Bakari Atiba, Director of Community Engagement at Charm City Care Connection, has dedicated over four years to building trust and meaningful relationships within Baltimore communities. Founded in 2009 by Johns Hopkins students and residents, Charm City Care Connection began by connecting underserved residents to essential healthcare services. In 2017, the organization expanded its mission to address the broader social and structural barriers impacting health, shifting toward a harm reduction model.
Atiba oversees programs like the Harm Reduction Specialist One Program, a workforce development and leadership initiative that empowers clients receiving services to become active participants in community outreach. Charm City Care Connection provides meals, showers, clothing, and case management services at their drop-in center, while also conducting street outreach in both East and West Baltimore.
Recently, Charm City Care Connection became the first community-based organization in Baltimore to receive funds from the city’s opioid settlement, which they plan to use to expand services, hire more outreach staff, and deepen their citywide impact.
For Atiba, this work is more than a job — it’s a mission.