Talk. Listen. Resolve.

Community Mediation Program

Letter from the Executive Director

 

Greetings!

I want you to know that I have recently made an exciting decision to take three or four years to be a full-time mom to our new son, Jacob!  I have resigned from Community Mediation Program effective 5.23.08, and a search for a new Executive Director begins immediately.  The job description is attached here.

Over the past four and a half years at Community Mediation Program we have tripled our services to the community. We have expanded access to mediation into new neighborhoods, begun mediating in Spanish, and offered services for the first time to local shelters, city government employees, juveniles in detention, and people in four local houses of correction.  Family services have exploded, including mediating more and more collaborative parenting plans, and launching an Older Adults mediation initiative.  Youth mediators are taking leadership at CMP, and are doing an astounding job providing services and education to their peers as well as developing their own leadership and funds.  Our partnerships with the school system, the State's Attorney's Office, and the Police Department have really made a difference, providing Baltimore residents with a way to talk things out face to face, rather than punishing each other.

 In terms of our own capacity, we have also tripled our budget, launched several effective fundraising campaigns, increased staff from 4 to 22, including 8 AmeriCorps members, and won a national award from HGTV to renovate our building. 

 I have been privileged to serve the community under two excellent Board Presidents, whose tireless-ness, mission focus, and action-orientation have been the envy of more than one of my non-profit-leading friends.  To Pamela Paulk and Bob Fleishman: Thank you!  Alongside me have been our steadfast and loving Lead Mediation Coordinator, Jerri Thomas, meticulous and cool Volunteer Coordinator, Patricia Ryan; and our phenomenally talented community education leaders Erricka Bridgeford, Tracee Ford, and now Brenda Harris.  Rick Buccheri, Marvina Greene, and Vanessa Whiting have held the office and finances together beautifully even during rocky times, and now we have Erin Hood as our hardworking, smart and mission-driven very first Development Director.  Consistency of funding continues to be a struggle for CMP as for so many community-based nonprofits serving lower-income community residents, and this challenge will be at the forefront for my successor.

 The amazing Volunteer Community Mediators, active and supportive Board Members, neighborhood partners, government partners, generous donors and funders, and staff leaders who have made all this happen will continue to nourish and expand the movement for peace in Baltimore.  Of this there is no doubt!

 In closing, I love the following quote from one of my heroes in the movement for peace:

 “People say, 'What is the sense of our small effort?' They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.”  -- Dorothy Day

I have been so grateful to have taken these few steps along the road with each of you.

Peace,

 

Caroline Harmon

 

 

 

Letter from our President

Friends and colleagues -

I am highly honored to serve as the current Chair of the Board of the Community Mediation Program.  It is a pleasure to work with such a diverse Board where the members are so deeply engaged.  They are passionate, work hard and each demonstrates a strong commitment to non-violence and creating peace in our community.

It has been a special joy to work with Caroline for the past five years.  She has enhanced the organization in so many ways.  Under her leadership we now have more staff, more diversity of funding, more unique programs and more community partnerships. Caroline leaves the organization on solid ground and ready for its next phase of development.  She will be sorely missed and leaves big shoes to fill.  We wish her peace and joy.

As we seek a new Executive Director, we ask for your help and support.  We are conducting a thorough search that will start immediately and hope that you will pass the attached Job Description on to anyone you think would be a good match for CMP. 

We are specifically looking for someone who is a visionary and inspiring leader who also has the skills to oversee the details of managing an organization that currently has twenty staff.  As with all non-profit community-based organizations, financial resource development is a critical activity.  CMP has been very successful in grant writing, securing contracts and fundraising.  Sustaining these sources and developing new ones in a strategic and thoughtful way is important.  A hallmark of our culture is one of collaboration in every aspect of our work - with our Board, staff, community and partners.  A successful candidate would be someone who will build on the many collaborative relationships we already have and continue to develop new ones.

At transition times like this I like to remember that saying “as one door closes another opens.”  While we will miss Caroline and hate to lose her, we have a great opportunity to open our door to a new person.  This person can bring their own unique energy and ideas to CMP.  With your help in spreading the word, I know we will find a great new Executive Director.

Thank you continued support of CMP and your contribution to peace in Baltimore.

Peace,

Pamela Paulk