September 2024

Calling All Difference Makers!

Are you looking to make a difference and support a good cause? Do you enjoy welcoming the holidays through giving back to others and supporting the community? Then volunteering at The Baltimore Station may be the perfect fit for you!

We welcome over 1,200 volunteers through our doors each year, making a difference for the men we serve in our program, and we absolutely love making lasting relationships with those who donate their time to us again and again. We offer a variety of opportunities for those looking to give back in a meaningful way from running your own donation drive, to setting up mini fundraisers, to helping us with special projects, to providing a meal to the veterans we proudly serve. 

One of our favorite ways to welcome volunteers is through a meal service. Groups of 5-15 people come with all the ingredients to cook a meal for our clients. After bonding with your team through cooking and serving, you have the opportunity to grab a plate and not only enjoy your meal, but also meet with some of the men we support here. It is a great way to connect as a group, connect with our mission here at The Baltimore Station, and connect with some of the men your kindness serves. Plus, we handle all the clean-up!

If you are interested in this opportunity or have an idea of your own, feel free to reach out to our volunteer coordinator, Lilly Frazier, for more information and to sign up! The season of giving is fast approaching so be sure to get on the calendar while we still have spots available. 

Connecting with the Community

We were thrilled to connect with community members as we continue to share our mission with those looking to give back and support veterans in recovery. 

Last month, Bill Montgomery, host of WHFC's weekly program The Veterans SITREP, welcomed our executive director, Kim Callari, on his show to talk about the work we do here at The Baltimore Station. His episode explores the services and resources available here and how we support veterans who are overcoming obstacles to regain self-sufficiency. To listen to this installment of The Veterans SITREP, please click here for invaluable information and resources for veterans and their families.

We also chatted with attendees at this year’s Locust Point Festival! We met so many families and individuals out enjoying the day and got to pass out information about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and all the work we do at The Baltimore Station. Some people knew us well and have supported us before, but others had their first introduction to what we do that day! It was absolutely beautiful out and thanks to support from a few volunteers who helped answer questions at our table, we even got to walk around and chat with those also running booths. It was a huge success and a reminder to all of us of the amazing community we have here in Baltimore. If you are planning or know of a festival or resource fair that The Baltimore Station could participate in, please contact lfrazier@baltimorestation.org with more information.

National Recovery Month

National Recovery Month is observed every year in September as an opportunity to educate people about the struggles faced by those in recovery as well as a time to celebrate the accomplishments earned by those working to overcome addiction. First recognized in 1989, this yearly observance encourages further research into best practices to help those in recovery and reminds those suffering that there is hope for a brighter future. However, the work for those struggling with addiction didn’t start there.

• As far back as the 1750s, “sobriety circles” provided different healing practices to those battling alcoholism. 
• In the 1850s, lodging homes were created as a safe space for those looking to detox, remove themselves from social pressures of drinking, and be a part of a sober living community.
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was formed in 1935 and just four years later, the famous blue book “Alcoholics Anonymous” was published. 
• In 1953, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) was founded as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." 

We continue to see expansion of resources, aid, and education surrounding addiction. If you are looking for resources to help with addiction, please check out our website resource list.

What's Coming Up?

Monthly Giving Program