About Us
The Baltimore Adolescent Treatment and Guidance Organization, Inc. (BATGO, Inc.) is a treatment foster care agency located in the center of Baltimore City. It was established as an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation by the Church of Saint Katherine of Alexandria in 1997.
Fostering Relationships
Independent Living
Vocational Skills
Our Partners
History
The Baltimore Adolescent Treatment and Guidance Organization, Inc. (BATGO, Inc.), originally founded as the Baltimore Academy and Trade Guilds Organization (BATGO), was established as a pioneering effort to provide vocational training and personal development opportunities for Baltimore’s youth. Rooted in the rich history of the Church of Saint Katherine of Alexandria, BATGO, Inc. evolved from the church’s long-standing mission to uplift and empower the community, particularly its younger members. This transformation into a structured, independent non-profit organization marked a significant expansion of the church’s outreach, reflecting its enduring commitment to social justice and education.
History
The origins of BATGO trace back to 1891 when the Church of Saint Katherine of Alexandria began its mission to provide care for orphaned children and those whose parents were live-in domestic workers. Over the years, the church profoundly impacted the lives of many, including notable figures like Thurgood Marshall, Clarence Mitchell Jr., and Parren J. Mitchell, underscoring its commitment to social justice. This dedication to youth welfare eventually led to the establishment of BATGO, Inc.
In 1997, BATGO, Inc. was formally established as an independent non-profit organization, with a mission to empower young men aged 16 to 21 through its ADDED CHANCE curriculum. This program combined vocational training with essential life skills, offering residential foster care in guild houses that provided a nurturing environment. Youth were supported through apprenticeships, job placements, and comprehensive guidance, all aimed at fostering their development into self-sufficient adults.
Building on the church’s rich legacy of community service, BATGO, Inc. has since evolved to focus on treatment foster care services. Today, BATGO, Inc. serves youth from infancy through young adulthood, with a dual focus on family reunification and fostering independence in older youth. Our mission is to provide comprehensive support that empowers families to reunite and equips young individuals with the resources and guidance needed to thrive independently.
You can make a difference.
BATGO, Inc. is requesting donations so we can take our youth on activities such as visiting the Zoo, baseball game, bowling, etc. These activities allow the youth to have socialization and learn more about their community and appropriate activities that they can be involved in. Funds that are received will also go towards the purchase of household items for our youth that will soon be aging out of care and transition to independent living. As you can imagine, leaving foster care at the age of 21 can be exciting, but also stressful when you don’t have or cannot afford the basic items that you relied on others to purchase. BATGO, Inc. is also seeking donations to assist in the purchase of an evidence-based therapeutic approach that we can implement in our program that will allow us to better serve the youth in our program. The evidence-based program will assist staff and foster parents in providing a trauma-informed therapeutic approach when working with the youth on managing their mental health symptoms and behaviors.
OUR PURPOSE
Serving Baltimore Youth Since 1997
Our Mission
Our mission is to support and empower children and youth to thrive with community connections through the provision of essential care, services, and skills enrichment.
Our Vision
A build an environment where all foster children and youth will have the opportunity to facilitate reaching their full potential
Our Core Values - CHANGE
Community
- Create important social connections
- Sense of belonging
- Teach values and goals to enjoy a fulfilling life
Healing
- Accept and manage difficult situations
- Empowered to live a meaningful life
- Improve relationships
Adversity
- Overcome challenges and set backs
- Embrace goals
- Prepare
- Developing inner strength
Nurturing
- Nurturing supports interpersonal growth
- Validates emotional needs
- Achieve goals they did not think possible
Growth
- Understanding value as a person
- Self-acceptance
- Find new meaning in life
Encouragement
- Vital to emotional growth
- Outweigh personal criticism
- Increase effort, motivation, self-esteem, and validation
NEWS:
Let Us Help Today:
SPECIALIZING IN:
- Improve and build new relationships
- Improving independent living skills
- Develop sound work habits and communication skills
- Fostering effective relationship building skills
- Opportunities for employment
- Acquiring the necessary skills training & More