Health + Wellness
Very soon, the City of Cleveland Heights will amend its zoning code "To encourage sustainable practices in residential neighborhoods." This legislation makes the city one of the most sustainable in the United States. Changes will make it expressly lawful to install rain barrels, plant front-yard vegetable gardens, build compost bins and replace asphalt driveways with those featuring semi-pervious materials. But without question, the topic garnering the most buzz is backyard chickens.
Take a deep breath, says Lisa Damour of the Center for Research on Girls at Laurel School. Remember that parents are just people who have kids.
Once you acknowledge your own imperfections -- something that your teenager will likely be happy to assist you with -- it gets easier to see that your kids are struggling to define themselves in light of you.
However painful teenage rebellion might be for parents, it has historically contributed to innovation, says Damour. "I'm pretty sure it was a cave teenager who first discovered fire," she joked with a capacity crowd at the recent TEDxCLE event at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where she was a featured speaker.
Because teenagers typically reject advice that is offered by parents and respond poorly to judgment, it is important to show teens that we care about what happens to them and to help them identify positive mentors outside of their parents.
"We need less handwringing, more understanding," said Damour, a psychologist and an expert on adolescent development. "We need to surround them with good teachers and mentors. The fewer people that complain about teenagers and the more that see it as everyone's job to help them grow up, the better off we'll be."
Source: Lisa Damour
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Once you acknowledge your own imperfections -- something that your teenager will likely be happy to assist you with -- it gets easier to see that your kids are struggling to define themselves in light of you.
However painful teenage rebellion might be for parents, it has historically contributed to innovation, says Damour. "I'm pretty sure it was a cave teenager who first discovered fire," she joked with a capacity crowd at the recent TEDxCLE event at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where she was a featured speaker.
Because teenagers typically reject advice that is offered by parents and respond poorly to judgment, it is important to show teens that we care about what happens to them and to help them identify positive mentors outside of their parents.
"We need less handwringing, more understanding," said Damour, a psychologist and an expert on adolescent development. "We need to surround them with good teachers and mentors. The fewer people that complain about teenagers and the more that see it as everyone's job to help them grow up, the better off we'll be."
Source: Lisa Damour
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Registration for the 2014 Gay Games (GG9) begins in May. This represents an opportunity to sell Northeast Ohio as a welcoming, inclusive region to a global audience, says GG9 Director Tom Nobbe.
"Cleveland represents a blank slate to many people in Western Europe and Asia, and that's both a challenge and an advantage," he says. "We have a compelling story to tell. We can position our region as not only welcoming to outsiders, but also as inclusive."
The Gay Games is a global sports and culture event that is coming to Cleveland and Akron August 9 through 16, 2014. It is one of the largest multi-sport festivals in the world that is open to all -- regardless of skill level, age (as long as you're 18 or over), sexual orientation or physical challenge. The weeklong festival is expected to draw more than 10,000 participants, along with an estimated 20,000 additional visitors, spectators, performers and volunteers.
GG9 has recruited more than 100 active volunteers to serve on nine committees that will promote the event. Local creative agencies such as Brokaw, Aztek and Consolidated Graphics Group are providing pro bono marketing services.
Nobbe wants to enlist Clevelanders to help promote the games and welcome participants while they're here. "This is going to change the region," he says. "Participants are going to spend money on hotels and restaurants."
"This is an opportunity to say, 'We've got a vibrant LGBT community,'" he adds. "We may not have Boystown, Chelsea or Castro, but that's because we're comfortable going to any community in Northeast Ohio."
Source: Tom Nobbe
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Cleveland represents a blank slate to many people in Western Europe and Asia, and that's both a challenge and an advantage," he says. "We have a compelling story to tell. We can position our region as not only welcoming to outsiders, but also as inclusive."
The Gay Games is a global sports and culture event that is coming to Cleveland and Akron August 9 through 16, 2014. It is one of the largest multi-sport festivals in the world that is open to all -- regardless of skill level, age (as long as you're 18 or over), sexual orientation or physical challenge. The weeklong festival is expected to draw more than 10,000 participants, along with an estimated 20,000 additional visitors, spectators, performers and volunteers.
GG9 has recruited more than 100 active volunteers to serve on nine committees that will promote the event. Local creative agencies such as Brokaw, Aztek and Consolidated Graphics Group are providing pro bono marketing services.
Nobbe wants to enlist Clevelanders to help promote the games and welcome participants while they're here. "This is going to change the region," he says. "Participants are going to spend money on hotels and restaurants."
"This is an opportunity to say, 'We've got a vibrant LGBT community,'" he adds. "We may not have Boystown, Chelsea or Castro, but that's because we're comfortable going to any community in Northeast Ohio."
Source: Tom Nobbe
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now that the urban farming movement is becoming steadily more mature, cities are looking beyond backyard hens and market gardens to longer-term agricultural land use policies. They can and should learn from what works in other places while also advocating for better public policy at every level.
These were the messages conveyed at a forum on urban agriculture that was held last week at Cleveland State University. Kimberly Hodgson, a planner and public health advocate from Vancouver, Canada, said that Cleveland is considered a leader in the new agrarian movement, but that U.S. and Canadian cities have much to learn from each other.
Baltimore completed a study to prioritize and focus urban agriculture in needed areas, Hodgson told an audience of 100-plus planners, farmers, students and lawyers. Minneapolis conducted an analysis to determine which parcels of land have low value for development and would thus be appropriate for urban farming.
The goal of such plans, Hodgson said, is generally to promote and support equal access to urban farming and gardening, create economic opportunity for residents, reduce regulatory barriers to farming and expand agricultural production.
Other examples Hodgson cited included Vancouver, which has developed urban agriculture design guidelines, and Baltimore, which hired a Food Policy Director using money raised from area foundations. Within six months, the new Director had leveraged enough money on her own to fund the position without subsidy.
Source: Kimberly Hodgson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
These were the messages conveyed at a forum on urban agriculture that was held last week at Cleveland State University. Kimberly Hodgson, a planner and public health advocate from Vancouver, Canada, said that Cleveland is considered a leader in the new agrarian movement, but that U.S. and Canadian cities have much to learn from each other.
Baltimore completed a study to prioritize and focus urban agriculture in needed areas, Hodgson told an audience of 100-plus planners, farmers, students and lawyers. Minneapolis conducted an analysis to determine which parcels of land have low value for development and would thus be appropriate for urban farming.
The goal of such plans, Hodgson said, is generally to promote and support equal access to urban farming and gardening, create economic opportunity for residents, reduce regulatory barriers to farming and expand agricultural production.
Other examples Hodgson cited included Vancouver, which has developed urban agriculture design guidelines, and Baltimore, which hired a Food Policy Director using money raised from area foundations. Within six months, the new Director had leveraged enough money on her own to fund the position without subsidy.
Source: Kimberly Hodgson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Providence House, the first crisis nursery in Ohio and one of only 70 similar facilities in the U.S., recently broke ground on a $2 million, three-phase project in Ohio City that will allow the nonprofit agency to better serve Northeast Ohio families in crisis.
"We have a waiting list that is 20 to 30 kids long right now," explains Natalie Leek-Nelson, Executive Director of Providence House, which is expanding its current location at W. 32nd Street and Lorain Avenue. "Phase I of the expansion will allow us to have 250 kids per year in our crisis nursery, and it will also increase the ages of the kids so that we can take older siblings."
Providence House provides short-term housing for kids who are unsafe in their homes because they're at risk of abuse, neglect or generally unsafe conditions. The agency is unique because it offers intensive therapy to help families stay together. More than 95 percent of families whose children end up at Providence House are eventually reunified. The facility also offers housing to kids whose parents are unable to care for them (for instance, because they've suddenly gotten sick).
"Parents don't want to give up their kids, so things often escalate until they're out of control," says Leek-Nelson. "Providence House is an alternative to the emergency foster system. We let families know it's okay to get help."
When asked why Providence House's work is important, Leek-Nelson cites a statistic that 75 percent of high school dropouts are abused kids. "Is it the school system or something at home that keeps them from succeeding?" she asks.
Providence House has already raised about 75 percent of the funds that are needed to complete Phase I of its expansion plans. "It's been a big challenge, but the community has really stepped up," says Leek-Nelson. "We have more than 300 individuals, foundations and businesses that have donated."
Source: Natalie Leek-Nelson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We have a waiting list that is 20 to 30 kids long right now," explains Natalie Leek-Nelson, Executive Director of Providence House, which is expanding its current location at W. 32nd Street and Lorain Avenue. "Phase I of the expansion will allow us to have 250 kids per year in our crisis nursery, and it will also increase the ages of the kids so that we can take older siblings."
Providence House provides short-term housing for kids who are unsafe in their homes because they're at risk of abuse, neglect or generally unsafe conditions. The agency is unique because it offers intensive therapy to help families stay together. More than 95 percent of families whose children end up at Providence House are eventually reunified. The facility also offers housing to kids whose parents are unable to care for them (for instance, because they've suddenly gotten sick).
"Parents don't want to give up their kids, so things often escalate until they're out of control," says Leek-Nelson. "Providence House is an alternative to the emergency foster system. We let families know it's okay to get help."
When asked why Providence House's work is important, Leek-Nelson cites a statistic that 75 percent of high school dropouts are abused kids. "Is it the school system or something at home that keeps them from succeeding?" she asks.
Providence House has already raised about 75 percent of the funds that are needed to complete Phase I of its expansion plans. "It's been a big challenge, but the community has really stepped up," says Leek-Nelson. "We have more than 300 individuals, foundations and businesses that have donated."
Source: Natalie Leek-Nelson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Recently, an artistically-minded student at Glenville High School was so inspired by his school's first-ever Sustainability Awareness Day that he painted a rain barrel with the school's signature "G" logo and displayed it at last week's inaugural event.
"It was kind of like a small-scale science fair," says Anthony Body, Community Organizer with the Famicos Foundation, a nonprofit community development organization that serves the neighborhood and hosted the event at its Community Service Center on Ansel Rd. "Each student created a display," which included hydroponics, aeroponics and rain barrel displays.
The program is part of an effort to imbue sustainability practices into Glenville in partnership with residents. The goal is to teach people about sustainability, help them grow and access healthy, local food and make them more self-sufficient. Famicos has partnered with the NEO Restoration Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes community gardening and green jobs, to create the program.
"At first, it was like pulling teeth," says Body of his experience working with high school students. "Then they bit into it more and had more hands-on experiences. We went on field trips to the Rockefeller Greenhouse and Galleria and they learned vermicomposting. They saw how it could relate to their homes."
Although most of the students do not have gardens at home, Body says that two students have started gardens at their homes and one actually now has a hydroponics system. "It opened their eyes," he says.
Body says the area is a "food desert," and that most of the local corner stores do not sell fresh produce. He touts the Circle105 Farmers Market, which is now in its second year and kicks off June 15th, as a viable alternative. The farmers market will accept food stamps and offer additional specials for residents this year.
"I see a lot of people who leave Glenville and never come back and engage the youth," says Body, a graduate of Glenville High School as well as Malone University in Canton, Ohio. "The youth need to be educated on how to do this."
Source: Anthony Body
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It was kind of like a small-scale science fair," says Anthony Body, Community Organizer with the Famicos Foundation, a nonprofit community development organization that serves the neighborhood and hosted the event at its Community Service Center on Ansel Rd. "Each student created a display," which included hydroponics, aeroponics and rain barrel displays.
The program is part of an effort to imbue sustainability practices into Glenville in partnership with residents. The goal is to teach people about sustainability, help them grow and access healthy, local food and make them more self-sufficient. Famicos has partnered with the NEO Restoration Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes community gardening and green jobs, to create the program.
"At first, it was like pulling teeth," says Body of his experience working with high school students. "Then they bit into it more and had more hands-on experiences. We went on field trips to the Rockefeller Greenhouse and Galleria and they learned vermicomposting. They saw how it could relate to their homes."
Although most of the students do not have gardens at home, Body says that two students have started gardens at their homes and one actually now has a hydroponics system. "It opened their eyes," he says.
Body says the area is a "food desert," and that most of the local corner stores do not sell fresh produce. He touts the Circle105 Farmers Market, which is now in its second year and kicks off June 15th, as a viable alternative. The farmers market will accept food stamps and offer additional specials for residents this year.
"I see a lot of people who leave Glenville and never come back and engage the youth," says Body, a graduate of Glenville High School as well as Malone University in Canton, Ohio. "The youth need to be educated on how to do this."
Source: Anthony Body
Writer: Lee Chilcote
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
Studies show that kids who don’t have good literacy skills by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out before finishing high school, making it unlikely they will find productive jobs as adults. The Literacy Cooperative’s Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) program helps prepare kids for kindergarten and ultimately get them off to a good start.
“The SPARK program started in Canton six or seven years ago and they’ve seen measureable improvement,” says Literacy Cooperative executive director Bob Paponetti. “By third grade, the SPARK children are doing better than standardized testing.”
The SPARK program began last year with four-year-olds getting ready to enter kindergarten in seven schools in three school districts: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Maple Heights. The program pairs a parent partner who goes to the child’s home once a month and guides the child and parent through a proven curriculum and teaches parents ways to incorporate learning into daily home activities.
The results have been encouraging, showing a higher percentage of kindergarten-readiness in the participants. “Children who participated in SPARK showed a significant marked improvement over kids in the same classroom,” says Paponetti. “We’re very pleased with the first year and we will continue to track them.”
The program targets kids early on so that they have a better chance of finishing school, going to college and being prepared to compete for good jobs.
“There is a clear connection between how they do early on and how they do later in life,” explains Paponetti. “The jobs that continue to be created require more than a high school diploma. There are 400,000 adults in Cuyahoga County who don’t have those requirements, so it’s important to get kids off to a good start. The investment in early childhood really pays off."
Source: Bob Paponetti
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The SPARK program started in Canton six or seven years ago and they’ve seen measureable improvement,” says Literacy Cooperative executive director Bob Paponetti. “By third grade, the SPARK children are doing better than standardized testing.”
The SPARK program began last year with four-year-olds getting ready to enter kindergarten in seven schools in three school districts: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Maple Heights. The program pairs a parent partner who goes to the child’s home once a month and guides the child and parent through a proven curriculum and teaches parents ways to incorporate learning into daily home activities.
The results have been encouraging, showing a higher percentage of kindergarten-readiness in the participants. “Children who participated in SPARK showed a significant marked improvement over kids in the same classroom,” says Paponetti. “We’re very pleased with the first year and we will continue to track them.”
The program targets kids early on so that they have a better chance of finishing school, going to college and being prepared to compete for good jobs.
“There is a clear connection between how they do early on and how they do later in life,” explains Paponetti. “The jobs that continue to be created require more than a high school diploma. There are 400,000 adults in Cuyahoga County who don’t have those requirements, so it’s important to get kids off to a good start. The investment in early childhood really pays off."
Source: Bob Paponetti
Writer: Karin Connelly
In today's political climate, in which the mere mention of pro-choice support ignites controversy, choice advocates have some big balls. They'll be using them at the third annual Bowl-a-Thon for Abortion Access, a nationwide series of events to raise money to help low-income women and girls afford abortion care.
"This is a way to engage younger activists and people who don't have a lot of money but want to help," says Kim Lauren Pereira, Development and Communications Associate with Preterm, an independent abortion clinic in Cleveland. "Legal and safe doesn't mean a whole lot if you can't afford it. The funds raised go directly to women and girls who can't afford abortion procedures."
The event takes place on Thursday, April 26th beginning at 6:30 pm at Mahalls 20 Lanes on Madison Avenue in Lakewood. Although bowling teams -- which boast cheeky names like Roe All the Way, the Gutter Girlz and Lady Parts -- are already set, supporters can still donate to the cause. Anyone can come out to the event to cheer on their favorite teams and support affordable abortion care.
“By involving the community, we’re also fighting abortion stigma," said Laura Hauser, Board President of Preterm and a reputedly fierce bowler, in a news release. "We support women and trust them to choose for themselves, and doing so is about accepting and embracing the idea that abortion is a safe, legal procedure that’s part of comprehensive health care for women."
Source: Kim Lauren Pereira, Laura Hauser
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This is a way to engage younger activists and people who don't have a lot of money but want to help," says Kim Lauren Pereira, Development and Communications Associate with Preterm, an independent abortion clinic in Cleveland. "Legal and safe doesn't mean a whole lot if you can't afford it. The funds raised go directly to women and girls who can't afford abortion procedures."
The event takes place on Thursday, April 26th beginning at 6:30 pm at Mahalls 20 Lanes on Madison Avenue in Lakewood. Although bowling teams -- which boast cheeky names like Roe All the Way, the Gutter Girlz and Lady Parts -- are already set, supporters can still donate to the cause. Anyone can come out to the event to cheer on their favorite teams and support affordable abortion care.
“By involving the community, we’re also fighting abortion stigma," said Laura Hauser, Board President of Preterm and a reputedly fierce bowler, in a news release. "We support women and trust them to choose for themselves, and doing so is about accepting and embracing the idea that abortion is a safe, legal procedure that’s part of comprehensive health care for women."
Source: Kim Lauren Pereira, Laura Hauser
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.
There was good news and bad news when David Uram and David Burg learned in June of 2009 about their application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the State of Ohio. The owners of PIRHL, an affordable housing development firm, were seeking to develop a 44-unit housing project on Euclid Avenue in MidTown called Church Square Commons.
The good news was that they'd been awarded tax credits for the project. PIRHL has completed 24 successful projects in five states in the past seven years.
The bad news was that the tax credits were worth at least 20 percent less than they had been before the recession, ripping a giant hole in the project proforma and making it impossible to continue without securing additional funding.
That funding came in the form of about $1.8 million in federal stimulus dollars and $600,000 in Housing Trust Fund dollars from the City of Cleveland. The developers broke ground on Church Square Commons in November 2010 and completed it a year later. PIRHL is hosting a dedication ceremony with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and other dignitaries and community partners on April 20th.
"This project provides much-needed affordable housing development in the City of Cleveland," says Uram. "Many low-income seniors fall behind in maintaining their homes and can't keep up. The project has also removed significant blight along Euclid Avenue, and helped facilitate redevelopment of the area."
The 44-unit project contains many green, sustainable features, including high-efficiency insulation that cuts down on heating bills for tenants. It also contains 4,000 square feet of common areas, including a hair salon, fitness center and community rooms, some of which are accessible to non-residents.
Uram, who helped found the company in his partner's basement and has a background in nonprofit community development, says affordable housing is a critical piece of redeveloping neighborhoods. "As we gentrify neighborhoods, folks in Cleveland need a place to live," he says. "It's a critical piece of the urban fabric."
Source: David Uram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The good news was that they'd been awarded tax credits for the project. PIRHL has completed 24 successful projects in five states in the past seven years.
The bad news was that the tax credits were worth at least 20 percent less than they had been before the recession, ripping a giant hole in the project proforma and making it impossible to continue without securing additional funding.
That funding came in the form of about $1.8 million in federal stimulus dollars and $600,000 in Housing Trust Fund dollars from the City of Cleveland. The developers broke ground on Church Square Commons in November 2010 and completed it a year later. PIRHL is hosting a dedication ceremony with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and other dignitaries and community partners on April 20th.
"This project provides much-needed affordable housing development in the City of Cleveland," says Uram. "Many low-income seniors fall behind in maintaining their homes and can't keep up. The project has also removed significant blight along Euclid Avenue, and helped facilitate redevelopment of the area."
The 44-unit project contains many green, sustainable features, including high-efficiency insulation that cuts down on heating bills for tenants. It also contains 4,000 square feet of common areas, including a hair salon, fitness center and community rooms, some of which are accessible to non-residents.
Uram, who helped found the company in his partner's basement and has a background in nonprofit community development, says affordable housing is a critical piece of redeveloping neighborhoods. "As we gentrify neighborhoods, folks in Cleveland need a place to live," he says. "It's a critical piece of the urban fabric."
Source: David Uram
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Events like TEDxCLE are changing how people feel about Cleveland and rebranding the city," says founder Hallie Bram Kogelschatz. More than simply inspirational, the annual event is about "inspiration turned into action." Despite a larger space -- the 700-seat Gartner Auditorium at the Cleveland Museum of Art -- all tickets still managed to sell out in minutes. Here's a sample of what's in store.
Imagine eating chef-made meals from food grown right around the corner. That’s the dream Brian Doyle had when he created Sow Food last year, which is a catering business built around locally-grown food.
”Last year my wife Jennifer and I wanted to create a business that was full-circle,” Doyle explains. “We wanted to add a farming component to our catering business because we were interested in adding food in areas considered food deserts.”
Doyle found a plot of land on W. 47th Street and Lorain Avenue in the Cleveland area using the land bank. There, he has created a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model that combines local farming with catering.
Members buy a share in the farm in exchange for gourmet meals prepared by chef Doyle. During the growing season -- June through September -- members get three meals for two people each week. The cost is $1,520 for 16 weeks of food presented in re-usable containers. Subscribers pick up their meals each week at the farm.
Doyle creates the meals from the farm produce while supplementing it with other locally grown meats and cheeses. “We try to feature other local producers of value added goods,” he says. “You’ll never find a national brand item in our bag.”
Last year, Sow Food had 10 customers. This year, the company already has 10 customers signed up. Doyle hopes to get to 30 customers, but will cap it at 50. “We’re thinking in small increments of growth,” he says.
Sow Food has two full-time employees and two seasonal employees. If they reach their targeted growth, Doyle plans to hire an additional full-time employee and two part-time employees.
Sow Food sub-leased kitchen space from a couple restaurants. This year, Doyle is hoping to find a permanent space.
Source: Brian Doyle
Writer: Karin Connelly
”Last year my wife Jennifer and I wanted to create a business that was full-circle,” Doyle explains. “We wanted to add a farming component to our catering business because we were interested in adding food in areas considered food deserts.”
Doyle found a plot of land on W. 47th Street and Lorain Avenue in the Cleveland area using the land bank. There, he has created a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model that combines local farming with catering.
Members buy a share in the farm in exchange for gourmet meals prepared by chef Doyle. During the growing season -- June through September -- members get three meals for two people each week. The cost is $1,520 for 16 weeks of food presented in re-usable containers. Subscribers pick up their meals each week at the farm.
Doyle creates the meals from the farm produce while supplementing it with other locally grown meats and cheeses. “We try to feature other local producers of value added goods,” he says. “You’ll never find a national brand item in our bag.”
Last year, Sow Food had 10 customers. This year, the company already has 10 customers signed up. Doyle hopes to get to 30 customers, but will cap it at 50. “We’re thinking in small increments of growth,” he says.
Sow Food has two full-time employees and two seasonal employees. If they reach their targeted growth, Doyle plans to hire an additional full-time employee and two part-time employees.
Sow Food sub-leased kitchen space from a couple restaurants. This year, Doyle is hoping to find a permanent space.
Source: Brian Doyle
Writer: Karin Connelly
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.
The first virtual biomedical job fair, hosted last week by BioEnterprise and Global Cleveland, proved to be a success in attracting candidates to the region’s biomedical field and its many open positions. Thirty employers took 1,785 applications for open positions. About a quarter of the applicants were from outside of Ohio and another quarter were from outside the region, fulfilling the goal to attract new talent to Northeast Ohio.
“Our industry is an emerging growth industry,” says Baiju Shah, president and CEO of BioEnterprise. “Most of the biotech firms in the Cleveland region right now are expanding and we have to bring individuals from throughout the country to meet the workforce demands.”
It’s too early to tell how many applicants were offered jobs, since the participating employers use their own hiring processes after the initial application. “We will track it,” Shah saws. “The employers were impressed with the quality and the quantity of the candidates.”
The job fair was such a success that BioEnterprise and Global Cleveland plan on hosting additional jobs fairs on a quarterly basis. “We’re expecting to conduct this again in late May or early June,” says Shah. “Each time with a different batch of employers.
There are about 700 biomedical companies in the region. Shah wants to make sure applicants from outside the Cleveland area realize the demand for their skills is high here and there are plenty of options to choose from. “The first job they take here may not be their last job here,” he says. “But the demand is there and demand continues.”
Source: Baiju Shah
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Our industry is an emerging growth industry,” says Baiju Shah, president and CEO of BioEnterprise. “Most of the biotech firms in the Cleveland region right now are expanding and we have to bring individuals from throughout the country to meet the workforce demands.”
It’s too early to tell how many applicants were offered jobs, since the participating employers use their own hiring processes after the initial application. “We will track it,” Shah saws. “The employers were impressed with the quality and the quantity of the candidates.”
The job fair was such a success that BioEnterprise and Global Cleveland plan on hosting additional jobs fairs on a quarterly basis. “We’re expecting to conduct this again in late May or early June,” says Shah. “Each time with a different batch of employers.
There are about 700 biomedical companies in the region. Shah wants to make sure applicants from outside the Cleveland area realize the demand for their skills is high here and there are plenty of options to choose from. “The first job they take here may not be their last job here,” he says. “But the demand is there and demand continues.”
Source: Baiju Shah
Writer: Karin Connelly
Global Cleveland’s pilot program, the English and Pathways for Healthcare Professionals, graduated 19 students on Saturday, March 17. The five-month pilot program was designed to help immigrants with their English as well as find jobs that match the skills they developed in their home countries.
“Everyone was very thankful for the program, each for slightly different reasons” says Global Cleveland president Larry Miller. “They were very grateful for the experience -- it made Cleveland a very special place in their minds.”
Students studied English medical terminology, learned about the structure of the U.S. healthcare system, went on a field trip to the Cleveland Clinic, obtained certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and participated in a college fair and an interviewing and resume writing workshop.
“They walked away with the basic skills,” says Miller. The graduates are now working with a career counselor who will help them on job placement.
Miller was struck by the students’ determination. “I was really impressed with some of their stories,” he says. “These are people who were involved in medicine and to go to another country, it’s very difficult landing in a new culture and a new country.”
A second class is planned for later this year, as well as one in the Akron area. “We think it’s one of the first and best successes,” Miller says of the pilot program. “We look forward to another one.”
Source: Larry Miller
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Everyone was very thankful for the program, each for slightly different reasons” says Global Cleveland president Larry Miller. “They were very grateful for the experience -- it made Cleveland a very special place in their minds.”
Students studied English medical terminology, learned about the structure of the U.S. healthcare system, went on a field trip to the Cleveland Clinic, obtained certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and participated in a college fair and an interviewing and resume writing workshop.
“They walked away with the basic skills,” says Miller. The graduates are now working with a career counselor who will help them on job placement.
Miller was struck by the students’ determination. “I was really impressed with some of their stories,” he says. “These are people who were involved in medicine and to go to another country, it’s very difficult landing in a new culture and a new country.”
A second class is planned for later this year, as well as one in the Akron area. “We think it’s one of the first and best successes,” Miller says of the pilot program. “We look forward to another one.”
Source: Larry Miller
Writer: Karin Connelly
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