For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 13, 2025

Montgomery County is inviting representatives from all houses of worship to participate in the 2025 Faith Community Survey, a vital initiative designed to strengthen communication, enhance emergency preparedness, and improve access to grants and resources for local faith communities.

The survey is open to anyone with a strong understanding of their house of worship - clergy, staff, or active members - and is designed to ensure that the County has the most accurate and up-to-date information about the diverse faith communities that serve residents across the region.

"This survey is a vital tool for building stronger partnerships with our faith communities," said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. "Whether it's coordinating emergency response, sharing grant opportunities, or planning community events, having accurate information helps us serve our diverse faith community better."

More than one-third of the County's residents are foreign-born, and over 162 languages are spoken in our schools, and according to the Public Religion Research Institute, Montgomery County has the highest religious diversity score of any large county in the country. NPR recently focused on what it calls "the most religiously diverse county in the U.S.", with a concentration of different houses of worship along New Hampshire Ave. High concentrations of residents who are Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Orthodox Christian, and many other faiths have found a place to worship here in Montgomery County.

The County has tracked more than 600 local houses of worship, but don't want any group to feel left out and want to ensure there is accurate information about those who are listed on the map. Follow the link to see a map with information from the most recent update in 2023: experience.arcgis.com/experience/28a77a00d9b54ff6a4d3f7a0282bb09a/

Key Benefits of the Survey

• Improved Communication: Stay informed about grants, events, and resources tailored to your community's needs.
• Emergency Preparedness: Help the County identify houses of worship that can serve as landmarks or support centers during natural disasters.
• Community Mapping: Update public maps with accurate information about your organization's location, contact details, and religious affiliation.

Only the following information will be shared publicly:

• Organization name
• Website URL
• Phone number
• Address
• Religion

All other responses are optional and will be used solely to improve County services and outreach.

How to Participate

The survey is available online and takes just a few minutes to complete. Multiple individuals from the same house of worship are welcome to respond.

For questions or assistance with the survey, please email [email protected].

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