Leveling the Playing Field, Inc.
Leveling the Playing Field collects and redistributes used and excess sporting equipment to schools and organizations serving low-income children. The donated equipment enables programs to pass on the savings to families through reduced or free registration fees or expanded programming. Last year, the organization distributed $725,000 worth of equipment and goods to 140 different area programs. This grant supported Leveling the Playing Field’s general operating costs.
Kids in Need of Defense
Founded in 2008, KIND is the only national organization dedicated solely to providing pro bono legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children in immigration court. KIND has in-house legal professionals and also leverages pro bono legal professionals to represent more than 500 unaccompanied children a year. KIND’s Baltimore Field Office is able to gain U.S. protection for 95% of clients for whom it completes legal proceedings. This grant supported KIND Baltimore in hiring a second social services coordinator to help ensure clients’ non-legal needs are being met, including: crisis management; health and mental health’ educational support; safe housing; and food security.
Intercultural Counseling Connection / Fusion Partnerships
Intercultural Counseling Connection provides therapeutic services for asylum-seekers and forced migrants in Baltimore through a pro-bono referral network of mental health professionals, as well as high quality interpretation in any language. Its clients are from over 30 different countries and have experienced extreme violence, including torture. Intercultural Counseling Connection serves about 100 clients a year in individual and group therapy. This grant is for general operating support.
Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc.
Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP) provides free legal services to homeless individuals throughout Maryland. This grant supports HPRP’s Homeless Youth Initiative, which provides direct representation to unaccompanied homeless youth on a range of legal needs, and advocates for policy solutions to youth homelessness in Maryland.
Drink at The Well – Hon’s Honey Social Enterprise
Drink at the Well operates a drop-in center that serves vulnerable women in the Curtis Bay community in South Baltimore. The center offers case management, mentoring, financial literacy education, food, clothing and flexible financial assistance in a community that has few resources. In 2018, Drink at the Well launched a social enterprise known as Hon’s Honey, which sells locally-sourced honey and honey-based skin care products and provides employment opportunities for women in The Well’s mentoring program. This grant provides operating support for Hon’s Honey.