Atlantic Philanthropies Awards $12 Million to Boost Elev8 in Baltimore

Atlantic Philanthropies has awarded $12 million to help implement the Elev8 program in Baltimore, the Baltimore Examiner reports.

Administered by East Baltimore Development Inc., the Elev8 Baltimore project is designed to improve educational and social outcomes for middle grade youth and their families. The grant from Atlantic will enable the project to provide shared professional development and technical assistance, shared data collection processes, and cross-school collaboration to Collington Square School for the Arts, Dr. Rayner Browne Academy, Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School, and East Baltimore Community School.

Among other things, the Elev8 Baltimore network will work to show how school-based integration and family engagement can positively influence efforts in low-income areas via comprehensive, age-appropriate health services, afterschool and summer learning opportunities, and access to information about public programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and child healthcare coverage. The initiative also will enable parents to access economic resources for their families while engaging them in activities at schools and in the community. Elev8 will share lessons from its work with policy makers on the local, state, and national levels to help influence the ways in which young people are prepared for the future.

“It is our strong belief that our redevelopment efforts in east Baltimore will be significantly enhanced by the Elev8 Baltimore initiative,” said Christopher Shea, interim president and CEO of EBDI. “With Elev8 Baltimore in place, our greatest contribution to this community will be the legacy of high quality learning, health, and family supports that children, youth, and adults in this neighborhood can rely upon for years to come.”

McIntire, Richard. “New Program Seeks to Elev8 East Balto. Youth, Families.” Baltimore Examiner 12/18/09.