With support from Parks & People's Neighborhood Greening Grant, the Friends of Riverside Park partnered with Thomas Johnson Elementary Middle School in South Baltimore for their annual Spring Planting Day. More than 200 students learned about planting from this hands-on activity! 

Click here to read the article

Photo credit: Southbmore.com

Parks & People President & CEO Jackie Carrera shares how our organization brings people together and creates a sense of community in Baltimore. Jackie shares her inspiration and how creating a stronger social fabric improves our city’s ability to take on difficult challenges.

Click here to view a preview from "We the People 2.0" -- a project that shows the power of new stories – real people who are creating a better world every day.

Parks & People Foundation joined Baltimore Ravens (and Poe!), Constellation and M&T Bank employees, and students from Patterson High to celebrate Earth Day and the Raven's Sacks for Seeds program --37 trees were planted at Patterson High School along Kane Street to honor the 37 sacks made this past football season.

Click here to view WBAL-TV's news segment

Girls participating in Parks & People's Middle School Lacrosse League at Kipp Ujima Village Academy talk about learning a new sport in this ABC-2 News Making A Difference segment.

Click here to view the segment

Parks & People Foundation hosted its Baltimore Middle School Lacrosse League (BMSLL) clinic for boys and girls at the Baltimore Police and Fire Safety Training Facility. BMSLL players, coaches and lacrosse professionals were all present for a fun-filled day of lacrosse!

Click here to read The Baltimore Times article

CLICK HERE to read our Spring 2013 E-News and see what's happening at Parks & People this season. Spring is busy at Parks & People, the weather warms up and we are ready to plant trees, clean up streams and engage with more volunteers in the community!

If you would like to receive our quarterly e-newsletter, please click here to sign up.

Massive amounts of trash were removed from Gwynns Run Stream, behind Carroll Park in Baltimore City. Listen to our Great Parks Senior Director Guy Hager share how trash from the Gwynns Run watershed affects the Chesapeake Bay.

Click here to view CBS Baltimore's news segment

Photo credit: www.baltimore.cbslocal.com 

Inside Lacrosse covered the kick-off of Parks & People's middle school girl lacrosse league. 

Click here to read the entire Inside Lacrosse article

Press box highlights Parks & People's partnership with lacrosse equipment manufacturer STX. STX provided equipment, including gloves, goggles, sticks and bags to our Baltimore Middle School Lacrosse League girls' teams at four inner-city schools -- this support was instrumental in starting our new girls' league this Spring. Thank you, STX!

Click here to read the Press Box article

Photo credit: Sabina Moran/Press Box

MEDIA ALERT: March 1, 2013 

Earn a Certificate in Urban Agriculture; 
Attend "Grow It, Eat It, Sell It" Workshop 

(3/1/13 - Baltimore, MD) –   Starting on March 14th, expert gardeners and green-thumbed organizations from across the state are joining together to present “Grow It, Eat It, Sell It” a two-part, 12-session, workshop series where attendees will learn proven ways to successfully grow their own food and sell it too.  University of Maryland Extension’s Urban Agricultural Program, the Parks & People Foundation and Community Greening Resource Network (CGRN) are leading this educational program along with Baltimore City Recreation & Parks, Baltimore City Master Gardeners, Whitelock Community Farm and Reservoir Hill Improvement Council. 

Workshop topics for spring classes include soils, composting, growing vegetables, making the most out of your garden, crop maintenance and managing pests. Participants have the option to take one or both of the following sessions: 

SESSION 1: Learn how to grow food:  6 weekly classes
Every Thursday evening (6:30pm to 8:45pm)
March 14^th- April 18^th

SESSION 2: Learn how to sell food: 6 weekly classes
Fall 2013 – dates and times to be determined 

LOCATION: John Eager Howard Recreation Center
2100 Brookfield Ave., Baltimore, MD 21217

COST: $50 per session/$25 for CGRN members (a limited number of needs-based scholarships are available to CGRN members)

REGISTER ONLINE: http://groweatsell.eventbrite.com

OR MAIL CHECK TO: payable to Extension Advisory Board
University of Maryland Extension
6615 Reisterstown Road, Suite 201
Baltimore, MD 21215

CONTACTS:

•  To join CGRN anna.evans-goldstein@parksandpeople.org (410) 448-5663 ext. 128, www.parksandpeople.org/greening/resource-network/

• For childcare assistance contact Elisa Lane at elisa.lane@gmail.com or (410) 205-6572

The University of Maryland Extension Urban Agriculture Program focuses on ways to foster and improve urban food production using safe, sustainable methods.  In doing this, UME offers non-formal educational programs and problem-solving assistance to citizens across the state that are based on the research and experience of land grant universities.  UME will award an Urban Agriculture Certificate to those completing both course sessions or to those completing the second course that have significant prior experience in food production.

The Parks & People Foundation’s mission is to support a wide variety of recreational and educational opportunities; create and sustain beautiful and lively parks; and promote a healthy, natural environment for Baltimore City.  Parks & People works to revitalize neighborhoods through hands-on community greening activities, forming networks among communities to sustain natural resources, and providing programs for children where they can learn, grow, and explore their natural environment and develop a sense of community and environmental stewardship.

“Community-managed green spaces and gardens are vital assets to healthy communities.  Take all the vacant lots in Baltimore,  couple them with childhood obesity rates, the inability to find healthy food in many city neighborhoods and you’ll see that urban gardening can be part of the solution”  says Valerie Rupp, Community Greening Manager at Parks & People.  For more information about Parks & People, go to the website at www.parksandpeople.org.

“The Grow It, Eat It, Sell It! certification course is ideal for CGRN members that want to grow their own food. This course is a wonderful way to learn in-depth best practices for growing healthy produce for your family or community” said  Anna Evans-Goldstein, the CGRN Program Coordinator.  Established in response to the growing, city-wide need for long-term gardening support, the Community Greening Resource Network (CGRN) is an annual membership program assisting individuals, community gardens, schools and green spaces throughout the City of Baltimore. 

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Our February SPOTLIGHT is out! Learn about Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School student Nijah Garrett and her experience in finding community at school. Nijah jumps at every opportunity -- playing volleyball with our Middle School Volleyball League and applying to join our green career training program, BRANCHES, this summer!

CLICK TO READ

Parks & People held its Baltimore Middle School Lacrosse League Clinic for girls on Sunday, February 24th. Over 50 girls ages 11-14 from Baltimore City schools were able to learn more about lacrosse and gear up for the spring season with sticks and goggles from STX.

Click here to view WBAL-TV's news segment

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Federal Hill associations, residents and business owners gathered for a tree planting ceremony in Federal Hill on President's Day. Parks & People were on site to grind stumps, install pavers and plant trees along Light Street.

Parks & People Foundation is partnering with Federal Hill Thinking Green to help facilitate a greener Federal Hill through systematic planning, planting and nurturing of trees.

Click here to view a CBS Local News segment

Click here to view a featured video on SouthBmore.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           
January 31, 2013                                            

(Baltimore, MD) –   After 28 years as chairman of the Parks & People Foundation, relentless civic activist, Sally Michel is transitioning to Emeritus status.  Under her leadership, Parks & People has grown from a small group of dedicated citizens with exciting dreams to the city’s leading nonprofit organization devoted to parks, recreation and environmental issues. “Sally Michel’s legacy as Chairman is immeasurable.” said Jackie Carrera, President and CEO.  “Her impact on the organization has been vast; from providing the children of Baltimore with learning and recreational opportunities to her tireless dedication in leading the Capital Campaign to restore 9 acres of Druid Hill Park, Sally’s impact and influence is widespread, omnipresent and prevalent throughout the organization.” 

The Parks & People Foundation has also announced the election of Anthony T. Rodgers as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Anthony Rodgers is the Executive Vice President of A&R Companies, a collective group of companies led by its largest operating entities- A&R Development and A&R Management, Inc.  A&R is a private, family owned, diversified real estate development firm focused on the Baltimore/Washington market with a portfolio including residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments ranging in value from $1 million to $152 million. The company has led the development of real estate with an aggregate value of more than $900 million.  Mr. Rodgers oversees A&R’s real estate development division as well as its financing and investment structures. 

Mr. Rodgers holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a certificate in Finance and Economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  While at Georgia Tech, Mr. Rodgers lettered in Track and Field and remains a sports enthusiast. He looks forward to increasing his involvement with the Parks & People youth sports leagues during his tenure as Chairman.  Rodgers also serves on the Executive Committee of the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Since joining the Parks & People board in 2000, Rodgers has served on the Finance Committee, the Executive Committee and been very active in the Capital Campaign.  He has put in hundreds of hours ushering Parks & People’s new and restored buildings through design and financing phases and is now overseeing site development.  In taking the leadership role over from Sally Michel, Rodgers said “this is somewhat of a staggering task to step in for Sally who has steered Parks & People with such passion and dedication for the past 28 years.  Along with her many accomplishments, Sally spearheaded the creation of SuperKids Camp, which is one of Parks and People’s premier programs serving thousands of Baltimore’s children each summer.”

As Ms. Michel makes the transition to Emeritus status, she will continue to focus her efforts on the completion of the capital campaign to restore a significant section of Druid Hill Park.    The campaign is a $12.2 million dollar project to restore the original landscape, rehabilitate the historic Superintendent’s House and build a new LEED Platinum certified building which will house an ecology center, administrative offices for the Foundation and space for community uses.

ABOUT PARKS & PEOPLE:

The Parks & People Foundation works to improve the quality of life in Baltimore by focusing on the physical, social and environmental fabric of urban neighborhoods, an approach that is gaining increased attention and momentum both nationally and here in Baltimore. Our mission is to support a wide variety of recreational and educational opportunities; create and sustain beautiful and lively parks; and promote a healthy, natural environment for Baltimore City.  Parks & People works to revitalize neighborhoods through hands-on community greening activities, forming networks among communities to sustain natural resources, and providing programs for children where they can learn, grow, and explore their natural environment and develop a sense of community and environmental stewardship. For more information about Parks & People, go to the website at www.parksandpeople.org.

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Parks & People Welcomes New Board Member:

James E. Wood, Jr., M.D.

(Baltimore, MD – January 22, 2013) – The Parks & People Foundation announced the election of another new member to their Board of Directors: James E. Wood Jr., M.D.  As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Wood serves as the chairman of MedStar Harbor Hospital's Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

Dr. Wood grew up in Baltimore participating in a wide range of activities organized by the Druid Hill YMCA.  He was an enthusiastic infielder for the Pirates and the Wildcats of the James Mosher Little and Pony Leagues.  He recalls with characteristic good humor, “I batted last in the pony league—I was all glove, no stick—but I was part of a team, and that was really important in my development.”  Dr. Wood credits his early sports involvement for many of his life successes. He says, “I remain convinced that being involved in sports at an early age helped me to develop the discipline and teamwork that has served me so well in all of my educational and professional endeavors. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to build lifelong friendships and develop my character through team sports.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University and graduated Doctor of Medicine with high honors from the University of California, Irvine. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Wood also completed a sports medicine fellowship with the Robert K. Kerlan/Frank Jobe Orthopedic Group, (then team physicians for the Los Angeles Lakers, Dodgers, Angels, Rams and Kings), and an orthopedic traumatology fellowship at San Francisco General Hospital.

Dr. Wood joins the Parks & People board to give back some of what he got from the Baltimore community.  He expects to provide on a larger scale through Parks & People what the adults in his community made sure was available to him and many other kids like him.  Since 1992, Parks & People has created sports and recreational opportunities for more than 30,000 young people in Baltimore City. Most of the young athletes enrolled in our leagues would never have had the chance to play organized sports without our programs.  Our leagues also stress the importance of academic achievement requiring that all participants maintain a minimum 75% grade point average and a 90% attendance rate.

ABOUT PARKS & PEOPLE:

The Parks & People Foundation works to improve the quality of life in Baltimore by focusing on the physical, social and environmental fabric of urban neighborhoods, an approach that is gaining increased attention and momentum both nationally and here in Baltimore. Our mission is to support a wide variety of recreational and educational opportunities; create and sustain beautiful and lively parks; and promote a healthy, natural environment for all.  Parks & People works to revitalize neighborhoods through hands-on community greening activities, forming networks among communities to sustain natural resources, and providing programs for children where they can learn, grow, and explore their natural environment and develop a sense of community and environmental stewardship. For more information about Parks & People, go to the website at www.parksandpeople.org.

Media Contact:            

Christy Miller

Development & Promotions Manager

Parks & People Foundation

410-448-5663 x123

christy.miller@parksandpeople.org

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CLICK HERE to view an article from The Daily Record's Business Album. The pictures capture the celebratory evening at Parks & People's Picnic in the Park at South Baltimore's Riverside Park on September 29th. 

CLICK HERE to read our Winter 2012 E-News and see what's happening at Parks & People this season. 

If you would like to receive our quarterly e-newsletter, please click here to sign up. 

CLICK HERE to read the November 2012 edition of SPOTLIGHT, a series of personal stories that tell how Parks & People positively impacts lives.

If you would like to receive our quarterly e-newsletter, please click here to sign up. 

Parks & People Welcomes Two New Board Members:

Former Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III and Aaron Moore, Creative Director and Founder of Orange Element

(Baltimore, MD) – The Parks & People Foundation announced the election of two new members to their Board of Directors;  Former Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld and Orange Element Founder, Aaron Moore.

Frederick H. Bealefeld, III was Police Commissioner of the City of Baltimore and commanded the eighth largest police department in the United States. With over three decades of service to the Baltimore Police Department, Commissioner Bealefeld is credited with reducing city homicides and violent crime to the lowest levels since the 1970's.

As a volunteer lacrosse coach for Parks & People’s Baltimore Middle School Lacrosse League, Bealefeld recruited other officers from the Baltimore Police Department to volunteer in some of the most blighted sections of the city and in parts of town where lacrosse was never played before.  The result: a new, burgeoning lacrosse community and a foundation of trust growing in the inner city.

"Working with the boy’s in the lacrosse league was my first introduction to the Parks & People Foundation," Bealefeld says. "It was a great way to bond with these kids and their community.  I learned more about what Parks & People has been doing over the years and have become a big fan of the organization.”  In his new leadership role on the Board of Directors, Bealefeld will become “Champion” for the organization’s Sports Leagues.  

Aaron Moore is the Creative Director and Founder of Orange Element, a marketing communications firm based in Baltimore.  He opened his agency in 2003 and provides corporate identity systems, full-fledged marketing campaigns and collateral material to a diverse array of clients.  Moore’s firm designed the Parks & People’s logo and wrote the organization’s style guide.  An expert in utilizing social media to meet the goals of an organization, Moore will work with Parks & People to maximize its ability to brand programs and reach key audiences.  Moore says that brand, strategy and design are the key phases of the Orange Element process. “Brand “is understanding our clients’ needs, “strategy” is the thinking behind the plan, and “design” is executing the creative work that meets the communications and marketing goals of our clients” says Moore. “I am really looking forward to contributing my expertise in this area to benefit Parks & People.”          

Both Commissioner Bealefeld and Mr. Moore are available for interviews.  For more information, contact Christy Miller at 410-448-5663 X123 or christy.miller@parksandpeople.org.

ABOUT PARKS & PEOPLE:

The Parks & People Foundation works to improve the quality of life in Baltimore by focusing on the physical, social and environmental fabric of urban neighborhoods, an approach that is gaining increased attention and momentum both nationally and here in Baltimore. Our mission is to support a wide variety of recreational and educational opportunities; create and sustain beautiful and lively parks; and promote a healthy, natural environment for all.  Parks & People works to revitalize neighborhoods through hands-on community greening activities, forming networks among communities to sustain natural resources, and providing programs for children where they can learn, grow, and explore their natural environment and develop a sense of community and environmental stewardship. For more information about Parks & People, go to the website at www.parksandpeople.org.

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This video from the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays Trust Fund highlights an ongoing Parks & People community and rain garden project at Harlem Park Elementary Middle School. Governor O'Malley, Parks & People green career trainees and Harlem Park students and staff share their vision for a cleaner and healthier Baltimore. 

With the help of the Trust Fund and local matching funds, Parks & People was able to remove 2 acres of impervious surface and engage 350 students. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO