Cleveland Clinic Health Challenge

People. Partnerships. Dear Friends, Plans. While sometimes it seems like we are moving in a hundred directions all at once, virtually everything we do at Fairfax Renaissance Development Here’s how a recent set of findings from the Maxine Corporation (FRDC) comes down to a combination of just three things: Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs talked People, Partnerships and Plans. about Fairfax. We exist to help the people of our neighborhood live in a community that “Greater Cleveland is transitioning into a knowledge is safe and supportive–a good place to call home. Through programs economy. The neighborhoods that best fit the criteria like Greater Circle Living, we help many realize their dreams of home are Fairfax, then parts of Glenville, Buckeye-Shaker, ownership. Griot Village provides senior adult caregivers a place designed Buckeye-Woodhill and Hough. The analysis pinpoints a to accommodate their needs and those of the children in their care. part of the city that is of particular importance. It is the Our Model Block Program helps residents afford needed repairs to their intersection of East 105th Street and Cedar Avenue in homes and streets. Fairfax. The intersection is near the north terminus of Our work takes many hands to do. So, to bring our programs to life, the Opportunity Corridor roadway project and future we establish partnerships. Partnerships between our residents and site of IBM. The block is arguably the geographic FRDC. Partnerships with neighborhood businesses and institutions like epicenter of the region’s transition into the Cleveland Clinic, that are part of our neighborhood. Partnerships with knowledge economy. Continued investment in a wide range of social service agencies. Partnerships with financial the vicinity could be catalytic.” institutions and other businesses in Northeast Ohio. The combination of wonderful People and collaborative Partnerships empowers us to make big Plans, to dream big dreams. Plans like the KaBOOM! Playground at Griot Village. Plans like Innovation Square and Playwright Park. And then, we go out and achieve them! Fairfax has what it takes. And, this year has been just one more example in our history in which People and Partnerships came together to achieve great Plans. It’s a formula we plan to keep using. Sincerely, Denise VanLeer Stephen E. Baucher Executive Director President, Board of Directors 1 KaBOOM! Morgan Stanley Cleveland Clinic People. Partnerships. Plans. KaBOOM! With a little help from our friends. Griot Village Residents Like many of our activities, the beginning and completion of the KaBOOM! Playground Project covered The KaBOOM! Build Day had almost 250 volunteers from Representative Stephanie Howse multiple years. The possibility for a playground at Griot Village first surfaced in 2014, but because of busy Morgan Stanley, FRDC, CMHA, the Fairfax community, schedules the real planning began in 2015 with completion in 2016. Good things take time. as well as members from area construction companies, universities Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell and churches. These partners joined forces to build the playground KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit whose mission is to bring balanced and active play into the daily lives of Fairfax Residents children, especially those living in low income neighborhoods. KaBOOM! brings together parents, advocates, in one day at Griot Village. community and national partners to ensure that kids have the opportunity to play. As Build Day drew closer, we discovered we were responsible for FRDC Staff Griot Village did not have a designated space for the children. Most youth were playing along the driveway clearing trees, leveling the site, putting in walkways and other site Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing area of the development, which was a safety concern. FRDC applied for and was awarded funding to create preparation tasks. We weren’t sure how we were going to get it all Authority a playground space for the families at Griot Village. Having a safe place for the youth to play not only done. But the construction workers from Whiting-Turner, who were Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing benefited the kids at Griot, but the seniors as well. By having this dedicated space for their children to play working on the Cleveland Clinic Parking Garage heard about our problem Authority Police Department and socialize, it helped grandparents/caregivers with safety concerns while the children played. and volunteered to help. In just one day they prepared the lot for the playground. Then on Build Day, they were back again to help put things In May 2016, a design day was held where both the youth and adults were able to pick out and design their Turner Construction Company together. As a result, we got done ahead of schedule. space. Over 50 residents, youth and community stakeholders participated. In June 2016, Prep Day had over (The KaBOOM! people were very impressed.) Great Lakes Construction 60 volunteers. The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company Superior Fence & Builders Antioch Baptist Church John Carroll University Lake Erie Electric Fairfax Recreation Center St. Adalbert School Cleveland Food Bank Emmanuel Baptist Church City of Cleveland Donley’s Inc. 21st Century KaBOOM! Build Day with 250 Volunteers helping. It’s all about coming together around children. It was a great day of working together, music and joy. And the children obviously had the last smile! 2 3 GCL 2016 By the Numbers 26 Home Purchases “You Meet a Lot of People in Your Neighborhood.” 37 Rental Assistances – Sesame Street song 4 Exterior Repairs Our people are our greatest strength. And over the past few years, more and more people are 1 Home Upgrade/Improvement discovering that the Fairfax neighborhood is a good place to live. FRDC is working to bring that message to more people, and help them find a home in Fairfax. Greater Circle Living In May, Greater Circle Living celebrated its 8th anniversary. The program has supported over 90 new residents who have come to call Greater University Circle neighborhoods like Fairfax home. The program, which is administered by FRDC, continues to diversify neighborhoods by attracting an ethnically and financially diverse population. Movie Nights Weather can change quickly in Cleveland. Go figure. Changes in weather caused two of our three movie nights to be cancelled. However, over 100 families gathered to attend the showing of Meet a new Fairfax resident. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (“gnarly, dude!”) on July 9th. Fun included face painting, African drumming, line dancing, music, Robin Jones had rented apartments in Cleveland neighborhoods, free popcorn and water. Cleveland Clinic provided kids’ activities but wanted to own her own home. As an employee of the non-profit and health education. financial counseling/education, foreclosure prevention organization, Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP), Robin was eligible to participate in the Greater Circle Living Program. Lunch Buddies “My home is now one mile away from my job,” says Robin. Lunch Buddies is a mentoring program that provides support, friendship “I also attend church in Fairfax and recently started attending bible study, and positive role models for students in the 3rd–5th grades at Bolton just down the street. The application process can be complicated, but Elementary School. Every Friday throughout the school year, volunteers Wyonette Cheairs really helped. Her patience, dedication, attention to work with students during their lunch hour, helping to improve their detail and hard work helped me realize my dream of home ownership.” social, behavioral and academic skills. In 2016, volunteers from Antioch Baptist Church, FRDC staff and students from the Mandel School of Applied Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, contributed over 4 260 hours to the program with 80 children participating. 5 Fairfax People. Griot Village NASA MUREP Program Cleveland Clinic Health The NASA Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Aerospace Academy, Challenge is an innovative, national project designed to increase participation and retention of The Six Week Health Challenge is part of The Healthy historically under-represented K-12 youth in the fields of science, technology, engineering, Community Initiative, which is a collaborative effort and mathematics (STEM). Ten youth from Griot Village participated in the eight-week between Cleveland Clinic and community partners Saturday program held at TRI-C in collaboration with NASA. The Aerospace Academy to promote optimal health and wellness through Resident of the Year Program included lectures, field trips and hands on curriculum based on grade level. Youth education, nutrition and physical activity. The “Peace and Blessings.” That’s the greeting you’ll hear almost received free transportation to and from the program via a donation from KeyBank. Kick-Off Event was held Saturday, June 4th every time you run into Mike Herron, better known as Brother at the Langston Hughes Health Center. Mike, our Resident of the Year. And, because Brother Mike loves The family-friendly event included free to help out with odd jobs all over the Fairfax neighborhood, it’s likely Rain Barrel Program health screenings, exercise and you’ve already heard his greeting–or will, soon. Brother Mike helps In partnership with the City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability, eligible residents are able dance demonstrations, cooking neighbors with their landscaping, home rehab and remodeling. He helps to receive a free rain barrel for their homes. FRDC

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