A Special Dinner Out on the Town | | |
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To celebrate the holiday season, longtime supporter of The Baltimore Station, M&T Bank, welcomed clients for dinner at their corporate office in downtown Baltimore giving clients the opportunity to dress up and enjoy an evening outside our firehouse walls. Before dinner, we went back to the basics in a finance literacy class lead by assistant vice president of M&T Bank and The Baltimore Station board member, Natalie Arteen. Natalie stressed the importance of setting a budget and reviewed key language for setting up personal finances. Each client was even given a portfolio book to fill with their professional documents so they could not only organize finances but also use the books to hold resumes and references when searching for jobs. | |
After the class, we gathered in the dining room for a delicious holiday meal served by M&T Bank employees. After serving, those who volunteered joined us for the meal, talking and laughing about all that we had coming up in 2024. It can be challenging to organize meals for clients outside of our facility, but it is always worth it to see people open up and enjoy their time in a new environment. A huge thank you to all who were involved at M&T Bank for making this special night so extraordinary. | |
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“Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.”
Nelson Mandela
January is Poverty Awareness Month and with nearly 40 million Americans living in poverty today, there is no better time to come together and give back to those in need. So why are so many people living below the poverty line in a country with so much wealth? Low income, unemployment, lack of affordable housing, discrimination, lack of education, and struggles with mental and physical disabilities are all factors that can lead to a life of poverty. For the vast majority, once someone falls into poverty, it often leads to a painful cycle, nearly impossible to escape. The effects of poverty are endless and usually include food insecurity, complications in physical health, and a decrease in mental health.
So, what can we do to help? Each of us has the power to make a difference. Whether that be a donation to your local food pantry, helping a neighbor in need, or working within your network to support a larger cause. Small actions make a huge impact when we all work together. The Baltimore Station works with homeless veterans to not only ensure a safe place to live and nutritious meals but also to ensure that life skills and therapies are offered, encouraging clients take action into their own hands to turn their lives around. Donating just $10 a month provides two meals for a veteran in our program. $75 can pay for all utilities for a client in a month. We also welcome those to give back through volunteering. Group volunteering can be a great way to connect with your team or encourage your family to see the value in giving back to others.
We encourage you to take action and give back in a meaningful way to help end poverty in your community and beyond.
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Have you ever held a staff party where each person brings a special dish? Or waited all year for grandma’s potato salad at the family picnic? Potlucks, where each guest is responsible for a dish, are a great way to get together, no matter your budget, to enjoy some classic favorites or new dishes you have never tried before. Each month at The Baltimore Station we hold a Volunteer Potluck Dinner inviting individuals, couples, or small families to bring a dish to serve to our clients. At least ten individuals bring plenty of food for all the men we have here. And the best part? After our clients grab a plate, volunteers get to try the food and everyone sits down to enjoy the meal together.
Potlucks provide an easy way for people to get to know one another over a shared meal and there is no better way to break the ice than talking about the recipe you brought to the potluck! We started this individual volunteer opportunity over a year ago and have seen returning faces again and again introducing their family, friends, and coworkers to the power of the potluck. This is also a great way to start your volunteer journey at The Baltimore Station. Even if you are not the best cook in the world, no need to worry, just pick up your favorite dish from a local restaurant you love or even a Stouffer’s lasagna from the grocery store. If you are looking to meet some new people and give back in a meaningful way, give our Volunteer Potluck Dinner a try.
Our next two potlucks are scheduled for February 12th and March 18th at 5:30pm in our facility at 140 W. West St. If your interested or would like additional information, please email volunteer coordinator, Lilly Frazier, at lfrazier@baltimorestation.org.
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As we look forward to a new year filled with new possibilities, let’s take a look back at the impact our dedicated network of supporters had on The Baltimore Station in 2023… | |
Volunteers served a total of 217 meals saving The Baltimore Station an estimated $52,433 in food costs. | |
We had an amazing 3,609 total hours of volunteer service! | |
What was the highest month of volunteering? That goes to November with a total of 510 volunteer hours served. | |
Volunteers participated in 1,961 hours of activities outside of meal services. These activities included holiday decorating, music concerts, trivia nights, softball games, writing/art/health classes, haircuts, game days, therapy dog sessions, event help, and so much more! | |
Volunteering is not the only way to give back to The Station. We received so many in-kind donations all throughout the year. From donation drives to purchasing items from our Amazon Wishlist, our supporters donated an estimated $40,761.20, allowing us to put funds towards more therapeutic groups and trips for our clients. | |
Our supporters had a huge impact on The Baltimore Station and we can’t thank you enough, but there is still plenty of work to be done. So, if you are looking for ways to connect with our mission of turning lives around, please visit our interest page to connect with the volunteer coordinator! | | |
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B'More Healthy Expo
DATE: Saturday, February 10 | 10:00am-4:00pm
LOCATION: The Baltimore Convention Center
1 W Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Stop by our booth at the 15th Annual B'More Healthy Expo where we will be connecting with people who may need our services and those who wish to support them.
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Volunteer Potluck
DATE: Monday, February 12 | 5:30-7pm
LOCATION: 140 W. West Street | Baltimore, MD 21230
If you are interested in volunteering at this fun-filled meal service, please email Lilly Frazier at
lfrazier@baltimorestation.org for more information or to sign up!
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2nd Annual Take a Swing for Recovery
DATE: Thursday, April 11 | 1 - 4pm
LOCATION: Topgolf Baltimore
1411 Warner Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
Join us for a relaxing and fun filled afternoon as we raise funds for our programs! If you would like to attend or be an event sponsor, please contact Alexandra Protos-Saraceno at aprotos@baltimorestation.org.
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