BALTIMORE — There's a growing spirit in the Ashland Community.
"We're trying to teach the kids about growing food so they can take food home and share it with their families. We also teach them what they need to know if they'd like to go home and start a garden," Robert Cook, master gardener said.
From the garden to their 4-H club, the Ashland Community Development Corporation (ACDC) is changing lives.
"It gave me the start that I needed to push me to where I am now, whether it's the creative or business wise," Jocelyn Parker said.
Jocelyn started crocheting in the 4-H club when she was 17.
"I could crochet my own scarfs, headbands things like that. I would take them to school and sell them to my peers," Jocelyn said.
Now, about five years later, she's a senior graduating from Bowie State this fall and already running her own fashion design business, J Renee Designs.
"This shirt I designed it. It's Bowie State University. It's patchwork, which is my signature, and now they're in the Bowie State bookstore," Jocelyn said.
Tucked away at the corner of Ashland Avenue and Caroline in East Baltimore, the community programs run from ACDC's Jerilynn Reid Learning Center are making a difference.
Board member David Parker says they started their journey in 1997.
"We found that a lot of times depending on someone else to try to take care of the needs of the community, we find that it's more just concerned citizens just being involved and taking a chance of helping people out," David said.
And in the fall, they'll help more, with an after school remedial learning program.
"This is about the community coming together and saying they are so important to us that we're willing to invest in them," Blanca Tapahuasco, a parent said.
And they're creating a neighborhood connection for the kids and their families.
David says of all their accomplishments he loves the back-to-school drive because they're teaching a lesson.
"We actually gave our kids tickets, so they would participate in games whether it's football or jump roping and different activities. They would earn tickets and then those tickets would be redeemed for school supplies and so they had to work the schools as opposed to just giving them out," David said.
ACDC is planting the seeds for a thriving community to grow.
"They really help kids find themselves, find what they love and really give them the first step to the rest of their lives," Jocelyn said.
