With a proven track record in community relations and violence interruption,
Catholic Charities opens its second Safe Streets site in the Brooklyn, southwest Baltimore
(Baltimore, MD – June 11, 2019) Demonstrating a proven ability to decrease violence and build community relations with its Safe Streets program in Sandtown-Winchester, Catholic Charities has been approved to operate a second Safe Streets location, this one in the Brooklyn-Curtis Bay community, also known as Baybrook. Safe Streets Brooklyn is scheduled to host its grand opening and community party on Tuesday, June 18 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Catholic Charities’ involvement in the Brooklyn post is the latest in a decades-long development of strategic partnerships in the area.
“Our goal is to not only stop altercations but also to connect the community to resources, including job training, meal programs, residential treatment therapy for children, and out-patient therapy for individuals and families,” said Catholic Charities Executive Director Bill McCarthy.
Key partners include Greater Baybrook Alliance and St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. The program will be housed in a storefront building, 423 E. Patapsco Avenue.
“The Greater Baybrook Alliance heard great things about Catholic Charities’ successful operation of a Safe Streets program in Sandtown-Winchester,” said GBA Executive Director Meredith Chaiken. “We were looking for a partner that had the capacity to get the program off the ground and running quickly while remaining grounded in the community engagement. Catholic Charities has shown tremendous sensitivity and deference to the concerns and desires of Brooklyn residents, while also maintaining the integrity of the proven Safe Streets model.”
Catholic Charities opened the Sandtown-Winchester site after the surge in violence following the death of Freddie Gray in 2015. Since then, the Sandtown-Winchester program has earned the trust and respect of the community and demonstrated an ability to curb confrontations that would have otherwise led to violence.
From July 2017 – 2018, the Safe Streets Sandtown-Winchester team prevented 515 incidents from becoming violent. Prior to mid-October, the community went 320 days without a shooting death.
Community engagement is a hallmark of Safe Streets of Sandtown-Winchester. In 2017, 534 children under 12 attended at least one of its community events. Since homicide is the leading cause of death for 15 – 25-year-old African-American males, positive community-based experiences decreases the likelihood that they will eventually become either a victim or a perpetrator of violent crime.
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About Catholic Charities of Baltimore is Maryland’s largest private provider of human services, with more than 80 programs in 200 locations to serve children and families experiencing homelessness and poverty, individuals with intellectual disabilities, immigrants, and seniors without regard to religion, race or other circumstances. www.cc-md.org.
For Immediate Release Contact: Rowena Daly, Media Relations Manager
rdaly@cc-md.org 646-263-6384 www.cc-md.org