Family League Newsletter Winter/Spring 2026

Q U A R T E R L Y

N E W S L E T T E R WINTER/SPRING

IN THIS ISSUE: Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) Partnership Expands HIPPY Baltimore 34th Family League Annual Meeting at the Maryland Zoo Beyond the Shutdown: Child Care Support Initiative

Lighting the Way: Celebrating Lights on Afterschool

BY DEYARA MORRIS BURNS, FAMILY LEAGUE DIRECTOR FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

buzzed with collaboration and innovation as educators and youth workers shared best practices, explored new engagement strategies, and strengthened the network that supports Baltimore's young people.

Continued on page 12 MEET DEYARA MORRIS BURNS

Deyara Morris Burns M.S.W., M.S.Ed., LMSW is the Program Director for Youth Development at Family League, where she oversees out-of-school time programming and supports youth-serving organizations across Baltimore City.

Deyara brings a unique perspective shaped by her lived experiences and deep commitment to her programming portfolio..

Annually in October, millions of young people, families, and educators across the nation participate in a powerful demonstration of commitment to youth—Lights On Afterschool. This year marked the 26th anniversary of this national awareness event, organized by the Afterschool Alliance, which celebrates the critical importance of afterschool programs and advocates for increased investment in these vital learning opportunities. For Family League, this annual celebration represents far more than a single day of recognition; it embodies our year-round dedication to ensuring every young person in Baltimore City has access to safe, engaging, and transformative experiences beyond the traditional school day.

A National Movement Galvanizing Local Impact Lights On Afterschool, launched by the Afterschool Alliance in 1999, has grown into a premier nationwide rally for afterschool programs. Each year, more than one million participants join thousands WINTER/SPRING

of events celebrating the achievements of afterschool programs and highlighting the need to invest in these opportunities. The Afterschool Alliance's mission aligns seamlessly with Family League's cradle to career education objective: to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool and summer learning programs that keep them safe, inspire learning, and prepare them for future success.

In Baltimore, where the need for comprehensive youth support is critical, this partnership between national advocacy and local action creates a powerful force for change.

Family League serves as the bridge, translating Afterschool Alliance's vision into tangible programs and opportunities that directly impact Baltimore's young people and families.

Before joining Family League, Deyara taught high school mathematics in Baltimore City for four years before transitioning to social work. She holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Syracuse University, an M.S.Ed. from Johns Hopkins University, and an M.S.W. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. As a Licensed Master Social Worker and ordained Youth Pastor, Deyara is passionate about advocating for and empowering Baltimore's youth and families.

Early October, Family League brought together Out-of-School Time (OST) Site Managers and Lead Agency Oversight staff for an inspiring professional development session designed to prepare our funded partners for Lights On Afterschool. The gathering Family League Quarterly Newsletter 1

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

Collective Strength in Action DEMAUNE MILLARD, FAMILY LEAGUE

Demaune Millard

Strategic partnerships and responsive systems transforming outcomes for Baltimore families

Dear Friends and Partners of Family League, Transformation reveals itself in moments both extraordinary and ordinary: a grandmother who finally knows where to ask for help, a home visitor who creates space for authentic connection, young people who teach us they need support rather than surveillance, and community leaders who gather not just to learn but to build collective knowledge.

This newsletter captures such moments—snapshots of responsive systems, strategic investments, and the collaborative spirit that defines Baltimore's approach to supporting families. Each article tells a distinct story, yet together they illuminate a fundamental truth we celebrated at our 34th Annual Meeting: when we align resources, center community voice, and hold ourselves accountable to measurable outcomes, we multiply impact in ways individual efforts never could.

Stories of Impact and Innovation Our feature article on the 34th Annual Meeting presents how Baltimore creates lasting change through a braided funding model that weaves together federal, state, city, and private resources.

The $21.6 million strategically deployed through partnerships with 84 community-based organizations represents not merely spending but intentional alignment toward shared goals—directly benefiting more than 14,000 children, youth, and adults across our city.

When federal systems failed during the government shutdown, local partnerships demonstrated what responsive infrastructure looks like. Our Child Care Subsidy Grant article shows how Family League, worked alongside the Mayor's Office of Children and Family Success to rapidly mobilized support offerings to families possibly impacted.

Strategic investment continues through our expanded HIPPY Baltimore program, strengthened by Baltimore Community Foundation support. This home-based kindergarten readiness initiative meets families where barriers begin: in their homes, with culturally responsive visitors who see the whole family, not just the child.

When a home visitor connects a grandmother with diapers and food assistance she hadn't known to request, that's relationshipbased support that builds trust and changes trajectories.

Our professional development work demonstrates our commitment to capacity building as core infrastructure. From the historic Home Visiting Fall Institute—gathering practitioners across programs for the first time—to specialized sessions on FUNDINGtrack, trauma-informed care, and youth program quality, we're creating spaces where learning happens in community. The addition of Devin Sanders as Professional Development Manager deepens our capacity to deliver experiences that respond to evolving partner needs.

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Learning and Looking Forward Perhaps the most profound insights come from our Thriving Youth Initiative evaluation, conducted in partnership with Community Science. This wasn't research happening to our community but with our community. The evaluation generated a phrase that has become foundational to how we approach youth programming: "Youth want support, not surveillance." This insight now reshapes our conversations with grantee organizations, influences our advocacy for flexible funding, and guides our strengthening of cohort models where organizations learn from each other rather than compete.

Our ENOUGH capacity building work equipped community leaders with historical context—understanding why neighborhoods look as they do and what targeted intervention requires. When Dr. Lawrence Brown guided participants through Baltimore's geography of hypersegregation, he provided more than data; he illuminated how 105 years of racist policies deliberately created patterns still visible today.

Deyara Morris Burns' article on Lights On Afterschool reminds us that investment in youth development extends year-round. Our FY26 portfolio represents $8.7 million supporting over 6,140 youth OST seats across Baltimore’s Community Schools, including high schools, Summer Youth Development, and emerging initiatives. But numbers tell only part of the story—the true measure lies in safe spaces created, relationships built, skills developed, and futures expanded.

These efforts are deeply interconnected. A family experiencing housing instability cannot focus on kindergarten readiness. A community without safe afterschool spaces struggles to support youth development. A system that surveils rather than supports cannot build the trust necessary for transformation. This is why our comprehensive framework matters, why braided funding creates multiplier effects, and why we invest as deeply in professional development and evaluation as in direct services.

The 14,000 children, youth, and adults we served represent 14,000 reasons we cannot rest on accomplishment. Baltimore faces persistent challenges, but as Board Chair Nancy Blackwell reminded us at the Annual Meeting, we possess Baltimore's collective strength. Thank you for believing that community voice matters, that data should drive decisions, and that transformation happens when we work together with shared purpose and accountability.

With gratitude and determination, Demaune A. Millard President & CEO

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HEALTHY FAMILIES

Beyond the Shutdown How Family League partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success to deliver child care support When the federal government shutdown stretched into its 35th day in November, becoming the longest in American history, Baltimore faced a cascading crisis. Federal employees deemed essential reported to work without paychecks. SNAP benefits— the nutritional lifeline for 42 million Americans—teetered on the edge of exhaustion.

And for families already navigating the precarious balance of work and child care, the shutdown threatened to collapse carefully constructed support systems.

The city's response was swift and substantial. Mayor Brandon Scott announced a $4.68 million emergency relief package

providers—themselves operating on thin margins—still required payment. Children still needed supervision while parents fulfilled federal obligations without compensation. The shutdown exposed what working families already knew: child care isn't ancillary to employment. It's foundational infrastructure that makes work possible.

Mayor Scott captured this reality plainly during the relief package announcement: "Our federal workforce has already been through so much since January, but this shutdown is yet another slap in the face to face to folks who serve this country each and every who

care costs, and evidence of continuous enrollment with licensed providers for at least three consecutive months prior to November.

"Families should not have to bear the long -term consequences of federal decisions beyond their control," stated Family League President and CEO Demaune Millard. "This child care support program ensures that Baltimore families can maintain stable, quality care for their children while they recover from the financial impact of the shutdown."

"Our federal workforce has already been through so much since January, but this shutdown is yet another slap in the face to folks who serve this country each and every day with dignity."

BRANDON M. SCOTT Mayor, Baltimore City

Scan to view child care support funding opportunities

addressing food security, rental assistance, hospital support, and child care— recognizing that federal dysfunction should not determine local families' fates.

Family League, tapped to administer the $1 million Child Care Subsidy Grant component, found itself at the intersection of crisis response and community infrastructure.

The Urgency of Invisible Labor Baltimore is home to nearly 12,000 federal employees. Maryland hosts more than 260,000 federal workers and 200,000 contractors across 60 federal facilities.

When the shutdown extended into November, these workers confronted an impossible calculus: continue reporting to jobs that generated no income, or abandon essential services that keep the nation functioning.

For parents among them, the equation grew more complex. Child care WINTER/SPRING

serve this country each and every day with dignity."

Responsive Deployment, Deliberate Design Family League's role in the emergency response leveraged existing organizational capacity while building new pathways for assistance. By December 1, the organization had leveraged its grants management system into a dedicated intake portal, drafted comprehensive application materials, and prepared to process requests of up to $2,500 to cover November child care costs.

The program targeted two distinct populations: federal employees and contractors furloughed yet required to work in person, and families eligible for SNAP benefits whose food security had been disrupted.

Both groups faced documentation requirements designed to ensure accountability while maintaining accessibility—proof of employment status or SNAP eligibility, child

The Aftermath of Emergency By the time applications opened, the shutdown had officially ended. But its reverberations persisted. Missed paychecks don't immediately regenerate savings depleted over 35 days. SNAP disruptions don't instantly restore nutritional security.

And child care providers who extended grace during the crisis still needed payment to sustain their own operations.

More than 700 families expressed initial interest in the subsidy program. By early December, over 50 had registered in Family League's system, with seven completed applications under review and others in progress as families assembled required documentation. Each application represented a household navigating submission requirements while managing the practical demands of daily survival—gathering pay stubs proving furlough status, Continued on page 11 Family League Quarterly Newsletter 3

ENOUGH BALTIMORE BUILDING CAPACITY, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES: ENOUGH SESSION EXPLORES PLACE-BASED SOLUTIONS Family League partnered with Morgan State University’s Center for Urban Health Equity in late September to host a transformative ENOUGH Capacity Building Session that brought together community leaders, grantees, and city partners to explore how Baltimore’s historical geography shapes presentday opportunities—and how communities can rewrite that narrative.

Connected Past to Present The session intentionally convened Adaptive Village grantees, ENOUGH Partner Track grantees, and ENOUGH Aligned Capacity grantees under one roof in Morgan’s Health and Human Services Building. The goal was clear: demonstrate how placebased strategies, community leadership, and data-driven solutions can converge to transform Baltimore neighborhoods when grounded in historical understanding.

Dr. Lawrence T. Brown, Morgan Research Scientist and author of The Black Butterfly, facilitated the session by guiding participants through Baltimore’s geography of hypersegregation.

Using powerful visualizations from the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance, historical data accounts, and mappings, Dr. Brown revealed how 105 years of racist policies— from redlining to systematic disinvestment—deliberately created the patterns visible today across metrics like child poverty, internet access, unemployment, and small business investment. His framework of the “Black Butterfly” and “White L” mapped how these disparities manifest geographically, showing participants exactly where historical harm has concentrated and where targeted investment is needed most.

From Data to Action Following Dr. Brown’s presentation, participants engaged in hands-on exercises that translated historical understanding into practical application. They explored the Governor’s Office for Children’s ENOUGH resource mapping tool, learning how data visualization technologies can identify gaps and opportunities within their communities. Through area mapping exercises and place-based strategy discussions, community leaders strengthened their capacity to design interventions that address root causes rather than symptoms.

Tiffany Snead-Rose, Program Director of Community Impact at Family League, emphasized the session’s impact: “This capacity building work exemplifies what happens when we pair community leadership with powerful data and historical truth.

Our grantee partners left equipped not just with tools, but with a deeper understanding of why their neighborhoods look the way they do—and what it will take to create lasting change..”

The session, facilitated by Family League with the support Maryland Governor’s Office for Children and the Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success, represents one milestone in a multi-session engagement designed to strengthen community leadership and implementation capacity across Baltimore’s most historically disinvested neighborhoods.

“Understanding our city’s legacy isn’t about dwelling in the past—it’s about ensuring destiny is no longer determined by zip code,” said Demaune Millard. “When we ground our placebased work in this historical context, our placed-based work in this historical context, our ENOUGH community leaders can take informed next steps toward true neighborhood transformation.

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CRADLE TO CAREER EDUCATION

BCF Partnership Expands HIPPY Baltimore Strategic Investment Strengthens Home-Based Kindergarten Readiness Program Across City Neighborhoods Family League has secured support from the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) through its Stronger Schools Kindergarten Readiness initiative, reinforcing a partnership model that brings early learning support directly into family homes across Park Heights, Cherry Hill, and Belair -Edison.

The funding will support (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) HIPPY Baltimore—a program that takes an uncommon approach to kindergarten preparation by meeting families where barriers often begin: at home.

Beyond the Curriculum: Whole Families

Supporting

Home visitors do more than deliver educational materials. They observe, listen, and respond to the full spectrum of family needs. When Angie Weems, HIPPY Baltimore Coordinator at Park Heights Renaissance, sends her team into homes each week, they're trained to notice what isn't being said.

"When we see barriers, we have a plethora of resources we can offer beyond the caregiver training. Our success is because we focus on the whole family."—Angie Weems, HIPPY Baltimore Coordinator.

That holistic philosophy has proven essential. Sapphire Jackson, Early Learning Manager with Family League, recalls a grandmother who was stretching her diaper supply and skipping meals to feed the child in her care. The home visitor

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connected her with diapers and food assistance—resources the grandmother hadn't known to request. "Now she knows to ask us for what she needs," Jackson said.

The Power of Braided Funding Baltimore Community Foundation’s grant exemplifies what Family League identifies as "braided funding"—a strategy that weaves together federal, state, municipal, and philanthropic resources to create programming that reaches families on a meaningful scale.

This approach allows organizations to go beyond addressing immediate needs and build sustainable foundations for long-term family success.

The model proves particularly effective for HIPPY, which requires both infrastructure support and the flexibility to adapt to individual family circumstances. Home visitors come from the communities they serve, bringing cultural knowledge and earning trust that enables them to identify needs often invisible to outside observers.

Results That Validate Impact Currently, 30 families participate in the HIPPY site operated through Park Heights Renaissance, with each family receiving housing stipends and access to job resources.

Many parents have found employment through these connections—an outcome that demonstrates how supporting family stability directly impacts children's readiness to learn.

The curriculum itself centers on role-play activities that home visitors model with caregivers, who then implement the lessons

with their children. The voluntary program requires commitment from families with children ages two to four, and accommodates work schedules through flexible home visit timing. Monthly engagement events further strengthen the network of support among participating families.

Weems points to London, a young participant whose enthusiasm for the HIPPY curriculum was insatiable. The child consistently asked for more activities, demonstrating the kind of engagement that predicts kindergarten success. "All of my babies are successes," Weems said. "She loved the curriculum and we know she will do exceptionally well in kindergarten."

From Nurtured Families to Prepared Children Jackson, who has spent years in early childhood education across multiple settings, sees a clear pattern: family wellbeing directly shapes child outcomes.

"Supporting the diversity of family needs

is vital and directly impacts learning outcomes for the children. When families feel nurtured, children get nurtured."

Program data supports this connection. In 2024, 100 percent of surveyed caregivers reported that HIPPY effectively prepared their children for kindergarten—a result that reflects both the strength of the curriculum and the comprehensive family support wrapped around it.

Continued on page 12

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When Community Strength Becomes Measurable Impact This year’s Annual Meeting charts a course for Baltimore’s families through strategic collaboration and $21.6 million in transformative investments On a pleasant November evening at the Maryland Zoo Mansion House, more than 150 voices converged in celebration of a singular truth: lasting change in Baltimore requires more than good intentions—it demands strategic coordination, unwavering commitment, and the kind of collaborative spirit that transforms individual efforts into collective power.

Family League’s 34th Annual Meeting, held on November 6, embodied this philosophy. Under the theme "Impact at Scale," the evening offered more than retrospective recognition. It presented a roadmap of what becomes possible when community organizations, government agencies, private sector partners, and nonprofit leaders align their resources toward a shared vision: dismantling the systemic barriers that limit opportunities for Baltimore's most vulnerable families.

The numbers tell part of the story. Family League strategically invested $21.6 million through partnerships with 84 community-based organizations, directly benefiting more than 14,000 children, youth, and adults across the city. But behind these figures lies something more profound—a testament to what Board Chair Nancy Blackwell described as "Baltimore's collective strength."

The Architecture of Impact President and CEO Demaune Millard's State of Family League address illuminated how thoughtful infrastructure enables remarkable outcomes. The organization's braided funding model—weaving together federal, state, city, and private sector resources—creates what Blackwell termed a "powerful multiplier effect." This approach represents more than financial engineering; it reflects a fundamental understanding that Baltimore's challenges are interconnected, requiring solutions that are equally integrated.

The milestones Millard outlined underscore this transformation framework in action. The Home Visiting Partners achieved a 92 percent breastfeeding initiation rate, exceeding state benchmarks and demonstrating how targeted support can shift health outcomes. Housing support investments expanded to over $6 million, recognizing that stable housing serves as bedrock for family stability. Meanwhile, Out-ofSchool Time efforts tackled chronic absenteeism, addressing educational barriers before they calcify into lifetime limitations.

Perhaps most telling was Millard's announcement of four consecutive clean audits—a detail that speaks volumes about Family League’s fiscal stewardship and organizational discipline. When resources are scarce and needs are abundant, accountability becomes not just an administrative requirement but a moral imperative. National recognition from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for innovative youth development approaches validated what Baltimore's communities already knew: their work merits attention far beyond city limits.

Honoring the Frontline The evening's centerpiece—recognizing six community heroes—revealed the human dimension of systemic change.

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Family League Quarterly Newsletter

Sharon Armstead of Baltimore City’s Local Care Team received the Stewardship Award. Urban Strategies earned the Performance Award. Joel Miller Jr. of the National Institute for Collective Strategies was honored with the Respect Award, while Stacey Stephens of B'More for Healthy Babies Upton/ Druid Heights received the Innovation Award. Valarie Matthews of Catherine's Family and Youth Services accepted the Trust Award, and Sherman STEAM Teacher Scholars Program at UMBC in Cherry Hill earned the Equity Award.

Each award represented more than individual achievement.

These honorees embody the values that make transformation possible: stewardship of resources and relationships, performance that drives measurable outcomes, respect for community wisdom, innovation that responds to evolving needs, trust built through consistent action, and equity that ensures opportunity reaches those historically left behind.

The President's Award, presented to Baltimore City Solicitor Ebony Thompson, illuminated the critical intersection of legal advocacy and community health. Thompson's pioneering work securing over $400 million in opioid settlements represents the kind of systemic accountability that creates space for healing. Her reflections during the ceremony captured the essential nature of partnership: "The opioid epidemic has devastated our communities, and holding pharmaceutical companies accountable was just the first step. Organizations like Family League are essential partners to support prevention, treatment, and family stability programs."

A Vision Beyond Numbers Congressman Kweisi Mfume, delivering keynote remarks, situated Family League's work within a broader national context. "Family League exemplifies what's possible when we combine resources, data, and community wisdom to address systemic challenges," he observed. His words emphasized how the organization's framework—spanning Cradle to Career Education, Economically Secure Families, Healthy Families, and Safe and Thriving Communities—represents the coordinated effort required to create lasting change.

This comprehensive approach challenges conventional program silos. A family experiencing housing instability cannot focus on education. A community without safe spaces struggles to nurture healthy development. A child facing food insecurity cannot thrive academically. Family League's integrated model acknowledges these realities, creating pathways that address multiple barriers simultaneously rather than sequentially.

The organization's relocation to new headquarters at 1734 Maryland Avenue signals both growth and renewed commitment. The preservation of $2 million in state funding despite budget challenges demonstrates strategic advocacy and political acumen. These operational achievements matter because they create the stability necessary for long-term impact.

Continued on page 8

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The Work Continues As attendees departed the Maryland Zoo Mansion House that November evening, they carried with them more than memory of celebration. They carried renewed understanding of what partnership makes possible. The 14,000 lives touched

by Family League's investments represent 14,000 reasons why this work cannot rest on past achievements.

Baltimore faces persistent challenges—poverty, inequality, systemic barriers built over generations. But the 34th Annual Meeting demonstrated something equally persistent: the city's capacity for collective action, its reservoir of community wisdom, and its willingness to hold itself accountable to measurable outcomes. When Board Chair Blackwell spoke of remaining "bold in our vision to advance upward mobility for Baltimore's most vulnerable families and have them thrive," she articulated not wishful thinking but strategic commitment backed by proven methodology.

document not just an event but an ecosystem—one where change happens because people choose, repeatedly and collectively, to make it happen.

In an era of fragmented efforts and siloed solutions, Family League's 34th Annual Meeting offered something increasingly rare: evidence that when communities align their strengths, when resources flow strategically, and when accountability meets compassion, transformation moves from aspiration to reality. One evening. One hundred fifty leaders. Twenty-one point six million dollars. Fourteen thousand lives. The mathematics of impact, measured not just in numbers but in possibilities unlocked and futures reimagined.

The evening concluded not with endings but beginnings— the beginning of another year of partnership, another cycle of investment, another chapter in Baltimore's ongoing story of transformation. The photographs adorning the pages of this newsletter capture faces of determination, moments of recognition, and expressions of shared purpose. They 8

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SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES

Learning to Listen Evaluating the Thriving Youth Initiative transformed Family League’s understanding of what youth people truly need Sometimes the most important discoveries don't come from finding new answers—they come from learning to ask better questions. That’s the lesson Family League took from its recent evaluation of the Thriving Youth Initiative; this evaluation, led by Community Science, became far more meaningful than a standard project.

Family League launched this evaluation knowing its programs were reconnecting disconnected youth with school, work, and pathways to stability. The outcomes showed promise. But outcomes alone don't tell you how to strengthen what's working or where barriers remain invisible.

The organization needed to understand the experiences behind the numbers— particularly from the young people and frontline staff who live these programs every day.

When Evaluation Becomes Community Building What made this evaluation distinctive was its approach to people. Rather than treating data collection as extraction—show up, gather information, leave—Community Science designed a process that honored relationships. Program staff and young people weren't research subjects. They were collaborators whose insights shaped not just what was measured, but how it was understood.

As Jessie Tartanian, Family League's Director of Data and Evaluation, reflected: this became her favorite evaluation she'd ever worked on. Not because it was easy, but because it felt human. The process created space for connection, celebration, and honest reflection. Young people felt safe sharing their truths. Staff members saw their expertise valued. And Family League gained insights it couldn't have accessed through traditional research methods alone.

The collaborative spirit extended throughout the project—co-creating surveys and interview guides, developing logic models together, facilitating meaning-making sessions where diverse stakeholders interpreted findings collectively. This wasn't research happening to the community. It was research happening with the community, guided by Baltimore's context and committed to understanding the nuances WINTER /SPRING

of the city's neighborhoods, organizations, and the young people navigating them.

A Phrase That Changed the Framework Among the evaluation's many findings, one phrase emerged with such clarity and power that it has already become foundational to how Family League approaches youth programming: "Youth want support, not surveillance."

Those five words capture a fundamental tension in youth services. Systems designed to help young people often inadvertently monitor and control them instead. Requirements meant to ensure accountability can feel like surveillance. Check-ins intended as support can become intrusive oversight. And young people—particularly those who've experienced trauma, system involvement, or marginalization—can sense the difference immediately.

This insight is now reshaping how Family League thinks about program design, funding structures, and partner support. It's informing conversations with grantee organizations about building authentic relationships with youth. It's influencing the organization's advocacy for flexible funding that removes practical barriers. And it's guiding Family League's approach to strengthening cohort models where organizations learn from each other rather than competing for resources.

Looking back on this partnership, what stands out isn't just the data collected or insights generated. It's the reminder that research, when done with care and community at its center, can do more than document what exists—it can illuminate what's possible. It can elevate voices that systems too often overlook. It can transform how organizations understand their work and their responsibility to the people they serve.

For Family League, this evaluation deepened the organization's commitment to youth-centered practice, strengthened its relationships with partners doing this work daily, and equipped it with language and evidence to advocate for what Baltimore's young people actually need. Most importantly, it reminded the organization that when it truly listens to youth—not just hears them, but centers their experiences in how it designs, funds, and supports programs—it creates conditions for them to thrive. And that's what this work has always been about.

Scan to view the Community Science Storytelling Spotlight with Family League’s Jessie Tartanian.

From Insights to Action The true measure of evaluation isn't the quality of the final report—it's whether findings translate into meaningful change. Family League is already putting these insights to work across multiple levels of its ecosystem The organization is using evaluation findings to strengthen its cohort model, creating intentional spaces for grantee organizations to collaborate, share resources, and problemsolve together. Family League is advocating with city leaders and legislators, bringing youth-centered data into policy discussions that shape investments and programs. The organization is supporting youth workers with enhanced training and resources to address burnout—recognizing that when it cares for the adults serving young people, it indirectly serves those young people better.

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ECONOMIC SECURE FAMILIES

Professional Development Capacity Strengthens Community How Family League’s professional development offerings improves service quality and delivery amongst its funded partners

BY JENEE TUCKER, SR. DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNTY IMPACT AND MELISSA MOORE, SR. DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT

This Fall, home visitors from across Baltimore gathered in one space— representing diverse programs, neighborhoods, and approaches, yet united by a shared commitment to supporting families during their most vulnerable and transformative moments.

The Home Visiting Fall Institute wasn't just another training session. It represented a fundamental shift in how we approach professional development: not as isolated workshops delivered to individual organizations, but as opportunities to build collective knowledge, strengthen networks, and honor the expertise that exists within our community. This gathering exemplified what Family League's professional development services are truly about—creating spaces where learning happens in community, where challenges are addressed collaboratively, and where every participant's experience contributes to our shared growth.

A Comprehensive Approach to Partnership Support Family League's professional development framework operates on a foundational belief: our partners' success is our community's success. When we invest in the capacity of organizations serving Baltimore's children, youth, and families, we

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multiply impact across every neighborhood and program we touch.

Our approach is deliberately comprehensive.

We recognize that nonprofit organizations need more than sporadic training opportunities—they require sustained support that addresses real-world challenges across multiple domains. That's why our offerings span critical areas including nonprofit management, financial sustainability, program evaluation, community engagement strategies, grant writing, and fund development.

Each workshop is designed not just to transfer knowledge, but to build practical skills that partners can immediately apply in their work.

Consider the breadth of learning opportunities we've facilitated just in December: Finance End-of-Year Compliance classes ensuring fiscal responsibility, a three-part series on project lifecycle fundamentals, trauma-informed care training recognizing the realities our families face, and specialized sessions on our data systems including FUNDINGtrack and INSIGHT. We've also provided professional headshots—a small gesture that affirms the professionalism and dignity of everyone doing this work. For our Out-of-School Time partners, we've delivered targeted training using the Weikart framework to strengthen youth program quality, alongside sessions on bias, ethics,

and equity in data.

Expanding Capacity, Deepening Impact This fall, we strengthened our commitment to professional development by welcoming Devin Sanders as our Professional Development Manager. Devin's addition deepens our organizational capacity to design, coordinate, and deliver highquality learning experiences that respond to the evolving needs of our partners and the communities they serve.

With enhanced capacity comes enhanced offerings. As we move into the new year, our professional development calendar reflects both continuity and innovation.

We're launching Finance Fundamentals for organizations building fiscal infrastructure, facilitating workshops on understanding client money decisions that bring behavioral economics into direct service, and offering Youthworks methods training centered on youth voice. We're also developing specialized sessions on building data strategies for nonprofits—recognizing that data literacy has become essential for demonstrating impact and securing resources.

Importantly, all Family League professional development opportunities remain free and open to anyone who wishes to attend.

This accessibility is intentional. .We believe

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ECONOMIC SECURE FAMILIES that knowledge should flow freely through our community, that learning shouldn't be restricted by organizational budgets or formal partnership agreements, and that everyone working to improve outcomes for Baltimore's families deserves access to current research and best practices.

Beyond Workshops: A Vision for Collective Growth While workshops form the foundation of our professional development work, our vision extends further. We're developing peer learning cohorts that will create ongoing spaces for facilitated discussion, best practice sharing, collaborative problem-solving, and cross-organization partnerships. These cohorts recognize that some of the most powerful learning happens not in formal presentations, but in conversations among practitioners facing similar challenges.

We're also expanding one-on-one technical assistance, providing individualized support based on organizational assessments, strategic planning needs, and specialized expertise requirements. And we're strengthening resource connections— linking partners to additional funding opportunities, facilitating introductions to potential collaborators, and providing access to subject matter experts who can address specific organizational needs.

This comprehensive approach reflects our understanding that capacity building isn't one-size-fits-all. Different organizations at different stages need different supports.

Our role is to provide the right resource at the right time, tailored to each partner's unique context and aspirations.

When we think about the Home Visiting Fall Institute and the hundreds of other learning opportunities we've facilitated this year, We’re reminded that professional development is ultimately about people. It's about honoring the expertise of practitioners doing challenging work every day. It's about creating space for reflection, connection, and growth. It's about building a stronger, more connected ecosystem of organizations working toward shared goals.

As we look toward the new year, we are excited about the possibilities ahead and invite everyone—partners, community members, stakeholders—to explore opportunities that align with their learning goals. Because when we invest in each other's growth, we invest in Baltimore's future. And that future is built one relationship, one skill, one shared learning experience at a time.

Scan to view professional development calendar

“Beyond the Shutdown” continued from page 3 securing provider verification letters, documenting enrollment histories.

The program's structure—providing payment directly to licensed child care providers rather than to families—reflected both fiscal responsibility and recognition of providers' own financial pressures.

These small businesses and nonprofit centers had continued serving children throughout the shutdown, often uncertain whether payment would materialize.

What emerged from the shutdown response was not merely emergency assistance but a demonstration of municipal capacity. While federal mechanisms stalled, local partnerships between city government and community organizations like Family League created responsive infrastructure. The $4.68 million relief package—encompassing food assistance through the Maryland Food Bank, rental support for federally subsidized housing, hospital stabilization funding, and child care subsidies—represented coordinated acknowledgment that crises require comprehensive solutions, not piecemeal interventions.

For Baltimore families caught in the shutdown's undertow, the Child Care Subsidy Grant offered more than financial relief. It provided affirmation that their community recognized child care as essential infrastructure worthy of emergency protection.

In a moment when federal paralysis threatened to destabilize carefully balanced household economies, local institutions stepped forward to ensure that children's care—and parents' ability to work— remained secure. The shutdown may have ended, but its lessons about vulnerability, responsiveness, and the architecture of family support continue to resonate.

The participants in our workshops represent the diverse population of Baltimore and the various needs of its residents.

They bring lived experience, professional skills, cultural knowledge, and deep commitment to their communities. Our job is to support them with tools, strategies, and connections that amplify their impact.

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“Lighting the Way: Celebrating Lights on Afterschool” continued from page 1

we're ensuring access points exist across the city.

Participants left equipped with more than knowledge—they carried "LIT trinkets" back to their sites, creative tools designed to spark youth engagement and celebrate the occasion with the young people they serve daily. The energy culminated in our collective participation in the #LightbulbChallenge, a symbolic gesture demonstrating our unified commitment to high-quality, equitable OST programming across Baltimore City.

When combined with emerging investments in School Day Enrichment and OST Expansion—which together will create nearly 300 additional seats—Family League is facilitating 6,140 youth seats representing approximately $7.23 million in FY26. Expanding our lens to include Community Based Support for Opportunity Youth and Thriving Youth initiatives brings our total investment to $8.7 million, supporting not just youth development but family engagement and community strength across Baltimore.

Beyond October: A Year-Round Investment in Youth

While Lights On Afterschool provides a moment to celebrate, Family League's investment in youth development extends throughout the entire year. Our FY26 Youth Development portfolio represents an extraordinary commitment to Baltimore's young people, with investments carefully structured to meet diverse needs across age groups and communities: Our comprehensive approach includes $4.2 million supporting K–8 OST programming in Community Schools, serving 2,795 students; $1 million invested in high school OST opportunities reaching 470 students; and an additional $1 million dedicated to Summer Youth Development, engaging 2,275 youth during critical out-of-school months. Through both Community School partnerships and procurement initiatives

1734 Maryland Avenue, 3rd Floor Baltimore, MD 21218 (410) 662-5500 familyleague.org Family League of Baltimore is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and the designated Local Management Board for the City of Baltimore. Since 1991, it has served as an architect of change by promoting data-driven, collaborative initiatives and aligning resources to create lasting outcomes for children, families, and communities.

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City, modeled on HIPPY United States standards, the Baltimore Community Foundation investment provides crucial momentum. The grant enables the kind of strategic, community-rooted partnerships that create ripple effects extending far beyond early childhood education—from Park Heights to Cherry Hill to Belaire-Edison and wherever families need support meeting their children's potential.

The Promise We Keep As we join millions nationwide in celebrating Lights On Afterschool, we do so with pride in what we've built and determination for what comes next. Every dollar invested, every professional development session conducted, and every partnership strengthened represents our unwavering belief that Baltimore's young people deserve access to programs that inspire, protect, and prepare them for bright futures. The lights we turn on each October burn brightly all year long, illuminating pathways to opportunity for every child and family we serve.

“BCF Partnership Expands HIPPY Baltimore” continued from page 5 As the Family League works to accredit multiple HIPPY programs across Baltimore

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Nancy Blackwell, Chair Ben Perez, Treasurer Barry S. Solomon, MD, MPH, Secretary Ramsey L. Harris Joshua M. Sharfstein, MD Dr. Royce Burnett Erika McClammy, Esq.

Demaune Millard President & CEO Keianna Thompson Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Carter Chief of Staff Charles Stafford Sr. Director of People and Culture Jenee Tucker Sr. Director for Community Impact Melissa Moore Sr. Director for Community Impact Dara Gray Sr. Director of Innovation and Technology

Ex-Officio Members Debra Y. Brooks, Ed.D Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success Tina Hike-Hubbard, Baltimore City Public Schools Charles Jackson, Baltimore City Health Department Demaune Millard, Family League Corrine Mullings, LMSW, Baltimore City Department of Social Services Anjelene Branch, Baltimore City Department of Juvenile Services Lynn Mumma, Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore

GET SOCIAL WITH US! linkedin.com/company/family-league Family League of Baltimore @family_league @Family_League

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