More than 50 Years of Award-Winning Success
Our Mission
Our mission is to train and coach people facing career and life transitions to overcome barriers, restore self-belief, and acquire the skills and tools needed to secure employment on a path to a living wage.
Our Vision
Motivated individuals in our community are earning a living wage.
At MND, we believe that career-minded employment, which provides a living wage, will help low-income individuals in Baltimore maintain family units, stay substance abuse free, crime free, retain employment, and maintain a safe home for their children in order to build a strong and safe community.
A History of Service
Founded in 1973 as New Directions for Women, MND initially received recognition in Baltimore by helping “displaced” homemakers secure paid employment. As national priorities and community needs changed, New Directions for Women broadened its scope and became Maryland New Directions in 1985. Today, MND serves all adult residents of Baltimore City aged 18-60, and has helped over 141,000 individuals with severe barriers to employment find success in the workplace.
From single parents to ex-offenders, youth to older workers, our goals are to assist disadvantaged job-seekers to identify career paths, find a job, develop their careers, and stay employed so they can become self-sustaining and contributing members of their families and communities.
MND HISTORY TIMELINE
MND Timeline
MND grows again as they start the Commercial Transportation Career Training for CDL-B permit
Start of Maritime, Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (MTDL) training program to equip participants to work at the Port of Baltimore and the Maritime Transportation Industry.
MND Executive Director Grace Lee is featured in the September Issue of SmartCEO magazine for her work with the nonprofit during the funding crisis.
MND celebrated its 37th anniversary, honoring long-time supporters Neal and Winnie Borden. This year, with the help from the board under the leadership of Skip Case, MND moved to 2700 N. Charles Street to offer bigger training spaces and computer lab room for its clients. In support of MND’s plan to increase its number of Career Focus enrollees from The Abell Foundation awards MND their first generous grant. MND’s contractual programs are able to expand- services are provided to House of Ruth, Morgan State University’s New Beginnings Program and Maryland State Department of Mental Health and Hygiene.
MND celebrated its 35th anniversary. Executive Director Grace Lee completed her nonprofit leadership training from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellow program, and MND won a state grant to assist mostly female ex-offenders with employment skills and jobs.
MND was part of the Washington Village/Pigtown career center at the newly established Empowerment Zone Village Center, providing career counseling and job placement services. Under a contract with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, MND developed a program which provided employment services for AFDC recipients in the Welfare-to-Work program. PHOTO: Governor Parris Glendening visited with MND clients.
Recognizing that our programs are serving men as well as women, the Board of Directors voted to change the name of the organization from Baltimore New Directions for Women to Maryland New Directions, Inc (MND).
BNDW celebrated its 10th anniversary with a year of phenomenal achievements
Mayor William Donald Schaefer of Baltimore, officially declared March 26 and 27, 1981 to be “Women’s Employment Opportunities Days”
The new decade presented new challenges for women in the labor force. BNDW responded to these changes by introducing a non-traditional training program to help women compete for non-traditional, higher paying jobs. A statewide career planning and decision making program for high school youth, “Your Work Is Your Choice” was implemented to help in-school students ages 16-20 increase their awareness of the career options available to them.
The Executive Women’s Network was founded in November and was managed by Baltimore New Directions until 1985. It was created as a forum to provide mutual support and assistance to women who were moving into corporate management.
Maryland was the second state in the nation to legislate funds to help displaced homemakers. BNDW was chosen by the Maryland Department of Human Resources to develop the program, which became a national model, and to establish a Center for Displaced Homemakers.
In April 1973, Baltimore New Directions For Women, Inc. (BNDW) opened its career counseling center at 333 N. Charles Street. Founded by Mandy Goete, it was part of the Six Cities project, a program of Washington Opportunities for Women, funded by the Department of Labor.
