Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition, Inc.
Dee’s Place, established in 2001, is a substance abuse recovery program in East Baltimore, developed and launched by the Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition (HEBCAC). Dee’s Place currently operates seven days per week, but they are only able to provide on-site staff support from 7am-7pm Monday through Friday (70 hours/week) and 12 hours on the weekend. Dee’s Place continues to see the need to be open 24/7 and they have received numerous requests from clients and partner organizations to do so. With funding and support from the Abell Foundation, Dee’s Place is able to meet their goal of being open 132 hours/week.
Marian House, Inc.
Marian House is a supportive housing program for homeless women and children located in the Better Waverly neighborhood of Baltimore City. Funding from the Abell Foundation will support Marian House’s transitional housing program which provides housing, meals and support services to homeless women, helping to improve self-esteem and overall mental health, as well as teach skills that will enable them to attain emotional and economic independence.
NCADD-Maryland
NCADD-MD provides treatment/recovery education, advocacy and public policy leadership on issues related to alcoholism, drug dependence and barriers affecting treatment accessibility in Maryland. Funding from the Abell Foundation will assist NCADD-MD to conduct research about the actions and outcomes of some of the other states in the country that have legalized personal use of marijuana, with a particular focus on public health. This research is intended to develop recommendations for Maryland lawmakers on what public health approaches should be taken in the process of legalizing cannabis for personal use, should the State decide to move in this direction.
From Prison Cells to PhD, Inc
From Prison Cells to PhD was created in 2016 to help people with criminal convictions obtain employment and/or postsecondary education (PSE). Clients receive workforce development training, career readiness skills, college application/readiness assistance, and 1-2 years or more of mentoring. Funding from the Abell Foundation will support its Prison to Professional (P2P) program providing these services to individuals recently released from the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC). P2P will serve 80 individuals in several cohorts over the next year virtually and if restrictions allow at some point in-person. Components of the P2P Program include the following: (1) An 8-week workshop; and (2) Ten months of case management which includes weekly peer mentoring, executive coaching, and tutoring.
Helping Oppressed People Excel (HOPE), Fiscally Sponsored by Fusion Partnerships, Inc.
HOPE is a descendant of the Public Safety Compact (PSC), a justice reinvestment agreement between the State of Maryland and the Safe and Sound Campaign. One of the PSC graduates is Antoin Quarles-El, a PSC graduate and founding member of the PSC Core Action Team – that led advocacy and peer-to-peer support for PSC participants. After the closure of the PSC, Mr. Quarles-El would not let the network falter and founded HOPE to provide continued peer support and connection to resources for fellow returning citizens. Funding from the Abell Foundation will allow HOPE to continue its work with approximately 15-21 individuals weekl. During the pandemic, HOPE mentorship has continued using phone calls and video-conferencing, providing an important social contact and support for its clients. Peer mentors keep in regular touch with members outside of weekly meetings too, checking-in on their status, health, and any new challenges or milestones.