Community Partner : Neighborhood Housing Services Intern : Edidiong Ekpo Site Supervisor : Maria Smaldone
What is Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore ?
Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore is a local network of resources to help you achieve and maintain homeownership in your neighborhood . We provide educational resources , as well as specialized financial programs and support systems for Baltimore households .
I ’ ve spent this past summer interning with the Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore , a nonprofit organization that works to help people in the city transition from renting to homeownership . Over the past two months , I ’ ve been able to see just how intertwined the connection to a community and housing assistance programs are .
My first responsibility for the summer was writing a community support letter for the various projects that NHS was pursuing . The variety of programs that NHS was starting or supporting was eye opening . It showed how multifaceted placemaking and neighborhood building is ; it ’ s much more than populating houses . My projects over the rest of the summer reinforced that idea .
Over the course of the summer , I ’ ve had multiple projects and responsibilities . I have been assisting a community member in one of their projects ; creating a community engagement resource that connects people to opportunities to serve in their neighborhoods . Over the course of the summer , I ’ ve been researching community organizations and non-profits in the city , looking for ways people can get more involved . It showed me how much is already going on in the city and that there is already a firm foundation of people hoping to bring about positive change in the community , it ’ s just a matter of connecting them with the personnel to get things done .
Another one of my responsibilities this summer has been serving as a liaison for people signing up for the City ’ s Housing Upgrades to Benefit Seniors program . Through this program , I ’ ve been able to meet so many new people , and talk to them about what they love about their homes . Each person who I call or who calls me is committed to sticking with the city and with their neighborhood , and it ’ s a joy to think that by helping them access the HUBS program , I ’ ve made it a bit easier to do so .
I ’ ve had an excellent time this summer as an NHS intern . I truly believe the skills I ’ ve learned and the people I ’ ve met will stay with me long beyond this summer .
Researched community organizations to aid in creating a community engagement directory Assisted in grant writing on sanitation , outreach , and community engagement projects Supported senior community members in applying for home rehab programs through both Baltimore City and NHS Created participant engagement materials for NeighborWorks ’ Community Leadership Institute and led virtual programming
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