The Salvation Army of Central Maryland Teams up with WJZ for West Baltimore Neighborhood
The Salvation Army of Central Maryland Teams up with WJZ for West Baltimore Neighborhood Clean-Up
The power of community and the power of cleanliness have made a tremendous impact in West Baltimore. The Salvation Army of Central Maryland recently partnered with WJZ (CBS) on a Community Cleanup in this area, and the results are astounding!
On June 14th, 2023 a group of 50 volunteers from The Salvation Army and WJZ (CBS) joined forces to clean up the surrounding site of Pinderhughes Elementary School. In a mere two hours, our team filled 40 bags full of debris, needles, cans, and other trash. To us, this was a symbol of the community’s commitment to a safer and cleaner Baltimore – at both a physical and a spiritual level.
“This was a great opportunity for The Salvation Army to give back to the Sandtown-Winchester community,” said Area Commander Major Roger Glick. “We wanted to give love beyond clutter by having our staff, volunteers, and our friends from WJZ team up to greenify our local bus stops, parks, and community areas around the Old Pinderhughes Elementary School. We’re hoping that in a couple years, we can also move our area command from Federal Hill into the Old Pinderhughes Elementary School so we can provide resources directly to people who need it the most.”
At The Salvation Army of Central Maryland, we believe that it’s extremely important to keep our own bodies and our communities safe. We all want to be proud of where we live and work, and an integral part of making that happen is to keep our streets clean and free of hazardous and unsightly trash. Clean spaces can make people feel more comfortable walking and driving through these neighborhoods. They can also help to create a sense of stability and consistency in our cities. It was amazing to witness the power of a community coming together, but this event would not have been possible without WJZ.
June 14, 2023 was also Paramount Community Day, which is going strong in its 27th year as a testament to the company’s commitment to its communities and people. The theme for this year’s Community day was “Together for Good” and this theme was deeply felt by our Sandtown-Winchester community residents. A 7-year-old who lives nearby the school, brought his father to the Salvation Army’s Emergency Canteen. He wanted to know why people in red and blue shirts were picking up caps, needles, and a lot of trash in his neighborhood. Napoleon, a long time volunteer for The Salvation Army, not only explained that it’s important to keep your neighborhood clean but also recruited him to help The Salvation Army clean up.
In an ill-fitted extra large red Salvation Army volunteer shirt, with pockets full of snacks from our emergency canteen, this young neighborhood child picked up trash and greenified his community. This is just one of many neighborhood stories that played out that day.
“We’re hoping to do more community clean ups in Sandtown-Winchester in the near future,” said Sherryn Gaworecki, Community Relations Director for The Salvation Army of Central Maryland. “We want to make this area a safe place for children to play and a safe place for families to come together as a community.”
Give Love Beyond Clutter to The Salvation Army of Central Maryland by making a donation here.
