Every week North Baltimore Patch picks restaurants or events we think our readers should know about. This week, in honor of spring training starting, we're tossing a curveball. We're taking a look at five of the top nonprofits in the area and the work they do.

1) Greater Homewood Community Corporation: This nonprofit is dedicated to building stronger neighborhoods in 45 communities in North and Central Baltimore. The group provides services that range from adult literacy courses to working on improving local schools and organizing neighborhoods to address problems such as safety issues.

2) Maryland SPCA: Baltimore has its fair share of furry residents. Not rats, but honest-to-god pets. The SPCA works to make sure our four-legged friends are spayed and neutered and that "their people" know how to properly train and care for them.

3) Baltimore Clayworks: Baltimore Clayworks is a nonprofit with the unique goal of trying to bring the community together through the arts. It provides everything from workshops, space for community meetings and even community events organized by artists.

4) Hearts Place Shelter: Heart Place is one of the few homeless shelters in North Baltimore, but it's also one of the only shelters in the city that allows for families to stay together while getting on their feet. The privately funded shelter provides 20 beds at its facility in St. John's Church at 2640 St. Paul Street.

5) Neighborhood Organizations: OK so there isn't exactly a number five in this slot. But North Baltimore is full of neighborhood organizations—Charles Village Civic Association, Hampden Community Council, Roland Park Civic League, York Road Partnership etc.—that work to improve their communities, and picking just one isn't fair.