WBALTV Covers Housing University Official Launch!

We hosted a Ribbon Cutting Celebration for the Official Launch of Baltimore Healthy Start Inc.’s Housing University program supported by the HRSA-Funded Catalyst for Infant Health Equity Grant. We were joined by Healthy Start staff, families, and community members from the Baltimore City area to celebrate the implementation of a new initiative that will take on the challenges of finding safe/affordable housing for low-income residents of Baltimore City.

Despite Baltimore City being a mecca of culture, innovation, and pride, native residents of Baltimore City often live in poverty, struggling to meet their most basic needs. More than one third, of the predominantly African-American residents in Healthy Start’s targeted communities, live in poverty, with a median income of $22,629 compared to $30,078for Baltimore City. The poverty rate in Baltimore City is 23.1 percent, nearly double the national average of about 12.7 percent.

The Catalyst for Infant Health Equity grant addresses the social determinants of health in relation to housing justice to provide stability and security, and mitigate negative effects on maternal health, well-being, and births.