LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Southern Maryland Loves You (SoMDLY) has announced a $16,000 donation to the AFCEA Southern Maryland Chapter in support of its STEM Scholarship Fund, continuing the organization’s mission of investing in education and innovation throughout the region.
The donation ceremony took place at TechPort, located at the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport—the same site where SoMDLY was born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In early 2020, as the nation faced critical shortages of personal protective equipment, Southern Maryland Loves You, in partnership with Triton Defense, Burchoil, and a coalition of local innovators including Matt Hayes and Barbara Ives, came together to create practical solutions right here in Southern Maryland.
Barbara Ives served as President of SoMDLY during that time, while Matt Hayes—who served on the board and invented the organization’s flagship product—played a key role in leading its innovation efforts. Matt credits the support of both his mom and dad for helping him get through such a fun and chaotic time in life.
The result was The Hot Box, an FDA-authorized medical device capable of sanitizing up to 24,000 N95 masks per day. Designed, manufactured, and deployed directly from TechPort—which at the time operated as a University of Maryland, NAWCAD, St. Mary’s County, and TEDCO Drone Incubator—the Hot Box represented a powerful example of what happens when a community unites to innovate.
Next week marks the five-year anniversary of the FDA’s approval of the Hot Box, a milestone that underscores how local ingenuity can have a global impact.
As the need for large-scale sanitization decreased, SoMDLY chose to redirect its remaining funds toward a cause that embodies the same spirit of community investment and education.
“This moment is deeply personal for me,” said Tommy Luginbill, President of AFCEA Southern Maryland and Executive Director of the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology (PIC MC) at Montgomery College. “I want this to be an example for my daughter, Brooke—and for anyone, young or old—that even when the world feels scary, when good people come together for a common cause, magic can truly happen. These funds will continue to do something real and lasting in our community—supporting students and the future of STEM.”
“As a Board member of AFCEA, I’m excited—but as an active participant in Southern Maryland Loves You during the pandemic, it’s wonderful to see two organizations I care deeply about come together again,” said Dominic Fragman, AFCEA Southern Maryland Board Member and Program Manager for Leadership Southern Maryland.
The AFCEA Southern Maryland Chapter, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, supports science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education through scholarships, grants, and professional development opportunities. The chapter works closely with the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, local schools, and higher education institutions to foster the next generation of innovators and leaders in technology and defense.
This donation reinforces the lasting legacy of Southern Maryland Loves You: transforming emergency collaboration into enduring community impact.