The RICH Program

In 2011 Michael Battle had an idea to have a prayer walk in Cherry Hill, the neighborhood he grew up in. The area had always been looked at in a negative light by those who knew nothing of the small community aside from that which they saw on the news or had heard from others. With the violence rate rising in the area Mr. Battle, his wife Danielle, and a handful of friends create the Disciple Street Team that would over the course of 8 years evolve into RICH - Restoring Inner City Hope. The team continued to focus on the residents of Cherry Hill, providing a wealth of resources and opportunities for youth and young adults from across the city. RICH continues to hold their annual prayer walk and now has a full service community resource center that houses an after-school program, a workforce development program, family support services, and much more.

THE FOUNDERS

 MICHAEL BATTLE JR. is a mentor, motivational speaker  and advocate working to restore inner city hope. Mr. Battle is known nationally for his dedication and commitment to transforming his community. He is a leading voice on community engagement and empowerment. Growing up in Cherry Hill, one of Baltimore's toughest neighborhoods; Mr. Battle has seen his share of despair, struggle, and the compromises made for survival. Never forgetting where he came from and the obstacles he faced as a child, are two of the driving forces behind his desire to transform Baltimore City. Mr. Battle began making change by hosting the first Cherry Hill Prayer Walk in 2011. This one mile walk through his childhood neighborhood has grown into multiple community events and outreach opportunities, along with partnerships with other local programs and community activists.  Through his leadership and unification of community stakeholders; homicides and shootings have decreased in the Cherry Hill community.

DANIELLE BATTLE has worked in the field of education for over 20 years. She is also a public speaker, mentor, and is constantly working to restore inner city hope. Mrs. Battle is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and made her way to Baltimore to pursue her undergraduate degree at Morgan State University. She was first introduced to Cherry Hill and its beautiful community by Michael when they were dating. From that day forward she has been at his side doing the work needed to uplift the community. Along with all of the outreach work and developing the RICH Center she is creating a program that supports emerging social entrepreneurs. Working with them to widen their social networks, secure funding for their operations and create a social impact on Baltimore City.