10 neighborhood-level projects get backing from Open Society Institute-Baltimore

The Open Society Institute-Baltimore is supporting a new group of 10 fellows to grow projects seeking to make change in Baltimore neighborhoods. They include a new youth boxing program and a portable crib developed in the city.
Baltimore is home to the Open Society Foundations’ only U.S. field office. Through this program, the fellows receive $60,000 over 18 months to develop projects they created. Here’s a look at the fellows and what they’re working on, with info from OSI:

• Jackie Bello will expand Dent Education, which works within schools to teach design thinking, entrepreneurship and other innovation skills. The organization conducted a pilot with Betamore and Green Street Academy over the summer called Bet on Baltimore.
• Shantell Roberts of Touching Young Lives will continue expansion of the Portable Alternative Crib to keep sleeping babies safe. She won Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab’s pitch competition earlier this year.
• Matthew Burke and Growing Soul are establishing a network of food giveaway sites at local businesses and other community gathering points around the city.
• Ausar Daniels, a farmer in Sandtown-Winchester, is working with Tubman House to establish vocational training in agriculture, culinary arts and wellness.
• Ryan Flanigan, an upholsterer, is working to establish the Remington Community Land Trust to expand affordable housing in that neighborhood. He is collaborating with Baltimore Housing Roundtable and the Central Baltimore Partnership.
• Eric Jackson, an organizer from South/Southwest Baltimore is building the Black Land and Food Practice to create community-level solutions to address food equity.
• Munib Lohrabasi is establishing the Prisoner Protection and Advocacy Committee to advocate for disability rights in state correctional facilities.
• Alex Long is establishing the McElderry Youth Redemption Boxing Program to engage youth ages 10-14.
• Kim Loper is creating Youth in Business to teach entrepreneurship by providing hands-on experience operating an art and design-based business.
• Amy Tenney will bring music therapy to the refugee and immigrant community in East Baltimore in partnership with the Goodnow Community Center.