The Ravens' work in the community continued Thursday, as a difference-making project for youth in West Baltimore took another step forward.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore (BGCMB) officially broke ground on the Baltimore Ravens Boys & Girls Club at Hilton Recreation Center. The club is expected to be completed by September 2025.
Plans for the club were first announced in early 2023, with the Ravens and The Stephen & Renee Bisciotti Foundation making a lead $20 million gift to launch the project. Additional fundraising, permitting, and planning have occurred since that time, allowing Thursday's groundbreaking to take place.
"This has been a journey that was launched by the generosity of the Bisciotti Foundation and now this club will really start to take shape and become a reality for this community," Ravens President Sashi Brown said. "Football is a team sport, and this has been an amazing team effort with so many partners stepping up for the youth of our city. The next step will be cutting the ribbon on this amazing and special place."
To date, an additional $12 million has been secured to support the construction and long-term operating of the facility. Investors include Under Armour, Davis Family Foundation, Sherman Family Foundation, Bunting Family Foundation, Kahlert Foundation, T Rowe Price Foundation, France-Merrick Foundation, Abell Foundation, the State of Maryland, and numerous individuals and more foundations. Fundraising is ongoing with $7 million still to raise.
Once completed, the club will serve more than 2,000 kids, teens, and community members. Supporting partners include LEVEL82, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, and Green Street Academy.
LEVEL82 was founded by former Ravens receiver Torrey Smith and his wife, Chanel, who have been dedicated in their mission to provide opportunities for Baltimore's youth.
Plans for the club include a multi-purpose athletic field with sports lighting, a teen lounge, a gym, an art room, a technology room, tutoring spaces, a kitchen, and indoor/outdoor community gathering spaces. BGCMB will provide daily after-school and summer youth programs that deliver outcomes for youth in four key areas: health and wellbeing, character and leadership, academic success, and life and work readiness. Additionally, key program partners will provide specialized programs based on the needs and requests of kids and teens.
"Today is the next significant step in bringing the Baltimore Ravens Boys & Girls Club to the kids and teens of West Baltimore," said Jeff Breslin, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore.
"The generosity of the community and our partners has been overwhelming, led by the Ravens and Steve and Renee Bisciotti. Following their lead gift, we are thrilled and honored that others like the Sherman Family Foundation have stepped up to support this project. Not only will we create, but we will sustain, a state-of-the-art place where kids and teens can learn, play, and ultimately reach their full potential in a safe and healthy environment. This is a model that only two other NFL cities have created, and we are honored that Baltimore will be a shining example to other communities and Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide."
