Laurin Hodge - Managing Member of Alex & Cole, LLC

What have you brought to Earl’s Place?

Being on the Board of Directors at Earl’s Place, the strongest thing I can bring is my perspective. As a young graduate student and small business owner not affiliated with United Ministries the outlook I bring is unique. For me I hope to bring new dialogue about innovative entrepreneurial ventures that can help Earl’s Place as it looks to support men and change the homeless community in Baltimore.

What have you gained from being on the board?

Joining the BOD has allowed me to view another side of the nonprofit world. I worked with major national and international nonprofits, as a paid employee and volunteer, for over 7 years.  Working in large-medium nonprofits there was greater access to resources; so, working with Earl’s Place I am able to see how local nonprofits really make an impact in the community.

What are your goals while you're on the board?

I would love to see Earl’s Place connect with the green and urban farming movement happening all over the country and even in Baltimore! To me Earl’s Place is all about revival and renewal. Just consider what changes take place in a man’s life while at Earl’s Place – new life begins here. It just makes sense, to me, that we connect with that and find ways to share our message and mission throughout Baltimore.

In my perfect world we'd find a way to start a small urban farm where produce is grown for sale at Farmer’s Markets and maybe even one day be able to have our own business, employing residents, Earl’s Place Landscaping. I truly believe that creating these opportunities will help the organization and I would love to be a part of that before I leave the BOD.

How would you like to see Earl’s Place grow in the future?

No other program I know of is like Earl’s Place. Great work is done by this organization so of course I would like to see us be able to help more men without losing the essence of what we do. Additionally as I mentioned before I would love to see Earl’s Place expand into the community via urban farming and landscaping.

What do you do when you’re not helping out Earl’s Place?

I’m either studying, I am a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University, working at expanding my own business and brand or enjoying life in a variety of ways. My interests vary so sometimes I like to take classes for just about anything everything (sailing, cooking, learning to apply henna – you name it I would love to try it).

Were there any things that surprised you about Earl’s Place?

I was amazed by how much gets done by such a committed few. Each day that the staff and friends of Earl’s Place get to work they are literally making miracles happen! It is a testament to the fact that a passionate few really can change the world.

Have there been any experiences that have struck you as particularly meaningful?

Participating in the New Year’s Resolution Run my first year was great. I was honored to hand out the awards and it was interesting to see the community come together. Some people just came to run and didn’t seem to connect with the mission of Earl’s Place until Lee, a resident at the time, spoke. He thanked the participants and talked about how this event was helping them, the residents, to become productive members of society. For me I felt that was a great moment because the Baltimore community is a very active region and many folks didn’t stop to think about the cause they were supporting because they were all too happy to accomplish their fitness for the day, but that brought the mission of Earl’s Place front and center.

Why do you think people should support Earl’s Place?

Earl’s Place is Baltimore. If anyone truly loves this city they will want to help address one of its largest issues – homelessness. I joined the board to help the city I grew to love become better. Helping the citizens of Baltimore get back on their feet requires heart, commitment and compassion. If someone has all three of those characteristics and is looking for an area to make a difference then this is where they belong.

Homelessness is an issue for everyone.  Donating a few cents here or a dollar there to someone panhandling on the street doesn’t solve the chronic issues. Seeing the faces of Baltimore’s homeless can break anyone’s heart but the best way to help is to donate to an organization with a strategy for doing the most good. $5 at Earl’s Place does more for Baltimore than giving $5 to a man on the street because the $5 can help give hope beyond one night with us.

I would just add that for young members of the community the issue of homelessness may not always be popular but when it comes to safety and appeal of the city giving back in this way pay long-term dividends.  I am sure that volunteering or donating with the arts, cultural events or maybe even towards the youth of Baltimore may seem more posh but changing the lives of men can help in so many ways for everyone.