Food & Health
RESOURCES
City-wide Resources
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CHARMcare helps residents connect with many resources throughout Baltimore City.
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MedStar Health Social Needs resource page is a helpful local guide to free or low-cost services to support your family, such as help with medical care, food, utilities, transportation and more.
State of Maryland Programs
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Do you need help with food? You’re not alone. Increasing food costs, a reduction in federal SNAP benefits and personal circumstances are stretching food budgets for families and individuals across Maryland. The Maryland Food Bank estimates 1.5 million Marylanders struggle with food insecurity.
Help is available. There are free food programs and a reduced-cost grocery option in Maryland.
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Medical Help
Are you looking for a free or low-cost health clinic or another medical resource? The health services may include preventive screenings, lab tests, maternity care, low-cost medical equipment, eye care, dental care, pregnancy testing, veteran outpatient clinics, insurance, and more.
Mental Health
You are not alone! Help is available if you're struggling with anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, overwhelm, stress or other mental health concerns.
Quickly find the behavioral health information you need, whether an adult or adolescent.
Substance Use Support
Help is available if you or someone you know is addicted to drugs or another substance. Getting help is the bravest thing you can do.
Primary Care or Community Health Programs
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Neighborhoods Served: East Baltimore Midway, Barclay, and CHUM neighborhoods
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Knowing you need to see a doctor is one thing. Sometimes, being able to actually get to a doctor’s office is another. MedStar Health’s two Mobile Health Centers offer a solution! They visit communities across Baltimore every week, making it easier for you and your loved ones to get the medical services you need–regardless of your insurance coverage.
You can visit a Mobile Health Center for:
Primary care
Urgent care
Chronic disease management
Cancer screenings
Vaccine administration
Mental health care
Wound care
Women’s health services
HIV and Hepatitis C testing
Sexually transmitted infection screenings
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Access to care for Vulnerable Populations
MedStar Health is committed to providing care to the communities we serve when they need it most. Hospitals provide pathways for financial assistance for individuals that are unable to afford their treatment services. MedStar Health also provides innovative approaches to support District of Columbia and Maryland health goals.
Prescription assistance funding and assistance with accessing prescription medications for patients in need are available.
Patient Financial Services provides financial assistance to uninsured patients who reside within the communities we serve by assisting with enrollment in publicly-funded entitlement programs, refer patients to state or federal insurance exchange navigator resources and assist with securing funding that may be available from other charitable organizations.
Transportation in partnership with Uber, Medstar has created a convenient program with a reliable means of transportation for vulnerable patients to travel to and from medical appointments and health education activities.
Physicians in the Community MedStar Health invests in physicians, nurses, specialists and other clinical leaders to provide services in the communities we serve.
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Joy Wellness Center offers programming in four areas to respond to these needs: Movement Education, Healing Arts, Stress Reduction, and Nutrition Education. Classes include yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction, breathing, nutrition, walking, smoking cessation, massage, meditation, acupuncture, and reflexology. All programs and therapies are designed specifically to create transformative, healthy, life-affirming changes in the lives of our patients.
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CareFirst offers free health classes from breastfeeding assistance to self defense courses to line dancing lessons and everything in between.
Classes held within CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield at The Villages of Mondawmin, 3201 Tioga Pkwy, Baltimore, Maryland 21215.
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Maryland Health Connection offers healthcare sign up support.
Food Insecurity
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Maryland Food Bank is improving the lives of all Marylanders by making sure everyone has access to nutritious food while providing solutions that address hunger in the first place.
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CHARMcare helps you find food resources near you.
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Food Rescue Baltimore is strengthening communities by ensuring equal access to nutritious food while reducing food waste.
Nutrition and Diet
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Join the movement in getting Healthy for Good™ today. Because when good health is lived, it can nourish every part of you, your family, and your community for a lifetime.
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income households buy the food they need for good health.
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Baltimore City residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can earn $30 per month to purchase fruits and vegetables when they shop online with a participating grocer. After spending $5 on SNAP-eligible items, shoppers will receive a $30 produce voucher in their online account. This program is available until December 2026, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
Mental Health and Counseling
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Pro Bono Counseling — your mental health connection.
At Pro Bono Counseling they believe access to quality mental health care is a human right and can change a person’s life. Their goal is to help people of all backgrounds in Maryland find the right mental health professional to meet their needs, no matter their income.
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Your Chase Brexton therapist will be your partner in helping you build a healthier life and will be there for you every step of the way.
Services include:
Individual Therapy - One-on-one counseling.
Couples Therapy – Includes discussion and problem solving sessions for couples (gay, lesbian, straight, etc.).
Family Therapy - Includes discussion and problem-solving sessions with members of the family.
Group Therapy - A small group of unrelated people who, with the guidance of a trained therapist, discuss individual issues and help each other problem solve.
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Mental Health First Aid Training
An eight-hour, evidence-based public education program designed to equip laypeople with the knowledge they need to know how best to respond in a mental health emergency and how to offer support for someone who is in emotional distress.
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BHSB serves as a hub for information and resources for providers. They share information about funding opportunities, legislative updates, provider-specific trainings and other relevant resources for providers. By connecting and supporting providers, together we can build a more effective and responsive system of care that comprehensively addresses the health and wellness of our city.
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Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for improving the quality of life of children and their families. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14, while 1 in 5 youth aged 13 – 18 years old live with a mental health condition. Adolescence is also the time when many people begin experimenting with substances. It’s important to support youth and families so that they can recognize and treat behavioral health conditions.
If you are a young person or a family member looking for immediate emotional support, call or text 988. Their specialists provide confidential care 24/7.
BHSB manages and supports the entire continuum of care of treatment and rehabilitation services for children, adolescents and young adults in Baltimore City’s public behavioral health system.
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Roberta’s House’s programs focus on restoring children and families to a place of wholeness after a loss by teaching coping skills that lead to positive outcomes.
Their programs are free and offered to entire communities.
Their programs are led by licensed professionals and trained volunteers who understand the impact of grief.
They offer opportunities to support their programs through volunteer training, school support, professional seminars, workshops, bereavement ministry training, and development.
Health programs offered by Central Baltimore Partnership
Community Spruce-Up Program
The Central Baltimore Partnership’s Community Spruce-Up Program provides grants of $10,000 - $25,000 per project to neighborhood-driven, public space, capital improvement projects in all 11 Central Baltimore Neighborhoods.
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Questions?
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