Our Mission:

The Greenmount West Community Center Foundation serves as an incubator to develop the greatness and talents of Black youth and their families. We do this by providing innovative programming based on the needs of our youth and families as well as by leveraging intentional and sustained partnerships in order to create opportunities for residents of all ages. We exemplify consistent, high-quality investment in the Greenmount West community at large.

What Will Funds Cover?

We ask that you support our work at the Greenmount West Community Center. Your donation will go to general operations, supporting the ongoing vision of GWCC: a safe, welcoming, inclusive gathering space where opportunities to grow, learn, and create are boundless. Please, take a moment to see what makes our work unique:

- We invest in our staff. We understand that there is a high turnover rate for those doing direct services in the community. To combat this, we invest fully in the holistic wellbeing of our staff. This means that our staff is paid thriving wages, they have access to free child-care, and they have every Friday off to prioritize self-care and restoration. When we take care of our staff at a high-level, it allows them to do the same for the community that we serve.

- We center the evolving needs of our community. Greenmount West has changed drastically throughout the years. In our five years of active programming in the community, we have consistently addressed the present and future needs of youth, families, and seniors. Originally created as a safe gathering space for local Black youth, our programs and services have expanded along with our community, to include specialized programming and resources for Black women and girls, social prescribing that focuses on the wellness of families and seniors, and consistent resource distribution of PPE, food, technology, and cleaning supplies.

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Our Impact:

We are now entering our 6th year of activation in Greenmount West. As of June 2022, we serve 42 youth in our OST programming from 16 families, representing 15 schools throughout Baltimore City. Our youth engage in unique programming that enhances their leadership skills and focuses on their social-emotional development, such as screen printing, musical theatre, visual arts, and digital storytelling. We also provide junior employment opportunities for local youth, who can gain professional skills while serving the community they belong to. We’ve supported families throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond by increasing digital equity, providing funds for eviction prevention, and addressing food security. Additionally, we conduct social prescribing with 35 seniors in and around our community, performing wellness check-ins and connecting them with essential resources related to their health, housing, and wellbeing. In 2019, we were voted ‘Best Community Center’ by the Baltimore Sun.