| In 1983, a group of leading foundations and corporations founded the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, or ABAG, as a forum to address common problems and interests. Today, ABAG is the the main resource on philanthropy in the Baltimore area. Dedicated to helping grantmakers and bettering our community, it has a membership of more than 120 private foundations and corporations. This year we are celebrating ABAG’s 25th anniversary with the “Snapshots of Philanthropy” ePostcard series, which offers a glimpse into the many ways that funders are making a difference in our community. Available online and e-mailed weekly since January, each of the 25 profiles that make up the series tells a story of progress and hope made possible by grants big and small. These snapshots are just that — glimpses of some of the charitable work done by Baltimore-area foundations. Visit www.snapshotsofphilanthropy.org to see the full series or sign up to receive weekly “Snapshots of Philanthropy” ePostcards. Many stories remain to be told, and I invite you to share a story about your own charitable giving and its impact on our community. Please leave a message for me at http://snapshotsofphilanthropy.blogspot.com. Here’s a snapshot of the first five profiles: Snapshot #1: “Coalition Mobilizes to Boost Incomes and Build Hope”
When funders and community groups put their expertise and resources together, the results can be phenomenal. That’s what happened in 2001, when a group of foundations joined with community-based organizations, government agencies, employers, workforce development agencies and volunteers to start the Baltimore CASH Campaign — Creating Assets, Savings and Hope. Nearly 20,000 low-income taxpayers have received free tax assistance and rebates.
Snapshot #2: “Foundations Draw Federal Funding for Literacy Project”
Helping young children from economically disadvantaged homes catch up with their peers in language and vocabulary development is often difficult, but it is critically important in heading off first-grade failure and in promoting long-term success. When two local family foundations learned in 2000 that researchers at Johns Hopkins University had developed teacher-training strategies to bridge this gap, they quickly and generously lent their support.
Snapshot #3: “Funders, Hospitals Craft Workforce Solution”
Baltimore-area hospitals were facing critical staffing shortages in certain high-skill jobs, while many low-income workers were struggling to get by in dead-end jobs with no benefits or hope of advancement. In 2003, an informal network of funders supporting different approaches to workforce development got together and asked, “What’s wrong with this picture?” With a focus on training and support, the Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare was born.
Snapshot #4: “Funders Help Combat Domestic Violence”
More than 30 years ago, the House of Ruth Maryland started as a small, grassroots shelter providing safety for battered women. Society then did not admit the pervasiveness of domestic violence, says House of Ruth’s executive director, Carole Alexander. But the funding community has since joined with the House of Ruth to cast a bright light on crimes against women. The program now serves thousands of women, as well as teens and children, each year.
Snapshot #5: “Visionary Public-Private Partnership Funds Art School”
Founded in 1979, the Baltimore School for the Arts is the product of an unusual public-private partnership. Its charter was approved by the Baltimore City School Board, while a foundation was created to raise additional funds. The high school’s founders envisioned an institution that would train students for careers in the performing and visual arts. Enrollment has grown from 68 students in the school’s first year to more than 300 today.
Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz is the communications director at the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, the region’s premier resource on philanthropy, dedicated to informing grantmakers and improving our community. She can be reached at bbschwartz@abagmd.org and at www.abagmd.org. |
