Monarch Academy Baltimore and The Children’s Guild launched a Community Revitalization Initiative in partnership with the Coldstream Homestead Montebello Community Corp. to purchase and renovate vacant row houses as part of the school’s effort to support affordable housing and reinvest in the community.

“Monarch Academy Baltimore and The Children’s Guild are pleased to partner with the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community to provide affordable housing opportunities for our teachers, families and neighbors to purchase completely renovated homes in our school’s neighborhood. This project is an integral part of our commitment to the community where we want people to learn, work and play,” said Andrew Ross, president and CEO of The Children’s Guild.

The Children’s Guild purchased five row houses in the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community with five more home purchases closing in the next month and as many as 30 more in the future. The homes will be completely renovated with modern, open floor plans, new appliances, plumbing and wiring, new roofs and flooring and LED lighting. The Children’s Guild will sell the renovated homes at below market value starting at $100,000 and reinvest profits into Monarch Academy and the community.

In addition to the Coldstream Homestead Montebello Community Corp., The Children’s Guild is partnering with K4 Associates–Nonstop Construction, The Debbie Cohen Team of Long and Foster Real Estate, Partners for the Common Good Loan Fund and Baltimore City for the project.

The Community Revitalization Initiative was launched at an event at Monarch Academy Baltimore with speakers Catherine Pugh, mayor of Baltimore; Mary Pat Clarke, member of the Baltimore City Council; Steven McAdams, executive director of the Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives; and Martha James-Hassan, member of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. Attendees visited a home slated for renovation on Garrett Avenue.

“This is a forward-thinking, progressive partnership between Monarch Academy, the community and local government agencies committed to transforming and rebuilding a wonderful but challenged community,” said Mark Washington, executive director of Coldstream Homestead Montebello Community Corp.

In addition to community benefits, Children’s Guild Chief Academic Officer Nakia Nicholson said, “Monarch Academy Baltimore will integrate the Community Revitalization Initiative into the school’s curriculum. Students will engage in project-based learning using real-world experiences in the community and coordinated academic content throughout the school year to accelerate skill development.”

For more information, visit www.monarchbaltimorehomes.com.

Monarch Academy Baltimore is a public charter school operated by The Children’s Guild for students in kindergarten through eighth grade in Baltimore. Monarch Academy provides students with an enriched, rigorous, hands-on, academic curriculum emphasizing project-based learning and the arts and technology. In addition, Monarch Academy follows Transformation Education, an organizational philosophy that infuses a school’s beliefs and values into the look of the school building, instructional approach, teachers’ mindset and behavior and operating systems. (www.monarchacademy.org)

The Children’s Guild is an affiliate member of the TranZed Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations and dedicated to transforming how America educates and cares for its children through education, behavioral health and national training and consultation services. Affiliates of the TranZed Alliance also include Monarch Academy charter and contract schools, The Children’s Guild D.C. Public Charter School, The Transformation Education Institute, the National At Risk Education Network, the TranZed Conference Center, The National Children’s Guild Fund and TranZed Apprenticeship Services. (www.childrensguild.org)