Achieving Long-term Objectives

The Abell Foundation makes multi-year commitments to develop initiatives based on in-depth research. The following programs, designed to satisfy unmet needs in problem areas facing Baltimore City's community, serve as pilots. Long-term funding for implementation and evaluation works to ensure that the initiatives' impact on programs are meaningfully positive, so that the programs can be confidently replicated and/or institutionalized.

Astor Court

With multiple partners, the Abell Foundation became involved with a redevelopment project, converting a blighted vacant building into spacious comfortable apartments available to incoming Baltimore City Public School teachers.

Baltimore City College Speech & Debate Program

An historic and long dormant Speech and Debate program has been revived by The Abell Foundation in 1997 to enable City College to build its reputation as the region's leading high school for forensic studies.

Civic Works/Project Lightbulb

Started as a pilot project in two low-income neighborhodds, Project Lightbulb addresses two issues: reduction of energy consumption while trimming household energy costs, and job training for Civic Works participants to install energy efficiency devices.

Ingenuity Project

An ambitious effort to provide an accelerated math and science curriculum to eligible Baltimore City middle and high school students, with a symbolic goal of enabling students to compete in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search competition, now known as the Intel.

National Academic League

An academic competition designed to increase middle school achievement. The program seeks to improve students' perception of academic effort, preparation and achievement, and serves as an aid in improving student academic performance across the curriculum.

Public Justice Center/Tenant Advocacy Project

In 2007 with nearly 7 percent of all renters in Baltimore City facing evictions and subsequent dumping of chattels on the streets, the Public Justice Center and the Citizen's Planning and Housing Association proposed significant eviction reforms.

Recovery in Community

The Abell Foundation committed $2 million to implement Recovery In Community, a drug treatment initiative that includes a street outreach component, comprehensive case management and follow-up services designed to rehabilitate, find employment, and bring stability to the participant’s lives.

Rose Street Community Center

Transforming a notorious open-air drug corner into a safe haven for services to turn lives around, Clayton Guyton and his staff are achieving a credible record of success.

STRIVE

Modeled after a highly successful East Harlem training and job placement program, Baltimore's STRIVE continues to reach the hardest-to-serve.

Vehicles for Change

Recycling donated cars that have been repaired and Maryland-inspected, Vehicles for Change makes low-cost cars available to low-income job seekers, identified through job training partners.