Banner Neighborhoods wants the residents of 10 Southeast Baltimore communities to build new playgrounds, clean neighborhood streets and start summer sports leagues.
“It?s only limited by the residents? imagination,” said Jolyn Rademacher, Banner Neighborhoods? executive director. “A lot of times, they just need a little money to make things happen.”
Baltimore?s neighborhood organizations will soon have more funds at their disposal for those and other community projects. At the Stadium Place Y on Monday morning, the Baltimore Community Foundation announced the formation of the William Donald Schaefer Civic Fund at BCF in honor of the former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland.
“Neighborhoods have meant a lot to me,” the 86-year-old Schaefer said in front of several hundred Baltimore community leaders. “If there?s one message, it?s stay strong in your neighborhoods.”
Mayor Sheila Dixon said she learned from Schaefer early in her public career the importance of communicating with and investing in Baltimore?s communities. “This fund is going to enhance and build on the strength of our neighborhoods,” she said.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski said Schaefer has been a champion of Baltimore neighborhoods and providing grants for unmet community needs throughout his career.
“He?s going to do what he?s always done ? invest in the people of Baltimore,” Mikulski said. “He knows it?s an investment that will always pay dividends.”
The Schaefer Fund was formed was the goal of raising a $5 million endowment on behalf of city and county neighborhoods. Seed money from Schaefer?s leftover campaign funds and the original mayoral neighborhood fund have launched the effort.
“[Schaefer] wanted to make a difference, neighborhood by neighborhood,” said Thomas Wilcox, president of the BCF.
BCF will house and administer the fund, which will complement BCF?s Neighborhood Grants Program. Since 2000, BCF has distributed 343 grants totaling more than $2 million to 170 neighborhoods in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.
“There?s no place like Baltimore. We?ve taken our little city … and turned it into a place where people want to come,” Schaefer said.
To give
» Donations can be made to the William Donald Schaefer Civic Fund by visiting bcf.org and clicking on the Schaefer Fund link. For more information about the Schaefer Fund, call 410-332-4171.
