News – Page 2 – Signal 13 Foundation

Signal 13 – Call to Action – February 2021 Newsletter

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Signal 13

Thank you for your continued support of the Signal 13 Foundation. 2021 is off to a fast and rewarding start. In January, we experienced just how powerful partnerships can be in changing a man’s life. Sergeant Isaac Carrington is in a wheelchair after he was shot outside his home. He needed a mobility van but could not afford to buy one. Thank you to Board Director Steve Fader of Mile One and Wheels for Change for taking the lead on this project and buying the van with financial support from Signal 13 and the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 3. The day Sergeant Carrington received the keys was a special day for everyone involved.

Every January 9th, Signal 13 pays tribute to our first responders on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. We owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Department who risk their lives to protect us. Signal 13 proudly stands with Baltimore’s Police families. Thank you to Commissioner Harrison for supporting Signal 13 and sending this powerful video to members of the department.

About the Signal 13 Foundation

The Signal 13 Foundation is an independent nonprofit that is not affiliated with the Baltimore Police Department or the FOP. Every dollar we raise comes from individual donors, foundations, and corporate grants and sponsorships. Your support is more important than ever to continue our mission. We are confident that by working together with our partners and donors like you to provide grant support and scholarships, our efforts will ultimately help with retention and recruitment within the Baltimore Police Department. Together, we can make a difference.

Please click below on the donate button and help the Signal 13 Foundation and make a difference in Baltimore police families’ lives

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Please also follow us on Social media: Facebook, LinkedIn Twitter, and Youtube.

Thank you for your support.

Nancy Hinds
CEO

Join the Signal 13 Foundation to Honor The Men and Women of Law Enforcement

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Signal 13

Join the Signal 13 Foundation as we celebrate National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on January 9. Today, police work under challenging conditions, and their modest salary often does not match the critical responsibilities they take on. Police work is dangerous, and officers often risk their lives to protect a stranger. Signal 13 stands with the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Police Department who dedicate their lives to making Baltimore a better place. If you see a police officer today, please take a moment to thank them for their service.

To donate to the Signal 13 Foundation and help Baltimore police families please click here.

A great example of honoring Baltimore law enforcement on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day from the Signal 13 Foundation, Mile One, Wheels for Change, and The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3. These organizations teamed up to buy a mobility van for Baltimore Police Sergeant Carrington who is in a wheelchair after being shot during a robbery attempt in August 2019.

To learn more about National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day click here.

About Signal 13 Foundation

Since its establishment in the early 1980s, the Frank J. Battaglia Signal 13 Foundation has endeavored to achieve three main goals:

to provide financial assistance to qualified Baltimore City police department personnel, both civilian and sworn, who experience unexpected personal financial hardship
to fund college scholarships for the children of active-duty members of the Baltimore police department, both civilian and sworn
to organize events that support the foundation’s mission and serve to foster community and goodwill among the members of the police department and the public

Traditionally, when an officer experiences a personal crisis, particularly a financial hardship, fellow officers often pitch in to help by passing a hat from person to person at Roll Call, to collect donations and contributions. The aim of the Signal 13 Foundation is to support and expand on such gallant efforts, but in a more consistent and intentional manner by providing financial assistance in the form of small, no-obligation grants. Our goal is to offer welcome relief and peace of mind to department personnel during times of distress, provide opportunities for active-duty members and their families to grow, and to ensure a healthy and vital relationship with the public.

To follow the Signal 13 Foundation on social media please click on the following links. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Signal 13 Foundation Joins Forces with Baltimore Organizations to Provide Handicap Accessible Van to Baltimore Police Sgt. Isaac Carrington

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Signal 13

logos

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

January 5, 2021

Following a shooting outside his home in August 2019, Sgt. Isaac Carrington, then a 22-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department, spent weeks at Shock Trauma recovering. Wheelchair-bound, Sgt. Carrington’s life will never be the same. But today, January 5^th, he got a lift when representatives from MileOne Autogroup and its nonprofit arm Wheels for Change, The Signal 13 Foundation and the Baltimore City Lodge #3 Fraternal Order of Police presented him with a handicap accessible van. The organizations joined forces to raise the necessary funds for the vehicle totaling over $70,000, which was upfitted by and purchased from Bedco Mobility.

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“With the donation of this accessible van, I can now look forward to recovery,” said Sgt. Carrington. “This generous gift of mobility makes it possible for me to get my life back together and move forward. I am very thankful for all the support.”

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The FOP, which orchestrated the fundraising effort and pledged the initial funds, worked closely with Signal 13, an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to qualified Baltimore City Police department personnel, both civilian and sworn, who experience unexpected financial hardship, to drive awareness to the effort.

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“Signal 13 was founded in 1983 by a former police commissioner and local philanthropists to help injured officers like Sergeant Carrington. Signal 13 is a not-for-profit with a mission to support Baltimore Police families and make their lives better. We are honored to support Sgt. Carrington as he begins this new chapter,” says Nancy Hinds, CEO of the Signal 13 Foundation.

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Signal 13 board member Steve Fader, who is CEO of MileOne Autogroup and president of Wheels for Change, its nonprofit arm providing relief to organizations in the community who struggle with transportation, learned of the fundraising effort during a recent board meeting and pledged on the spot.

“We know from our many years of providing vehicles to those in need that transportation is transformational,” said Fader. “Being able to do this for Sgt Carrington is a great honor and privilege.”

With the necessary funds raised, Bedco Mobility was approached to upfit the vehicle, a 2019 Toyota Sienna, specifically for Sgt. Carrington’s needs.

Fifteen hours of driving lessons and a special driver’s license from the Motor Vehicle Administration are required in order to operate the accessibility van.

“I’m extremely grateful for the collaborative effort of the FOP, MileOne Autogroup, Wheels for Change, and the Signal 13 Foundation in supporting Sgt. Carrington. Their generosity helps him have some mobility and normalcy, which is greatly appreciated,” said Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael S. Harrison who joined Sgt. Carrington and representatives from each of the organizations at the Baltimore Police FOP Lodge #3 for the presentation.

About Signal 13 Foundation

Since its establishment in the early 1980s, the Frank J. Battaglia Signal 13 Foundation has endeavored to achieve three main goals:

to provide financial assistance to qualified Baltimore City police department personnel, both civilian and sworn, who experience unexpected personal financial hardship
to fund college scholarships for the children of active-duty members of the Baltimore police department, both civilian and sworn
to organize events that support the foundation’s mission and serve to foster community and goodwill among the members of the police department and the public

To follow the Signal 13 Foundation on social media please click on the following links. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Signal 13 – Call to Action – December 2020 Newsletter

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Signal 13

Thank you for supporting the Signal 13 Foundation. It has been a successful year for the Foundation despite the many challenges of 2020. Your incredible support helped make this year’s crab feast the most successful one yet; provided college scholarships for 48 aspiring young adults; and supported Baltimore Police families with $40,000 in financial hardship grants, including for four police officers shot in the line of duty. The Signal 13 Foundation continues to do important work thanks to you.

So much for annual traditions. Our popular crab feast pivoted from in-person to virtual and we did not miss a beat. Thank you to our sponsors who quickly lined up and helped us raise more than $130,000 for grants and scholarships. Bo Brooks in Canton steamed 92 bushels of crabs with the majority being donated back to the police. Thank you to event Co-Chairs Barb Clapp and Sean O’Conor and the event fundraising committee – Steve Sibel, Bill Hooper, Michael Bronfein, Michael McDaniel and Marc Gentile.

Although their college experience is a little different this year, Signal13’s scholarship recipients are getting ready to take on the world as the next generation of leaders. This year, because of you, we were able to grant $112,000 in scholarships which are providing a leg-up for so many Baltimore Police families. The daughter of a 25-year veteran of the force is grateful for the support. Megan Krull is majoring in business administration at Liberty University in Virginia. Megan says support from Signal 13 “is a huge relief and lessens the burden of paying for college.” She will graduate in May. Congratulations Megan!

In October, we told you the story of Sergeants Isaac Carrington and Bill Shiflett and how Signal 13 helped them after they were shot. Sergeant Shiflett is back at work, but Sergeant Carrington has a long road to recovery. He is in a wheelchair and slowly adjusting to his new life. Signal 13 is proud to partner with Board Director Steven Fader, Mile One, Wheels for Change, and the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 3 to buy Sergeant Carrington a mobility van so he can be more independent. We will share more about Sergeant Carrington’s recovery in the coming months.

As the new CEO of the Signal 13 Foundation, I am humbled by your support for this amazing organization. You make everything we do possible. Together, we can make a difference. Thank you for continuing to support the Signal 13 Foundation and Baltimore’s Police families.

WMAR Story – Living on the wrong side of the line

Posted on February 22, 2020 by Signal 13

SHREWSBURY, PA. — Jess fell in love with Tommy in first grade. He wanted to become a police officer. She wanted him to come home to her and her three children every night. Then one night he didn’t.

Baltimore City Police Officer Tommy Portz was killed in the line of duty in October of 2010.

At his funeral, Jess kept hearing, ‘You and your family will be taken care of’, but just a few weeks ago she read a line that threatened to derail her plans.

Her daughter Kirstin, now 18, just got accepted into Towson University to study medicine. Jess went online to apply for the Conroy and Cryor Scholarship. But it didn’t take long to realize the Portz family did not qualify.

You see, this family part of the thin blue line, lived on the wrong side of the line…Pennsylvania.

They live in Shrewsbury and the scholarship states you must be living in Maryland to be granted the money for college. Jess talked with her financial advisor who said to start a GoFundMe page, which she did.

Read more and watch the story on WMAR here.

Thank you WMAR TV for promoting the great work the Signal 13 Foundation does on behalf of the brave men and women of the Baltimore City Police Department.

Posted on February 17, 2020 by Signal 13

BALTIMORE (WMAR) — When police hear the alert tone of a signal 13, they know it’s a call for a fellow officer needing help.

“When a police officer needs help, and things are going really bad, with what’s going on in the street, you’re in a life saving battle at that point,” said Bill Shiflett.

It’s exactly the position in which Shiflett found himself on July 15, 2019 while working as a Baltimore Police sergeant.

He had just finished his midnight shift and was going to help out on day work since they were short staffed on supervisors.

On his way to take care of police business, a call came in about a shooting at the Man Alive Clinic in North Baltimore.

Seconds after turning on his body camera, Shiflett pulled up on scene, and shortly after he was under fire.

Read more and watch the story on WMAR here.

The Signal 13 Foundation Appoints Nancy Hinds CEO

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Signal 13

The Board of Trustees of the Frank J. Battaglia Signal 13 Foundation today announced it hired Nancy Hinds as its first CEO in the organization’s 37-year history. Hinds served as the Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore for nine years before assuming the role of CEO at Signal 13 in January.

The Signal 13 Foundation was established in 1983 by then Police Commissioner Frank J. Battaglia with the help of local business leaders and philanthropists. The local not-for-profit provides financial assistance in the form of small, no obligation grants to qualified Baltimore City Police personnel, both sworn officers and civilians, who experience unexpected financial hardship. The Foundation also funds college scholarships for the children of active Baltimore City Police officers and employees, and it organizes events that further goodwill in the community.

“The Board of Trustees at the Signal 13 Foundation made the important decision to hire a CEO to expand on the great work the Foundation does to support the tireless efforts of the brave men and women of the Baltimore City Police Department,” said Bill Hooper, Chairman of the Board and General Manager of WMAR TV. “After an extensive strategic planning process, the Board made a commitment to significantly increase its fundraising efforts to expand our scholarship program so more families can receive support which also helps with retention and recruitment,” added Hooper.

“Signal 13 provides an invaluable service and it is a great honor for me to help grow the Foundation and its impact in the Baltimore community by working closely with Baltimore’s business leaders and foundations,” said Hinds.

Signal 13 is a universal communication broadcast that alerts the police that an officer in the field needs assistance. The Signal 13 Foundation is a not for profit 501 (c) (3) in Baltimore. The web site is www.signal13foundation.org.

Formed in 1983 by Police Commissioner Frank J. Battaglia with help from prominent philanthropists and business owners, the Signal 13 foundation is an independent, not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) committed to supporting the men and women of the Baltimore City Police department with grants and scholarships for their families. For more information, go to www.signal13foundation.org.