Orioles to provide COVID-19 testing for Elev8 Baltimore

The Orioles, in partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF), today announced a plan to facilitate COVID-19 testing for Elev8 Baltimore educators and staff. Tests will be regularly administered through January 2021 as part of the club's ongoing efforts to serve the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beginning this week, COVID-19 testing will be available to educators and staff from Elev8 Baltimore at the Elev8 Baltimore network office. Elev8 Baltimore has also extended the testing availability to their partner organizations, including the Black Yield Institute, Cherry Hill Development Corporation, Fund for Educational Excellence, the Greater Washington D.C. Chapter of the Internet Society, the Maryland Out of School Time Network (MOST), RICH-Restoring Inner City Hope, Inc., and Rowdy Orbit. Testing will also be available to essential staff from Elev8 Baltimore's 10 Baltimore City community school partners. By partnering with these schools, Elev8 Baltimore is able to increase their impact on families and the community through improved collaboration and coordination of existing community assets. For additional information on Elev8 Baltimore's school partners, please visit Elev8Baltimore.org/Schools.

"We are pleased to collaborate with MLB and BCF to provide much-needed COVID-19 testing to the educators and staff of Elev8 Baltimore and their partner organizations, who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure that students and families in our community receive the learning, health, and family-engagement services they need," said Jennifer Grondahl, Orioles Senior Vice President, Community Development and Communications.

Educators and staff will be administered an FDA-authorized COVID-19 test through the Spectrum Solutions SDNA-100 saliva collection kit. The tests are being provided to Elev8 Baltimore free of cost through MLB's COVID-19 community testing program. The Orioles worked with BCF to identify Elev8 Baltimore as a community partner for the testing program.

"During the COVID-19 global pandemic, Elev8 Baltimore's commitment to safely ensuring the flow of resources and opportunities to communities of color is an extension of our full-service community school strategy," said Alexandria Warrick Adams, Executive Director, Elev8 Baltimore. "Through this partnership with the Baltimore Orioles and MLB, we are prepared to keep those on the front lines safe during that service. This partnership should serve as a reminder that together we will emerge from this crisis stronger."

Elev8 Baltimore is an initiative working in Baltimore to ensure that students succeed in school and in life. Launched in 2009, Elev8 Baltimore provides out-of-school time opportunities, school-based health services and resources, and support and outreach for the families they serve as part of a full-service community schools strategy. Elev8 Baltimore partners with schools and the surrounding community to make sure that every student is ready to succeed in high school and beyond. For additional information on Elev8 Baltimore, please visit Elev8Baltimore.org.

Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) is a philanthropic foundation created by and for the people of Greater Baltimore, where many donors join together to make the region they love a better place, today and for future generations. For additional information on the Baltimore Community Foundation, please visit bcf.org.

Year-round, the Orioles focus their philanthropic efforts on two distinct pillars: Strengthening Our Community and Empowering Our Youth. In times of crisis, the Orioles aim to bring visibility to resources that community members need most. For additional information on the Orioles' community efforts, please visit Orioles.com/CommunityResources.