Prince George's County budget. New Ventures, Inc. ceased to be a nonprofit organization and became a private enterprise circa 1992.
From the guide to the New Ventures, Inc. Collection, 1978-1992, 1978-1992, (State of Maryland and Historical Collections)
