Current Grantees

Our grantees work hard in the face of enormous challenges. Their big hearts, dedication, and vision hold the promise of a better future for their clients and inspire us to give our best as well.

St. Luke's Youth Center

Other: Family & Community Development 

Grant: $25,000

https://www.bmoreslyc.org/

The Saint Luke’s Youth Center, Inc. (SLYC) is a parent-led collaborative of West Baltimore families working together to provide young people with critical resources and safety-net of support.  Thirty-seven families and 94 children in the Franklin Square and Poppelton neighborhoods participate and are supported by “Moms on a Mission”, a group of parents and grandparents and guardians who are largely responsible for the success of these programs. Among the programs offered are: SLYC After School; In-School Youth Mentorship; SLYC Summer; SLYC Case Management.  The results are self-evident: GPA averages in math and science over 80% since 2019-2020 and school attendance of greater than 92%, among the highest in the state.  Our grant will be used to contribute to the wages and benefits for the women driving these programs and for their professional training/certification in areas such as mental health care, social work, and critical medical care. 

GEDCO Cares Women and Children Eviction Project

Emergency Services/Workforce Development

Grant: $25,000

Govens Ecumenical Development Corporation, GEDCO, is a community organization that provides affordable housing, supporting services and emergency assistance to community residents. Last year, 260 people received funding for eviction prevention, enabling 1,855 children to remain in their homes. Our grant funds will enable GEDCO CARES to serve additional women and children by preventing eviction and placing 50 women in jobs paying at least $15.00 per hour. Wraparound services foster growth toward personal independence.

Vehicles For Change

Workforce Development

Grant: $25,000

Vehicles for Change, a national organization based in Baltimore, empowers families with financial challenges to achieve economic and personal independence through car ownership and technical training. Vehicles for Change has created the only virtual reality training program in the United States geared toward preparing incarcerated women for jobs as automotive technicians. Last year, in a pilot program, students were trained to do basic car repair: use an auto lift, complete an oil change, replace a set of brakes and remove and replace a tire. With VFC’s connections, women can be placed in jobs with starting wages from $15-$20/hour. Our funding will allow 30 inmates to engage in this exciting and innovative 6-week program.

Pivot, Inc

Workforce Development 

Grant: $25,000

PIVOT supports women impacted by the criminal justice system, typically through incarceration, with a comprehensive array of services to enable them to reclaim their lives, rejoin their families and reinvigorate their communities.  PIVOT’s Women Re-entry and Workforce Development Program begins with a 6-week pre-release program to initiate re-entry planning and, upon release, continues with a 9-week supportive community program where women can hone their life skills and connect with resources and employment opportunities. This one-of-a-kind, remarkably successful program is funded primarily through government grants which restrict how the funds can be spent. Our grant will help enable PIVOT to fill the gap in funding so that they can continue to provide childcare, transportation and housing to the women they serve.

Caroline Center

Workforce Development

Grant: $25,000

Caroline Center educates under and unemployed women in Baltimore for careers with potential advancement.  Founded 27 years ago, Caroline Center was founded on the belief that educating women can transform communities and have generational impact.  It offers tuition-free education to women of 18-50, including a fifteen-week training program for nursing assistants and pharmacy techs and a recently completed pilot construction apprenticeship program.  Beyond their training, women are assisted with scholarships applications, resume writing and other services.  Circle funds will be used to underwrite the costs of the Pharmacy Technicians and Certified Nursing Assistants programs.

BioTechnical Institute

Workforce Development 

Grant: $25,000

The Biotechnical Institute of Maryland’s Laboratory Associates Program provides tuition-free training in basic laboratory skills to bright, ambitious, unemployed and under-employed residents of the Baltimore area. In addition to training in basic laboratory skills, BTI offers support for personal and professional development, and job placement assistance. The 16-week program also offers remediation for those who need to improve basic skills. Our grant, used for operating expenses, will allow BTI to recruit and train 10 single female custodial parents without college degrees, preparing them for entry-level jobs in the life sciences. Graduates of this exceptional program will receive an industry-recognized credential, putting them on a path toward financial independence. 

Lori's Hands

Service to Seniors 

Grant: $24,275

Lori’s Hands serves as a bridge between community members with chronic illness and college students who provide practical assistance to support independent living for these community members and who in turn learn about the community members’ life and health experiences. Lori’s Hands established its Baltimore program in 2022 to provide free in-home support to chronically ill older adults, 90% of which are women with limited support and financial resources. By partnering with 10 area universities, they provide college students, trained and supervised by LH, who visit weekly, helping with such tasks as shopping, housework, and companionship.
Fifty percent of LH clients report a decrease in isolation and loneliness. Our funding will support program expansion by helping to defray the costs of background checks, training and insurance.

St. Francis Neighborhood Center

Literacy/Education

Grant: $25,000

St. Francis Neighborhood Center has served the Reservoir Hill and Penn North community since 1963, providing holistic intervention programs for youth and families. Services include after-school and summer programming for children K-8, paid internships for high schoolers, food giveaways, programs for seniors, girls’ groups, neighborhood clean-ups and much more. Our grant will provide operating funds for use in expanding student capacity by 100%, increasing the number of classes offered, adding workforce development programming and covering the operating costs of a new classroom building. St. Francis Neighborhood Center is truly the beating heart of Reservoir Hill.