Health Care for the Homeless’ new mural is a giant leap closer to completion thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of 90 volunteers from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. CareFirst staff turned out in force for three painting workshops
Local Muralist Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen explains the process to CareFirst volunteers
on Saturday, May 22, led by local muralist Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen. Throughout the day, CareFirst staff completed at least 45 panels (each 4′x5′) – representing a third of the entire mural and by far the most challenging section to paint.
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is among the strongest community partners of Health Care for the Homeless. For every hometown touchdown scored by the Baltimore Ravens, CareFirst donates $1,000 to HCH. The not-for-profit health insurer is the presenting sponsor of the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st Annual Chocolate Affair ( HCH’s signature event). And this summer, the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Pediatric Clinic at Health Care for the Homeless will begin operating at 421 Fallsway. In so many ways, CareFirst advances our work and mission.
A CareFirst volunteer completes a panel while another cosults the miniature replica
We thank everyone from CareFirst for giving up a portion of their Saturday to help us communicate our mission to the broader community. Thanks to photographer Nathaniel Treen for capturing the day on film. (Check out additional photos on this post – below.)
Look for the installation of the completed mural later this summer at 421 Fallsway.
A CareFirst volunteer paints one of 135 panels - each 4' by 5'Volunteers move a completed panel to another room to dry
Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen talks to HCH Director of Development Peggy Cronyn
At least 90 CareFirst staff volunteered throughout the day
Smiles all around . . .Remnants of a hard day's work
Bank of America Volunteers (in red shirts) join HCH staff, clients, and art student interns for the fourth of seven mural painting workshops
Community support makes possible our work and mission. On Friday, May 21, volunteers from Bank of America in Baltimore gathered with Health Care for the Homeless staff, clients, and local muralist Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen at 111 Park Avenue (HCH’s former building) to paint 21 panels for a new mural to be installed at the new HCH clinic and headquarters at 421 Fallsway. The mural will be installed this summer. Thanks to Bank of America staff for their creativity, enthusiasm, and hard work.
HCH recently was recognized for our c
ommitment to medical student education. On Tuesday, May 19, at the annual Kleiman Teachers of Family Medicine Dinner and Lecture, the University of Maryland Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Division of Medical Student Education presented HCH Physician Dr. Leonard Sowah with the 2010 Community Teacher Award.
Dr. Richard Colgan, Director of Undergraduate Education, noted that the Department of Family and Community Medicine specifically recognized HCH for exemplary dedication to teaching University of Maryland students. This past year almost every third-year student was offered the opportunity to work alongside the caring and committed staff of HCH. “This mentoring will certainly have ‘downstream’ benefits years from now,” Dr. Colgan said. “It is our hope that all University of Maryland School of Medicine students will have a greater appreciation for serving the underserved. HCH is an invaluable partner in helping us accomplish this mission.”
Members of the Lauraville Community paint panels for HCH's new mural
On Friday, May 14, approximately 50 students, teachers, and parents at Roland Park Country School participated in the first of seven planned workshops to paint a new mural for Health Care for the Homeless. On Sunday, 50 members of the Lauraville Community gathered along Harford Road to complete another 20 panels. Thanks to longtime HCH supporters Toby Rivkin and Vicky Kent for organizing both events.
This past fall, local artist Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen held a series of workshops with HCH clients, staff, Board members, and community partners to conceptualize images for a future mural along the south-facing wall of our new headquarters at 421 Fallsway. After arranging the images into a final design, Jay has traced the outlines of the mural on 135 panels (each 4′ by 5′) of a fabric called “parachute cloth.” The completed panels will be assembled and affixed to the wall this summer. Mural workshops continue on Thursday, May 20, Friday, May 21, and Saturday, May 22. For more information, email hchmural@hchmd.org.
Local artist Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen encourages a group of volunteers.
Jay stands in front of a miniature representation of his mural in process at Roland Park Country School.
Volunteers paint one of 135 panels to make up the HCH mural.
HCH Board, staff, and clients have worked for the past several months with local artist and community muralist Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen to design a mural for the South-facing wall at 421 Fallsway. The images produced from this process have been arranged in black & white outlines and traced onto more than 135 panels of “parachute cloth” – each to be painted during mural workshops before being assembled and affixed to the building’s South wall.
Many supporters, including CareFirst Blue Cross BlueShield, Bank of America, and the Roland Park Country School have signed on to help paint our mural.
Join us for a workshop open to the public on Sunday, May 16 from 1:00 – 3:00pm in the Lauraville neighborhood at 4500 Harford Road. NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED (the panels are essentially in a “paint-by-number” format).
To participate, please email hchmural@hchmd.org.
