Last Updated on May 8, 2025
Sandtown Connection
Ted Churn and Dan Matthews, Co-Leaders
Our Mission: Listen, Learn, Seek Understanding
Born from the aftermath of the 2015 unrest following Freddie Grace death at the hands of the police, CSC was founded by concerned Charlestown residents determined to make a difference. Ten years later the partnership continues collaborating with non-profit organizations in the Sandtown area of Baltimore City. They are New Song Learning Center (fundraising, tutoring), No Boundaries Fresh at the Avenue (food market}, Jubilee Arts (scholarships for classes in the arts), and Turnaround Tuesday (coaching and life skills to return to work.)
Board of Director meetings are open to volunteers and residents. Guests welcome.
| SCHEDULE | TIME | LOCATION |
| First Wednesday in even months | 11 AM – 12:30 PM | Brookside Classroom 2 |
Remaining Meetings for 2025: June 4, August 6, October 1, December 3
Our Story
Born from the aftermath of the 2015 unrest following Freddie Gray’s death at the hands of the police, cSc was founded by concerned residents determined to make a difference. A decade later, we continue our mission as a registered 501(c)(3) organization, guided by a committed Board of Directors. We support four non-profit community organizations: New Song Academy, No Boundaries Coalition, Jubilee Arts, and Turnaround Tuesday.
What We Do
cSc supports the organizations in the Sandtown community through:
- Volunteer Mobilization: Connecting passionate individuals with meaningful opportunities to serve.
- Fundraising Initiatives: Generating resources to fuel impactful programs.
Our Impact
For over 10 years, we’ve been:
- Fostering meaningful relationships between Charlestown residents and the Sandtown community.
- Supporting initiatives that create lasting positive change.
- Building bridges of understanding across diverse neighborhoods.
The Charlestown-Sandtown Connection (cSc) has a new landing page to make it easy to sign up for the quarterly newsletter. The link can be found on MyErickson > Clubs/Organization> Charlestown-Sandtown Connection or here on CCIcharlestown.org. Your name will go directly to the MailChimp website which is used for the newsletter.
Charlestown Sandtown Newsletter
Charlestown-Sandtown Connection table at the September 2023 Fruits of Our Labors
Sandtown School Supply Drive Runs Aug. 11 – 15
The New Song Academy (Charlestown-Sandtown Connection) 2025 Back to School Drive will be held August 11 – 15. On the last day, Friday, August 15, collection tables will be set up at the Fireside, the Terrace and the Chesapeake between the hours of 10 AM and 2 PM. Your donations, supplies or funds, can be given at that time. Prior to the August 15, please call Donna Chesson or Dan Matthews to arrange for a pick up. Contact information can be found in the Resident Directory, available online in MyErickson.
Items most requested by teachers and staff:
Pens | #2 pencils | erasers | colored pencils | crayons | highlighters | markers
Primary lined paper | construction paper | pocket folders | clip boards
Glue sticks | hot glue gun & sticks | staples & staplers
Electric pencil sharpeners | headphones
Hand sanitizer | tissues | cleaning wipes
Breakfast snacks – no nuts or peanut butter
Monetary donations are always appreciated as this allows teachers to purchase specific needs for their students. Make checks out to Charleston-Sandtown-Connection and bring to our tables on August 15 or send to Jim Herman, Treasurer. Contact information can be found in the Resident Directory, available online in MyErickson.