Dream Big, Greater Cleveland 2015-2016 REPORT to the COMMUNITY Dear Friends: There Are More Than 250,000 Community
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Dream Big, Greater Cleveland 2015-2016 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY Dear Friends: There are more than 250,000 community. We value your An important part of the Council for stories about the residents we Greater Clevelanders living in continued support. Economic Opportunities’ success is serve, our employees that make it poverty, and the number is rising employing women and men who are happen and important news about To learn more about the Council in our city. More than half are seasoned, empathetic, hard-working the evolution of the Council for and how you can help, please visit children. Moving out of poverty and understand the plight of others. Economic Opportunities. the Spread the Word page on our happens one person, one family at In fact, many of our employees have website: It’s vital to notice our neighbors a time. In order for it to happen in overcome challenging circumstances www.ceogc.org/about-ceogc/ who need help, to reach out and as your church, library and local earnest, we all have to do our part. through education and perseverance Dear Friends: spread-the-word. encourage them to dream and to coffee shops to become the compassionate and Our city has much to celebrate. The Council for Economic help them take the first step Thank you in advance, diligent professionals they are • Volunteer to share your story at Greater Cleveland is in the Opportunities was founded by the towards a better future. The today. We are young and old and a job and career event spotlight with conventions, events 1964 Economic Opportunity Act Council for Economic Opportunities represent our community’s diversity and attractions bringing visitors as part of the War on Poverty. We has created spaces where our • Donate to our Annual Fund and promise. We are all here to from across the United States are the largest Community Action REVEREND DR. CHARLES P. LUCAS clients are encouraged to come as help our neighbors who go to work After 20 years in the Halle Building, and around the globe. One of Agency and the largest Head Start Chairman, Board of Directors they are, where our people are everyday, but are often struggling to the Council is consolidating its our beloved sports teams, the in Ohio. To state it more simply, skilled in helping them to see make ends meet. downtown offices into one space at Cavaliers, brought the city its Council employees work each and beyond their current situation, and 1801 Superior Avenue to best serve first championship in more than every day to empower those living This report features just a few of helping them to make measurable our customers. The consolidation 50 years. Our city is world-class. in poverty to live better lives. our dedicated staff members, the progress toward a better life. will be complete in January 2017. But unfortunately, hundreds of work they do to help those in need As we begin our second half- You can help, too. The best is yet to come! thousands of people are not a part in our community, and the dream century working with residents of this momentum. they have for them. • Volunteer to help enroll families in Thank you for your in Greater Cleveland, the Council Council programs and in Head Start continued support, We must move out of the for Economic Opportunities is To assist us in increasing awareness un-coveted spot of being one of committed to rethinking, improving in our broader Cleveland community, • Download our Council awareness the poorest cities per capita in and fine-tuning its approach the Council launched a new website kit from ceogc.org and distribute DR. JACKLYN A. CHISHOLM the nation. to more effectively serve our earlier this year that features information at various places, such President and CEO JESSICA BADER Early Head Start Homebase Teacher Graduated from John Carroll University with a B.A. in Early Childhood Education For Mothers-To-Be For Parents A PLACE TO PLAN FOR YOUR BABY A PLACE TO PREPARE FOR THEIR MOST IMPORTANT ROLE WELLNESS COUNSELING, EARLY HEAD START AND WORKSHOPS ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, MEETING WITH FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS There’s so much for a mother-to-be to think about, but when you are concerned about just getting through the day, which bus to take to “My dream is for the families I work with get to your new job and which bill must be paid first, planning for the Being a parent is the most important role in life. future is extremely difficult. When a mother walks through the door at a How we treat a child matters greatly and helps to set high standards for themselves neighborhood center, she is greeted by a family development specialist. to shape the kind of adult that child will become. and their children, knowing that with Together for one hour, they devote time to planning for her baby. Each Council touchpoint with a parent reinforces faith, education, hard work and discipline child development and engagement activities and, Each mother-to-be receives: a they can achieve anything they put their most important of all, provides support for being recommendation to take prenatal minds to.” - Steven “My dream for all a loving parent. of my families is to vitamins; counseling to determine where she is in life, including assistance with Each parent receives: their own family overcome obstacles any immediate needs; help navigating development specialist; personal appointments; with grace and health insurance, hospitals and doctors; assessment to address immediate needs; determination to reminders about the importance of assistance with initial goal planning; referrals guide them, and doctor’s appointments; information to attend Council workshops and events; an continue to inspire about upcoming wellness workshops and invitation to join a parent committee to guide sharing circles; breast-feeding coaching; progress at the center where their child is others as they and information about Early Head Start enrolled; information about the Policy Council inspire me each day.” enrollment, which can begin when the where larger program-related decisions are made; STEVEN RHODES - Jessica new baby is six weeks old. and a family resource workbook. Head of the Council’s Fatherhood Initiative Graduated from Ursuline College with a B.A. in Early Childhood Education and a Masters degree from Cleveland State University in Education For Greater Cleveland’s Children A PLACE TO LEARN AND GROW A HEAD START As soon as a child walks through Each of our children receives: two the door of a Head Start center, nutritious meals and a healthy it’s like entering a new world–a snack every day; a visit from a world of fuzzy yellow caterpillars, dental hygienist from Case Western hermit crabs, hula hoops and Pete Reserve Dental School; a wellness the Cat–a world where Greater checkup from Cleveland Clinic or Cleveland’s toddlers have a place University Hospitals; art projects; to come day after day and week story time; and new friendships. after week to learn and grow. Their learning goes well beyond the ABCs and 1-2-3s. They gain a new skip in their step and a twinkle in “My dream is for thousands their eye. of our community’s children Beginning this fall, the Greater to have compassionate mentors Cleveland Foodbank’s School Market to guide them.” - Thelma will take place at our Carl B. Stokes Head Start center. Our children will bring home a pack of healthy food to THELMA BIZZELL share with their families. Site Administrator for the Louis Stokes Head Start Center Masters Degree in Education (Curriculum Instruction) from Cleveland State University and a Nonprofit Certificate in Urban Studies from Cleveland State OUR HEAD START PROGRAM IS PREPARING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES For Students, Skills Builders FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE. & Job Seekers All of our Head Start centers are rated high-quality A PLACE TO PLAN FOR FUTURE (4 and 5 stars) by the State of Ohio’s Step Up to “My dream is for all CAREERS AND AIM HIGH Quality initiative and the Cleveland Metropolitan people to feel School District’s PRE4CLE initiative. encouraged and Many of the people who visit our website, call our welcome. Head Start features the HighScope curriculum in all main office or stop into a neighborhood center are of its classrooms. This learning-through-play model I want the families working hard at just getting through the day. For engages young minds as they explore letters and and children we them, taking the first step to living a better life can numbers, colors and shapes and the world around serve to use all seem uncertain and daunting. them. The active learning experiences taught in the free resources, the Head Start classrooms include developmentally training and Our Job Development Specialists meet one-on-one with men and women who may feel stuck or who appropriate activities to help children achieve their education that is have lost their ability to imagine a better life. We full potential. Children’s early education is not only available here and about reading and writing, but social development give pep talks, recommend workshops and share elsewhere in our job boards. and working with their classmates, teachers and Cleveland parents. Learning positive social behavior at a community.” Each student receives: a plan for personal and young age will help the students adjust as they - Jessica professional development with assistance for any transition to kindergarten, elementary school barriers to success; recommendations for and beyond. skills-building workshops; and handouts and tools Nearly 1,000 children moved on to Kindergarten in for goal-setting. They also receive certificates of the 2015-16 school year. Best wishes to our Head completion and invitations to job fairs.