Helping residents and neighborhoods thrive. Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation (GEDCO) was founded by Reverend Jack Sharp and clergy from 7 churches of different denominations in Baltimore. Today, this group has grown to include over 55 Member Organizations. In partnership with faith communities, GEDCO provides affordable housing with supportive services and assists in meeting emergency needs of community residents. GEDCO is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021. GEDCO manages a number of properties to house adults with mental disabilities, nurture homeless women and men, enable seniors to age with dignity, and stabilize neighborhoods through homeownership. The organization offers educational, wellness, social, nutritional, and recreational opportunities for seniors at the Harford Senior Center and Senior Network of North Baltimore. Most of the 550+ residents have incomes less than 30% of the median income in the Baltimore metropolitan area, and all fall under 60% of this mark. GEDCO currently is the only non-profit developer of affordable, large-scale housing projects with supportive services in north Baltimore City. In addition to housing programs, GEDCO operates CARES (Civic and Religious Emergency Services), a food pantry and emergency financial assistance center located in the back of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church. CARES responds to more than 5000 visits annually from community members seeking food, advocacy, and emergency financial assistance for utility bills, eviction prevention and prescriptions. The CARES Career Connection addresses barriers to employment and provides 1:1 volunteer mentoring that assists program participants in obtaining and maintaining jobs. In FY21 GEDCO:
• Responded to 5,320 requests for food
• Assisted 112 households with utility bills
• Helped 149 households with eviction prevention
• Supported 1,763 children through CARES services
• Assisted 92 people find jobs despite COVID-19
• Conducted 425 wellness checks on older adults during shelter-in-place restrictions
GEDCO is led by a board of directors and CEO Nichole Doye Battle who has 20+ years of professional real estate and management experience in promoting and addressing affordable housing needs in Ohio, Maryland and the District of Columbia. She has managed the development of more than 500 rental and homeownership units in urban communities, and has extensive experience in community and master planning as well as managing the land development process for urban residential communities.
