National Academic League
The National Academic League (NAL) is designed to address the disproportionate attention that is given to sports over academics and provides a scholastic extracurricular activity that boosts student achievement in middle school.
Middle and Elementary/Middle schools in 15 school districts across the U.S. are currently participating in the NAL. Introduced to Baltimore City Schools by the Abell Foundation in 1993, NAL has just completed its 24th year as a member of the league. This operating grant provides support for 22 middle school teams and over 450 students to participate in the October to March competitive season that provides academic preparation and mentoring from teacher coaches.
Parks & People Foundation
Parks & People Foundation builds and revitalizes public spaces, supports greening groups and nonprofits with material and grant donations, and hosts out-of-school time programs for city-youth from low-income backgrounds that integrate environmental education, outdoor experiences, and social-emotional development. This grant supported the middle school sports program, which provides public school students after-school athletic enrichment with an integrated character development curriculum. Sports offered using a non-traditional model include soccer, lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, kickball, basketball, and flag football.
Paul’s Place, Inc.
For more than 35 years, Paul’s Place has been providing services to meet the basic needs of residents in Pigtown and other Southwest Baltimore neighborhoods, including nutritious hot meals, comprehensive emergency assistance, adult literacy, health services and youth after-school and summer programs. In response to an urgent need for job training, employment and economic development, Paul’s Place is developing a culinary arts training program for 60 young adults annually that includes a full-service restaurant and catering operation. This grant supports the construction of the training facility that will also build on recent private investment along Pigtown’s main street.
Shepherd’s Clinic
Shepherd’s Clinic offers primary and specialty medical care to uninsured adults by leveraging an extensive network of volunteer doctors, nurses and other health professionals. On-site specialty services include cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, women’s health, diabetes management, mental health, and wellness services. The clinic seeks to increase access to health care services for the uninsured, manage chronic diseases, and improve health and well-being. This grant provided Shepherd’s Clinic with general operating support.
St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center
The St. Ambrose host home program matches homeless young adults, ages 18-24, with homeowners who have been recruited and trained to work with this population, who provide temporary homes for the youth until they find permanent housing. The program is designed to be a short-term stay, with a goal of transitioning the youth to permanent housing within five months. This grant provides operating support for the host home program, which expects to house 25 homeless youth over the coming year.