Community Services
Our Programs
CARES
GEDCO’s CARES serves families and individuals in crisis by connecting our clients with resources that enable movement toward self-sufficiency. These resources include employment, food, and emergency financial assistance services.
CARES continues to be run by an extremely dedicated team consisting of one full-time and one part-time employee, as well as over 100 volunteers, with the generous support and food donations made by GEDCO’s network of over 56 Member Organizations, individuals, schools, corporations, government agencies, and community groups. During the past fiscal year, GEDCO’s CARES responded to over 4,441 requests for food, positively impacting 1,855 children and providing financial assistance to over 662 families. This included providing 290 families with eviction prevention assistance, assisting 80 older adults with prescription assistance, and helping 283 households avoid a disruption in their utility service. CARES Career Connection assisted 200 individuals with their job search process, securing 45 jobs in FY24 (April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024).
CARES was opened in 1993 by a group of devoted volunteers, primarily from churches in the Govans neighborhood of north Baltimore. Their vision was to create a centralized place where area churches could send persons in need and know they would be served more effectively and efficiently.
Click here to learn how CARES completely turned one woman’s life around.
Services
Client-Choice Food Pantry: This dignified service model allows our customer-clients to be the decision-makers as they choose the food that their household members prefer. A nutrition guideline based on family size is provided on-site for assistance.
Emergency Financial Assistance Center: Assists individuals and families with pending evictions, utility shut-offs, and prescription needs.
CARES Employment Services: GEDCO’s CARES also serves individuals seeking jobs and pursuing careers by providing one-on-one support from trained staff and volunteers.
How CARES Helps the Community With Job Assistance
CARES Career Connection works in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development. The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development has provided GEDCO with a part-time employee who works out of GEDCO’s community hub.
Services
- Resume Preparation
- Cover letter writing
- Online job search and application assistance
- Interview skills coaching
- Computer training courses
- Help for SSI/SSDI recipients who are also seeking employment
- Support for overcoming other barriers to employment
Contact Information
- CARES is located at 401 Woodbourne Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21212
- For the front desk, call (443) 470-6545
- For employment services, call (443) 470-6762
Food Pantry, Job Assistance and Emergency Financial Services
One crisis can have an effect on all aspects of one’s life, causing a cycle of crises. Members of a household may have just lost their jobs, have an unexpected medical or house rental bill delivered in the mail, or may even be struggling to put enough food on the table. At GEDCO, we connect clients with resources that will help them move towards self-sufficiency so that they can permanently escape the cycle of crises.
Families and individuals in crisis should always have someone on whom they can rely.
At GEDCO, we strive to assist the residents of the Baltimore community with emergency food, financial, and employment needs. We have done so through our CARES program, where we assist with career development and employment searches. CARES also provides emergency food and financial assistance.
CARES Operating Hours
Food Pantry & Financial Assistance
Mondays & Thursdays: 9:00 AM -11:00 AM
Saturdays: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
BGE Assistance
Wednesdays: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Job Search Assistance
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Donation Drop-Off Day
Wednesdays: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Interested in volunteering and providing service to our community? Click here to sign up for upcoming opportunities!