February 2023

We Love Our Volunteers

February is a month of love and appreciation and here at The Baltimore Station we LOVE our volunteers. We have officially been back to in-person volunteering for a full year and we could not be happier about it! This means a full year of welcoming back friendly faces and meeting new supporters of our mission to turn lives around. Pausing volunteering for the safety of our men during the pandemic was a tough decision but it has reminded us just how meaningful the work is. Check out this video highlighting all the amazing things our volunteers made happen in 2022:

Thank you to our volunteers for bringing all the support and love of the community into The Baltimore Station.

Black History Month

Each year, February is recognized as Black History Month. Although the contributions made by African Americans can be seen and celebrated every day of the year, this does give us an opportunity to acknowledge the past and take intentional steps towards a brighter future. With this year’s theme being black resistance, we celebrate African Americans who resisted against historic and ongoing oppression in all forms. To highlight Baltimore’s black history, let’s take a look at Mary Elizabeth Lange and the contributions she made to American history.

Mary Elizabeth Lange was born in the 1780s and although she was not originally from Baltimore, she made her way here from Cuba in 1813. Lange came to The United States as a free woman with an education that was not common during that time. She also came with the determination to educate others. Lange recognized the need for education in her community and because there were no free public schools for black children (and would not be until 1866), she worked to educate children with her own funds in her Fells Point home.

By 1829, Lange and three other women would start the first religious congregation of women of African descent in the United States with the primary goal of educating young girls. What started in a rented house with four teachers and twenty students would grow to become the school known as St. Frances Academy, which is still in operation today and is the first and oldest continually operating Black Catholic educational facility in the United States. Lange continued to serve her community by teaching, nursing back to health those affected by the cholera outbreak, and serving her congregation until her passing on February 3, 1882. 

“Elizabeth Clarisse Lange.” About Mother Lange, http://motherlangeguild.homestead.com/biography.html.

For more information about meaningful ways to celebrate Black History Month and other important Baltimore figures, be sure to check out our blog post here!

Fidos for Freedom

Did someone say puppy love? We welcomed six therapy dogs and their handlers (with treats in hand) to The Baltimore Station this month! With the days still being short and the cold still creeping in, what better way to energize our afternoon than with a tail wag and a couple nose boops. We were pleased to welcome Fidos for Freedom into our network of volunteers for some much needed play time!

Fidos for Freedom is a volunteer lead non-profit that works to increase the quality of life and provide companionship to the residents of our local community through specially trained service dogs, hearing dogs and therapy dogs. They operate for the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan community, bringing the love and acceptance only a dog can offer to those in need of a smile. Fidos also educates the public about the benefits of assistance and therapy dogs and the work that these specially trained dogs do for individuals with disabilities, children with reading difficulties, and patients in healthcare facilities.

For an hour, our residents were able to sit back and pet some pups while chatting with volunteers about their past experiences with dogs. Some really enjoyed seeing the different breeds that came out while others liked asking questions about the dogs and their owners. And of course, everyone (especially the dogs) enjoyed petting and playing together. We look forward to welcoming Fidos for Freedom back in the future for a little more doggy TLC!

For more information about Fidos for Freedom, check out their website here.

The Baltimore Station Wants to Hear From You!

Looking for Employment?

Volunteer Potluck

DATE: Monday, February 27 at 1611 Baker Street

and Wednesday, March 22 at 140 W. West Street

If you are interested in volunteering at this fun-filled meal service, please email Lilly Frazier at

lfrazier@baltimorestation.org for more information or to sign up!

B'More Healthy Expo

DATE: Saturday, March 25 | 10:00am-4:00pm

LOCATION: The Baltimore Convention Center

1 W Pratt St | Baltimore, MD 21201

Stop by our booth at the 14th Annual B'More Healthy Expo where we will be connecting with people who may need our services and those who wish to support them.

Target Circle

DATE: Now until March 31

LOCATION: Target Circle App or Website

We're participating in the Target Circle program and you can cast a vote for us in the Target App. Check out this week's blog post to see the steps on how to support us with just the click of a button!

Topgolf Fundraiser - NEW EVENT!

DATE: Thursday, April 13 | 2:00-5:00pm

LOCATION: Topgolf Baltimore

1411 Warner St I Baltimore, MD 21230

Take a Swing for Recovery and join us for a brand new fundraiser to support the men in our program. Enjoy Topgolf tournament play, lunch, beer and wine, a raffle, bottle pull, and more!

Be sure to keep an eye on our website to see the latest blog posts. In case you missed them, take a peek below!

A Look in Black History Month

Time to Get Voting with Target Circle