ASF

Edna Manns-Lake, Timothy Bridges, and Sterling Brunson have spent decades trying to ensure that Baltimore keeps its Charm.Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Southwest Baltimore was impoverished and suffering the negative consequences of its losing battle against drug abuse and drug trafficking. In the midst of this tumultuous era, Manns-Lake and some local community members met at her mother’s house to devise a comprehensive plan to combat the flow of narcotics and restore order and safety.That meeting ultimately led to the creation of a nonprofit organization called Fayette Street Outreach (FSO) in 1993. “Our first ever project was the youth beautification,” Manns- Lake, who also serves as FSO’s president, recalled. “We cleaned up the neighborhood and boarded-up houses. We also began working with the police to identify drug hot spots in the area. Back in the mid-’90s through the middle of the TO REACH BALT IMOREANS Outreach continues Fayette Street

A graduate of nearby Morgan State University, Brunson is proud of the impact that FSO has had on the community. He also emphasized the essential importance of building trust with locals and how it causes a trickle- down effect. “We’ve been in existence for 27 years,” Brunson, FSO’s treasurer, said. “Our goal is to make the community better than when we received it, but our passion for work comes from giving people a chance to better themselves. What drives me is the gratitude on people’s faces when we help meet a need for them and I think we are good stewards in the community. Integrity and word of mouth are what allow us to grow. You can advertise all you want, but your word has to be your bond. You have to do what you say you are going to do and our work speaks for itself and the community

sees that. Once you establish trust, people come in droves. You may start by helping a grandmother in need, but you end up also helping her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. It’s all about trust.” Among accomplishments over nearly three decades, FSO has developed a coding program, erected a greenhouse, unveiled children and youth mentoring programs, and opened an internet radio podcast station. Perhaps most importantly, the organization founded the Fayette Street Outreach Center in April 2019. Manns-Lake and Bridges credited the invaluable efforts of the late Elijah Cummings, who was a civil rights champion and the former representative for Maryland’s 7th congressional district. In 2002, Cummings secured $100,000 from the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to help construct the center. Manns- t

Bridges echoed Manns-Lake’s sentiments and lauded Haynes’ commitment to FSO. He also praised the efforts of FSO’s many partners, Del. Ruth M. Kirk, Del. Jeffrey A. Paige, and the former president of Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, Dr. Samuel Ross. “Our partners are crucial to our organization,” Bridges said. “Our great partners include, but are not limited to, Wells Fargo, the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), Kaiser Permanente, LifeBridge Health, CareFirst, the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF), Nation’s Best Moving & Hauling, the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), L&J Waste Recycling and Busy Bee’s Child Care. We are incredibly thankful for all of their help.” It is evident that, with assistance from residents, politicians, and community leaders, FSO has had an extremely positive impact on Baltimore. It is also evident that, with much work remaining, Edna Manns-Lake, Timothy Bridges, Sterling Brunson, and their colleagues remain determined to further strengthen and reinvigorate Charm City.

2000s, drug trafficking was very heavy on the west side and

the community came together to fight against the drug activity that was going on. We actually stood in front of payphones to disrupt the dealers’ business. We didn’t eliminate it, but it’s down to a crawl. People feel much safer.There is also some new development underway in the area.” Bridges, who graduated from Southwestern High School and serves as FSO’s vice president, discussed the state of local drug dealing. He also applauded the community as a whole and noted the importance of funding to support their mission. “Currently, a lot of drug activity is being done by youngsters who we watched grow up,” Bridges said. “Many of these children were always counted out and told that they wouldn’t amount to anything. Some of the kids feel like they have no other options, and the street corners are always hiring. Basically, because some feel like they don’t have an alternative to drug dealing, we aren’t on an even playing field. Fortunately, one thing that makes our community strong is the resilience of the people. We have people who will put them to work and aren’t afraid to teach them different trades, but we need the funding.”

Lake also expressed appreciation for the key contributions of Del. Keith Haynes of Baltimore. “(Keith) is very supportive of our cause,” Manns-Lake said. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without him.”

“Our goal is to make the community better than when we received it, but our passion for work comes from giving people a chance to better themselves.”

-Sterling Brunson