2020: A Year of Gratitude

December 2020

Dear Partners, Staff, Fellow City Agencies and Friends.

Words can’t capture the experience and impact of 2020.

But if I had to choose one, it would be gratitude.

More than ever, this year we activated the power of partnership and collaboration. Every day we were clear: We are stronger together. Every day we came together to meet the deep and growing needs across our community. And in an effort to reflect upon the extraordinary work we have done together, we have created this one-minute slideshow that sums up our Year of Gratitude.

To our Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success staff, thank you.

For working around the clock to provide uninterrupted energy and water assistance when our neighbors needed it most
For shifting from in-person to all things virtual, making sure 3,000 Head Start children didn’t miss school and their families maintained access to vital resources
For creating safe spaces to grow for 100-plus Black boys and young men, and supporting dozens of youth as they advocated for their futures through youth justice and voter registration campaigns

To our fellow city agencies, thank you.

For working shoulder to shoulder with us to build and launch an eviction prevention program to help families financially impacted by COVID-19 stay in their homes
For lending critical expertise and logistics to creating a citywide ecosystem of food that is minimizing hunger while maintaining dignity and agency for all residents

To our community partners, thank you.

For jumping in to support the city’s emergency food response and making sure we connect with communities often overlooked by mass distribution channels
For facilitating within that emergency food distribution effort, employment opportunities for more than 80 youth

We don’t know what 2021 holds for our city, our communities and our families. But we do know we’ll experience it together, which gives me great hope for the year ahead.

With gratitude and best wishes for a peaceful holiday season,

Tisha Edwards
Executive Director

2020: A Year of Gratitude

To our Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success staff, thank you.

To our fellow city agencies, thank you.

To our community partners, thank you.

childrenandfamilysuccess@baltimorecity.gov | bmorechildren.com

@bmorechildren | #loveoverfear