July 2024

Mayor's Office of Homeless Services Interviews

Special visit alert! This month we welcomed representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS) to speak with some of our clients, graduates and staff about the work we are doing here to support the homeless community. Our big push this year is meeting those in need where they are at. This includes monthly outreach efforts at resource fairs but also speaking to those still living on the street. 

The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services recently came by to interview and meet with graduate and Air Force Veteran, Devonte, about how he is meeting his goals since completing our program and graduating. In addition to securing housing, Devonte is getting closer to completing his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. We are always happy to welcome back graduates and see where life is taking them. 

Be sure to check out his interview with MOHS below!

Annual Trip to Sandy Point State Park

As a part of our summer of fun here at The Baltimore Station, we just finished up with our annual trip to Sandy Point State Park! We offer pro-social activities throughout the year to remind clients struggling through addiction that there are plenty of positive social activities one can do that do not involve drugs and alcohol. We also participated in piscatorial (fishing) therapy off the rocks of this beautiful park. As our clinical director says, “The benefit of fishing is not in catching something, that is just a bonus. The real gain is a greater sense of patience and a connection with nature. Spending time on the water is a gift itself.” 

Despite the 95+ temperatures, we found sanctuary in the shade as staff and clients enjoyed a Mission BBQ lunch together under the pavilion. A huge thank you to Mission BBQ for donating the food so our kitchen staff could also take a break and enjoy the day. We continued to take in the scenery, watching the cranes and listening to bird calls as the day moved forward. By the time we headed back, although it had been a hot day, we were grateful for the opportunity to step away from our firehouse facility and enjoy each other’s company; staff and clients together. 

This trip allows us to incorporate the healing powers of nature with therapeutic activities like fishing, to create a memorable trip for all. A huge thank you to our staff who worked together to make this all possible!

CARF Reaccreditation

We are beyond proud to announce that we have secured another three-year CARF Accreditation! CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) is “an independent, non-profit accreditor of health and human services, enhancing the lives of persons served worldwide.”

Through their intensive three-day evaluation of our facility, they worked with staff to review the standards we have in place and evaluate our ongoing commitment to improving our organization for the veterans we serve. This accreditation is a true testament to the work that we do at The Baltimore Station.

Some highlights of their review: 

• “The organization provides a quality service with staff members who are passionate, energetic and professional and who speak highly of each other. The cohesiveness of the entire team is evident throughout the organization, which provides the best opportunity for residents to be successful in meeting their goals.”

• “With the unexpected passing of the former Executive Director, staff members took on duties that were new or unfamiliar to them with courage. This is a testament to their commitment to the organization and to the residents.”

• “The volunteer program enables residents to engage with the community in multiple ways, including educational and recreational opportunities, life skills building, and job opportunities. The volunteer program is so successful that it is difficult to schedule all the volunteers who want to participate in the program.”

• “On balance, The Baltimore Station demonstrated substantial conformance to the standards.”

We look forward to incorporating their recommendations into our program development as we continue to grow. The Baltimore Station has been serving this community for over 35 years because of our commitment to the mission but also our ability to change when needed and adapt to the needs of those we serve. 

Making a Difference in a Different Way

We are so fortunate to have such a diverse and creative community of supporters around us looking to make a difference for The Baltimore Station and our greater community. Let’s take a look at some creative difference makers we have welcomed through our doors this month:

Helping our Front Desk: New Volunteer Opportunity Alert!

We have been testing out our front desk volunteer helper role for the past couple of months and are pleased to announce the trial run has proven to be extremely helpful for our Front Desk Attendants. This role allows individuals over the age of 18 to support our clients through helping to answer phones, greet visitors, and open the door. This position is working side by side with one of our front desk attendants, giving them greater flexibility to complete all their other daily tasks. The individuals helping us are volunteering for four hours at a time and we are now welcoming the opportunity for more individuals looking to make a difference for our clients. 

Fundraisers

A great way to support our mission here while also engaging the community is through a fundraiser. Whether big or small, we are so grateful for all the folks who put in so much time organizing and hosting events to raise money for our mission! This month, South Baltimore Network hosted a golf tournament welcoming supporters from all over to spend the day swinging clubs and raising money to support homeless veterans at The Baltimore Station. Prickly Pete’s Cactus Factory in South Baltimore hosted a plant giveaway, allowing locals to pick up a free plant in exchange for a donation to The Baltimore Station. Fundraisers like these not only help us financially but also connect us with more individuals looking to support our mission. 

Music Performances 

Music is an amazing joy that connects us all. We are always so happy to welcome Our Joyful Noise Baltimore to perform Curbside Concerts just outside our doors. This month, we welcomed back Dan and Claudia Zanes to perform their music as the sun set and the summer breeze cooled off the day. Dan and Claudia have hosted a number of performances here and even join us on our annual trips to Camp Puh Tok! They perform well known songs that have clients clapping and singing along as well as some originals that had us captivated and moved. We also welcomed a new junior volunteer, Luca, to perform at some of our dinner services. Although he is just entering high school, Luca has an extraordinary talent playing the guitar. It is a wonderful addition to dinner service and gives us all a peaceful way to end the day. 

10th Annual Maryland's Top Crab Cake Challenge Expo Benefitting The Baltimore Station

Tuesday, September 17 at 5pm

The event will feature samples of crab cakes, cream of crab soup and Maryland crab soup from local Maryland restaurants & caterers. Attendees can try all of the samples and then vote for their favorites crab cakes and soups.

Tickets also include live music, casino games, photo booth, local business exhibits, networking, door prizes and more. 

Attendee Tickets:

$25 - Early Bird Tickets (through July 17)

$29 - Advance Tickets (through September 16)

$39 - Tickets at the Door

For more information, please check out the website here.

Monthly Giving Program