Potential Me Announced as First Tenant of 240 W. Dickman St. in Port Covington

Potential Me, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to providing disadvantaged young women with the tools they need to envision and cultivate their ultimate potential,” will relocate from Towson to a 1,272 sq. ft. space at 240 W. Dickman St. in Port Covington. The building is adjacent to City Garage and part of a 12-acre property that was formerly the home of Atlantic Forest, which recently relocated to Tradepoint Atlantic at Sparrows Point.

Potential Me Executive Director Kimberly Klacik told SouthBMore.com that the building is in good shape and that Sagamore Development, the owner of the building, has recently added some modern finishes. The space was donated to Potential Me by Sagamore and will likely soon be the home to other workforce development organizations.

“It is a key part of our mission to partner with community and nonprofit organizations like Potential Me that are doing truly great things in Baltimore,” said Alicia Wilson, vice president of community affairs and legal advisor for Sagamore Development, in a statement to SouthBMore.com. “We’re thrilled to offer the space at 240 W. Dickman St. to allow Potential Me to expand its efforts to help women reach their goals, and we welcome the possibility of finding like-minded tenants to use the property to support and train those who want work. We’re committed to Baltimore City and we’re committed to its local workforce.”

Combining her passion for serving others and her favorite hobby of selling clothes on eBay, Klacik founded Potential Me in 2014 and offered two programs: “The Prom Program,” providing prom dresses for young women who could not afford a dress for their high school prom; and, the “Back to Work Program,” providing suits, dresses, shoes, makeup, and accessories for women attempting to get back into or join the workforce.

Potential Me sells donated items on eBay and uses the proceeds to support women in Baltimore who lack the means to make their dreams a reality independently. From providing clothing for job interviews to hosting workshops for young women in Baltimore City schools, Potential Me aims to help women build financial independence and self-worth.

Potential Me will open its new headquarters and begin accepting donations at the Dickman St. location on April 10th. The space will be used for keeping and collecting donated items, selling them online, and preparing them for delivery. Klacik hires employees with developmental disabilities from The ARC Baltimore to sell and prepare the clothing.

“As a teenager, I was unable to see a future for myself as I struggled with low self-esteem,” said Klacik in a statement. “Overcoming that experience, I was inspired to found Potential Me and work to help other young women who find themselves unaware of their potential. We are thrilled to announce our growth and grateful to Sagamore Development for donating the space for us to expand and build on our mission to help women in Baltimore dream.”

Earlier this year, Potential Me began hosting weekly “Dress for Success” workshops at the Cherry Hill branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library for students aged 12 to 17 years old. Potential Me has also partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to host monthly roundtables focusing on appropriate attire, behavior, and values as students prepare for life after high school.

Potential Me partners with Sharp Dressed Man on donated men’s clothing.

Klacik is excited about Potential Me’s new home in Port Covington. “It will be great to be around so many other millennial entrepreneurs in an environment where we can feed off each other,” she said. “I have really high hopes for Port Covington.”

Sagamore Development is undertaking a $5.5 billion, 266-acre redevelopment of Port Covington. Sagamore’s parent company Plank Industries also runs City Garage, the adjacent 133,000 sq. ft. facility which is fully leased and described as “a hub for manufacturing, innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Potential Me Executive Director Kimberly Klacik

About the Author: Kevin Lynch

Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.