Grassroots Success

A creative journal: Lake Erie Ink founder looks back on 10 years of fostering youth creativity
From hosting poetry clubs to youth programming that promotes creative thinking and writing, Lake Erie Ink founders Amy Rosenbluth and Cynthia Larsen look back on a decade of growth. 
Wrap it up: NEOCH’s annual Street Chronicle, wrapping paper edition, hits the streets
The wrapping paper edition of the Cleveland Street Chronicle is on sale now. Get yours today from vendors or participating stores.
Old Stone Church to host coat drive to help meet the increased need this holiday season
Old Stone Church will host a contactless community coat drive to help those hit hardest by winter and the coronavirus pandemic.
All in the family: Neighborhood Pets ensures every family member is cared for
Neighborhood Pets works to keep pets with their human companions by providing low cost medical care, food and supplies, and other services to low-income pet owners.
Meet six Fresh Innovators who are using their grit to make Cleveland great
They're creative. They're courageous. They're resilient. They're the Fresh Innovators, a group of talented professionals making a difference locally. The Cleveland Leadership Center and FreshWater Cleveland will salute the group virtually with Spark 2020: Grit to Great, the center's annual leadership symposium, tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 3.
Making it count: Community groups get creative in collecting census data during a pandemic
Cleveland is lagging in responses to the 2020 U.S. Census, so community groups are taking some creative measures to encourage traditionally hard-to-reach groups to be counted—and it's working.
Documentary Songwriters to perform virtual concert, Songs of #MeToo to benefit Rape Crisis Center
An ensemble of musicians with the Documentary Songwriters will stream a concert on Friday that features the powerful survival stories of six women victimized by sexual conduct or domestic violence.
Fresh Innovators to be recognized for innovative impacts at virtual Spark: Grit to Great symposium
The Cleveland Leadership Center in September will honor six innovators during the Spark 2020: Grit to Great leadership symposium. These six people accomplish amazing feats while often going unnoticed.
Cleveland Indigenous Coalition’s demand for team name and mascot change gains momentum
More than 60 local organizations and businesses have now taken a stand with the Cleveland Indigenous Coalition in asking Cleveland City Council, Progressive Insurance, and Cleveland baseball sponsors to  persuade the Cleveland Indians to change their name and end Indigenous themes and imagery.
West side hotel gives Cleveland’s homeless a place to rest their heads during coronavirus pandemic
When COVID-19 hit Cleveland earlier this year, government officials and advocates scrambled to find safe housing alternatives to the streets and shelters. The temporary answer just may lead to some long term goals and solutions.
A day in the life of a Cleveland Food Bank truck driver during COVID-19
John Daniel "JD" Aylward  and U.S. Marshal Tony Keffer take pride in helping the Greater Cleveland Food Bank deliver much-needed food to an increasing number of Clevelanders.
Little Africa Collaborative brings food and nutrition education to Cleveland’s food deserts
The Little Africa Food Collaborative has the mission to feed and educate the residents in Cleveland's food deserts. With recent grant money, the group is closer to opening co-op grocery stores in neighborhoods like Hough-Fairfax and Central-Kinsman.
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.
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.
Blast from the past: Historic street signs go up in Forest Hill neighborhood
A neighborhood group is installing historically accurate replicas of the original 1920s street signs in the East Cleveland portion of Forest Hill.
Opportunity zones were designed to spur development in poor areas. Are they doing the job?
Opportunity zones supposedly were intended to be good for investors and poor neighborhoods alike. Two years after their creation, the benefits for all city residents are still in dispute.
Meet the #Fresh4, innovative thinkers making a difference
Tom Gill, Jacqueline Gillon, Stephanie Buda and Shelly Gracon are thinking outside the box to make their communities stronger. They are this year's #Fresh4, recognized by the Cleveland Leadership Center and FreshWater Cleveland as innovators who are making a difference.
JumpStart gives crucial boost to minority- and women-owned businesses
Angela Flowers' in-school consulting business took off when she connected with JumpStart Inc., a Cleveland-based venture development group that focuses on women- and minority-owned companies.
Could Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus be Cleveland's next great arts district?
What does the future for the 1976 Coventry School building look like? A new pilot program holds the key to finding out.
Bohemian rhapsodies and business woes: Coventry routinely cycles through good times and bad
As businesses depart the street and pedestrian traffic wanes, Cleveland Heights' iconic street is gearing up to get its groove back.