Ward 12 News Anthony Brancatelli, Councilman | WINTER 2020-2021 | www.clevelandcitycouncil.org

Despite Challenges, Community Ambassadors Old Brooklyn Continues Recycling By Samuel Hoag The three pillars of environmental sustainability: Reduce what you use, Reuse what you can, and Recycle materials instead of throwing them in the trash. Many may remember family trips to the Ridge Road Transfer Station after accumulating all of the paper, cardboard, and plastic containers from the week. These efforts turn into habits that can help transform a community and the environment. Such efforts are Launched in the fall of 2020, Old Brooklyn Community being exemplified by Old Brooklyn residents Kiera Kurak, Development Corporation (OBCDC) has a new Community Katie Dugan, and Sarah Tan for committing to undertake Ambassador program focused on the visual appearance of the same task on a much wider scale in our community. its main streets, connecting with businesses, and supporting residents. As reported, the City of did not renew Ambassadors are most visible in communities such as its recycling contract early in 2020. Citing a loss of with its “Clean and Safe” program. The profitability and a lack of competitive bidders, the City Old Brooklyn Community Ambassadors are focused on keeping decided to end its current contract and will not sign the neighborhood clean, assisting visitors, and contacting another until after a consultant reviews the recycling businesses. The crew will focus on Pearl Road and Broadview and the waste program. Also, the countries that use to Road. take our recycling no longer do so. In the future OBCDC hopes to expand the program to cover more of Old Brooklyn. Ambassadors can be contacted by emailing [email protected], or by calling OBCDC “We all have children and at 216-459-1000.GET YOUR TAXES PREPARED they’re going to be left * with what we leave them. FOR FREE We want to do better.” BY THE CUYAHOGA EITC COALITION – Kiera Kurak Maximize your tax return and keep every penny! *For those who qualify and make less than $57,000 Old Brooklyn residents Kurak, Dugan, and Tan felt called to do something about this. The three connected Eligible hardworking families can receive up to $6,660 at tax time with the with Hope Fierro, Community Engagement Coordinator EarnedGET Income YOUR Tax Credit (EITC). TAXES PREPARED at the Old Brooklyn Community Development • Keep every penny of your tax return by filing for FREE * Corporation (OBCDC)to begin brainstorming ways to • Quality tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers continue recycling in the neighborhood. • Tax sites conveniently located all over Cuyahoga County All three have lived in Old Brooklyn for several years. • Translation servicesFOR available in Spanish, Mandarin, FREE Cantonese, Dugan grew up in the neighborhood and moved back Arabic, and AmericanBY SignTHE Language CUYAHOGA at select locations EITC COALITION after college and Kurak has been here for 11 years. • Virtual appointments available Tan mentioned that she grew up in New York, where Maximize your tax return and keep every penny! recycling was legislated more robustly and it was given Schedule your*For those appointment who qualify and make less at than $57,000 more attention and care; when she moved to Cleveland, she noticed that was not the case here. Eligiblerefundohio.com hardworking families orcan dial receive 2-1-1 up to $6,660 at tax time with the The Cuyahoga EITC Coalition, led by Enterprise Community Partners, is part of the nationwide IRS Volunteer “It started to feel urgent around the spring and EarnedIncome Tax Assistance Income (VITA) Program. Tax Credit (EITC). summer” explained Dugan. “Being in lockdown made • Keep every penny of your tax return by filing for FREE my household a lot more familiar with how much • Quality tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers garbage we make.” • Tax sites conveniently located all over Cuyahoga County After tossing around a few ideas, the three decided • Translation services available in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, to pursue a partnership with Metropolitan Coffee on Arabic, and American Sign Language at select locations Broadview Rd. On Thursday nights the group would • Virtual appointments available meet in the parking lot of the coffee shop and collect dropped-off recyclables from neighbors, bringing them Schedule your appointment at to a recycling location to ensure that they did not end up refundohio.com or dial 2-1-1 in the landfill. The Cuyahoga EITC Coalition, led by Enterprise Community Partners, is part of the nationwide IRS Volunteer The group also decided to collect aluminum cans Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. to bring to Aluminum Cans for Burned Children, a foundation that collects aluminum from cans for scrap metal. ACBC uses the profits generated by scrap metal collection to pay for special medical equipment for Continued on page 2 The public comment period for Opinions on Pedestrian Safety Improvement Watch Council Project is open now through Pedestrian Wednesday, December 30th. If you Meetings Online have ideas or comments/opinions on Safety? this topic, the city is open to hearing everything you have to say. The The City of Cleveland project is expected to begin in spring is partnering with the Department of 2021. Transportation to implement pedestrian safety For any questions/comments contact the improvements at sixty-one locations across the City’s Project Engineer, Ron Mason, P.E., at city. The improvements in Slavic Village are all in 216-664-3705 or via e-mail at rmason@city. North Broadway near or on Broadway Avenue. cleveland.oh.us. Protect Yourself from Coronavirus Scams 3 PAYMENT METHODS TO AVOID Only imposter scammers will In spite of these trying times, the work of demand that you pay debts, continues. Council has fines or fees with: been meeting electronically with virtual public • Money wires hearings and legislative sessions. • E-currencies such as Bitcoin 4 SIGNS A JOB OFFER IS A SCAM Go to www.clevelandcitycouncil.org/calendar • Retail or e-tail gift cards A job is a scam if your new employer tells to find listings of upcoming Government agencies, tech companies and you to: committee meetings. utilities do not accept these payments. • Deposit a check and then send funds – in any form – to someone else. WATCH (LIVE & RECORDED) WATCH OUT FOR THESE SCAMS • Create a bank or e-currency account for the www.youtube.com/user/ Scammers usually want money or your personal ClevelandCityCouncil company. information. Watch for scams disguised as: • Accept or make payments by money wire, WATCH (LIVE) • Offers to help you get stimulus payments or retail gift cards or e-currency. www.tv20cleveland.com/ grants • Accept and reship mail or packages. watch-now/ • Threats to arrest you or seize your accounts ______• Offers to help you get Coronavirus tests, Learn more Councilman Brancatelli serves on the cures or vaccines consumeraffairs.cuyahogacounty.us following council committees: • Calls or emails from sheriff, IRS or any Development, Planning & Sustainability (Chair), government agency Ask a question 216-443-7035 (main) Finance, Mayor’s Appointments, Never pay or reveal private info (your Social Municipal Services & Properties Security or account numbers) to someone who Report a scam or talk to an investigator contacts you! 216-443-SCAM (7226)

Recycling Continued spreading the word through little networks – coffee shop it accessible and reinforcing the tight-knit community patrons, CityFresh customers, members of the Old Brooklyn aspect of the program. pediatric burn victims. Families Facebook Group – neighborhood residents were Despite the name, Old Brooklyn Recycles is not planning While there are two access points for dropping off cans more likely to hear about the recycling project. on restricting itself to the Old Brooklyn neighborhood. for ACBC in Old Brooklyn, as Kurak explains, “for a lot of Recycling is not the only community sustainability The group would love to have volunteers from other people it’s kind of out of their way to get to those places.” initiative that Kurak is familiar with. She is an active member neighborhoods in Cleveland help out with the project and Old Brooklyn Recycles’ goal is to make recycling as easy and of the Old Brooklyn group of the Buy Nothing Project – a serve as recycling hub ambassadors. Nor will the group accessible to Old Brooklyn residents as possible. Facebook group in which community residents post dissolve if Cleveland signs a new contract and resumes The Thursday night pickups coincided with the CityFresh household items that they no longer want for free, creating a recycling. CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) pickup, also at “hyper-local gift economy” of exchanges an reuse. “I think this could be an opportunity for educating on Metropolitan. This was intentional; Dugan explains that by “It’s because I don’t like anything in my house” jokes how to recycle correctly,” says Dugan. This could be key; one having a recycling drop-off at the same time, “hopefully Kurak, and to make your neighbors’ lives easier while keeping of the factors that discouraged the city from renewing its we could reach a broader audience so more people could things out of the landfill. contract was the high contamination rates that Cleveland participate.” Sarah Tan also mentioned composting as another streams suffered. Other cities in Cuyahoga County had Besides word-of-mouth, Old Brooklyn Recycles utilized sustainable option that Old Brooklyn Recycles may much lower contamination rates. social media’s far-reaching web to spread the word about promote when the seasons change and weather is more The future, in fact, is a motivation that Kurak, Dugan their work. They started a Facebook page to publish gardening-friendly. While other composting and Tan share that drove them to undertake this project in information and began cross posting to the Old Brooklyn organizations exist – like the Rust Belt Riders, who collect the first place. Families Group Facebook page. Kurak took an active role; food waste and sell the nutrient-rich composted soil back “We all have children” says Kurak, “and they’re going whenever she would see a post about how Cleveland stopped to clients – Tan emphasized the wealth of resources already to be left with what we leave them. We want to do recycling she would reply and explain how Old Brooklyn here in Old Brooklyn. “We’re sitting next to the largest urban better.” Clearly, Old Brooklyn is a great place to grow our residents were working around the problem. garden in Cleveland,” she said, referring to the Ben Franklin commitment to a more sustainable planet. So far, the program has been successful – displaying the Community Garden. If you are interested in volunteering to help Old power that the Old Brooklyn community has when we work The group is looking ahead, both short- and long-term. Brooklyn Recycles or want more information on together. Dugan said on their most successful night they As the weather turns colder and the recycling best practices, look for the group collected recyclables from 15 participants. The group owes its days get shorter, a weekly night pickup on Facebook or email oldbrooklynrecycles@ success in part to Deirdre Faranda, the owner of Metropolitan outdoors is becoming less feasible. gmail.com Coffee for creating the space for this project and advertising To overcome this, the group plans on ______the pickups on the business’ Facebook page. recruiting block ambassadors to serve OBCDC has also been a key facilitator, bringing Kurak, as recycling hubs, so their neighbors can SAMUEL HOAG is writing remotely about Dugan, and Tan together, promoting the pickups, and drop off recycling and the ambassador will Old Brooklyn from Washington, D.C. Normally bringing the group in to participate in a virtual marketplace. ensure it makes it into a recycling stream. he is a student at Georgetown University, but is The grassroots character of the project has really emphasized Their goal is to have these ambassadors all taking a semester off to volunteer full-time at a community connection, says Dugan, enabling us to get to throughout the neighborhood, so residents Spanish resource center. He is missing his family, know our neighbors better even amid the pandemic. By do not have to travel far to recycle, keeping front porch, and all the rest of Old Brooklyn. In 2019, 50 people died and help get all road users where they Help for Residents more than 400 people were are going safely. seriously injured in traffic crashes • Safe Vehicles: Vehicles are on our roadways in Cleveland. an important part of our roadway. is Available The City of Cleveland and Technologies like blind-spot (Remember you can always call 2-1-1 Cleveland City Council convened detection and side guards for multiple partners to create the large trucks can save lives. for information and help) Vision Zero Cleveland Taskforce, • Safe People: Human which addresses dangerous behavior can affect the outcomes • Dominion Bill Assistance: Payment crashes. of crashes. We want people to wear seatbelts and Assistance from Dominion: The Winter WHAT IS VISION ZERO? Vision Zero is a strategy focus on the roadway when driving. to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe Reconnection Order is in effect from now injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable Creating an Action Plan will take about a year until April 15, 2021. If you’re having trouble mobility for all. and we want to hear from you! To learn more, sign paying your gas bill this will help you avoid The Vision Zero Task Force is developing an up for info about future public meetings, and get shutoff. As the winter heating season Action Plan that lays out our Vision Zero strategy. involved: continues, Dominion Energy Ohio is offering What could this look like in Cleveland? customers facing financial hardship more • Safe Speeds: Crashes at high speeds are more Visit our website: visionzerocle.org flexible payment options on past-due likely to be deadly. We want to use tools that Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: balances and increased financial support create slower, safer streets. @VisionZeroCLE for EnergyShare, our program supporting • Safe Streets: Street design plays a big role Contact: Calley Mersmann (cmersmann@ families and individuals in need. Visit www. in safety. Good sight lines, narrow lanes, and clevelandohio.gov; 216-664-2952) or Anne Tillie DominionEnergy.com pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure can ([email protected]; 216-664-4539)

• Low-cost internet access at home: Spectrum and AT&T are offering programs to give residents internet access for as low as $10 a month. Call Spectrum at 1-844-488-8395 and go to www.att.com/internet/access/ for AT&T.

• Home Relief Grant: Funding is available to help eligible Ohioans who are behind on rent, mortgage, and water and/or sewer utility bills catch up on past payments back to April 1, 2020, and provide additional assistance through December 30, 2020. This is on a first come, first serve basis. The program began accepting applications Nov. 2nd. Visit https:// businesshelp.ohio.gov/home-relief-grant. html for more information

• Rental Assistance! This assistance is available for residents who are facing financial hardships due to the economic impact of COVID-19 and need help paying rent. The City of Cleveland allocated $11.3 million to this Rental Assistance Program. Cuyahoga County has also allocated $6.8 million. CHN Housing Partners and EDEN, Inc will administer the Program, funded by the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. To apply, residents can visit http://www.neorenthelp.org. Residents can call 833-377-RENT (7368).

• Funds are available through the Council for Economic Opportunities in (CEOGC) to Cuyahoga County residents who are at or below 200% of the Federal Pove rty Level. Residents struggling to pay bills, including sewer, stormwater, and water are encouraged to apply. Applications must be approved by December 31, 2020. To apply or learn more, please visit ceogc.org/ covid-19-emergency-assistance/ or call 216-370-3480.

Food Resources for • Temporary funding through the Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) program will allow Cuyahoga Job and Family Services (CJFS) to provide emergency assistance to eligible Residents in Need families through a PRC voucher. While limited funding is available, (Remember you can always call 2-1-1 for information and help) COVID-19 PRC vouchers will help with additional food assistance, select essential supplies, and housing costs. • Pandemic EBT Program: The Pandemic – Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Program is additional money for families to buy food due to Also, be mindful that the availability of the COVID-19 PRC is temporary COVID-19 related school closures. Eligible Ohio families will receive and based on the quantity of applications received. For questions about $5.70 per child for each day a school was closed due to COVID-19. COVID-19 PRC vouchers call the PRC Information Line at 216-987-7392 Children eligible for free and reduced-price meals as of March will and leave a message. Please allow 48 hours for a response. receive a total of $302.10. Children that became eligible for free and reduced-price meals in April will receive $239.40. You can use P-EBT Remember that the Greater Cleveland Food Bank does a weekly as well as grab-and-go meal sites to meet your children’s food needs. distribution on Thursdays at the Cleveland Muni Lot. You must pre-register. Using P-EBT does NOT impact you or your child’s immigration status. They do other events and there are other providers. Call the Food Bank at The public charge rule does NOT apply to P-EBT funds. Visit http:// 216-738-2265 for more information. They’ll also help you apply for SNAP ohiopebt.org/ for more information! benefits and other issues. PRESORT STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OH PERMIT NO. 2893

Tri-C offering Ward 12 News free COVID

testing www.sustainablecleveland.org/tree_ is online here: application The a free tree installation during the spring and fall planting seasons. Property during owners installation the spring seasons. and fall planting tree a free in lawn, on their tree planted a tree have to form an online request can complete cut-outs structures or sidewalk of occupied in commercial typically front found there ensure will be surveyed Each location in person to of businesses. in front areas is suitable. the site and that no conflicts infrastructure the surrounding with are during the next be planted to a tree a list for then added to are sites Approved first-served handled on a first-come, are requests season. All planting available basis. need help. But call 216-664-2455 if you canopy_revitalization_program. Drive-thru and walk- Tree the Requests for Accepting Now City of Cleveland Program Revitalization Canopy property from for requests owners part accepting the CityAs is now of this program up COVID-19 testing will be offered at Cuyahoga Community College from December through April as part of a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center, a non-profit group providing medical services to residents, regardless of WARD 12 COUNCIL MEMBER their ability to pay. The free testing will take place on Thursdays, rotating Anthony Brancatelli between Tri-C sites throughout Cuyahoga County. Testing at the Metropolitan Campus, 2900 Community

College Ave., Cleveland, will take place in the Lot 4 dog requires Ohio law underground garage off Community College Avenue. The times are 11 a.m. to 4 pm, Jan. 14, Feb. 11, March 11 and April 8. An ID with name and address is required. Phone: 216-664-4233 Additionally, testing will be offered at the Metro Campus by Care Alliance on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Fax: 216-664-3837 the remainder December. No appointment is necessary on any of the testing days. of dog licenses and renewal Open enrollment through now is available County in Cuyahoga January 31, 2021. each year– their dog license renew to owners help supportthese licenses County Cuyahoga many are There operations. Shelter Animal including a license, or renew purchase to ways neighborhood one of many or at mail, by online, Email: Testing will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Safe Workers Lead to Mailer Direct [email protected] For more information visit tri-c.edu/covidtest or call

216-317-1250. | City Hall: 601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 220 There are other testing locations available, sometimes Cleveland, OH 44114 pop-up sites. Check the Cuyahoga County Board of Health website for information at www.ccbh.net. Visit www.ClevelandCityCouncil.org/ward-12 Visit: https://cuyahogadogs.com/en-US/Dog-License-Portal.aspx Visit: locations. Having a license for your dog isn’t only a law, it’s also a lost dog’s also a lost dog’s it’s only a law, dog isn’t your for a license Having locations. ticket home! Dog License Enrollment and Renewal Open and Renewal Enrollment Dog License