As Baltimore cleans up from rioting over the death of Freddie Gray, many wonder how the city will recover.
Gray’s death was the flashpoint but the roots of Baltimore’s racial and socio-economic problems are complex and deep-rooted. Alcohol and drugs problems are rife, while many people struggle to find employment.
But despite the difficulties and hardships faced by many, there are those moving to help rebuild communities from the ground-up.
We meet them in episode 3 of 'Now What', the HuffPost original video series presented by Ryan Duffy.
Ryan Duffy meets with members of the community in Baltimore
He explores the city's poorest areas with them, where people can expect to live 20 years less than those who live six miles away in the wealthiest parts.
Sarah Hemminger, founder and CEO of Thread, agrees that it's a tough project but that "relationships are so meaningful to me, it makes all of that completely worth it".
Thread is a community of people who come together to support some of the most vulnerable and underperforming students in Baltimore. For many students, the nuclear family has been unable to support them - and that’s where Thread steps in.
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They provide a range of help from straightforward tutoring right the way through to a bed to sleep in.
Hemming says: “We’re always going to be here. We don’t always understand what’s going on in your life but what we’ve committed to is standing beside you for a decade."
Thread is just one initiative Duffy explores, as he looks at how the people of Baltimore refuse to let the city crumble.