While Memorial Day weekend signals the beginning of summer for many, Baltimore’s students know summer begins when school is out.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) are thinking ahead to try to ensure a safe summer for Baltimore City’s youth and adult residents with Safe Summer Baltimore.
At a kickoff event Saturday in Druid Hill Park, Scott and MONSE’s director, Stefanie Mavronis, along with Catholic Charities and Lifebridge Health Center for Hope announced the start of Safe Streets Baltimore’s 5th annual Safe Summer program.
Throughout the summer, Safe Streets sites will work with violence prevention programs, Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks (BCRP), and the Mayor’s Office to host programming filled with activities, engagement, and peace.
“I am so excited to be announcing the 5th consecutive year of Safe Summer,” Scott said. “We know how important it is to provide crucial resources and engagement activities to keep our communities safe throughout the summer months. This summer, our slogan is ‘Healing Our Streets, Piece by Peace,’ emphasizing Safe Summer’s mission of bringing our communities together to promote peace and unity.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen emphasized the importance of building on the success Baltimore City has seen in reducing violence and crime.
“Together we have made important strides to improve public safety in Baltimore, and the Safe Summer Program has been part of achieving progress,” Van Hollen said. “For the fifth year running, this initiative will provide opportunities for young people this summer while also bringing neighborhoods closer together and making the whole City safer.”
In 2024, Safe Streets sites held over 50 individual events as part of Safe Summer ranging from community block parties to school supply giveaways.
Mavronis focused on the program’s role in addressing the issues that contribute to violence, and how hard MONSE works to do that.
“Safe Summer plays a critical role in Safe Streets Baltimore’s work to shift communal norms and mindsets around violence,” Mavronis said. “To tackle the issue of violence, we must address its root causes and provide more resources and opportunities to neighborhoods across the city. MONSE is proud to support these efforts.”
Of course, the activities and programming must attract students on break and adults to begin with if the program is to achieve its goals. Bill McCarthy, Catholic Charities’ executive director, is confident Baltimore’s residents will be drawn to the Safe Summer sites.
“Thanks to Mayor Scott, his team, and everyone at Safe Streets, we have so many exciting activities to enjoy in the days ahead,” McCarthy said. “So, let’s make this a summer we’ll never forget, Baltimore, by filling it full of fun, fellowship, and peace.”
Events include food giveaways, resource fairs, food and music nights, gun safety workshops, celebrations of fatherhood, flea markets, block parties, and much more.
“Center for Hope is honored to support Safe Streets Baltimore and the Safe Summer initiative as we work together with MONSE and Catholic Charities to create safer, more resilient neighborhoods,” said Adam Rosenberg, Executive Director of Center for Hope and Vice President of Violence Intervention and Prevention at LifeBridge Health. “We believe in the power of violence prevention, healing-centered engagement and trusted partnerships to help foster peace in Baltimore- this summer and beyond.”
Find a list of this year’s events on MONSE’s website. For more opportunities, check out this activities hub, “Bmore this Summer,” by clicking this link.
Information will be updated as more events are added to the schedule.
All Safe Summer events are free and open to the public.
