Soccer Without Borders Baltimore
Soccer Without Borders operates year-round soccer and academic support programs for refugee, asylee and immigrant youth. Founded in 2009, they serve almost 500 students statewide through after-school, summer, and mentoring initiatives, and uses an English Language Development-integrated soccer curriculum that allows participants to improve their English proficiency. This grant supported the high school program for 100 youth in Baltimore City.
ShareBaby, Inc.
Part of a national network of “diaper banks,” ShareBaby provides diapers and other critical baby supplies to low income parents in Baltimore. ShareBaby partners with a wide range of other organizations, including homeless service and domestic violence programs, family support centers, home visiting programs, and programs serving refugees and asylees, to distribute these essential items to famiilies for whom the cost of diapers can be an insurmountable expense. This grant provides operating support for ShareBaby.
Baltimore City Health Department
To better target asthma treatment resources to the children who are most in need of support, the Baltimore City Health Department will create an asthma surveillance system that uses state health claims data to identify children who have had emergency room visits and/or hospitalizations due to asthma. The Health Department will conduct outreach to these children and their families to offer supportive services to assist them in managing their asthma and reducing exposure to allergens. The department will also use the asthma surveillance system to identify asthma “hot spots” in Baltimore where asthma prevention interventions can be delivered. This grant provided funding to hire a half-time epidemiologist to design and manage the asthma surveillance system.
United Way of Central Maryland, Inc.
When wage earners in low-income families experience an increase in income, they often lose eligibility for certain benefits, resulting in a decrease in the gross resources available for the family; this is known as the “benefits cliff.” This grant supports research by the United Way and the Schaefer Center for Public Policy on the impact of the benefits cliff on Maryland working families.
Youth Empowered Society
Opened in October 2012, the YES Center is the only drop-in center for unaccompanied homeless youth and young adults in Baltimore. The center serves youth ages 14 to 25, providing counseling, peer support, connections to resources, and a safe place for the youth to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, laundry facilities, and access to phones and computers, among other things. Services provided by YES staff members and partner agencies include employment readiness, job training, and job placement support; assistance accessing housing; case management; assistance in accessing public benefits; health care, including behavioral health; tutoring; and legal services. This grant supports the salaries of a case manager and peer intern who assist clients in addressing their needs.