An East Baltimore nonprofit is packing up the building young people call “home” after its rent doubled, a move that could scatter youth programs just as a summer camp focused on entrepreneurship and financial literacy wraps up. Banner Neighborhoods plans to leave by the end of August, while leaders search for community partners that can provide replacement space.
Banner Executive Director Robin Truiett-Theodorson told CBS Baltimore that the group’s smaller staff building cannot accommodate all of the programs currently housed on East Preston Street. The nonprofit plans to remain in the building through the end of its summer programming before moving out.
What East Baltimore Youth Stand To Lose
Banner Neighborhoods says it has served East Baltimore for more than 40 years, with a mission centered on youth and older adults. Its listed programming includes youth sports, YouthWorks, career preparation, financial literacy and other support intended to give young people a reliable place to learn and connect.
That role was on display Friday, when camp participants held a pop-up market and showed off businesses they developed during five weeks of instruction. CBS Baltimore reported that students described the East Preston building as a place of assurance and support, with one participant calling it “home.”
A Budget Cut In Half, Then A Rent Bill Doubled
Banner has received significant public support in the past. A City of Baltimore ARPA report from January 2024 listed a $950,000 commitment to the organization and $773,460 spent to date, although the document does not indicate whether that money could be used to cover the current rent increase.
The nonprofit told CBS Baltimore that a reduction in federal funding nearly halved its budget to $1 million. The summer camp was reduced to 28 children from 65 last year, while staffing fell from 11 employees to five.
The pressure on youth-serving groups is wider than one Baltimore building. Maryland Matters reported this week that canceled federal grants had removed more than $3 million from Maryland teen-pregnancy-prevention programs; those organizations are separate from Banner, but the parallel shows how quickly a funding shock can shrink services for young people.
Partnerships May Decide What Comes Next
Banner’s own strategic plan calls for new revenue streams, more program space and stronger partnerships. With the East Preston Street lease ending in August, those long-term ambitions have become immediate logistics: finding a place that can fit the programs, keep staff and participants connected, and prevent a rent problem from becoming a service gap, as outlined in the nonprofit’s strategic plan.
For now, Banner says its youth programs will continue through community partnerships, but it has not announced a permanent replacement site. The next address may determine whether those programs remain a steady part of East Baltimore or become another service families have to chase across the city.
