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A Heartfelt Message from
The Baltimore Station
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It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Executive Director, John Friedel. On July 30th, 2023, we lost John to an unexpected cardiac episode, leaving a void at The Baltimore Station and in the hearts of all those who knew him. John led with compassion, dedication, and kindness, working tirelessly to change the lives of those struggling with homelessness and substance abuse issues; and in the process, touching the lives of all fortunate enough to know him.
The Baltimore Station is grateful to have worked under his leadership since 2015, seeing firsthand his dedication to helping those in need. He worked to drive our mission forward and grow our program to support those when and where they needed it most. Our dedication to the mission remains the focus for what we do here. Kim Callari has been named Interim Executive Director by our Board of Directors to manage the day-to-day operations of The Baltimore Station so we can keep moving forward and serving the veterans in our programs. John's passion and vision have laid a strong foundation, and we will honor his memory by continuing his impactful work.
We want to thank everyone who has reached out to offer their condolences and support. Without our community of supporters, volunteers, donors, and friends, we would not be where we are today. The kind words and acts of service we have received during this grieving process have propelled our ability to continue the work we do. Our hearts and prayers are with John's family and friends as they process this tremendous loss, and we ask for the continued privacy for his family as they mourn.
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Platinum Seal of Credibility
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This time last year, we were celebrating the Gold Seal of Transparency award from Candid GuideStar, showing those looking for an organization to support that we are fiscally responsible and transparent about who we have in leadership.
We are proud to announce that we have now earned a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid GuideStar! If you are wondering what the difference is, put simply we have detailed our goals and provided the proof to GuideStar that our numbers match or exceed those goals.
Check out our #NonprofitProfile to learn more and make a difference with your support.
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A huge thank you to all who came out to support The Baltimore Station at our Old Line Spirits fundraiser and first ever, Crab Feast and Bull Roast with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood. Attending or sponsoring events like these is a great way to support our mission by helping us raise critical funds that go directly into programming needs at The Baltimore Station.
We are always proud to partner with veteran owned businesses, so having the opportunity to host a fundraiser with Old Line Spirits gave us the ability to not only raise money for the veterans in our care, but to also support local naval aviation veterans Mark McLaughlin and Arch Watkins through their business. A huge thank you to Mission BBQ for catering the event with their delicious BBQ and sides. Additionally, a shoutout to Board Member and musician Jeff Cooper for bringing his band The 2000 Watts to perform for our guests, keeping the energy in the room fun throughout the whole event.
We also hosted our first ever Crab Feast and Bull Roast with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood! This was such a fun event to host, seeing laughing faces in the 360-photo booth, smiles while guests enjoyed delicious crabs, and excitement to find out the winners of our raffles and an all-expense paid trip to Key West! It was great to connect with those who have supported The Baltimore Station for years and to meet plenty of new individuals who we hope to see at future events and volunteer opportunities. Be sure to check out photos from the event here.
Between the two events, we raised more than $31,000 for The Baltimore Station and the veterans we serve. Thank you to all those who sponsored, attended, donated raffle items, and volunteered at these events. It is with your support that we can turn lives around.
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A Week of Equity and Action | |
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Community partner shoutout to CareFirst for not only hosting an entire day of giving back, but additionally a whole week of reflecting on equity and action! Last month, CareFirst hosted a companywide Week of Equity and Action, serving as an opportunity for CareFirst employees to cultivate empathy and understanding of each other in the workplace and the community. This event included seminars to broaden perspectives, classes on creating a more welcoming and inclusive work environment, as well as the opportunity to put words into actions through service projects in the community.
The Baltimore Station was one of more than two dozen organizations CareFirst employees came out to help. They reorganized our donation room, led clients in a game of American themed trivia, cooked lunch for all the residents and then sat down to a meal with the men they had been serving. We welcomed more than 20 volunteers to our facility, but CareFirst had more than 1,000 employees all throughout Baltimore completing service projects including outdoor work, trash removal, packing food boxes, and other tasks to help the community.
To wrap up the week, CareFirst held a closing ceremony with a panelist of unique voices who gave their perspectives on the importance of inclusion and understanding in the workplace and beyond. We were kindly invited to listen to these speakers and left inspired and excited to hold onto their messages and explore ways to engage our staff here as well! Thank you to everyone who planned and volunteered at this year’s CareFirst Week of Equity and Action. It is through working together that we can make our communities a little bit brighter and stronger.
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OPS Consulting's Charity Golf Event
DATE: Thursday, August 31 | 7:30am
LOCATION: Whiskey Creek Golf Club
Enjoy 18 holes of golf, use of practice facility, golf cart, bag service, breakfast, lunch, drink tickets, gift card awards, and a 50/50 raffle. opsconsultinggolf.com
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MMHA Golf Tournament
DATE: Thursday, September 14 | 7:30am - 5:30pm
LOCATION: Mountain Branch Golf Club
1827 Mountain RD | Joppa, MD
18 holes of golf, breakfast, grilled lunch, adult beverages, happy hour reception, giveaways, and raffle prizes. mmhaonline.org/events
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American Legion Cornhole Tournament
DATE: Saturday, September 16
LOCATION: American Legion Post 175
832 Manhattan Beach Rd | Severna Park
A cornhole tournament to benefit The Baltimore Station.
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Volunteer Potluck
DATE: Monday, September 25 | 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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Stars, Stripes & Chow Chili Cookoff
DATE: Saturday, November 4 | 1:00-4:30pm
LOCATION: Oriole Park Camden Yards
9th annual chili cook-off fundraiser supporting homeless veterans in our programs. Teams compete for People's Choice, Judge's Choice & Best Theme. Food, fun, and secure parking for all ages are included!
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Attention Early Birds! Save $10 when you purchase your Stars, Stripes & Chow tickets before September 20..Tickets go on sale September 5.
Early Bird General Admission: $40
General Admission: $50
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