Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The SPARC Center is a drop-in center designed to meet the needs of female sex workers and other vulnerable women in Baltimore City. Part of a federally-funded study that aims to reduce HIV rates by addressing drug- and sex-related risk behaviors, the center provides a range of health and social services to address the many challenges and barriers to service faced by female sex workers. This grant provides funding to hire a case manager so that the center can better meet clients’ mental health and social service needs.
Tahirih Justice Center
The Tahirih Justice Center was founded in 1997 to represent women and girls seeking protection from gender-based human rights abuses. Partnering with an extensive network of pro bono attorneys, Tahirih provides legal services to protect clients from immediate danger and to assist them in gaining asylum relief, aid under the federal Violence Against Women Act, and visas for victims of trafficking. This grant supported legal services for 250 women and girls in Baltimore City and surrounding areas, and case management services for 75 clients.
St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, Inc.
The Beans & Bread Center, a St. Vincent de Paul program, provides a wide range of services on-site that address the needs of the chronically homeless, including housing, health care, recovery, and employment. This grant supported the Beans & Bread homeless day resource in providing a day shelter, intake and engagement, case management, meals, hygiene supplies, showers, laundry, assistance securing personal identification, and access to phones and mail services. The center operates seven days a week and serves more than 400 meals a day.
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.