Rose Street Community Center
Since February 2000, with support from the Abell Foundation, the Rose Street Community Center (Rose Street) has offered small weekly stipends (no more than $10 a day) to community residents in exchange for participation in daily community cleanups or gang mediation meetings. Last year, Rose Street served more than 120 people per week. Nearly 20% of those served each week (an average of 22 people) reside in Rose Street’s six transitional houses. Those residing in the houses participate daily in community cleanups. Once they have secured employment, Rose Street staff assists them in obtaining permanent housing. Over half of those served each week (approximately 70 people) are high-risk youth ages 15 to 24. Rose Street holds morning meetings with the youth where the youth identify and de-escalate disputes. Rose Street also connects the youth to programs and services available in the community.
NPower, Inc.
In 2016, with support from the Abell Foundation and others, NPower replicated its IT training program for low-income young adults in Baltimore. NPower’s core training program provides students with 16 weeks of hands-on classroom instruction in hardware and software. The academic portion focuses on teaching fundamental IT skills, including networking, cloud computing, coding and service management. Following the classroom instruction, students earn their CompTIA certification and have the option to take additional certificate exams. NPower participants then enter a seven-week paid internship at a local employer, working four days per week, while one day is spent in professional development activities in the classroom. In the coming year, NPower plans to enroll 200 low-income young adults into training, graduating 160 and placing 136 into employment.
Center for Urban Families, Inc.
The Center for Urban Families (CFUF) is working with Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) to provide STRIVE graduates with better access to non-credit occupational skills training at BCCC. With funding from the Abell Foundation and the Kresge Foundation, CFUF and BCCC will launch BOOST, an initiative where STRIVE graduates will receive intensive case management as they complete noncredit certification programs in healthcare, transportation, IT, construction and human services at BCCC.
CASA de Maryland, Inc.
The Baltimore Welcome Center provides employment placement services for day laborers and low-income workers who begin to assemble early in the morning in the hope of being selected for jobs in construction, landscaping, home improvement, sanitation, and other day-to-day, physical labor-intensive jobs. In the coming year, CASA plans to place workers in 1,700 daily jobs, 40 temporary/seasonal jobs, and 35 permanent jobs; to provide 150 people with legal consultation on immigration, employment, or housing matters; to provide 500 people with basic financial education/counseling, and 300 low-income households with free tax preparation services; to educate 200 eligible Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) about the naturalization process, and help 75 LPRs submit their naturalization application; and to provide 60 students with Mi Espacio after-school programming.
Byte Back
Byte Back is a Washington, DC nonprofit organization that trains low-income adults with no computer experience in learning the basic fundamental skills of how to turn on a computer, use a mouse and use Microsoft Office applications. Byte Back then works step by step with students to build upon those skills, preparing students to earn industry-recognized IT credentials. Byte Back has expanded to Baltimore, and with support from the Abell Foundation, plans to serve at least 100 Baltimore residents over the next year, placing 36 program graduates into jobs requiring IT skills. Byte Back plans to offer classes at Strong City Baltimore’s Adult Learning Center, the Center for Urban Families and Open Works. Byte Back also plans to offer onsite industry-recognized certification and apprenticeship training to 20 students at Green Street Academy.