Mayor Young announces partnership between City and Baltimore Corps

At a City Hall news conference on Wednesday, Baltimore Mayor Jack Young announced a partnership between the City of Baltimore and Baltimore Corps, an organization that seeks to advance racial justice and equity for residents.

The city government and nonprofit now have a multi-year agreement that creates the Baltimore City Government Fellowship Program.

I am excited to announce today an agreement to establish and support a Baltimore City Public Service Fellowship Program with @BaltimoreCorps. This agreement will be critical in helping us to attract and retain the next generation of public servants into local government. pic.twitter.com/CQ4D9eqbAC

— Mayor Bernard C. Jack Young (@mayorbcyoung) September 25, 2019

One hallmark of Baltimore Corps is its fellowship program, which allows students and professionals the opportunity to gain public service experience in a mayoral office or Baltimore agency.

This partnership looks to integrate Baltimore Corps with more organizations that seek to make positive change in Baltimore, thus strengthening the impact of the fellowship program.

“We need to double down on our commitment to recruit the best to City Hall by nurturing the intelligence, diversity and leadership of students and local and regional academic institutions,” Young said. “As well as candidates from our communities who are committed to solving the most urgent problems facing our city.”

Baltimore Corps has had 62 fellows since its inception in 2013. Fellows have worked on key initiatives to improve the city, such as expanding safe streets, serving the long-term unemployed, addressing the issue of lead in homes and facilitating trauma care in hospitals.

“Baltimore Corps fellows run toward problems, not away from problems,” said Fagan Harris, president and CEO of the organization. “Hundreds of initiatives that may be unknown to the public make an enormous difference to every resident who calls this city home.”

Harris stressed that Baltimore Corps will use this partnership to expand its outreach with fellows and maximize its human capital to address the highest areas of need in Baltimore.

“If you care about moving the city forward and help do the hard work of improving our city, come see us,” Harris said.