Make an Impact
Thanks to you, Jerome has rebuilt his life and revitalized his neighborhood with the Clean & Green Program
The Bon Secours Community Works Clean & Green Program is rebuilding lives as it revives communities in West Baltimore. This important work is possible because of donors like you, who support the Bon Secours Baltimore Foundation.
Jerome Harris, III is one of hundreds of people to complete the Clean & Green job training program since it opened in 2006. He is grateful for the opportunity and the skills he gained, and very proud to be helping his community.
“Clean & Green benefits the community tremendously,” says Jerome. “We clean up the playgrounds and other places where children play. If it wasn’t for the donors supporting Bon Secours, it would just be a dump.”
“It was a beautiful thing for me to experience and I want to thank Bon Secours for giving me a shot. I tell people who are in the same position I was in that there are opportunities at 31 S. Payson Street. They can help you like they helped me.”
Clean & Green trains local workers with landscaping and community beautification skills. They also learn essential employment skills like professionalism, teamwork, reliability and conflict resolution. During this paid learning experience, trainees transform vacant lots into well-maintained, usable spaces. They also receive ongoing case management and job placement support to make sure they’re successful once the program ends.
Jerome, a recovering alcoholic who was homeless, found self-respect through Clean & Green. “It gives you self-esteem because you are self-sustaining,” he says. “It gives you integrity. They provide a great support system.”