fbpx
FacebookTwitterEnroll  |  Donate

History

1988
SBLC Founded
SBLC Founded

Founded in 1988 as the literacy project for the Coalition of Peninsula Organizations (COPO), SBLC became an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 1990. What began as a neighborhood-based initiative to provide tutoring to adults seeking to improve their reading skills, has grown and expanded to serve thousands of adults each year with a variety of adult education and related life-skills trainings

1998
SBLC Renovation

SBLC embarked on a $1.75 million capital campaign to renovate a historic building for its permanent home. In April 1999 SBLC assumed ownership of 28 East Ostend Street (originally South Baltimore Police station)

2001
Community Technology Center
Community Technology Center

SBLC moved to temporary quarters during the historical renovation process and established a Community Technology Center (CTC) offering basic computer classes and open computer lab hours. In January 2003, we returned to our new state-of-the-art learning center.

2004
Increased enrollment by 50%

SBLC began to increase enrollment (50%) according to our strategic plan and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) asked SBLC to take over the operation of the National External Diploma Program for Baltimore City. By the end of fiscal year 2006, enrollment increased from 100 nearly 800 learners.

2016
SBLC Day Proclaimed
SBLC Day Proclaimed

South Baltimore Learning Center Day was officially proclaimed on May 16, 2016 as we celebrated 25 years supporting adult learners in Baltimore.

2017
SBLC Becomes SBLC|LearningWorks
SBLC Becomes SBLC|LearningWorks

South Baltimore Learning Center changes its name to SBLC and adopts the tagline: “Learning Works” as a way to highlight our learners’ accomplishments  and celebrate how SBLC functions not only to educate adult learners, but  to empower them to succeed: by securing better jobs, enhancing their life skills and personal lives, and contributing to their community.

2020
SBLC GALA & Virtual Learning
SBLC GALA & Virtual Learning

SBLC|LearningWorks hosted our second annual fundraising GALA in 2019, effectively transitioned to virtual learning during Covid 19 and graduated over 20 learners in 2021.

2022
SBLC Launches Career Skills Academy & Financial Liiteracy Workshops
SBLC Launches Career Skills Academy & Financial Liiteracy Workshops

Mayor Brandon Scott attended our 2022 graduation to support SBLC learners. SBLC partners with MOED, PNC & many other organizations to enhance our workforce development and support services. SBLC Begins the Career Skills Academy, designed for adult learners ages 18-and-up who are entering the workforce or looking to start a new career path and Financial Literacy Workshops, to help learners build financial knowledge.

2023
SBLC Teams Up with the Mayors Office of Employment Development and offers TAMAR Workshops
SBLC Teams Up with the Mayors Office of Employment Development and offers TAMAR Workshops

SBLC|LearningWorks teams up with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development to offer our learners free job training and essential skills through the TrainUp program. Initiated the TAMAR (Trauma, addiction, mental health & recovery) workshops to help learners help you identify and practice self-regulation strategies, alleviate the signs and symptoms of experienced trauma, and develop vital skills that promote understanding and healing. We also celebrated our annual Booklovers cookout to celebrate the joy of learning, reading and the curiosity that books create in the minds of people.

2024
SBLC|LearningWorks Continues to Sow, Plant, and Thrive!
SBLC|LearningWorks Continues to Sow, Plant, and Thrive!

SBLC|LearningWorks’s Executive director initiates three -year strategic plan as we continue to sow, plant, and thrive into the future of SBLC!

Our Building’s History

SBLC’s classrooms, computer lab and administrative offices are located in the imposing former Southern District Police Station at the corner of East Ostend and Patapsco streets, in a residential section of South Baltimore.  Constructed in 1896, it functioned as a police station with holding cells and a courtroom. SBLC had been housed, along with several other non-profit organizations in the building until 1999 when it was able to acquire the facility. In January 2003, SBLC reopened its doors to an attractive, efficient space for SBLC learners, instructors, staff and volunteers. In recognition of the careful restoration of this historical building the Center was awarded the 2004 Historic Preservation Award from Baltimore Heritage, Inc. The Southern Police Station is listed in the 2001 National Register of Historic Places, Division of Historical and Cultural Programs, Maryland Historical Trust.