Improving Community Health

Kids to Farmers Market Program

The UMB Office of Community Engagement in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) and the Hippodrome Foundation promote proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles for students who attend our partner K-12 schools in West Baltimore. Our programming features nutrition workshops, healthy cooking demonstrations, visits to our on-campus farmers market where participants are able to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables using “kids-bucks,” and FOODPLAY, an Emmy Award winning theatrical performance of the Hippodrome Foundation. Learn more about the Kids to Farmers Market Program.

Asthma Breathmobile

UMMC’s Breathmobile, a joint effort with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is a custom-built pediatric asthma and allergy clinic that travels to more than 20 schools, providing ongoing asthma and allergy care to children. Since 2002, the Breathmobile has treated roughly 3,500 patients and provided more than 10,000 patient visits.

B’more Healthy Babies

B’more Healthy Babies is a collaborative initiative between several UMB professional schools (medicine, social work, and pharmacy), UMMC, Family League of Baltimore City, CareFirst, and the Baltimore City Health Department. Using moms’ clubs, transportation, 1-1 breastfeeding support, and other community resources, this community-based program is focused on:

  • Improving birth outcomes including early entry into prenatal care, term birth rate, and newborn hospitalization costs
  • Reducing substance use, depression and anxiety symptoms, and increasing social support among pregnant women in the community
  • Changing knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of the value of community academic partnerships between undergraduate and graduate medical trainees, and other professional school students
  • Improving community-level knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding healthy pregnancies.

B’more Healthy Babies is focused in two West Baltimore areas – Promise Heights and the greater Mondawmin communities. Pregnant women and new mothers interested in participating can call 410-706-6131.

Healthy Living Community Education Courses

Every spring UMB and UMMC partner together to host “Healthy Living 101,” a six-week health education course on various health and wellness topics that is free of charge for community residents in West Baltimore. Last year’s class focused on diabetes and heart disease and over 15 community residents “graduated” from the course. This spring, courses are focused on mental health and cancer prevention with course instructors from both the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and UMMC’s Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. To sign up for the spring course, please call the UMB Community Engagement Center at 410-706-8260.