Our History.
The Youth Dreamers started in 2001 as a group of nine middle school students who were part of a Community Action elective course at the Stadium School. As part of their course objective they identified a problem in their community: too many adolescents were involved in negative acts after school because of a lack of organized activities and places to house them. Together they came up with a solution: to create a youth-run youth center that would employ teens and creatively serve children of all ages.
The Dream House.
The Dream House became the vision towards which the original nine students and hundreds of others after them worked to achieve. Continuing as part of the Community Action elective class, the Youth Dreamers selected an abandoned home in Baltimore’s Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community, petitioned for a zoning change, purchased the house, wrote grants and raised more than $300,000 towards its renovations. Youth were also involved in the architectural design and renovations, guided by a pro bono architect and general contractor. Nine years later, the Youth Dreamers celebrated the Grand Opening of the Dream House with countless young people, adult allies, families, and community members who were all part of reaching their dream.
Programs.
While the Dream House was under construction, Youth Dreamers began planning, running and evaluating programs that they ran out of the Stadium School. All programs both served and employed youth and included Homework Club, Community Art, Health Club, Fashion Club, a Summer Arts Program---to name just a few. When they transitioned into the Dream House, they moved these programs into their new home and added others such as Breakfast Club, Groupwork with the University of Maryland, Poetry Club, Dramagination, and Youth Dreamers Youth Development Workshops. With a scaffolded model of mentorship, our college Youth Dreamers mentored high school Youth Dreamers, who mentored middle school Youth Dreamers, who mentored elementary aged students. Youth staff worked together to lead programs, innovate, problem solve, evaluate, and share our results with families, the community, and funders.
Impact.
Through the years, Youth Dreamers wrote more than 84 grants – raising over $900,000, served 618 youth in Baltimore City and employed 251, helped high school and middle school students earn 17,578 community service hours towards graduation, and had the pleasure of working with over 520 volunteers. All of the students who were part of the program for five years or more attended college. Some continue to serve on our Board of Directors. All of this and much more led to COUNTLESS success stories of youth and adult engagement. The Dream House provided space for young people to have a voice, believe in their futures, and realize their potential alongside loving and supportive adult allies.