Archive

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted not only in COVID-related illness and deaths in Baltimore, but widespread quarantines, job loss, food insecurity, economic insecurity, the suspension of in-person public education, and many other challenges. OSI-Baltimore has been working with our national and international colleagues, our many local partners, and community-based leaders to identify […]

The COVID -19 pandemic has raised alarming concerns for students – especially poor students in Baltimore. These children lack digital equipment and Internet connectivity, while also facing food scarcity, due most recently to an inability to access the regular meals provided by schools. In spite of being situated in the richest state in the United […]

Some of the most vibrant social entrepreneurs in Baltimore City are also OSI-Baltimore Community Fellows. They’re a corps of more than 200 activists, artists, leaders, and conveners dedicated to serving underserved communities in Baltimore. Not surprisingly, many are pivoting, adjusting, or refocusing their mission to respond directly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mariah Bonkowski (2019 Fellow), […]

OSI-Baltimore and nine other funders have joined forces to fund the Baltimore Small Business Support Fund, which will help local women- and minority-owned business affected by the COVID pandemic access local, state, and federal sources of aid.  The Annie E. Casey Foundation, in partnership with the Baltimore Community Foundation, established the support fund in 2018 […]

The Open Society Foundations will provide $1 million in direct financial and other emergency support for workers in Baltimore who have been hit hard by COVID-19 and are at greatest risk of falling into extreme hardship, including those who are unemployed and the formerly incarcerated. Open Society Institute-Baltimore will work with local partners to disperse […]

OSI-Baltimore, in partnership with the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA), has incorporated the data from the Blueprint for Baltimore survey into BNIA’s Open Data Portal. The Blueprint for Baltimore data portal is open the public. Launching the portal is the latest step in the Blueprint for Baltimore project, a partnership between OSI-Baltimore and community organizations, […]

Yesterday, OSI and partners including Black Girls Vote, Common Cause Maryland, the League of Women Voters, Baltimore Votes, and other groups hosted the first of two webinars to explain the current situation regarding voting by mail for the upcoming special election in Maryland’s 7th District to replace Rep. Elijah Cummings. Nykidra Robinson from Black Girls […]