The New Gilchrist Center Baltimore
The New Gilchrist Center Baltimore. The Next Chapter in Caring for the Underserved in Baltimore City
Gilchrist Center Baltimore is continuing its legacy of providing compassionate end-of-life care and support to the residents of Baltimore City and their families with a new state-of-the-art center at Stadium Place on East 33rd Street, the former home of Memorial Stadium. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new center, officially named the “William L. and Victorine Q. Adams Gilchrist Center Baltimore” after two African-American pillars of the local community was held on September 30. The center is expected to accept its first patients in late October or early November.
Serving the Most Vulnerable
Gilchrist Center Baltimore has been a unique and vital resource to the community for more than 30 years. The new center will continue to further the mission of its original founders, the All Saints Sisters of the Poor and Mount Calvary Church. Originally named the Joseph Richey House, the center was founded in 1985 to care for the homeless and underserved in the city. To this day, it remains the only free-standing residential and inpatient hospice center in Baltimore City and is the exclusive home to all four beds for pediatric hospice patients in the State of Maryland.
“Gilchrist Center Baltimore cares for children, adults, as well as the underserved and homeless who would otherwise not have a home to spend their dying days,” said Shannon Wollman, Chief Philanthropy Officer of Gilchrist. “When you look at the demographics of Baltimore City, we have such an underserved population. The Gilchrist Center Baltimore provides the end-of-life care that everyone deserves, regardless of ability to pay.”
Continuum of Services in a Home-like Setting
The new two-story, 18-bed center is centrally located in a diverse landmark community with a rich history and atmosphere. It is also surrounded by newly built housing for low- to middle-income seniors. By joining the Stadium Place community, Gilchrist will add to the robust continuum of housing, health and other services for residents. Gilchrist Center Baltimore will also offer clinical counseling support for anyone in the community who has suffered a loss or been impacted by trauma.
The center’s planners wanted to reflect the surrounding area’s beautiful architecture, so the stone and woodwork along the outside of the center were carefully selected to match that of many of the location’s neighboring homes. There is also a charming courtyard filled with trees, plants, flowers and walking paths at the back of the building so that patients and family members will spend their final days together in a beautiful setting, where they will be cared for compassionately and respectfully.
Supported by the Community
Construction of the new center was funded by a $15.3 million capital campaign, led by Chair Dr. Timothy F. Doran, Vice Chair William L. Beckford and Gilchrist Chief Philanthropy Officer Shannon Wollman. The campaign received financial support by the State of Maryland and many prominent foundations, including the Women’s Hospital Foundation, as well as the full support of Gilchrist’s board of directors.
“In order to obtain the permits, land, and state funding for this project, we needed to have city-owned, minority-owned, and women-owned business construction partners. Participation from all of those entities made the new center possible,” said Shannon Wollman. “Gilchrist is very proud of that, and we are thankful to every single person and organization who has invested in the new Gilchrist Center Baltimore since 2017.”
Gilchrist is honored to continue its legacy of care at the new Stadium Place location and looks forward to serving the surrounding communities for many years to come.
To learn more about Gilchrist Center Baltimore visit https://gilchristcares.org/giving/gilchrist-center-baltimore-capital-campaign/
To support our work, visit gilchristcares.org/giving