Outsiders looking into the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of Baltimore see a neighborhood that has been plagued with a decline in jobs and is in need of a major revitalization. Community members of Sandtown beg to differ, they realize that the area has seen better days but also see that this community has come together to create a place people want to stay a part of. Jobs are being created, homes are being rebuilt, and action is being taken by community members to make the community a safer environment for everyone.
A dedication ceremony takes place after each house is rebuilt by Habitat for Humanity. So far over 200 houses have been restored in Sandtown.
The history of Sandtown can’t be overlooked, in the 1950′s and 1960′s Sandtown was te home of the Royal theatre where artists such as Louis Armstrong, Diana Ross and James Brown all played, the area was thriving and the people were happy. As time passed and equal housing laws were created families moved to better neighborhoods that offered higher paying jobs and schools for children. This left a quarter of the houses empty, which in turn meant businesses were forced to close and jobs were lost.
Sandtown is an area where volunteers are needed to help in the recovery and revitalization process, community members put in an astounding amount of effort but they can’t do it all.
