COMMUNITY BUILDING
City neighborhoods are glue in the Episcopal Housing Corporation. Bringing a community together with a 'Planting day' in Remington or 'Cleaning Collington' on a Saturday helps bond a neighborhood. Classes for Home Ownership and tax assistance create a trust and confidence in residents. Most important is working with the other non profit groups in the area to build and strengthen the community by providing an answer to a need.
Remington, Baltimore
Remington is experiencing a rebirth. The Remington of today, with its history of conservative stability is lively, alert, and optimistic about its future, and that of the residents. Found a few blocks south of Johns Hopkins University is a small pocket of a neighborhood that is often overlooked. Remington is right next to its big sister Hampden and shares the same zip code.
Remington is a small urban community nestled in a big city. Since 2001 EHC has been working in partnership with the Episcopal Church of the Guardian Angel to improve daily life and support the growth of the community.
Initially EHC focused on housing stabilization issues by offering homeownership counseling, mortgage workshops and homeowner tax clinics. EHC sought to assist Remington residents in stabilizing the housing situation of both homeowners and renters alike. In addition to assisting residents purchase homes in the community EHC worked with renters to maintain good relations with their landlords. EHC employed many volunteers to assist older residents in maintaining their homes with a focus on an Annual Winterization program partnered with volunteers from Johns Hopkins University.
An EHC Community Development Leader currently works with Pastor Alice Jellema of the Guardian Angel. EHC has sought ways to increase our impact on the lives of Remington’s residents, to create a stronger community. EHC partners with the Greater Remington Improvement Association (GRIA), a neighborhood group, assisting in many neighborhood events, such as a Health Fair and Remfest. There is a monthly Remington Newsletter to share information about community events and to inform the citizens about resource available to them.
EHC has been part of the strategy to reach out to the neighborhood’s children. The EHC Community Development Leader works with the Greater Homewood Community Corporation (GHCC) and the Guardian Angel and sponsors an art camp for middle school students conducted by the Maryland Institute of Art. Recent art camp projects have included creation of a mural honoring Remington’s place in the larger world, the design and painting of trash cans to help keep the community clean and participation in Artscape each year.
EHC continues to support Guardian Angel’s outreach efforts by supporting
their annual back to school celebration, holiday events, health fairs and the
creation of a tool bank to help residents maintain their homes and their community.
Collington Square, Baltimore
Collington Square is a neighborhood located in the heart of East Baltimore, just north of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Recent listing in the State of Maryland’s Historic districts has made Collington Square available for more funding for neighborhood growth.
The Episcopal Housing Corporation (EHC), working with the Collington Square Neighborhood Association and the Collington Square Non-Profit Corporation, has developed housing opportunities for those in recovery from substance abuse including the Dayspring House, Wilson House and Bernice E. Meade House. A new Oxford House was built on Mura Street and houses 7 men in transitional state from recovery.
With the assistance of Marks-Thomas, a Baltimore architecture and planning firm, the community developed a land use plan for the neighborhood. This development plan has become critical to the neighborhood’s future as the City and Johns Hopkins pursue the creation of a biotech park at the community’s southern border.
One of EHC’s goals is to create a therapeutic community anchored by the Mattie B. Uzzle Outreach Center with appropriate housing and supported by service providers to create a community where those from the area can achieve long-term recovery.
Currently the Community Builder, Buddy Jones is assisting the neighbors of Collington Square with the Maryland Energy Assistance Program. This is a program to help Baltimore residents battle the high energy price and stay warm for a better quality of life. Buddy Jones and Carla Ryan of EHC have handled the neighbor’s questions and assistance in applications.
CSNA meets with residents to talk about what is happening in the area. A member from EHC is there for neighborhood support. Issues of the area are brought up and discussed on the best method of solving the matter. A Collington Square newsletter is one of the many goals for the association. This will be distributed to residents and inform them of EHC’s coming projects to cultivate a neighborhood interest.