Known as the Mother Teresa of Baltimore, Bea Gaddy rose from a life of poverty to become Baltimore’s leading advocate for the homeless and poor. Beatrice Frankie Fowler was born in Wake Forest, N.C., in 1933.
While in Baltimore, a neighborhood attorney saw her potential and encouraged her to go to college. She went on to earn her bachelor’s in human services from Antioch University in 1977.
Helping others was a mission for Ms. Gaddy, and in the early 1970s she joined the East Baltimore Children’s Fund. In 1981 with $290 she won on a 50-cent lottery ticket and bought enough food to feed 39 of her neighbors. She then decided to start a community kitchen for the needy. At the beginning, the Thanksgiving dinner was held on the sidewalk in front of her home. To accommodate the growing numbers of diners, the dinner was held at a local middle school. Ms. Gaddy was elected to the Baltimore City Council in 1999.
Over the course of her life, Ms. Gaddy earned numerous honors, which include Unsung Hero Award, Afro American Woman of the Year, and Baltimore’s Best Award, just to name a few. She was also a member of many organizations which include Martin Luther Church; Women’s Auxiliary Butchers and assistant chairperson in the Johns Hopkins Day Program.
In 1998 Ms. Gaddy was diagnosed with breast cancer and on October 3, 2001, at the age of 68 she died. Her daughters have carried on her mission and continue the message that drove Ms. Gaddy’s life and career.
