The Demo Site

Rev. Dr. Henry T. Baines, Sr., Founder and President of The Stop Shop Save Food Markets in Baltimore, Maryland, started off as grocery store employee and worked his way up the ladder of the management of a local supermarket. Rev. Baines then opened his first store in the Park Heights Community of Baltimore City, MD in 1978. While Rev. Dr. Baines was running his store in Park Heights, he gained an understanding of the needs of the people of his community. He saw a need to motivate neighborhood children to do their best in academic subjects. As a result, he encouraged the neighborhood students to bring him their report cards. For every "A" a student had, he would give the student $1.00, and for each "B" he would give the student $.50. The word quickly spread and students throughout the community brought Rev. Baines their reports cards anticipating a monetary reward.

Through these thoughtful and humble acts, the concept of The Academic Achievement Award Foundation, Inc. was brought to life. Also during this time Rev. Baines one store rapidly expanded into The Stop Shop Save Super Market chain which now totals six super markets strategically located throughout Baltimore City. In 1999, the Academic Achievement Award Foundation, Inc. was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The work of the foundation became an institutional incentive program for many public schools around the City of Baltimore.

Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Sr., President and Chief Operating Officer, was brought onto the AAAF Board of Directors and management in 2002 to manage the day-to-day operation and to develop a broader base of financial support.

Since 2002, the scope of the program has expanded each year. The program now provides recognition, awards, and prizes to a select group of public school students in Baltimore City annually. Students are recognized for their academic accomplishments at an Annual Awards Celebration which has been held in past years at the Baltimore Convention Center, Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center on the campus of Morgan State University and Meyerhoff Symphony Hall Corporate sponsors contribute incentives to the students, such as, vacation trips, computers, calculators, bookbags, gift certificates, and trophies.

An Annual Corporate Supporter’s Breakfast was developed in 2003 during Black History Month to recognize the previous year’s supporters and to present plans for the coming year. The Henry T. Baines, Sr. Academic Achievement Award was created to recognize the corporations that contributed to the Foundation’s work.

Always seeking to improve its services and support for the parents and teachers of the students in the program, The Academic Achievement Award Foundation, Inc. is in the process of developing a methodology to track the progress of each student from kindergarten through college and expand its reach into the community.