In 2019, when we began our work in East Baltimore, several community members challenged us to support them with funds that address persistent unavoidable problems with navigating poverty.
Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic began, problems like medical debt often had a ripple effect, making it impossible to stay current on major bills with fixed or limited income.
With the help of longtime individual donors like Dr. Gladys McGarey (1920-2024), we responded by creating the following small-scale "Caring Funds" and wrap-around initiatives to provide limited, emergency support to enrollees to uplift peace of mind and advance anti-poverty measures.
There can be no true peace without eradicating poverty.
In our healthy foodways initiative, we provide one free/no-cost homemade fully-prepared, low-salt/low-sugar, well-seasoned/herbed, culturally-sensitive meal four days a week at the McKim Center for enrolled youth and families.
We also provide a comprehensive guide to Baltimore City and Maryland's excellent food and grocery support services.
Through the generosity of Mr. Christian Holder (1949-2025), a longtime donor, we set up a phone fund in 2019. Having a cellphone has become an essential part of 21st century safety, security, and workforce viability. We provide a limited number of enrollees with a cellphone, phone case, and phone charger as well as one year of unlimited calls, text, and data so they have 12 months to never worry about excellent phone service.
We created a limited "pipeline" to link enrollees to employment opportunities, and additional training from collaborating organizations that would lead to employment opportunities. Some of these opportunities involve GED and further training leading to jobs in the healthcare field. Others involve remote, at-home work for call centers and emergency preparedness.
When we helped select community members gain remote, at-home employment, we found that their children often needed to get into the home after school safely without disturbing the parent who was working inside the home on the phone or Internet. Thus, we created a Key Fund to make and distribute additional sets of keys to youth and other family members so they can get inside the home safely.
Early in our work, Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan (1942-2019), a longtime supporter, urged us to make sure our programming and operations emphasized disease prevention and he seeded us funds to make wrap-around support possible.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, we began providing limited emergency funds for medical assistance to help offset the costs of personal protective equipment or bills not covered by help insurance. We also continue to provide limited PPE—gloves, masks, and over-the-counter testing equipment for COVID and STIs. We also provide a limited monthly supply of condoms, dental dams, menstrual supplies, basic first aid supplies, and diapers.
We have provided limited funds to help community members offset costs associated with un-classifiable, complex life emergencies.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, we began providing limited funds to aid in making rent and referrals for housing assistance.
✔️ For immediate, 24/7 help in a crisis, residents can call or text 988.
✔️ Pro Bono Counseling Project: Links individuals, families, and couples with volunteer licensed therapists. 410-825-1001.
✔️ Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc. (BCRI): Offers 24/7, free emergency psychiatric services, including a 21-day stabilization unit. 410-433-5255.
✔️ NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore: Provides free peer support groups and mental health education. 410-435-2600.
✔️ TurnAround Inc: Specialized care for victims of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Calls: 443-279-0379. Texts: 410-498-5956.
✔️ The Loyola Clinical Centers: Offers sliding scale and sometimes free therapy for emotional/psychological needs. 410- 617-1200
✔️ Intercultural Counseling Connection: Free trauma-informed counseling for refugees and asylees. 410-632-6701.
✔️ Esperanza Center Health Services: Provides care for individuals who do not qualify for insurance due to immigration status. 667-600-2942.
✔️ WARMLine: Peer counseling support, which can help connect callers to long-term care. 410-598-0234. (Warning: wait times may be long for this service.)
✔️ Thriveworks: Low-cost counseling. 443-419-7661.
Please become a recurring monthly supporter on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/wisdomcommunity and help sponsor one of our Caring Funds.