Major Community Schools Initiative is now a Division of Humanim, the Baltimore-based nonprofit.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2014
BALTIMORE – Elev8 Baltimore, an award-winning community schools initiative working in four schools in the city, has become a division of Humanim, the Baltimore-based nonprofit focused on workforce development, human services and social enterprise.
Elev8 Baltimore’s move to Humanim was official March 1, 2014. Elev8 Baltimore had been housed within East Baltimore Development, Inc. (EBDI) since its launch in 2009.
Elev8 Baltimore is a full-service community schools approach that provides high-quality out-of-school time activities, school-based health services, and resources and support for students and families in four East Baltimore schools.
“We are pleased to have Elev8 Baltimore become a division of Humanim because it’s a great fit,” said Henry E. Posko Jr., president and CEO of Humanim. “Humanim’s mission to expand opportunities for families and children aligns well with Elev8 Baltimore, which partners with schools to serve and empower disadvantaged students and their families. And Humanim has worked closely with Elev8 Baltimore for more than five years, successfully providing workforce services to family members in its four schools.”
Elev8 Baltimore partners with schools and provides staff and funding to support a range of activities within the schools. From 2010 to 2013, Elev8 Baltimore provided out-of-school-time activities to more than 1,170 students in its four schools, and services to more than 360 adults. In partnership with Baltimore Medical System, Elev8 Baltimore’s school-based health centers, which are staffed by nurses and physicians, had more than 11,300 visits by students in that time period. Elev8 Baltimore also provides a range of services to its students’ family members, including workforce assistance and tax preparation help.
“Elev8 Baltimore has proven itself by providing students with great out-of-school-time activities and convenient access to health care, while also providing services to families,” said Nicole A. Johnson, senior director of Elev8 Baltimore. “Humanim has a long track record of serving the community and we are looking forward to a strong partnership.”
As part of Humanim, Elev8 Baltimore is expected to continue providing the same level of services at its network of four schools: Collington Square School, Dr. Rayner Browne Academy, Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School and Commodore John Rogers Elementary/Middle School.
With the transfer, Elev8 Baltimore’s employees became Humanim employees. Elev8 will move this spring into Humanim’s main office in the historic American Brewery building in East Baltimore.
Elev8 Baltimore is one of four sites around the country – along with Chicago, Oakland, Calif., and New Mexico – that are part of the national Elev8 initiative, which received major funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies.
“Atlantic Philanthropies strongly supports the move of Elev8 Baltimore to become a division of Humanim, a respected and experienced nonprofit leader,” said Naomi Post, Children and Youth Programme Executive at Atlantic. “The benefits of this new arrangement will flow to students in the Elev8 schools, their families and the broader community.”
Along with Atlantic, Elev8 Baltimore has received support from a range of other funders, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“The Casey Foundation is proud to support Elev8. Elev8 takes a comprehensive approach to fostering family well-being by supporting students beyond the classroom and offering services and resources to parents and caregivers that promote their financial stability, health and continuing education,” said Sophie Dagenais, director of the Baltimore Civic Site for the Casey Foundation. “We are confident that Humanim will provide the right home to continue Elev8’s mission to improve the lives of children and families.”
Humanim has 42 years of experience working in schools and with youth, with a focus on workforce development and behavioral healthcare. In the future, Humanim programs for high school youth could provide a continuum of services for students who have gone through Elev8 Baltimore’s programs.
EBDI, which has provided a home for Elev8 Baltimore since its inception, is concentrating on redevelopment in the area north of Johns Hopkins Hospital and views Humanim’s direct services expertise as a better fit for Elev8 Baltimore.
“We are proud to have incubated Elev8 in its start-up years and believe that Elev8 will continue to play a critically important role in educating children and connecting families with services in East Baltimore,” said Christopher Shea, President and CEO of EBDI. “Humanim will be a perfect home for Elev8 in the coming years, and we look forward to a valuable collaboration between those two organizations.”
About Humanim
Humanim is a Baltimore-based nonprofit with more than four decades of experience in workforce development, human services and social enterprise. Humanim’s programs create opportunities for individuals with disabilities or other barriers to employment and for young people in school.
About Elev8 Baltimore
Elev8 Baltimore, a division of Humanim, is an initiative working in four schools in East Baltimore. Elev8 partners with schools, families and the community to make sure that every student is ready to succeed in high school. The initiative works in three key ways: by engaging families and students to be effective advocates for themselves and their communities; by providing services and opportunities that every child needs and deserves; and by working with partners to change policies and practices of schools, government agencies and others to strengthen their focus on student success. For more information, visit www.elev8baltimore.org.
Contact: Cindy Plavier-Truitt
410-381-7171, ext. 2267