Crab Cake Row: Let Franklyn Baker educate us on how the modern United Way serves Central Maryland. Nestor Aparicio learns about the charity he heard about watching NFL games and the Colts back in the 1970s on “A Cup Of Soup Or Bowl Week” at Faidley’s Seafood in Lexington Market.
SUMMARY KEYWORDSmaryland, year, united, community, households, organization, ravens, pandemic, listening, lots, central, families, volunteer, crab cakes, wi fi, work, nonprofit, week, care, homeSPEAKERSFranklyn Baker, Nestor J. Aparicio Nestor J. Aparicio 00:00You NSTA and 5070, Towson Baltimore. We are at fade Lee’s doing our final segment. I guess it’s appropriate that the United Way’s going to be involved so brought to you by the Maryland lottery. I have the 10 times the cash tickets also have window nation with us, of course 866 90 nation and Jiffy Lube, multi care, underwriting everything we’re doing our friends wise market sort of inspired in many ways this Maryland Food Bank drive in the crabcake row as well as a cup of Super Bowl. We’re wrapping things up down here at Bally’s. Frankly, Baker’s here from the United Way. And you know, I haven’t done enough with United Way over the years. So this is a this is a nice pleasant little bit. I’ve seen your rent down here a little while. And what I used to do a kickoff breakfast with the Orioles and ravens many many years right. And I attended those. But when I think of United Way It came to me as a young boy being a colts fan, the United Way was always part of what the National Football League did for many, many, many years. Right? We still are good. Well, you get some help them Yes, United Way of Maryland all about. So Franklyn Baker 01:05yeah, United Way of Central Maryland really is here in the community. We are right now. nests in this community for 99 years. So next year, we will be celebrating 100 years in Central Maryland. Phenomenal, phenomenal. Nestor J. Aparicio 01:20I’m Tim in the middle of my 25th anniversary, and I stole all sorts of ideas from the lottery, you had their 50th anniversary last year. And I’m like, Well, if they’re making a big deal out of 50, I better make a big deal out of 25. These moments of glory. We’re doing online curios sponsored all these old pictures and images. What 100 You You got to be gearing up, you got lots Franklyn Baker 01:42of lots of events, folks will hear about it, maybe on your show on host of different venues, plastering, so folks can really celebrate with us, we want everyone listening, and those who will listen later to be a part of this incredible campaign. What United Way really does is we improve lives, right? We do it two ways we really improve lives by building leaders, that’s from the boardroom into the blocks every single person that listening to this or may listen later, we consider the potential of being a leader, right? Secondly, in addition to building leaders who really work really hard to make sure that we are mobilizing the caring power of communities. So every single person in our community can really be an advocate for the issue that care most about the four areas that united with Central Maryland has been focusing on for years is education, economic advancement, housing and health. Everything is pretty big. Exactly. So everything that makes an individual stable in their household in their community is those four things. Those are four building blocks for stable individual and then stable family. So we’re just really, really, really important work that we’re doing. We’ve been helping 1000s and 1000s of people every single year. And again, for 99 years, we’ve been doing this work, I like to say nest united with center melons providing what’s needed, where it’s needed. Well, Nestor J. Aparicio 03:05I think of these big overarching groups like United Way, and I’ve been here all my life, you know, 50 years, I’ve heard about United Way I’ve been to your events, feed on the street and on the ground in our town, give me a day in the life and how people can be impacted or even volunteer to help in some way. Yeah, Franklyn Baker 03:24we have an incredible opportunity for anyone listening, especially those who have youngsters, and you can go to volunteer maryland.org There are actual skills base as well as regular volunteer opportunities for anyone listening, just go to volunteer md.org And you can find virtual, as well as in person volunteer opportunities, ranging from going to a farm to go into the Maryland Food Bank to sort boxes of food and goods and Nestor J. Aparicio 03:54we are Maryland food bank. Now fellas came by took all the food out of food banks run on time for pick up the food that’s here and they came in for 41. And the food was outdoor for food. Right? So full big box full. We took a selfie for 39. And it was out the door but but it really is in this week for me. You know I’ve been doing radio 32 years and I I’ve done all sorts of charity, this charity that emcee this, whatever. But I’ve never dedicated a week to just hearing every story. You know, I’ve been hearing a phrase I cried three times today. So we’ll see how we do later in the week. But that’s right. Well, two real cries and one was sort of welled up. But there’s so much there’s there’s so much hope amongst people like you to do this work. And I find the faster you sit home and you watch 30 television news and see all the awful issues going on in the city and feel like nobody cares and nobody’s paying attention and the mayor doesn’t care to Gov. Nobody cared. They everybody cares. upsetting your brand is kind of sad every every mirror they’ll care but then there’s what can we do what the resources are either through money Time through people, and through resources and things that people need. And so much can be donated. But it really does take human beings, I mean to make all of this happen, but for people like you to sit there all day to manage this, to make sure like the fella just came and got all our food, your families took it out, it really does take a whole ecosystem to service, a city that’s struggling. We know Franklyn Baker 05:22it really does. It really does. And I think during the pandemic, seems like a long time ago, but it was in March of 2020, when the whole entire world was shut down. So it really forced us honestly, this to change how we were looking at impacting lives. For example, there’s so many people through no fault of their own, who were now faced with the probability of being evicted from their apartment from their home, having to switch jobs losing their job, furlough, downsize reduced hours. And we were in a position to work with the federal government with state local government to be able to administer over $100 million to ensure that over 15,000 households in our region remained in their apartments remain in their homes. That was something that we had not been doing at that level and that scale. The other one was was so important, the digital divide, there are so many families during the pendant, Nestor J. Aparicio 06:14well just didn’t have Wi Fi to exactly in the city, it’s bad Wi Fi is available, or you get outside the city and you go to Eastern Shore, you go to Western Maryland, and I know you service these areas, that people would have to drive 15 miles to a coffee shop to get Wi Fi correct. And that’s to get their kid to school was online, works online, all of that. The digital thing was something we talked about so much. It’s 2021 2223. And you’re you’re feeling that impact. Franklyn Baker 06:44Oh, yeah. I mean, for example, there were at least 17,000 households in Baltimore, and Greater Baltimore, that because of the work we did, which was working with several partners to set up hubs, Wi Fi spots on top of churches and hospital facilities and other locations, so that people in that immediate five mile range can actually access the services. So it’s incredible that why I said earlier, we provide what’s needed where it’s needed, that was not necessarily needed before the pandemic. So we at United Way of Central Maryland had to pivot and make sure we were really open like mental health. Do you know the number of people called our 211 helpline? Our numbers quadruple people saying I’m not sure which vaccinations have to go through which side? Are they offering them? How do I get from where I am now to across town? This is so important, I’m really concerned about my children, are their vaccinations appropriate for my children. So the number of people that were really concerned during the time of the pandemic, and we were able to provide lots and lots of mental health support referrals to those individuals who really needed it. And so that’s what we’ve been doing for 99 years, we’ve been literally evolving and changing and reacting, and being very proactive, building safe havens for families and communities. So right now we have 34 different programs that are supporting over 130,000 people in Central Maryland every single year. Nestor J. Aparicio 08:09Now you don’t do you don’t do them lunching with euros and ravens anymore. We Franklyn Baker 08:12have spirit sporadically, just on the slate probably Nestor J. Aparicio 08:15changed everything. It did, it did. Well, I mean, those were those were beautiful events, and I thought they were real coming out party for your organization to educate me. Franklyn Baker 08:24We do also you should notice we do every single year with the Ravens we do a Ravens call to action. Okay, so we have so many millions of minutes of volunteer service, but not only the ravens, but 1000s and 1000s of people throughout Central Maryland, getting involved, working on a bookmobile, doing doing service out on the farm. So many different things that can be done reading to children. And we get all of the players involved. Some remarked Lamar Jackson to talk to everyone involved. Even the new relatively new president Sashi Brown, he and his wife are there. So we really try to mobilize the caring power community all throughout the year. We have over 50,000 volunteers every single year that engage in lots and lots of volunteer opportunities. So it’s just incredible to see that not only are we trying to build people so they can live their best lives on their own terms. But we’re also helping people who may not be really close to the work to get closer, get closer and roll their sleeves up and help someone right. Franco Nestor J. Aparicio 09:25Baker’s here from the United Way of Central Maryland, 99 years, not quite, not quite 100 yet, but Franklyn Baker 09:32you’ve been. I’ve been in the role. Seven years, seven Nestor J. Aparicio 09:34years. All right. So over the seven year pre plague post plague, what’s the biggest change to your organization now from then, like, what did the plague force you to do that? You can’t go back anymore? Franklyn Baker 09:47I think we have always been a learning organization. But now we’re learning organization on steroids. For example, just last may hire for the first time on our 99 year history. A leader of research Vice President, Chief Research Officer what that means is all the data points we’re getting around where do we provide services? What part of the region should we actually focus on homelessness prevention or food insecurity or transportation challenges, getting a researcher in house that can literally amass all the data, have the conversations, translate the analytics, so we can actually make a difference in those areas where it’s needed most. That’s one thing, we’ve become a true learning organization as a result, in many ways of the pandemic and what it forced upon us in terms of pivoting and leveraging data to make smart decisions. The second thing is, we really believe the power of collaboration and partnerships, we have so many more partners now than we’ve ever had before, from the government partners, right? To legislators, to foundations to other provider partners that work with us closely. And the last thing I’ll mention is, this entire community that we’re serving called Alice is an acronym for your listener that stands for asset limited income constrained employed, there are 2.3 million households in the state of Maryland 860,000 of those households are Alice, they’re working one or more jobs, but they can’t make ends meet, they can’t keep pace with the state’s high cost of living. So the governor now is promoting lots and lots of initiatives, as you know, to really deal with some poverty areas to deal with opportunity zones to deal with this notion of to get more people involved in the workforce, earning wages that are livable wages, right. So a lot of our focus has not only been on the poverty stricken, but for those who are actually working, they’re working one or more jobs, but they can’t keep pace with this high cost of living that all of us are dealing with. And so it is incredible to see the progress we’re making with the Alice households to Alice families. Nestor J. Aparicio 11:48Well, I’ll tell you what, you make a difference from the beginning, United Way Central Maryland, tell folks that and get involved, where to go. I mean, you’re, it feels to me, like you’re a big organization. And it’d be different than a community organization. Right has hit the contact, and they’re down the street. Yeah, you know, the waist down everywhere. And you know, and I did want to, during this week, not just focus on really spy to a police officers here making a difference with a small group that they just started last year. And then I gotta go like, you know, billions of dollars given away and years and a real multinational field with the United Franklyn Baker 12:20Way. That’s right. That’s right. I think if people just go to you wcm.org, please get involved, we have plenty of job opportunities as well. One of the things I would encourage people to think about if you’re an entrepreneur, if you’re a 501, c three very small organization every single year, we have so many opportunities, and we’re giving away dollars to those who our revenue levels are less than 500,000 as a 501, c three nonprofit. They’re doing things really innovative and community where this year will be given well over $700,000. We just made announcements this year. So next year, folks are interested, just go to our website. We have a neighborhood grants program, we have a changemaker challenge, where it’s like Shark Tank, in the nonprofit space where they can show their wares and what they’re doing. Exactly. So we do the same thing, six $7,000 to the award winners in Central Maryland, powerful powerful, we also help them to propel forward so that when they win dollars from United Way because of our brand our name, it gives them a level of credibility, and then we help them we help them to actually write grants to go after different grants from foundations and other organizations. So we really want to help with neighborhood resiliency. We really want to help increase equitable access to all entrepreneurs, small businesses, small nonprofits, but making sure we can reach more people so we can really help people live their best life. Nestor J. Aparicio 13:43Well, I’m appreciative of you being the last guest of the day here lay. I’ve had this much water today. I’ve had two bites the fish sandwich took away from me three hours ago. So I didn’t realize doing this marathon radio is gonna starve myself. So I’m gonna lose weight this week. I gotta give you a Maryland lottery scratch off ticket to cash. We’ve had lots of friends come down and and donate today to the Maryland food bank. It is a couple of Super Bowl. I’m calling it crabcake row. I got knocked off the air once today. I thought I got knocked off the air another time today. But we have been solid. Big thanks to Jr Richardson, our producer as well as my wife for engineering back at the radio station when necessary. I got new equipment. I’m going to pack it all up. I’m taking Alicia Do we still got crab cakes? Are we done? We still have crab cakes. I’m taking a crabcake to grab gates and mac and cheese home to my wife. And here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna eat it. I’m gonna go home, pull the covers up over my head. I’m gonna cry a little bit and go to bed. And I’m gonna get up at five o’clock tomorrow and we’ll haul this right over to Constance and we’ll do it all over again. Then I’m gonna get up on Wednesday. I’m going to Coco’s then on Thursday. I’m going over to Gainesville. And on Friday, somebody else can have to do show up pap is gonna be dead. So I think they know they’re gonna get the worst to me up because we’re on Friday. Thanks Franklin appreciate thank you thank you for the United Way of Central Maryland. Man we I would go through in the old days when I would do a three hour show for our show. We had this person and that person to thank you. I don’t remember who we had that I remember my name is from eight o’clock this morning so we’re signing off I’m breaking down I’ll be back after tomorrow my thanks to Window nation our friends at Jiffy Lube. Maryland lottery everybody here fade Lee’s from Lou getting out of bed earlier this morning. And Laurie getting out of bed and the whole crew here being nice to me and serving crab everybody got a crab cake Franklyn Baker 15:32here but meat today you will get it before you leave. I’m gonna Nestor J. Aparicio 15:36get credit for get out of here. My thanks everybody for listening as well. I am Nestor it is five o’clock we are wn st am 1570 Towson Baltimore out of here from fade Lee’s back after nine o’clock tomorrow and back to our regularly scheduled programming. Now
