Related Links
There are programs and resources at nearly every corner in the State of Maryland and at our fingertips with the Internet.
While MPT cannot begin to collect information about every social program available for residents, families, individuals and businesses throughout the state, we are attempting to highlight those that might be of interest to the MPT viewing audience and Maryland citizens as they relate to working families.
If you need resources, please bookmark this page, or check back regularly for updates and additions. Here are just a few organizations that we thought you might want to know about:
Assistance for Working Families
Maryland Energy Assistance Programs
Maryland Department of Human Resources - Foodstamps
Maryland Children's Health Program: Healthcare for Children and Pregnant Women
Community Services Administration of the MD Department of Human Resources CSA provides resources and direction to promote high quality, community-based services to assist disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals and families to meet their basic needs, integrate into the community and achieve economic independence. Links to Maryland Energy Assistance Program, Emergency and Transitional Housing and Services, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Statewide Nutrition Assistance Program, The Maryland Office for New Americans.
MD Department of Housing & Community Development Dedicated to improving the quality of life in Maryland by working with its partners to revitalize communities, expand homeownership and affordable housing opportunities, and preserve historic sites and traditions.
Child Care
After School Alliance/Latchkey Kids
Division of Early Childhood Development, Office of Child Care of the MD Department of Human Resources Links to Child Care Resource Networks across Maryland.
Employment & Job Training
Division of Workforce Development of the MD Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation Lists One Stop Career Centers across Maryland.
Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc. Provides training and temporary to permanent employment opportunities for disadvantaged families and disabled individuals.
Health
Baltimore REACH REACH represents community-based safety net organizations that provide medical and social service assistance to low income Baltimore residents. Baltimore REACH gauges access to care among Baltimore's low-income and indigent residents, identifies barriers to needed medical care and social services, and provides a foundation to bring future professionals into the realm of indigent care services.
Family Health Administration of the MD Department of Health and Mental Hygiene FHA works to protect, promote and improve the health and well-being of all Marylanders and their families through community-based public health efforts, giving special attention to at-risk and vulnerable populations.
Maryland Respite Care Coalition - Family Caregiving
It is estimated that 828,044 adults are caregivers in Maryland to other adults. Caregiving can mean everything from daily activities such as personal care and can include shopping, housework, grooming, dressing, transportation and/or helping with finances. There are approximately 205,720 special needs children across Maryland who also require special caregiving. The Maryland Respite Care Coalition (MRCC) promotes and supports quality "respite" care which provides caregivers with needed time off to run their own errands, relax, spend time with other family members and rejuvenate.
Housing
Baltimore Sun article: State of haves and have-nots
Baltimore Empowerment Zone
For individuals, families, businesses
In Baltimore City, The Baltimore Empowerment Zone extends over 6.8 square miles, covering three separate areas of east, west, and south Baltimore. It encompasses over 50,000 people and 2,000 businesses. Neighborhoods that make up the Empowerment Zone include: East Harbor, Historic East Baltimore, Harlem Park / Lafayette Square, Poppleton, Sandtown-Winchester, and Washington Village of Baltimore City. Find out about tax incentives, retail market assessment, employment statistics, opportunities and much more.
Housing and Urban Development/Buying a Home
As it says on the Housing and Urban Development website, "owning a home is the American dream." All too often, it is the American dream abandoned by families that cannot seem to get ahead. This link will help individuals learn more about buying a home, calculators on what you can afford, information on your rights as a potential buyer and a listing of programs available in Maryland under Homebuying programs in your state, some of which are completely free such as housing counseling.
Research
Reports and Demographics on Maryland's Working Families
The Abell Foundation publications Inherent in the working philosophy of The Abell Foundation is the strong belief that a community faced with complicated and seemingly intractable challenges is well served by research-based information. To that end, the Foundation, combining philanthropy with communication, continues to publish background studies of selected issues on the public agenda. In each case, experts have been retained to research and write, and the Foundation has distributed their findings in print and on the Internet, targeting elected officials, leaders in business, industry and academia, and the citizenry.
America's Career Infonet State demographic profile of Maryland's labor force, unemployment rate, median household income, per capita income, etc.
Center for Law and Social Policy CLASP examines federal and state policies that increase job advancement opportunities for low-wage workers, strengthen connections to work supports for which they may be eligible, and improve the quality of jobs. In addition, CLASP works to promote and provide technical assistance to transitional jobs programs, which offer training and subsidized employment for people who have had difficulty succeeding in the workforce.
EconomyThatWorks.org Report on Work Family issues and Low Income Families. This report, prepared in the Summer of 2002, examines the link between the low-wage labor market and family well-being.
The Job Opportunities Task Force An independent nonprofit organization that develops and advocates policies to increase the skills, job opportunities, and incomes of low-skill, low-income workers and job seekers in Maryland. Based in Baltimore, JOTF envisions a region and a state that offer educational and employment opportunities for all individuals to develop their abilities, find employment, and be economically self-reliant.
Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute Provides independent, nonpartisan research and analysis of state budget and tax policy priorities, with regard to how these priorities affect low- and moderate-income families and other vulnerable populations.
Maryland Department of Labor,
Licensing and Regulation Labor Market Analysis Provides reports & statistics about Maryland's labor market.
Recent Media Articles
Post-Katrina frenzy extraordinary case, by Thomas A. Glass
Baltimore Sun, September 18, 2005
The isolated other America, by Scott A. Bass and Elyse E. Jacob
Baltimore Sun, September 12, 2005
Report sees crisis in housing for city's poor, by Eric Siegel
Baltimore Sun, September 12, 2005
