Detroit Shoreway
Last week, PNC Bank employees spent time reading "Where the Wild Things Are" to kids enrolled in Head Start, Cleveland Clinic employees shared tips on preparing for the workforce with students at New Tech West, and human resources pros helped people in transitional housing to prepare their resumes.
The events were organized by Business Volunteers Unlimited as part of National Volunteer Week, which rallied more than 1,300 volunteers to participate in 85-plus service projects throughout Northeast Ohio.
"Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Outcomes" (ODEO), a one day event held on Friday, April 20th, engaged 28 corporate teams in combating poverty through education. Two companies, OE Connection and Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts, hosted a week of volunteer opportunities for all of their employees. Finally, Global Youth Service Day, which engaged young people in volunteering across Greater Cleveland, took place from April 20 to 22.
"We really tried to develop interactive experiences that would engage the community," says Roseanne Deucher, Director of the Volunteer Center at Business Volunteers Unlimited. "This year, we had a focus on education. We also tried to match the skills of folks in the business sector with needs in the community."
She adds, "A lot of people read about issues in the public school system and unemployment, but they don't know how to get involved. After this event, they felt they'd touched lives. Many wanted to volunteer on an ongoing basis."
BVU maintains an online Volunteer Center which lists more than 500 volunteer opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio. The nonprofit group is also currently partnering with the Cleveland Indians to host a Volunteer Challenge. Any individual who completes four hours or more of volunteer work through BVU is eligible for a voucher for two free tickets to select Indians games.
BVU is also hosting its annual Summer of Service day, which seeks to engage young professionals in volunteer activities, on July 18th of this year.
Source: Roseanne Deucher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The events were organized by Business Volunteers Unlimited as part of National Volunteer Week, which rallied more than 1,300 volunteers to participate in 85-plus service projects throughout Northeast Ohio.
"Ordinary Day, Extraordinary Outcomes" (ODEO), a one day event held on Friday, April 20th, engaged 28 corporate teams in combating poverty through education. Two companies, OE Connection and Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts, hosted a week of volunteer opportunities for all of their employees. Finally, Global Youth Service Day, which engaged young people in volunteering across Greater Cleveland, took place from April 20 to 22.
"We really tried to develop interactive experiences that would engage the community," says Roseanne Deucher, Director of the Volunteer Center at Business Volunteers Unlimited. "This year, we had a focus on education. We also tried to match the skills of folks in the business sector with needs in the community."
She adds, "A lot of people read about issues in the public school system and unemployment, but they don't know how to get involved. After this event, they felt they'd touched lives. Many wanted to volunteer on an ongoing basis."
BVU maintains an online Volunteer Center which lists more than 500 volunteer opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio. The nonprofit group is also currently partnering with the Cleveland Indians to host a Volunteer Challenge. Any individual who completes four hours or more of volunteer work through BVU is eligible for a voucher for two free tickets to select Indians games.
BVU is also hosting its annual Summer of Service day, which seeks to engage young professionals in volunteer activities, on July 18th of this year.
Source: Roseanne Deucher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
photo essay of trip through cleveland
"US Route 6 is the longest contiguous transcontinental route in the USA," says the blog site Stay on Route 6. "Running from Provincetown, MA to Bishop, CA (and before 1964 to Long Beach, CA), Route 6 goes through 14 states. This is your guide along all of its original 3,652 miles. From Revolutionary War sites to pioneer settlements and western mining towns, Route 6 offers an in-depth lesson in US History, charms of yesteryear and comforts of modern times."
For this post, the writer takes readers on a visual trip through Cleveland, with stops along the way in downtown, Asiatown, University Circle, Little Italy, Lakewood, and Detroit Shoreway,
Check it out here.
"US Route 6 is the longest contiguous transcontinental route in the USA," says the blog site Stay on Route 6. "Running from Provincetown, MA to Bishop, CA (and before 1964 to Long Beach, CA), Route 6 goes through 14 states. This is your guide along all of its original 3,652 miles. From Revolutionary War sites to pioneer settlements and western mining towns, Route 6 offers an in-depth lesson in US History, charms of yesteryear and comforts of modern times."
For this post, the writer takes readers on a visual trip through Cleveland, with stops along the way in downtown, Asiatown, University Circle, Little Italy, Lakewood, and Detroit Shoreway,
Check it out here.
A new initiative being pioneered by Cuyahoga County, Policy Matters Ohio and a bevy of partners aims to create more energy-efficient municipal buildings and catalyze the creation of green, living wage jobs.
Now that advocacy within the green jobs movement has shifted away from the state and federal level -- where activity is slow or nonexistent -- organizers are counting on this new initiative to help create a new model for energy-efficient construction as well as stimulate good, union jobs in Cuyahoga County.
"We were pushing on the national level, but when the cap and trade legislation fell apart, we still lacked a comprehensive energy strategy," says Shanelle Smith, local organizer for the Emerald Cities Cleveland-Cuyahoga County project. "We had the economic stimulus, but now that the money is on the ground, it's about organizing locally so it benefits all of us."
Emerald Cities, which was approved last week by Cuyahoga County Council, aims to "create a clean energy economy by developing community workforce opportunities, enhancing environmentally sustainable practices and working to make government buildings more energy efficient," according to a release.
The initiative aims to make municipal buildings in Cuyahoga County 20 percent more energy-efficient by 2020. Emerald Cities will achieve this by seeking financing mechanisms to help local governments pay for projects, creating community workforce agreements to help foster union jobs, and participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.
"We want to build a pipeline to unionized apprenticeships for underrepresented communities," says Smith. "Our goal is to help create family-sustaining jobs."
Now that the initiative has been approved by Cuyahoga County, Emerald Cities partners are working together to assemble a strategic plan for implementation.
Source: Shanelle Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now that advocacy within the green jobs movement has shifted away from the state and federal level -- where activity is slow or nonexistent -- organizers are counting on this new initiative to help create a new model for energy-efficient construction as well as stimulate good, union jobs in Cuyahoga County.
"We were pushing on the national level, but when the cap and trade legislation fell apart, we still lacked a comprehensive energy strategy," says Shanelle Smith, local organizer for the Emerald Cities Cleveland-Cuyahoga County project. "We had the economic stimulus, but now that the money is on the ground, it's about organizing locally so it benefits all of us."
Emerald Cities, which was approved last week by Cuyahoga County Council, aims to "create a clean energy economy by developing community workforce opportunities, enhancing environmentally sustainable practices and working to make government buildings more energy efficient," according to a release.
The initiative aims to make municipal buildings in Cuyahoga County 20 percent more energy-efficient by 2020. Emerald Cities will achieve this by seeking financing mechanisms to help local governments pay for projects, creating community workforce agreements to help foster union jobs, and participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.
"We want to build a pipeline to unionized apprenticeships for underrepresented communities," says Smith. "Our goal is to help create family-sustaining jobs."
Now that the initiative has been approved by Cuyahoga County, Emerald Cities partners are working together to assemble a strategic plan for implementation.
Source: Shanelle Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote
As a region we are fortunate to have NOCHE, the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, leading our regional efforts to increase college attainment levels. Their efforts, called The Northeast Ohio Talent Dividend, has three primary goals: improve college readiness of high school and adult students, increase student retention through degree completion, and increase degree attainment among adults with some college experience but no degree.
saving cities documentary aims to tell true story of a rising rust belt
A year ago, Jack Storey launched an ambitious project to create a documentary about the Rust Belt with no money, no filmmaking experience and no camera.
But he did have Kickstarter.
Today, Storey and his partners have raised over $20,000 through the popular arts-focused fundraising website. They have crisscrossed the Rust Belt region while garnering more than 100 hours of footage of entrepreneurs and civic-minded individuals. Saving Cities, the grassroots "idea bank" that Storey helped found in 2010, plans to release the documentary, entitled Red, White and Blueprints, early next year.
"We're stubborn and we love it here, but we don't defend ourselves very well to the outside, and the perspective of national media tends to be lopsided," explains Storey, who recently participated in a panel discussion of Cleveland artists funded through Kickstarter. "Our goal is to have a very positive piece of media that tells the story of the Rust Belt from boom to decline, and also talks about the future and entrepreneurs who are doing creative things with very few resources."
Red, White and Blueprints will highlight the connections between small, hyperlocal efforts taking place in various Rust Belt cities to paint a coherent picture of a diverse, interconnected region. It will also suggest that Rust Belt cities could do a significantly better job sharing successes between various metropolitan areas, and in turn, furthering these connections for mutual benefit.
"All of these cities used to be connected by railroads," says Storey. "We're talking about the Rust Belt as a mega-region. We can digitally reconnect these cities in conversation."
Saving Cities has launched another Kickstarter campaign to fund the final leg of the documentary, including editing and duplication. Storey hopes to begin sending the film to festivals and organize a series of community screenings next year.
Now that the project is nearing fruition, Storey has a better understanding of why he needed to do it. "Maybe for good reason, we're the only people to do this. We were crazy enough to get in a car and drive around the region several times. In hindsight, I'm glad we did it, but it was a huge undertaking."
Source: Jack Storey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
But he did have Kickstarter.
Today, Storey and his partners have raised over $20,000 through the popular arts-focused fundraising website. They have crisscrossed the Rust Belt region while garnering more than 100 hours of footage of entrepreneurs and civic-minded individuals. Saving Cities, the grassroots "idea bank" that Storey helped found in 2010, plans to release the documentary, entitled Red, White and Blueprints, early next year.
"We're stubborn and we love it here, but we don't defend ourselves very well to the outside, and the perspective of national media tends to be lopsided," explains Storey, who recently participated in a panel discussion of Cleveland artists funded through Kickstarter. "Our goal is to have a very positive piece of media that tells the story of the Rust Belt from boom to decline, and also talks about the future and entrepreneurs who are doing creative things with very few resources."
Red, White and Blueprints will highlight the connections between small, hyperlocal efforts taking place in various Rust Belt cities to paint a coherent picture of a diverse, interconnected region. It will also suggest that Rust Belt cities could do a significantly better job sharing successes between various metropolitan areas, and in turn, furthering these connections for mutual benefit.
"All of these cities used to be connected by railroads," says Storey. "We're talking about the Rust Belt as a mega-region. We can digitally reconnect these cities in conversation."
Saving Cities has launched another Kickstarter campaign to fund the final leg of the documentary, including editing and duplication. Storey hopes to begin sending the film to festivals and organize a series of community screenings next year.
Now that the project is nearing fruition, Storey has a better understanding of why he needed to do it. "Maybe for good reason, we're the only people to do this. We were crazy enough to get in a car and drive around the region several times. In hindsight, I'm glad we did it, but it was a huge undertaking."
Source: Jack Storey
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Do you want to see more mountain bike trails in the Metroparks? Or spur trails that lead visitors through secluded, natural landscapes? Could the Metroparks take over the city's ailing, neglected lakefront park system, which suffers from millions in deferred maintenance from the cash-strapped State of Ohio?
These issues and many others will be the focus of public meetings scheduled in April and May by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Metroparks is seeking to present and gather feedback on its Emerald Necklace Centennial Plan, a document that has been in the works for more than two years and will guide the park system for the next decade.
The focus of the Metroparks over the past 10 years has been on preserving a well-maintained park system while also completing a loop trail through the Emerald Necklace. The new Master Plan will address basic maintenance needs like roads and bridges, while also planning for new projects, such as completing more spur trails. The plan comes at a crucial time, as the park system is dealing with a decline in state funding and the need to pass a new operating levy in 2013.
There has also been discussion about the Metroparks taking over lakefront parks in Cleveland, as well as Wendy Park at Whisky Island and, ultimately, the newly-created Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. According to Jim Kastelic, Senior Park Planner at the Metroparks, the Master Plan directly addresses these opportunities.
"When we surveyed Northeast Ohioans about whether Cleveland's lakefront parks should be operated by the same organization, 47 percent said yes and 37 percent said they weren't sure," says Kastelic, who cites the Metroparks' recent acquisition of two acres at Rivergate Park in the Flats and its agreement to manage the Towpath Trail in Cleveland as evidence of its commitment to urban parks and recreation. "That tells us that it's something that we need to look at."
Kastelic says the Centennial Plan will also focus on such key areas as green infrastructure, health of surrounding watersheds, strengthening the Metroparks' role in urban areas and creating a regional greenway system.
Additional meetings slated for April and May will largely focus on plans for individual Metroparks. Once the plan is finalized, the Metroparks will develop a list of strategic priorities and seek a levy in November of 2013.
Source: Cleveland Metroparks
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These issues and many others will be the focus of public meetings scheduled in April and May by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Metroparks is seeking to present and gather feedback on its Emerald Necklace Centennial Plan, a document that has been in the works for more than two years and will guide the park system for the next decade.
The focus of the Metroparks over the past 10 years has been on preserving a well-maintained park system while also completing a loop trail through the Emerald Necklace. The new Master Plan will address basic maintenance needs like roads and bridges, while also planning for new projects, such as completing more spur trails. The plan comes at a crucial time, as the park system is dealing with a decline in state funding and the need to pass a new operating levy in 2013.
There has also been discussion about the Metroparks taking over lakefront parks in Cleveland, as well as Wendy Park at Whisky Island and, ultimately, the newly-created Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. According to Jim Kastelic, Senior Park Planner at the Metroparks, the Master Plan directly addresses these opportunities.
"When we surveyed Northeast Ohioans about whether Cleveland's lakefront parks should be operated by the same organization, 47 percent said yes and 37 percent said they weren't sure," says Kastelic, who cites the Metroparks' recent acquisition of two acres at Rivergate Park in the Flats and its agreement to manage the Towpath Trail in Cleveland as evidence of its commitment to urban parks and recreation. "That tells us that it's something that we need to look at."
Kastelic says the Centennial Plan will also focus on such key areas as green infrastructure, health of surrounding watersheds, strengthening the Metroparks' role in urban areas and creating a regional greenway system.
Additional meetings slated for April and May will largely focus on plans for individual Metroparks. Once the plan is finalized, the Metroparks will develop a list of strategic priorities and seek a levy in November of 2013.
Source: Cleveland Metroparks
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Moving counter to the assertion that Print is Dead!, two local optimists have just launched a new print magazine. Edible Cleveland is a new print quarterly that focuses on the local food scene -- not just restaurants and chefs, but also farmers, history, tradition and lore. FW's Erin O'Brien brakes bread with publishers Noelle Celeste and Jon Benedict.
the rust belt brain gain, creatives flocking to cleveland
A multi-part spread in Details magazine trumpets the remarkable rise of the so-called "Rust Belt."
In the piece titled, "Talented, educated, creative people are no longer fleeing the region -- they're flocking to it," the writer kicks off with:
"Rust connotes decay and neglect -- and indeed, the Rust Belt's decline coincided with a massive brain drain. But in the past half decade, the region has retained more of its homegrown talent while drawing the best and brightest from across the country."
Cited in the article is a Brookings Institution report that found "cities like Pittsburgh and Columbus have increased their college-educated population in recent years, and Cleveland and Buffalo are on their way -- having stanched their decades-long outward migration."
Called out for special attention are Clevelanders Eric Kogelschatz and Hallie Bram.
"In Cleveland, Eric Kogelschatz founded the think tank shark&minnow with his wife, Hallie Bram Kogelschatz, after both fled high-powered marketing jobs in Boston; besides organizing TEDxCLE (last year's sold out in two hours), the organization collaborates on events with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Museum of Art. What prompted the move? "We really didn't know what we were getting into," Eric admits. "But we were tired of Rust Belt cynicism."
Read it all right here.
In the piece titled, "Talented, educated, creative people are no longer fleeing the region -- they're flocking to it," the writer kicks off with:
"Rust connotes decay and neglect -- and indeed, the Rust Belt's decline coincided with a massive brain drain. But in the past half decade, the region has retained more of its homegrown talent while drawing the best and brightest from across the country."
Cited in the article is a Brookings Institution report that found "cities like Pittsburgh and Columbus have increased their college-educated population in recent years, and Cleveland and Buffalo are on their way -- having stanched their decades-long outward migration."
Called out for special attention are Clevelanders Eric Kogelschatz and Hallie Bram.
"In Cleveland, Eric Kogelschatz founded the think tank shark&minnow with his wife, Hallie Bram Kogelschatz, after both fled high-powered marketing jobs in Boston; besides organizing TEDxCLE (last year's sold out in two hours), the organization collaborates on events with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Museum of Art. What prompted the move? "We really didn't know what we were getting into," Eric admits. "But we were tired of Rust Belt cynicism."
Read it all right here.
Blame it on the recession or chalk it up to a generation of people who prefer vinyl records to MP3s, but the trend toward creative entrepreneurship is real and rising. People value authenticity, and that often comes in the form of a handmade object with pedigree and a good story to boot. These folks have all traded in their "day jobs" to pursue their passion of making things by hand.
Every time a young person leaves Northeast Ohio for another part of the country, Greater Cleveland loses 120 percent of their salary in actual economic value, says Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.
That's why he recently created the Next Generation Council, a group that is intended to stem brain drain by giving young people a voice in helping the county attract and retain young talent in the region.
Recently, FitzGerald selected 15 council members from a diverse pool of 125 applicants between the ages of 20 and 35. The group began meeting last month and is working to develop a strategic plan.
“The Next Generation Council will provide an opportunity for my administration to get input from young professionals on how the county can develop the right conditions to engage the creative class,” said FitzGerald in a news release. “We are lucky to have such a diverse group to begin this important initiative.”
She adds, "My aim is to help identify or establish pathways to boost the engagement of young professionals in the public sector, ensuring our voices are consistently represented at the highest level."
Each member of the council serves two years. The group is part of a broader effort by FitzGerald to make Cuyahoga County "a more inclusive and competitive region."
Source: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald
Writer: Lee Chilcote
That's why he recently created the Next Generation Council, a group that is intended to stem brain drain by giving young people a voice in helping the county attract and retain young talent in the region.
Recently, FitzGerald selected 15 council members from a diverse pool of 125 applicants between the ages of 20 and 35. The group began meeting last month and is working to develop a strategic plan.
“The Next Generation Council will provide an opportunity for my administration to get input from young professionals on how the county can develop the right conditions to engage the creative class,” said FitzGerald in a news release. “We are lucky to have such a diverse group to begin this important initiative.”
"I joined the NGC because I admired Ed FitzGerald's willingness to take a very visible step to engage the region's emerging leaders," says council member Hermione Malone, who works at University Hospitals and lives in Detroit Shoreway. "I knew this would allow me to meet a new cadre of smart, creative, passionate, networked peers."
Each member of the council serves two years. The group is part of a broader effort by FitzGerald to make Cuyahoga County "a more inclusive and competitive region."
Source: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Small business owners are often the very first to turn the lights on in the morning and the last to leave at night. So when an owner doesn't show up for work until midmorning, that's typically something his or her employees take notice of right away. They may gossip and joke that the boss is out playing hooky.
"They'll look around and wonder where the boss is," says Ginny Hridel, Product Manager of Health Insurance and Wellness Programs with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE). "Taking an hour and a half a week is not something owners are used to."
Yet, dedicating such time to health and wellness is what's expected of participants in Wellness Tracks, a COSE program that's geared towards helping Cleveland's small business owners become healthier. Throughout the 12-week program, owners learn how to integrate nutrition and wellness into their lives. The result, says Hridel, impacts not only the owners' fitness levels but also their companies' bottom line.
"Think about the sustainability of small businesses," she says. "If the owner gets sick, there's a big impact on the business. If they're able to stay healthy, they can focus on the business and be more productive. There are so many wellness programs for big companies, but it's harder to achieve for small businesses."
To that end, COSE set up its program to make it easy and affordable for small business owners to participate. The program requires a manageable chunk of time and is free for anyone covered by COSE's Medical Mutual plan. Owners not covered by that plan can still attend Wellness Tracks for a small fee.
"There are so many individual success stories," says Hridel. "This is not just about pounds lost but about the business owner making a personal transformation."
In the past two years, Wellness Tracks has graduated more than 300 individuals. The next program kicks off April 19th and classes start the week of April 23rd.
Source: Ginny Hridel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"They'll look around and wonder where the boss is," says Ginny Hridel, Product Manager of Health Insurance and Wellness Programs with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE). "Taking an hour and a half a week is not something owners are used to."
Yet, dedicating such time to health and wellness is what's expected of participants in Wellness Tracks, a COSE program that's geared towards helping Cleveland's small business owners become healthier. Throughout the 12-week program, owners learn how to integrate nutrition and wellness into their lives. The result, says Hridel, impacts not only the owners' fitness levels but also their companies' bottom line.
"Think about the sustainability of small businesses," she says. "If the owner gets sick, there's a big impact on the business. If they're able to stay healthy, they can focus on the business and be more productive. There are so many wellness programs for big companies, but it's harder to achieve for small businesses."
To that end, COSE set up its program to make it easy and affordable for small business owners to participate. The program requires a manageable chunk of time and is free for anyone covered by COSE's Medical Mutual plan. Owners not covered by that plan can still attend Wellness Tracks for a small fee.
"There are so many individual success stories," says Hridel. "This is not just about pounds lost but about the business owner making a personal transformation."
In the past two years, Wellness Tracks has graduated more than 300 individuals. The next program kicks off April 19th and classes start the week of April 23rd.
Source: Ginny Hridel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Just as the U.S. Supreme Court this week begins to hear arguments about the constitutionality of the federal Affordable Care Act, several Northeast Ohio foundations have banded together to provide nonpartisan, consumer-friendly information to help citizens navigate this complex new law.
The public education effort takes place as liberal and conservative groups across the country launch a fight not only over the constitutionality of the law, but also over how it's perceived by the general public. While the Obama campaign and other Democratic groups are trying to demonstrate how the law is already improving people's lives, Republican groups, on the other hand, are trying to cast the law as a job-killing, top-down mandate.
For Kim St. John-Stevenson of the Saint Luke's Foundation, ensuring that ordinary citizens have the information they need to navigate this complex law -- which will affect their lives, whether they know it yet or not -- is by far the most important objective.
"There's a huge education gap, and we need to be proactive about plugging that gap," says St. John-Stevenson. "Whether you like the legislation or not, right now it's the law of the land, and it's in everybody's best interests to understand it."
The new website, www.affordablecareactneo.org, was launched by the George Gund Foundation, Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation and Saint Luke's Foundation. Modeled after a similar effort in Cincinnati, it provides information about costs, private insurance, Medicare, mental health coverage, coverage for kids and more.
The website is available in English and Spanish, and there is also a wallet card that can be printed out. The foundations will be working over the coming months to spread the word about the website through their nonprofit partnerships.
Source: Kim St. John-Stevenson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The public education effort takes place as liberal and conservative groups across the country launch a fight not only over the constitutionality of the law, but also over how it's perceived by the general public. While the Obama campaign and other Democratic groups are trying to demonstrate how the law is already improving people's lives, Republican groups, on the other hand, are trying to cast the law as a job-killing, top-down mandate.
For Kim St. John-Stevenson of the Saint Luke's Foundation, ensuring that ordinary citizens have the information they need to navigate this complex law -- which will affect their lives, whether they know it yet or not -- is by far the most important objective.
"There's a huge education gap, and we need to be proactive about plugging that gap," says St. John-Stevenson. "Whether you like the legislation or not, right now it's the law of the land, and it's in everybody's best interests to understand it."
The new website, www.affordablecareactneo.org, was launched by the George Gund Foundation, Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation and Saint Luke's Foundation. Modeled after a similar effort in Cincinnati, it provides information about costs, private insurance, Medicare, mental health coverage, coverage for kids and more.
The website is available in English and Spanish, and there is also a wallet card that can be printed out. The foundations will be working over the coming months to spread the word about the website through their nonprofit partnerships.
Source: Kim St. John-Stevenson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Cleveland Plus Marketing Alliance is celebrating its fifth birthday promoting Northeast Ohio as a vigorous regional entity. Like any proud parent, Cleveland Plus executive director Rick Batyko is eager to show off the campaign's accomplishments over its first five years of life. Fresh Water writer Douglas J. Guth spoke with Batyko about the campaign's successful past as well as the Wadsworth native's hopes for the region's future.
Since the financial crowdsourcing website Kickstarter was founded a few years ago by New York entrepreneurs, it has helped to raise millions of dollars for artistic projects, including many in Cleveland.
Just how important is Kickstarter for arts funding? A recent New York Times article reported that the organization expects to raise $150 million in contributions in 2012. By comparison, the National Endowment for the Arts has a budget of $146 million.
Next week, Kickstarter is coming to Cleveland as part of a Midwest tour to showcase how artists can land DIY funding for their creative-minded startups. The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) and the Foundation Center of Cleveland partnered to create the event, which takes place on Thursday, March 29th from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Idea Center's Miller Classroom at 1375 Euclid Avenue.
"Kickstarter is important not only because it helps artists raise funding, but also because it leverages their ability to get the word out," says Susan DePasquale, Program Manager with CPAC. "There aren't many opportunities for artists to be funded directly. Kickstarter also allows givers to feel like entrepreneurs."
Source: Susan DePasquale
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Just how important is Kickstarter for arts funding? A recent New York Times article reported that the organization expects to raise $150 million in contributions in 2012. By comparison, the National Endowment for the Arts has a budget of $146 million.
Next week, Kickstarter is coming to Cleveland as part of a Midwest tour to showcase how artists can land DIY funding for their creative-minded startups. The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) and the Foundation Center of Cleveland partnered to create the event, which takes place on Thursday, March 29th from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Idea Center's Miller Classroom at 1375 Euclid Avenue.
"Kickstarter is important not only because it helps artists raise funding, but also because it leverages their ability to get the word out," says Susan DePasquale, Program Manager with CPAC. "There aren't many opportunities for artists to be funded directly. Kickstarter also allows givers to feel like entrepreneurs."
Source: Susan DePasquale
Writer: Lee Chilcote
What makes a neighborhood thrive? Is it a coffee shop? A fistful of chef-owned bistros? What about a grocery store and dry cleaners? When it comes to Cleveland's various neighborhoods, some seem to have all the pieces in place. Ohio City, Tremont, Detroit Shoreway… these budding burgs appear to have everything a resident could want and need. But do they?
Against a backdrop of vacant, foreclosed homes and empty lots, U.S. Representatives Steve LaTourette and Marcia Fudge this week unveiled the bipartisan Restore Our Neighborhoods Act of 2012. The new legislation seeks to provide $4 billion to states and land banks to issue 30-year demolition bonds to demolish vacant, blighted homes across the country.
"This country needs to come to the realization that sometimes you just need to tear it down and start over," LaTourette told an audience of city leaders and community development professionals outside of a vacant home on E. 69th Street in Slavic Village. LaTourette stressed that the foreclosure crisis is not just an urban problem; it affects the Lake County communities he represents, too. "Vacant homes drag down property values and can lead to crime."
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge noted that more than 40 percent of the homes on E. 69th Street off Union Avenue were either vacant or foreclosed. A block away, a woman was recently dragged into a vacant property and raped.
Currently, only 10 percent of funds from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) can be used for demolition. The bill would change that by allowing greater flexibility in how NSP funds can be used. It would also provide more than $40 million in Qualified Urban Demolition Bonds to every state, with additional funding flowing to states like Ohio that are considered "hardest hit" by the foreclosure crisis. Any unused allocation would be redistributed by the Secretary of the Treasury after two years to "qualified" states (including Ohio).
Fudge and LaTourette stressed that the legislation would be budget neutral, as there are at least two possible offsets under consideration for the $4 billion cost.
City and county leaders said the legislation is not only about removing blight, but also clearing the way for future redevelopment of neighborhoods. "We want to see a city that's thriving and bustling," said Gus Frangos, President of the Cuyahoga Land Bank. "This is about creating a new vision for our neighborhoods."
Although more than 6,000 vacant homes in Cleveland have been demolished in the past five to seven years, there are still more than 12,000 condemned or blighted homes throughout the city. Throughout Cuyahoga County, there are estimated to be 25,000 to 30,000 blighted or condemned properties in need of demolition.
"This is a $250-million problem," said Frangos. "That number is much greater than we can handle, no matter how strategic we are with our resources."
Source: Steve LaTourette, Marcia Fudge, Gus Frangos
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This country needs to come to the realization that sometimes you just need to tear it down and start over," LaTourette told an audience of city leaders and community development professionals outside of a vacant home on E. 69th Street in Slavic Village. LaTourette stressed that the foreclosure crisis is not just an urban problem; it affects the Lake County communities he represents, too. "Vacant homes drag down property values and can lead to crime."
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge noted that more than 40 percent of the homes on E. 69th Street off Union Avenue were either vacant or foreclosed. A block away, a woman was recently dragged into a vacant property and raped.
Currently, only 10 percent of funds from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) can be used for demolition. The bill would change that by allowing greater flexibility in how NSP funds can be used. It would also provide more than $40 million in Qualified Urban Demolition Bonds to every state, with additional funding flowing to states like Ohio that are considered "hardest hit" by the foreclosure crisis. Any unused allocation would be redistributed by the Secretary of the Treasury after two years to "qualified" states (including Ohio).
Fudge and LaTourette stressed that the legislation would be budget neutral, as there are at least two possible offsets under consideration for the $4 billion cost.
City and county leaders said the legislation is not only about removing blight, but also clearing the way for future redevelopment of neighborhoods. "We want to see a city that's thriving and bustling," said Gus Frangos, President of the Cuyahoga Land Bank. "This is about creating a new vision for our neighborhoods."
Although more than 6,000 vacant homes in Cleveland have been demolished in the past five to seven years, there are still more than 12,000 condemned or blighted homes throughout the city. Throughout Cuyahoga County, there are estimated to be 25,000 to 30,000 blighted or condemned properties in need of demolition.
"This is a $250-million problem," said Frangos. "That number is much greater than we can handle, no matter how strategic we are with our resources."
Source: Steve LaTourette, Marcia Fudge, Gus Frangos
Writer: Lee Chilcote
On the heels of St. Patty's Day, which gives cause for merriment whether you're Irish for one day or your entire life, comes Dyngus Day. And Justin Gorski, aka "DJ Kishka," invites you to dig deep to find your ethnic roots and celebrate Cleveland's Polish heritage in style.
"I'm Polish, and I always had pride in that," says Gorski, who created the Polka Happy Hour at the Happy Dog seven years ago. "My grandmother made pierogi and potato pancakes. It's great to be able to celebrate the ethnicity of Cleveland."
Gorski was inspired to create a Dyngus Day celebration in Cleveland after he traveled to Buffalo two years ago to perform. Dyngus Day festivities there attract more than 60,000 people each year. The event is a traditional pagan holiday that began as a celebration of the rites of spring, but was co-opted by a Polish Catholic king many eons ago. Today, it is widely celebrated as the Polish version of Mardi Gras, and always takes place on the Monday after Easter.
Last year's event attracted 1,500 people, and DJ Kishka is hoping for 5,000 at this year's celebration. Bars and restaurants in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood have banded together to promote the event. Organizers are planning an Accordion March along W. 58th Street, the traditional crowning of Ms. Dyngus (kind of a polka-themed talent show), live music and an appearance by Big Chuck.
Gorski says Cleveland's strong Polish community will keep Dyngus Day growing, and it will help attract visitors to the revitalized Gordon Square Arts District.
Dyngus Day will take place on Monday, April 9th. The crowning of Ms. Dyngus will take place at 5 p.m., with the Accordion March immediately following.
Source: Justin Gorski
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I'm Polish, and I always had pride in that," says Gorski, who created the Polka Happy Hour at the Happy Dog seven years ago. "My grandmother made pierogi and potato pancakes. It's great to be able to celebrate the ethnicity of Cleveland."
Gorski was inspired to create a Dyngus Day celebration in Cleveland after he traveled to Buffalo two years ago to perform. Dyngus Day festivities there attract more than 60,000 people each year. The event is a traditional pagan holiday that began as a celebration of the rites of spring, but was co-opted by a Polish Catholic king many eons ago. Today, it is widely celebrated as the Polish version of Mardi Gras, and always takes place on the Monday after Easter.
Last year's event attracted 1,500 people, and DJ Kishka is hoping for 5,000 at this year's celebration. Bars and restaurants in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood have banded together to promote the event. Organizers are planning an Accordion March along W. 58th Street, the traditional crowning of Ms. Dyngus (kind of a polka-themed talent show), live music and an appearance by Big Chuck.
Gorski says Cleveland's strong Polish community will keep Dyngus Day growing, and it will help attract visitors to the revitalized Gordon Square Arts District.
Dyngus Day will take place on Monday, April 9th. The crowning of Ms. Dyngus will take place at 5 p.m., with the Accordion March immediately following.
Source: Justin Gorski
Writer: Lee Chilcote
To conduct an authentic test of what it's like to be a tourist in Cleveland, Positively Cleveland recently sent several Northeast Ohioans on all-expenses-paid trips to parts of the city with which they were unfamiliar. The outcomes of this "mystery shopper" test were revealing, if not exactly surprising: Safety, wayfinding signage and public transportation ranked among participants' top concerns.
Lexi Hotchkiss, Communications Manager with Positively Cleveland, says the "Tourist for a Day" effort was part of a larger, regional initiative to make Cleveland a more visitor-friendly destination. The "Destination Cleveland" project has been launched by Positively Cleveland and other civic-minded partners in anticipation of $2 billion in tourism-related development that is currently being invested in downtown Cleveland.
"Our new President and CEO, David Gilbert, started the process when he joined the organization," explains Hotchkiss. "We knew it was time to look at Cleveland in a different way, and really examine how we look, act and feel as a destination."
In November, Positively Cleveland held a summit with over 200 community ambassadors, ranging from government officials to hotel managers. This unprecedented, collaborative effort to take Cleveland's tourism economy to the next level resulted in 11 focus areas. Top government officials also signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to work together on this effort.
In a few days, tourism leaders are set to unveil and begin implementing a new, five year plan to improve Cleveland as a travel destination. Positively Cleveland and its partners are holding the Destination Cleveland Travel and Tourism Outcomes Launch on Tuesday, March 27th from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the House of Blues. The event is free and open to the public.
"Tourism is the fourth largest private sector economy in Ohio," says Hotchkiss. "One of the things we really want to do is engage locals as ambassadors of our city."
Source: Lexi Hotchkiss
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Lexi Hotchkiss, Communications Manager with Positively Cleveland, says the "Tourist for a Day" effort was part of a larger, regional initiative to make Cleveland a more visitor-friendly destination. The "Destination Cleveland" project has been launched by Positively Cleveland and other civic-minded partners in anticipation of $2 billion in tourism-related development that is currently being invested in downtown Cleveland.
"Our new President and CEO, David Gilbert, started the process when he joined the organization," explains Hotchkiss. "We knew it was time to look at Cleveland in a different way, and really examine how we look, act and feel as a destination."
In November, Positively Cleveland held a summit with over 200 community ambassadors, ranging from government officials to hotel managers. This unprecedented, collaborative effort to take Cleveland's tourism economy to the next level resulted in 11 focus areas. Top government officials also signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to work together on this effort.
In a few days, tourism leaders are set to unveil and begin implementing a new, five year plan to improve Cleveland as a travel destination. Positively Cleveland and its partners are holding the Destination Cleveland Travel and Tourism Outcomes Launch on Tuesday, March 27th from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the House of Blues. The event is free and open to the public.
"Tourism is the fourth largest private sector economy in Ohio," says Hotchkiss. "One of the things we really want to do is engage locals as ambassadors of our city."
Source: Lexi Hotchkiss
Writer: Lee Chilcote
jd breast cancer foundation helps women get back on their feet
J.T. Aguila is Executive Director of the J.D. Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization founded to honor Jacqueline Dobransky, a 33-year-old woman who died of breast cancer in 1997. The foundation's mission is to provide financial assistance, emotional support and education to enhance survivorship.
Aguila knows something about surviving cancer. His wife, Nina Messina, was afflicted by three kinds of cancer in five years, and during that time, Aguila and his family benefited from many acts of kindness from friends. Today, she has been cancer-free for seven years. "Every day, she is a reminder of why I do this," Aguila reflects.
Recently, the J.D. Breast Cancer Foundation gave away $35,000 to 80 women suffering from financial hardship. Although grant amounts are small, ranging from $450 to $1,500, Aguila says the impact they make on women's lives is huge.
"The grants really do help these individuals get over the hump," he says. "We're providing emergency financial assistance to make sure they're not being evicted, getting their utilities cut off in the dead of winter, or unable to put food on the table. When I talk to them, I can hear relief on the other side of the phone."
In addition to grantmaking, the Foundation also hosts a Young Survivors Symposium and an annual Pink Carpet Gala. The latter event honors 10 breast cancer survivors from across Northeast Ohio, giving them the opportunity to get dressed up and walk the pink carpet while their friends take pictures.
Currently, Aguila is busy planning the Foundation's annual Extreme Golf Event, as well as support groups in partnership with the Gathering Place. If you'd like to get involved, he is seeking volunteers, donations and individuals in need of assistance.
Source: J.T. Aguila
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Aguila knows something about surviving cancer. His wife, Nina Messina, was afflicted by three kinds of cancer in five years, and during that time, Aguila and his family benefited from many acts of kindness from friends. Today, she has been cancer-free for seven years. "Every day, she is a reminder of why I do this," Aguila reflects.
Recently, the J.D. Breast Cancer Foundation gave away $35,000 to 80 women suffering from financial hardship. Although grant amounts are small, ranging from $450 to $1,500, Aguila says the impact they make on women's lives is huge.
"The grants really do help these individuals get over the hump," he says. "We're providing emergency financial assistance to make sure they're not being evicted, getting their utilities cut off in the dead of winter, or unable to put food on the table. When I talk to them, I can hear relief on the other side of the phone."
In addition to grantmaking, the Foundation also hosts a Young Survivors Symposium and an annual Pink Carpet Gala. The latter event honors 10 breast cancer survivors from across Northeast Ohio, giving them the opportunity to get dressed up and walk the pink carpet while their friends take pictures.
Currently, Aguila is busy planning the Foundation's annual Extreme Golf Event, as well as support groups in partnership with the Gathering Place. If you'd like to get involved, he is seeking volunteers, donations and individuals in need of assistance.
Source: J.T. Aguila
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This year’s film festival is up to 318 films from 60 countries, ranging from documentary to feature length drama. But there are three films that will be of particular interest to Clevelanders. All documentaries, the flicks cover post-recession life of Detroit, Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson, and what it means to be black in today’s society.