Past Grants

Food Studies Institute

For expansion of the Food for Life program at charter schools: Hampstead Hill Academy, The Stadium School, City Springs, and Collington Square. Designed to encourage the exposure to nutritional foods, the year-long hands-on food-based curriculum stresses the importance of acquiring knowledge about vitamins, whole grains, labeling, fat and sugar content, the difference between fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and the importance of exercise. Students are taught how to prepare food using recipes from around the world. The program involves families in community meals and gardens. To evaluate the degree of overall academic performance and student behavior as the consequence of healthier food choice, graduate students from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health will document the effectiveness of the program, gauging obesity reduction and improving the general health of the children.

The SEED Foundation

Toward operating costs for the final phase of development of a boarding school for at-risk youth in Baltimore City. To achieve the goal of opening the school in the fall of 2008, the final phase of the planning will include establishing a board of trustees, helping to raise $30 million in private funds, securing site control of the former Southwestern High School facility, completing construction, developing the curriculum and programming, hiring staff, training school leadership, and launching a statewide student recruitment campaign.

Baltimore Efficiency & Economy Foundation, Inc.

Two grants for expenses related to a Pilot Food Education Study for Baltimore City public schools. The purpose of the study is to determine the link between nutrition and academic performance by exploring national nutrition initiatives and, based on the relationship, make recommendations to the Baltimore City Public School System for relevant changes in the delivery of food services.

Learning, Inc.

For continued support of The Learning Cooperative, a dropout recovery/prevention program for at-risk middle school students in Baltimore City public schools. The cooperative provides an experiential education curriculum designed to prepare students for successful transition to high school, GED programming, or employment, by offering training in team-building, conflict-resolution, job readiness, community service, and life skills.

Baltimore Kids Chess League, Inc.

For expansion of the 2006-2007 Chess Education Project, an after-school program for elementary school students in 50 Baltimore City public schools. The long-term strategy is to increase the number of after-school chess clubs, provide chess instruction to teachers and coaches, sponsor chess activities in the community, and place Baltimore City students at competitive regional and national tournaments.