The Baltimore Abortion Fund (BAF) is a mutual aid, grassroots, nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance and practical support to people who live in or travel to Maryland for abortion care. Launched in 2014, BAF is part of the National Network of Abortion Funds, which consists of 70+ independently operated funds across the country. BAF’s goal is to use an intersectional reproductive justice lens to dismantle white supremacy and remove systemic barriers people face when accessing abortion care.

BAF operates a confidential helpline (443-853-8445) where case managers make financial commitments to help callers pay for their procedures, as well as provide information on how to access abortion care. They also offer practical support like transportation, accommodations, and translation services, to remove barriers to abortion care. BAF actively works to reduce abortion stigma within Maryland and participates in the broader conversations in shaping local and state-wide policy.

We want to extend a warm welcome to Ryan Iacaruso who recently joined our team as a Floodplain Intern. He will be working on gathering and preparing proper documentation for Baltimore City's Community Rating System. The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed National Flood Insurance Protection (NFIP) requirements. As an incentive, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect reduced risk. Ryan is a recent graduate of Towson University with a degree in Environmental Science & Studies. He is very excited to learn more about the CRS program and contribute to Baltimore City's work to reduce flood risk and increase sustainability.

On Saturday, June 25th, Baltimore Connecting Children to Nature (BCCN), an alliance of city agencies and partners staffed by the Office of Sustainability, held the 2022 Nature Nurtures Symposium at the William S. Baer School in West Baltimore. The symposium marked the third annual Nature Nurtures gathering and drew a wide range of participants, including classroom teachers, environmental program providers, urban farmers, and healthcare professionals. The goal was to build community around education, environmental access, youth, healing, and the benefits of nature. Attendees participated in trainings about trauma-informed care, workshops covering practical skills from composting to botanical art to storytelling, and curated conversations. In a follow-up survey, 100% of respondents said that they would recommend the Symposium to a friend, and many identified specific ways they would use the things they'd learned in their work. As a follow-up to the Symposium, on July 16th, BCCN was proud to host a free virtual training on Trauma Informed Care and the Trauma Informed Approach for Youth and Youth Care Givers delivered by Kimberly Lagree-Saleh, LHE, the Assistant Director of the Office of Youth & Trauma Services at the Baltimore City Health Department. Watch the recording here.

This could be the coolest summer of the rest of your life -- Vox

The summer of 2022 began with "brutal heat" which has impacted people, animals, and ecosystems. According to the article, "... extreme heat in the US [is] the deadliest weather-related phenomenon in the country..." The National Weather Service has predicted more extreme heat from July to September, as heat waves become more common and longer, raising public health concerns about the number of people impacted by extremely hot temperatures.

A typical July in Maryland should mean gardens begin to boom! Some might find themselves with a surplus of veggies and no use for them at the moment. In years past and in some rural areas now, this wasn't seen as a problem but as something to celebrate! All of this food would be safely canned, and stored for the upcoming winter. Canning may seem daunting, especially to city-dwellers with little kitchen space and experience. However, you can get started with just a few things you might already have in your kitchen!

To get started you'll need tongs, a wide-mouth funnel, a variety of measuring cups, and ideally a jar lifter to avoid burns from hot water used during the process. Check your local second-hand store first for any extras you may be missing! Serious Eats has an extremely detailed guide found here. Scroll to the bottom of the guide for tons of tasty recipes to test your new skills like this simple recipe for canning whole tomatoes or use up those extra peppers in this fiery peach salsa recipe. Happy canning!