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. Over 20 percent of those served each week (approximately 25 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. Almost half of those served each week (approximately 60 people) are high-risk youth ages 15 to 24. Rose Street holds morning meetings with the youth were 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 begins with 15 weeks of classroom instruction that prepares participants for industry certifications. The academic portion focuses on teaching fundamental IT skills, including operating systems, servers, network security, and databases. In addition to receiving instruction and certification in CompTIA A+, students are now receiving instruction and certifications in Cloud Computing, Linux systems administration, network administration, and Windows Server Administration. Following the classroom instruction, NPower participants 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 150 low-income young adults into training, graduating 120 and placing 102 into employment.
Maryland Center for Adult Training, Inc.
The Maryland Center for Adult Training (MCAT) provides market-specific, technology-based, vocational training for the economically disadvantaged Baltimore City residents. Last year, MCAT enrolled 87 Certified Nursing Assistant/Geriatric Nursing Assistant (CNA/GNA) students. Of the 87 students enrolled, 74 students (or 85 percent) completed their certification training, with a grade average of 85 percent or higher. Of those graduates, 66 students (or 89 percent) became employed, earning an average annual salary of $23,207. MCAT also offered a Patient Care Technician training program, enrolling eight students. All eight successfully completed the training course, became nationally certified and are now employed, earning an average salary of $30,680. In the coming year, MCAT plans to train 45 students as CNAs/GNAs 15 students as Patient Care Technicians.
Job Opportunities Task Force
The Job Opportunities Task Force (JOTF) is an independent nonprofit organization that works to develop and advocate policies and programs to increase the skills, job opportunities, and incomes of low-skill, low-income Maryland workers and job seekers. In partnership with Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), JOTF operates Project JumpStart, a pre-apprenticeship construction program that provides low-income Baltimore City residents with 14 weeks of pre-apprenticeship training in plumbing, electrical and carpentry. With funding from the Abell Foundation, Project Jumpstart plans to serve 125 residents over six classes in two locations in Baltimore City. Approximately 80% of those who are enrolled will complete; 75% of those who complete will be placed into employment with wages averaging over $12/hr. For the past two years, 28% of those who are placed into employment have enrolled into the four-year ABC apprenticeship program. First-year apprentices earn between $12 and $16 per hour; with annual increases, by the time an apprentice graduates in four years and obtains journeymen status, he or she is earning $24 to $36 per hour.
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; yo 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.