The Work First Foundation
$200,000 / 2018 / Workforce Development
With funding from the Abell Foundation, in 2009, America Works (through its nonprofit Work First Foundation) launched the Baltimore Ex-Offender Reentry Employment Program. The program provides a two-week-long job-readiness workshop for cohorts of six to seven ex-offenders. The program targets ex-offenders under 40 years of age, and those who have been recently released from prison or jail. To date,1,123 ex-offenders have graduated from the two-week training course, with 663 being placed into jobs (a 59 percent job placement rate). Participants earned an average of $9.39 at placement, with 87 percent remaining employed for 30 days, 75 percent remaining employed for 90 days and 65 percent remaining employed for six months or more. Since June 2017, the Baltimore City court system has been referring low-income individuals to the program as they await trial, rather than jailing them because they cannot afford to pay bail. To date, 184 pretrial defendants have enrolled into the program. Of those, 156 have gone to trial, with 82 percent experiencing a positive outcome (they received an acquittal, nolle prosequi, or stet), and 76 being placed into employment.
United Ministries, Inc.
$80,000 / 2018 / Criminal Justice and Addiction
On going support for Earl’s Place which provides housing and support services to up to 35 homeless men suffering from addiction and assists them in locating, obtaining, and maintaining permanent housing.
Tahirih Justice Center
$30,000 / 2018 / Health and Human Services
The Tahirih Justice Center was founded in 1997 to represent women and girls seeking protection from gender-based human rights abuses. Partnering with an extensive network of pro bono attorneys, Tahirih provides legal services to protect clients from immediate danger and to assist them in gaining asylum relief, aid under the federal Violence Against Women Act, and visas for victims of trafficking. This grant supported legal services for 250 women and girls in Baltimore City and surrounding areas, and case management services for 75 clients.
St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, Inc.
$50,000 / 2018 / Health and Human Services
The Beans & Bread Center, a St. Vincent de Paul program, provides a wide range of services on-site that address the needs of the chronically homeless, including housing, health care, recovery, and employment. This grant supported the Beans & Bread homeless day resource in providing a day shelter, intake and engagement, case management, meals, hygiene supplies, showers, laundry, assistance securing personal identification, and access to phones and mail services. The center operates seven days a week and serves more than 400 meals a day.
Soccer Without Borders Baltimore
$25,000 / 2018 / Health and Human Services
Soccer Without Borders operates year-round soccer and academic support programs for refugee, asylee and immigrant youth. Founded in 2009, they serve almost 500 students statewide through after-school, summer, and mentoring initiatives, and uses an English Language Development-integrated soccer curriculum that allows participants to improve their English proficiency. This grant supported the high school program for 100 youth in Baltimore City.
