Our Daily Bread Employment Center

The Our Daily Bread Employment Center houses multiple Catholic Charities programs, including our daily hot meal program, job training and employment counseling, case management, and an intensive residential program combining all our services.

Baltimore's poverty rate has increased 20%, reaching a staggering 25.6% (U.S. Census Bureau). With one in four Baltimoreans living in poverty, the demand for services at Our Daily Bread Employment Center (ODBEC) has risen sharply. ODBEC is a safety net that helps to keep the thousands of people served each year from hunger, homelessness, and unemployment. It is the place people turn to for help and hope. 

The Our Daily Bread Employment Center is a lifeline for those in need. We

• serve meals to Maryland’s hungry
• assist homeless men to make the transition to employment, stable housing, and self-sufficiency through the Christopher Place Employment Academy
• train people for job readiness
• offer job placement assistance

We serve men and women in need in Baltimore City, Maryland. To learn the specific details about who is eligible for service at any particular program, please click on that program page link at the left or come join us at the Center for the daily meal, served every day (beginning at 11:30 am), without a single interruption, since 1981. 

Our Annual Campaign

Your donation to the ODBEC Annual Campaign helps us improve lives, one life at a time.

In the last year, Our Daily Bread Employment Center has been a lifeline by

• serving 257,336 meals to Maryland’s hungry
• placing 343 unemployed individuals into employment
• assisting 86 homeless men to make the transition to employment, stable housing, and self-sufficiency through the Christopher Place Employment Academy
• graduating 688 individuals from the Work 4 Success employment preparation program.

Meeting Urgent Needs

Gary, Bridget, and their children never thought their family would need to eat at a soup kitchen, but Gary’s company lost its contract with the city and he and many others were laid off. When the family was evicted from their home, they came to the Our Daily Bread Employment Center (ODBEC) for help and support. Thanks to guidance from ODBEC, they have a new home, but still come to Our Daily Bread from time to time when their shelves are bare. Over 12,000 Maryland children are homeless and over 140,000 are living in poverty.

Rebuilding Lives        

Out of work after 23 years of steady employment, James found himself unemployed when his company closed their Maryland facility. He attended the ODBEC Work 4 Success job readiness program, obtained confidence in his interviewing and resume writing skills, and with help from the ODBEC job placement manager, found employment. Over 200,000 people living in Maryland are unemployed and over 480,000 are currently living at or below the federal poverty level.

Ensuring Self-Sufficiency   

Kevin, a successful maintenance engineer, found his life spiraling out of control due to his drug addiction. He lost his family, a job he held for more than ten years, and his freedom. Determined to recover, he came to the Christopher Place Employment Academy in the Our Daily Bread Employment Center where he found education, training, and addiction recovery support. He has transformed himself into a confident, employable individual, while maintaining his sobriety. 65% of homeless individuals, both sheltered and unsheltered, are males.