Family League Newsletter: April 2017

Investing City Funds on Behalf of Baltimore’s Children and Youth

We are pleased to share Family League’s FY17 investment maps, which show how the funds entrusted to us by the Mayor and City Council are invested in Baltimore’s children, youth, and families. On March 29, the City’s FY18 preliminary budget was presented to the Board of Estimates. As the City Council considers the budget in the coming months, we are proud to highlight our deep partnerships serving children and youth year-round, across our communities. Click the button below to view and download the investment maps.

Baltimore’s Community Schools Attracting Attention
as a National Model

In the last few months, Family League hosted several visits for external groups to showcase the Community Schools strategy and its success here in Baltimore. Vistors from the U.S. Department of Education, Coalition for Community Schools, Jobs for the Future, and staff from The School District of Lancaster, PA embarked on site visits to several Community Schools where they heard from students, partners, and teachers about how these schools layer in a range of social and economic services and supports that benefit children, youth, families, and their communities.

Mark Gaither, in his 12th year as principal of Wolfe Street Academy in Baltimore, recently spoke to Education Week about why Community Schools work and the impact of the model on his students. Gaither cited one of the strengths of these schools being their ability to “create a network of relationships and partnerships that identify the needs of students and families, identify assets within and around the community, and apply those resources to address needs.”

Baltimore to Host Community Schools National Forum in 2018

From May 1-4, 2018, over 1,000 education professionals, advocates, and policymakers from across the country are expected to attend this annual event—which Baltimore is hosting for the first time. Last month, we hosted a kick-off meeting for the local planning committee, which is gearing up to make this an extraordinary experience for visitors—and also highly inclusive, with extensive participation by local community members.

You’re invited! Baltimore residents, parents, advocates, educators, students and others are cordially invited to participate on one of five local task forces that will develop exciting and informative activities around the conference:

• Maryland Stories and Local Workshops
• School Site Visits
• Local Programming & Entertainment
• Onsite Logistics
• Youth and Families

Contact Jonathan Carter,
jcarter@familyleague.org, if you’re interested
in learning more.

Summer Fun, Summer Meals Just Around the Corner

This summer, Family League is teaming up with the Baltimore City Department of Housing to deliver free summer meals to roughly 500 sites across the city; over 1 million meals will be served by the time summer ends. Working together, we’re streamlining our outreach to drive more traffic to sites where kids eat for free.

Our teamwork includes developing new posters, door hangers, and other types of outreach to get the word out, beginning in May. Families will be able to find the sites closest to them, or where their kids spend time, by going to www.mdsummermeals.org (new sites will be added within the coming weeks). The “SuperSummer” brand and website we used the last few years is now replaced by this new strategy. We’ll share new outreach materials once they’re available.

New Steering Committee Kicks Off Strategic Planning

The new Community Schools Steering Committee held their first meeting at the Weinberg Y in Waverly on March 30th. Mayor Catherine Pugh joined us for the start of the meeting where members were excited to begin collaborating on ways to make our Community Schools into true community hubs.

The Community School Steering Committee is co-chaired by Baltimore City Public Schools and Family League of Baltimore. Its 15 members are volunteers who represent a cross-section of community stakeholders, parents, schools staff, youth, funders, advocates, and policy makers. Community Schools in Baltimore are made possible through the support and vision of Mayor Catherine Pugh and the City Council of Baltimore and the Governor’s Office for Children.

Thousands of Baltimore Youngsters Receive Free Books

Last month, we celebrated the first anniversary of the Governor’s Young Readers program in Baltimore City. Family League, its partners, and friends continue to spread the word about the program, which provides free books to Baltimore families with babies and children under age 5. Participants receive 1 new book each month delivered to their home.

Family League recently joined B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB) and the Baltimore City Health Department for Rattle & Roll Day, an event designed to educate families on key health topics while promoting BHB services and programs. This was an excellent opportunity to accompany our partners to reach more than 120 service sites and get the word out about the Governor’s Young Readers program.

As the coordinating organization for the program, we expect to continue building on our partnerships with Head Start, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Baltimore City Public Schools, Judy Centers, the Family Literacy Coalition, family childcare providers and health care providers to expand the number of families participating in the program and continue our commitment to increasing school readiness for young children in Baltimore City.

Support Family League

When all children in Baltimore grow up healthy, succeed academically, graduate high school and transition into higher education and the workforce our goal will be met. Until then, we must pull together our best thinking, our best talent and our collective resources to ensure that every child is provided an equal chance to reach their potential.

When you make a gift to the Family League of Baltimore, you help improve birth outcomes, kindergartner readiness and ensure that schools are safe and conducive for children to learn and grow. Family League has been a trusted community partner for more than 25 years. We ensure that the investments are made where they are needed and we are accountable to the community for results.

Please make your gift today. The children of Baltimore are counting on us.

Thank you.

*All donations to Family League are tax deductible.