Advocates for Children and Youth (ACY)
$60,000 / 2008 / Health and Human Services
Toward continued support of programming designed to improve quality of life for Baltimore City children. As part of the “Maryland Can Do Better for Children” campaign, ACY provides research-based recommendations for strategies to meet the needs of Maryland’s children, including the implementation of the Family Team Decision Making model to help reduce the number of foster care placements; the promotion of bonuses to attract strong school principals; support for community-based programs such as Multi-Systemic Therapy and Functional Family Therapy, which have been shown to reduce recidivism; and expansion of oral health care for children on Medicaid.
Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc.
$75,000 / 2008 / Health and Human Services
For support of “Housing First,” a program designed to reduce chronic homelessness by providing immediate access to permanent housing, coupled with voluntary services to address underlying problems, such as mental illness and addictions. Funds from the grant will address legal issues related to the administration of the program, how candidates for the program are identified and assessed, and how to assure the legal rights of homeless individuals.
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Maryland, Inc.
$150,000 / 2008 / Health and Human Services
For continued support of the Regional Housing Equity Project. The purpose of the project is to provide more than 6,000 families the opportunity to move from racially isolated public housing units in Baltimore City to nonimpacted, low-poverty, racially integrated neighborhoods throughout the region that offer greater education, employment, and housing opportunities.
The Humanitarian, Inc.
$14,000 / 2008 / Health and Human Services
For support of mentor training materials, trainer/consultant, and mentoring screening fees to expand an after-school mentoring program for 80 at-risk youth in selected West Baltimore communities. Up to 40 mentors, trained by consultants certified by the Maryland Mentoring Partnership, will commit to participate in the program for at least one year and meet with the mentee for at least eight hours a month. The mentors will focus on helping each mentee reach his or her goals and develop decision-making skills.
Anne Arundel County Food & Resource Bank, Inc.
$5,000 / 2008 / Health and Human Services
For repair of the food bank’s only commercial refrigeration unit, allowing the food bank to continue to distribute perishable, nutritious food to an increasing number of people in need.