Program Details
Build-a Block, Park Habitat
Enrichment & Access
Park School of Baltimore
Park has partnered with Habit for Humanity of the Chesapeake for more than thirteen years. Over that time, Park came to recognize that partnering with other local schools would exponentially widen their impact on the Baltimore community. They, therefore, embarked on a new endeavor, Build-A-Block, a coalition of Baltimore area public, private and parochial schools. Eighteen schools involved in the coalition: (Park School, Friends School, Baltimore City College High School, Bryn Mawr, Calvert Hall College High School, Carver Vocational-Technical High School, Dulaney High School, Edmondson-Westside High School, Friends School, Gilman School, Hereford High School, Jemicy School, McDonogh School, Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, Mt. St. Joseph High School, and Roland Park Country School) and Park Habitat mentors and assists the partnering schools in their efforts to create their own thriving Habitat programs. Together the Build-a-Block coalition works to build a community of modest income homeowners, one block at a time.
Park Habitat also partners with Tench Tilghman, a K-8 school in the McElderry community in East Baltimore – a neighborhood where Park Habitat has built six homes for Habitat homeowners. Through this partnership, Park Habitat has constructed a community/school garden and a school store which is supported with donations and volunteers for the annual holiday shopping party. At this party, students are encouraged to make purchases with reward vouchers earned for attendance, excelling, good behavior, etc.
Park Habitat also provides marketing support and handles all financial matters for a new initiative called Carpentry for a Cause. Students from Carver Vocational-Technical High School, Edmondson-Westside School, and Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High Schoolcreate finished wooden products in their carpentry class. The items are then sold by Build-A-Block schools, with the proceeds benefiting Habitat.