Bell House Community Build

WE REACHED OUR $40,000 FUNDRAISING GOAL FOR THE BELL HOUSE COMMUNITY BUILD! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this mutual aid initiative. We are continuing to accept donations for ongoing project costs, such as furniture for Ms. Bell's home. Thank you for your support! 

Ms. Bell is a cherished member of the Greenmount West Community Center and a legacy resident of the Greenmount West community. She has been a Black homeowner in Baltimore City for almost thirty years. Three years ago, her house fell into disrepair. When her roof caved in, she applied for city funding. An unscrupulous contractor dismantled her home, leaving her with no interior walls or insulation, dismantled electricity, frameless windows, only surface flooring, etc. When she reached out to her community association for help, she was encouraged to sell her home and downsize. For the last three years, she has been subject to unsafe living conditions within her own home, which has had detrimental effects on her physical and emotional health. 

A year and a half ago, Ms. Bell began to engage with the services and programming we offer at the Greenmount West Community Center. As we began to build a relationship with her, she asked about the potential of creating a mural on the side of her house. We agreed to create a community mural on her house, but soon realized that her needs were far greater. We could not beautify the outside of her house without addressing the state of disrepair within. To center the needs of Ms. Bell, a valued member of our community, we decided to launch the Bell House Community Build.

The end goal of the Bell House Community Build is to completely renovate Ms. Bell’s home so that she will age in place with dignity and grace. We have a small and mighty staff at the Greenmount West Community Center, but we cannot do this work alone. The Bell House Community Build is a mutual aid effort that calls for all individuals and organizations to contribute what they can. We need people, organizations, and businesses to donate their time, talent, skills, and funds. Together, we can restore Ms. Bell’s home and keep one more Black homeowner in our community. If you’d like to get involved, please make a donation here, fill out our mutual aid form, or call us at 667-212-8286.