Social Change

Downtown cleanup doesn’t erase larger problem of injustice, volunteers say
Local residents who helped clean up the destruction caused by rioters on May 30 find hope, pride, and a need for change in the shards they swept up.
West Side Catholic Center raises funds to make improvements at Ohio City Pizzeria
West Side Catholic Center's mission is to help all who come to them in need of food, clothing, shelter, advocacy and a path to self-sufficiency. Ohio City Pizzeria is one way the nonprofit provides hands-on job training. Now, WSCC is holding a fundraiser to step up its training and offer more personalized coaching.
Taking it to the street: Cleveland Heights considers loosening outdoor dining and entertainment laws
As restaurants and bars re-open, Cleveland Heights business owners and city officials are working together to come up with new ways to social distance while mingling outside. 
Bottoms up! Couple starts nonprofit cocktail delivery business to aid frontline workers
Dave Ocker and Kyah Fernandez lost their restaurant jobs after COVID-19 hit. But saw it as an opportunity to start a nonprofit cocktail delivery company that benefits first responders on the frontline.
Anti-bullying project shows #CLE kids that words hurt too
Craven Smith’s Live2Love Project aims to open lines of communication to shut down bullies.
Sewing masks, saving lives: Yellowcake's Valerie Mayen is up for the challenge of making 2,000 masks
Valerie Mayen is used to taking on challenges—after all, the Gordon Square resident has seen her fair share as a two-time “Project Runway” contestant. But Mayen is taking on her biggest challenge yet: producing 2,000 masks to help combat the COVID-19 crisis.
How Cleveland organizations are coping with coronavirus shutdowns#COVID-19
Events are being canceled or rescheduled left and right. Offices are closing, and people are working from home and sheltering in place. We caught up with five Cleveland organizations to see how the coronavirus crisis is affecting their efforts to serve the public.
Babies and Brunch delivers meals amidst coronavirus in Cleveland#COVID-19
Though Cleveland schools are closed for now, school lunches are still available. But if you're working and your kids are staying indoors, how are you supposed to pick up the food? Babies and Brunch, a newly formed neighborhood volunteer effort, is stepping up to the plate.
Right to counsel offers justice for Cleveland's low-income renters
A new law guaranteeing right to legal counsel for low-income Cleveland families facing eviction is the first of its kind in Ohio.
We tried it: I pitched my idea for taking Cleveland next-level at Accelerate
FreshWater Cleveland's contributing editor Jen Jones Donatelli shares her experience as one of 30 finalists in this year's round of Accelerate: Citizens Make Change.
United Way fights Cleveland’s poverty crisis head on with the Community Hub for Basic Needs
Cleveland is facing a poverty crisis, something that the United Way of Greater Cleveland and a network of its partners are tackling with a new strategy of focused investments.
Projects bridging Cleveland’s digital divide get a boost from Accelerate civic pitch competition
Two technology-driven projects that were pitched last year at the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Accelerate: Citizens Make Change civic pitch competition are well on their way to fruition.
Caring and sharing: Manna House offers safety and services in Fairfax neighborhood
All are welcome at the Manna House, which offers a safe place for those in need in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood.
Shazam! Can comic books slay the high functional illiteracy rate in Mt. Pleasant?

Like the millions of moviegoers who saw "Black Panther" on its opening weekend in February 2018, Dawn Arrington was captivated by the film’s superhero story brought to life by a predominantly black cast. But unlike most of those moviegoers, Arrington took it a step further to become a hero in her own right.

Filmmaker connects Cleveland to environmental success stories
Brad Masi uses the art of filmmaking to show how local actions in Northeast Ohio can address environmental issues such as transportation, urban agriculture and climate change.
Could a $235,000 diamond hold the key to a CLE nonprofit's future?

What happens when you mix a dazzling six-figure gem, a mysterious benefactor, and a high-stakes situation for a global nonprofit? No, it’s not the plot for the next James Bond movie — it’s the unfolding storyline for local nonprofit Because I Said I Would.

The City Mission gives 6th renovated house to family facing homelessness
The City Mission's New Horizons program is helping deserving families avoid homelessness, with assistance from a lot of donations and volunteers.
Fairfax boxing coach gives back by developing champions, inside the ring and out
Fred Wilson knows boxing. He also knows youngsters in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood often lack self-esteem. To help give them the confidence they need, he runs a free boxing program at the Fairfax Recreation Center.