Baltimore Integration Partnership Update - January 2016

Lessons from 5 Years of Economic Inclusion and Partnership in Baltimore
Since 2011, the BIP has been working with partners to advance reinvestment, support area neighborhoods and businesses, and create jobs for Baltimore residents through economic inclusion. Strategies have leveraged new capital investment, anchor institutions, and expanded workforce resources and services to connect residents to the city’s economic strengths and assets. Our approach offers opportunities and lessons learned that are important for Baltimore to move forward.  Learn More.

10 Anchors, Humanim Collaborate on New Administrative Training Program
Through the leadership of Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland-Baltimore (UMB), the collective members of the BIP Local Hiring Workgroup, and Humanim, a new training program is launching to prepare area residents for jobs in educational and medical institutions. Leveraging funding through the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and the BIP,approximately 55 individuals will receive training in soft and hard skills for office positions working towards one of three recognized certifications. The first program cohort will begin in February and program graduates will be considered for positions by the participating anchor institutions. Learn More.

Center for Urban Families and UMB Launch New Workforce Services for West Baltimore
Through the support of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Omega Psi Phi, and the BIP, new workforce services are now available for family and community members of the Historic Samuel Coolridge Taylor Elementary School. The two-year pilot builds on Weinberg’s Baltimore Library Project, CFUFs workforce services and UMB’s community engagement and Promise Heights Initiative. It features a full time staff member helping area residents connect with services and job resources including STRIVE, training through a range of workforce partners, and access to jobs at UMB. Learn More.

In the News:

·         Partnership aims to revitalize Central West Baltimore

·         Work on $17M Baltimore Food Hub ready to begin

Research Analysis Completed of BIP Network and Collaborative Efforts
The University of Colorado Denver completed their first phase of an organizational network study to assess the ways in which the BIP partners collaborate with one another, as well as with local businesses, residents, and community-based organizations. Their analysis explores how larger systems and community factors in Baltimore relate to economic inclusion, how economic inclusion is implemented within an Anchor, and what enables or hinders economic inclusion efforts at the Anchor Institutions. Learn More.

City Seeds, Startup Soiree, and BIP Collaborate on Pitch Competition
The BIP partnered on a pitch competition with City Seeds and Startup Soiree for several food businesses participating in School of Food which was held in November at Pixelate’s Headquarters in South Baltimore. The winner of the event received an opportunity to pitch their business to the BIP anchor institution food service providers. Open Society Institute Fellow and co-owner of 2AM Bakery Greg Carpenter won the competition and made his pitch to the BIP local purchasing workgroup members as well as anchor food service providers Parkhurst and Bon Appetit in mid-December. 2 AM Bakery will be training and employing ex-offenders in baking and food service. Learn More.