Youth Empowered Society
Opened in 2012, the YES drop-in center serves homeless youth ages 14 to 25, providing counseling, peer support, connections to resources, and a safe place for the youth to meet their basic human needs. Services provided by YES staff include employment counseling and job placement support; assistance accessing housing; case management; assistance accessing public benefits; and connections to educational programs. In addition, YES partners with other organizations to provide services on site at the Center, including health care, insurance enrollment, pro bono legal services, GED classes and parenting support.. In FY 2019, the YES Center served 323 unique individuals. This grant supports the Center’s operations.
TeamTime, fiscally sponsored by Strong City Baltimore
Founded in 2013 by a former City Schools Health and Physical Education teacher, TeamTime (formerly known as NEWfit) has rapidly emerged as the largest provider of structured play (recess) and afterschool sports programming for elementary and middle school children in Baltimore City. Last year, their programs served 4,500 elementary and middle school students in 75 Baltimore City Public Schools. This grant will support TeamTime’s programming and the development and implementation of an evaluation plan.
Tahirih Justice Center
The Tahirih Justice Center represents immigrant women and girls seeking protection from gender-based human rights abuses, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence. This grant supports Tahirih’s Baltimore office, which provided legal services to 231 clients and case management support to 71 clients in 2018. In addition, Tahirih trains and works closely with an extensive network of pro bono attorneys who expand the reach of Tahirih’s small staff.
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Inc.
This grant supports a joint effort by Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Moveable Feast, Benefits Data Trust, and Health Management Associates to design and test a new nutrition services model that will enable health insurers and other health care providers to contract with community based organizations to provide nutritional services for patients. The project seeks to capitalize on increasing interest in, and opportunities for, the health care sector to partner with community organizations to meet non-medical needs of patients that have significant impacts on health, often referred to as “social determinants of health.” Food insecurity, and lack of access to nutritious food, is one of the major social determinants of health in Baltimore City.
Maryland Food Bank
The Maryland Food Bank’s School Food Pantry program operates food banks in schools that serve large populations of families living in poverty, including approximately 100 Baltimore City public schools. The program delivers food to each participating school on a monthly basis, including fresh produce and shelf-stable products. All food is provided to families free of charge. This grant supports the continued operation of the School Food Pantry program in Baltimore City.