Frederick's Child Magazine
Shannon Flannery was also inspired to help when COVID-19 shutdowns began. Knowing that her friends in the restaurant industry were hurting, she began a meal train to raise money to pay for meals for those who had to work on the frontlines, including firefighters, police officers and supermarket workers.
She decided to start Everything Frederick as a way to help people communicate experiences about a variety of local places and get their questions answered. Businesses could also market themselves through Everything Frederick.
Today, the Everything Frederick Facebook group has more than 45,000 members. She and several administrators work hard to make sure the group runs smoothly.
Flannery notes one area florist, whose business was largely based on weddings, decided to start a delivery service after she posted about wanting to have some flowers delivered during the lockdown. Caterers who were also hurting when weddings were canceled decided to start offering family meals for pickups, which saved their businesses.
“That made me feel like ‘OK. This is awesome. It is actually doing something great for the community,’” she says. Two years later, people who visit the area and think about moving here seek out her group.
“It just makes me proud and happy to be a part of something like that,” she says.
As a mother to a son, Flannery is a real estate agent with two decades of experience. Working with buyers and sellers, she loves helping people, especially those in the military and first-time homebuyers.
Flannery moved to Frederick County 12 years ago and notes that people in the community embraced her. This feeling of welcoming motivates her desire to give back as much as she can, including starting a GoFundMe for Jaion Penamon, who was murdered earlier this year trying to break up a domestic dispute.
“I just have this connection that I feel with Frederick,” she says. “(Giving back) is just something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Lots to Love About Motherhood
Shannon Flannery says, “I have loved every minute of (my) child’s life. My son makes me a better person every day because I know he is looking to me to be his example. I am so proud of the human he is and the man he is becoming. Being his mother has made my life better in every way.”
