Headed in the Right Direction

Guest Blog By: Debra O'Neal
2011 Cleveland Foundation Intern

To most people the word “public housing” is synonymous with crime, violence, and poverty.  People envision single mothers with multiple children, no jobs and living off of welfare. However while some of those claims may have truth to them, most people fail to see how public housing can also play a positive role in the lives of the children who live there. As a child who grew up in public housing, I can definitely say that the lessons and experiences I took from there played a major part in shaping my character and helping me to achieve the many accomplishments that I have.

Though I lived in low income housing all my life, I didn’t realize that I was “poor” until I was in high school.  I never felt "poor” or felt that I was lacking in any area. My parents always had jobs, and even though I did not receive EVERYTHING I wanted, neither my siblings nor I ever went without the things we needed. We never had the latest gadgets or the newest fads, but we were content with what we did have, and compared to some of our friends we were very well off. Though we may have been financially poor, the love of my parents, family, and friends made us spiritually and emotionally rich. I am blessed to have such a good family, and despite others’ beliefs, I feel blessed to had been raised in public housing. From an outsider’s perspective, it may have seemed that the neighborhoods in which I was raised in were terrible, but it was because of those neighborhoods that I am who I am today.

My neighborhood that I grew up in consisted of eight six-bedroom low income apartments. These apartments were exclusively meant for parents who had more that six children under their care. So even though there were only a few families there, more than seventy people lived in this area alone. There were always a lot of kids around for every age group, so our summers were always filled with a lot of fun and excitement. Though some of us went to summer camps or daycare, we still found ways to create new games or activities to fill our time when we were at home. One summer, after the housing authority built a basketball court in our back yard, we started a summer league in which we even convinced a local church to donate to us some pennies. Another time, we decided to throw our mothers a surprise Mother’s Day program complete with snacks, dance routines, and music.  One year, we even started a step team in which we competed against other teams and almost won. These are the memories I hold of public housing, not those negative generalizations that people are so quick to assume.

Why we certainly had our share of fights and pain, we also had an abundance of good memories and positive experiences. It is because of growing up in public housing that I learned to value the importance of family, hard work, and perseverance, and most of all, community. I found out at an early age that nobody expected us to be successful or respected us. Therefore in order to achieve anything, I needed to work twice as hard in school, at work, and especially in staying out of trouble in our neighborhoods.  I understood early to make the best of what I had and that no matter how bad something may seem at the time, it never lasts forever. Living in public housing taught me a lot of things, but the biggest lesson it showed me was that since I already started at the bottom, the only direction that I could go was up.

The Generosity of Cleveland: Flint Boys & Girls Clubs come to Town

Guest Post By: Ron Soeder

President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland

Kids from BGC Flint and BGC Cleveland outside the Rock Hall

On Friday, March 25^th and Saturday, March 26^th members from the Flint Michigan Club and members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland were treated like royalty by supporters in Cleveland. They attended the Cavs vs. Pistons game on Friday night and got to sit on the floor during shoot around. Talk about up close and personal! Colleen Garrity and the rest of the Cavaliers' Community Relations staff provided the kids with a gift bag full of Cavs souvenirs and spent a great deal of time talking to the kids about the back office of an NBA franchise. The kids thought the offices were really cool; complete with baskets, basketball floors and, the thing that impressed them most, free slushees! The night finished with a sleep over at the Broadway club where the kids ate pizza, hooped, and got to know each other better. Mattresses were provided generously by the Girl Scout camp in Macedonia.

On Saturday morning the kids woke to a breakfast of pancakes, sausage and orange juice provided by Northern Haserot, and cooked by yours truly. After that, it was off to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The tour was provided by Kristen Adams of PNC and Greg Harris at the Rock Hall. The members were also given a Rock Hall key chain as a gift.

I want to send out a BIG thank you to everyone who made the weekend possible:

·         Colleen Garrity Community Outreach Cleveland Cavs

·         Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio

·         Doug Kern-President of Northern Haserot

·         Kristen Adams-Senior Vice President-PNC

·         Greg Harris-Vice President of Development-Rock Hall

·         Jeff Haynes Unit Director-Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland

·         Tauzzari Robinson-Flint Michigan Boys & Girls Clubs

As the youth left on Saturday, they left with new friends, tokens of their visit and even knew who Jimi Hendrix was, all because of the generous support of those in Cleveland who care.

Out with the Old...

Guest Post By:

Samanth Martin, BGCC Intern

Spring has officially sprung! It is definitely noticeable in the weather, the blooming tulips and… your closet?

Spring is the sign of new life and new beginnings; the flora and fauna return and our beautiful Northeast Ohio is alive again after a treacherous winter. Along with this rebirth comes our own need for “out with the old, in with the new.” That’s right; I’m talking about spring cleaning.

It’s a process many of us go through every year; some despise it and others enjoy every minute of it. Whatever your case may be, it is undeniable that spring cleaning is not only rejuvenating, but can also be utilized to help many families and youth in our region.

We are all aware that Cleveland is a needy area. There are people without homes, children without toys, and babies without clothes. When we think of all that we really do have, we all have something to give, right?

Your favorite blouse from five years ago that you just can’t seem to part with, yet never wear? Donate it! That end table sitting in your garage that you just don’t have a use for? Donate it! How about your children’s favorite toys from years ago? Donate them! Bought a new toaster? Don’t throw the old one away—donate it!

So after all that rummaging, you found that you do indeed have some things to donate, but where do you take them? There is a great resource on the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District website. It’s a list of area locations that accept various donations. Each of the donation spots take various items, ranging from clothing to cell phones to toilets! See that list at: http://cuyahogaswd.org/en-US/pass-it-on.aspx

Have any basketballs to donate? Maybe an baseball glove you son didn't want? The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland are always accepting donations of new and lightly used recreational items. These items are greatly valued by our Club members, who may have never had a glove to play catch with or a basketball to keep them active.

Okay, you’ve searched and cleaned and can’t seem to get rid of ANYTHING? Donate a few extra dollars! The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland are working hard to bring in 57 new donors of $57 or more in celebration of being a positive place for kids for 57 years! Can't part with $57 at this time? No problem! No amount is too big or small. Make your donation today to start reshaping the lives of Cleveland's youth!

Can’t spare ANY change? Then donate your TIME! Check out www.clevekids.org to see how you can help inspire our youth.

Whether it is shoes and purses or even just few extra minutes on the weekend, we all have too much of something. This springtime, tap into your giving side and donate what you can. There are many families out there who would appreciate things that we may take for granted every day.

What on Earth is a Twestival?

The Twestival in Cleveland is part of an international event that brings Tweeps together to meet each other face to face and support a worthy cause in the process. This year's Twestival will be held at AMP 150 on Thursday, March 24th from 5-9pm.

All proceeds from the event will benefit We Run This City, a collaborative program run by The Y of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland Department of Public Health, and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. During a 14-week program, students from CMSD schools train to run the Rite Aid Marathon, showing that they can realize their goals.

As a big believer in promoting healthy lifestyles in our Clubs, we are excited to see a program that truly challenges youth to push beyond their boundaries and reach their goals will benefit from such a fun, social engagement! I don't know that I could ever run a marathon, so I tip my hat to those kids that are in the midst of training! 

So what are you waiting for? For only $10, you can have fun meeting hundreds of others in the Twitterverse, all while supporting a good cause. @Clevekids (that's us) will be there and you should be too!

Fun Photo Friday: Taco Bell & the Club

What do Taco Bell and the Boys & Girls Clubs have in common? We all want to help teens succeed!

The local Taco Bell Franchises and the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens have been long-time supporters of Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland. The local Taco Bell stores were even named our "Corporate Partner of the Year" for their commitment to working with our youth!

And what does this car have to do with any of that? Earlier this week, we hosted several franchise owners at our Broadway Club for their annual meeting and this car ended up parked in our parking lot! How fun would it be to drive around town in this?  

No Place Like Home

Guest post by Traci Christler, Annual Fund Coordinator, 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland

Growing up in the suburbs, I couldn’t wait to leave Cleveland and move to a state that wasn’t “round on both ends and hi in the middle.” I was positive that there was something, somewhere, better out there for me. So, off I went, spending years living and working in three other states before I decided to come back home.

As I have gotten older, I reached a point that I wanted nothing more than to come home. To be back with my family and friends became very important to me.  I was tired of missing holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and the good old movie night, all because I lived a state away. There is no other place like Cleveland.  There is no place like home. 

When the opportunity came to work at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, I jumped on it, not only as a way to come home, but more importantly, as a chance to make a difference in my community. Over the years, the city of Cleveland has taken hits, whether from dwindling education budgets or from Forbes Magazine calling Cleveland one of America's Most Miserable Cities. I wanted to be a part of making Cleveland a better place to live. I want to make Cleveland a better place to call home.  

Last year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland was a second home to over 6,000 children. The Clubs provide kids with something that they need most - a safe place to grow, learn and realize their full potential. With over 50% of Cleveland’s children living at or below the poverty line (and over 80% of the children that come to the Clubs are living at or below the poverty line), the Clubs are a place where children can get a hot meal, play in organized sports, try their hand at arts and crafts and get a little nagging about their homework. All this is a reminder that someone cares about them.

Home is something that is easy to take for granted. That is, until you are away from it or don’t have one.

If you are interested in taking a tour of one of our Clubs to see our home, please contact Kara Copeland at kcopeland@clevekids.org.

Fun Photo Friday: Exploring the Arts

By: John, Age 16

Nine local Club kids, ages 6 to 16, completed works of art for the National Fine Arts Exhibition. This Boys & Girls Clubs of America program encourages artistic expression and honors works of vision and quality.  To view highlights of the previous years' exhibitions visit: http://www.bgca.org/FineArts/default.aspx.  

Be sure to check out the winner of the "Mixed Media" category in 2008, our very own Lausha C. from the West Side Club.

Here are some more pieces our youth recently submitted!

By: Zamira, Age 15

By: Benarrion, Age 6

The Luxury of Giving

One of my favorite quotes is by George Elliot and says, "One must be poor to know the luxury of giving." While talking with our Youth of the Year today, I was reminded of this quote and suddenly understood a whole new dimension of the work we do here at the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Kinyatta was excitedly telling me about her family outing the night before. Thanks to the generosity of ArcelorMittal, a founding supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, we had a suite  at the WWE wrestling event. Kinyatta was given four tickets and could not believe her luck! Her younger brother, as it happens, has a birthday next week and has been talking non-stop about wanting to see the wrestling show. She was beaming from ear to ear, talking about how great she felt knowing that she could provide her brother with the one thing he truly wanted for his birthday. She went to the event with her mother and two brothers and they had an amazing time. Her brother told her all about the different wrestlers and gave her a play-by-play of each match. It was an experience they will all probably cherish for years to come.

It was while hearing her story that I realized the Boys & Girls Club provides so much more than just a safe place with hot meals and one-on-one tutoring. We are giving our kids so much more than just a basketball court and art classes. Sure, all of these things are a very important part of our work; but giving our kids the opportunity to GIVE to others is also a precious gift. Whether we are able to provide tickets to sporting events so kids can give their families a fun night out, or we are able to build them up through encouraging words so that they have the confidence to help others...we are showing them that most priceless of luxuries.

I have met so many of our members that have truly generous hearts. Despite living in conditions many of us could only imagine, they feel lucky. They have seen others give to make their lives better, and to be able to pay that forward to someone else gives them the greatest sense of accomplishment. I have seen older members take time out of a pool game to talk to a younger kid who seems upset. I have seen one child work diligently on a birthday card for another member. I have seen a hungry child share his meal with someone who seemed even hungrier.  These things may seem trivial, but they are teaching our children that giving back is something we can all do for one another.

While I am sure the wealthier among us feel great when they have been able to help others, I agree with George Elliot; understanding what a luxury it can be to give is something only those who have been in need can probably genuinely comprehend.

Fun Photo Friday: Cleveland's Youth of the Year

Kinyatta E.

At our Recognition Breakfast this morning, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland named our 2011 Youth of the Year, Kinyatta, an honor roll student in her senior year at John Adams High School and a member of the Mt. Pleasant Club. Kinyatta told the audience the story of her struggles and the tremendous impact the Club has had on her life. Kinyatta has faced many challenges in her short life. At the age of 11, she and her family became homeless. For the two years her family had no place to call home, Kinyatta found a home of sorts in the Club. The building and the people inside of it became her lifeline as she endured with a child's resiliency during that time of uncertainty and fear. At the Club, she would eat what was usually her only meal of the day; she found a refuge from the outside world where she felt safe; she found caring adults and friends who were supportive and helpful; and, with our staff's help, she managed to do her homework every day, even though her mind was often occupied by worry. In the fall, Kinyatta will be heading to college where she plans to study to be a nurse. She is the perfect example that with determination and a guiding hand, dreams can come true!


Listen to Kinyatta's touching speech.

We also heard an inspiring speech from Tom Cook, Honorary BGCC Board Member and head of the Cleveland Association of Taco Bell Restaurants. He accepted the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award on behalf of his team, and shared with the crowd why he believes the work of Boys & Girls Clubs is so important and why he has been a long time investor in our youth. You can listen to his full speech here.


Listen to Tom Cook's moving speech. 

Dan Salamone, News Director of WOIO-19 Action News, was also on hand to accept the award for Media Partner of the Year. Dan was himself a former Club kid, and understands perhaps better than most, the important role it can play in the lives of Cleveland's youth.

While we know why the work we do is so critical to our communities, we also know that we could not do any of it without support of others. We are grateful to take this opportunity each year to recognize the success stories of our youth and at the same time, give a little something back to those that have given so much.

New Website Brings a New Look to the Club!

Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland has officially launched our new website. Check out www.clevekids.org and take a tour today. Some highlights include:

• Kids Corner-where you can find work produced by Club kids.
• Success Stories-read about our kids that are making a mark on their Clubs and in their communities!
• Learn more about who we are and what we do.
• Find links to all of our social media sites.
• Invest in the future of Cleveland's youth with a tax-deductible gift.
• Find out how you can get involved as a volunteer.
• Check the Calendar to see what exciting events are coming up.
• Sign up for an ENewsletter......and much more!

A special thanks to the Saint Luke's Foundation who made the new website possible with a Make It Stick! grant award.

It Takes A Village...

We have all heard the saying, "it takes a village to raise a child," but have we ever stopped to think about what we mean by "village." In his book, "Come on People," Bill Cosby asks this exact question. Of course we mean the village is everyone in the community, coming together to take care of not only each other, but also our children. But I started to think about Cleveland as the "village," and wondered how many people actually picture the responsibility they bear in this collective village? How many people stop and ask themselves, "what can I do to make my community a better place?"

So many of our communities are plagued by a chronic case of apathy. It is much easier to assume that someone else will take care of it. I am sure we have all thought at one point..."I would love to help others but I am really busy with my own life. Someone else that has more time and is more committed to the cause will take care of it." Or perhaps, even worse, many people don't think about the problems our communities face at all!

I know it can be overwhelming to focus on the plethora of challenges that exist out there. Just looking at the uphill battle we face in Cleveland alone can discourage even the most committed of hearts. Our infrastructure is aging, our schools are struggling to educate our children, and too many of our youth are fighting and dying on the streets. There is hunger, high unemployment, and the list could go on. But we can't forget that there is also hope and progress in our city. Imagine what would happen if everyone in our collective village came together to realize the dream of a better future and tackle these problems.

Many of our fellow villagers are already out there, banding together to build a brighter future. One such collaboration is making strides in serving all of our youth, from the time they are young until they graduate from high school. MyCom: My Commitment, My Community, is a support system funded by The Cleveland Foundation, Saint Luke's Foundation, the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland. It exposes our youth to different arts and recreational opportunities, connects them with mentors and critical support services, and provides them with the tools to take a role in leading change within their own communities. It aims to bring together the various agencies and organizations that serve youth so that gaps can be identified and filled, giving our kids the chance they deserve to have healthy and productive childhoods.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland is a proud partner in MyCom. At several of our Clubs, our teens receive leadership training and learn how to address the problems faced by their neighbors and friends. They are learning that they can't wait for someone else to come along and solve your problems; THEY are the village.

For more information about MyCom: My Commitment, My Community, check out this informative brochure.

Boa Tarde: Brazilian Students Visit Broadway Boys & Girls Club

On Friday, the Broadway Boys & Girls Club hosted the Brazilian Youth Ambassadors who were visiting the city as part of a program from the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. The Brazilian students were in Cleveland for two weeks visiting attractions, learning about local government, and engaging with the community. To learn more about civic engagement and the role teens can play in giving back, eight ambassadors spent an afternoon with Club kids. The visit started with a tour and a Q&A session with Club Director, Jeff Haynes. Then the group gathered in the library to lead a Portuguese language lesson for several of our youth. The afternoon ended with the ambassadors meeting with teens from Broadway's Keystone Club to learn about how that group organizes their efforts and leads community service projects.

"Our kids had a great time meeting the Brazilian Youth Ambassadors," said Jeff Haynes. "This is the second time we have hosted an international group, and we know our members are getting a lot out of the opportunity. Many of our kids do not give much thought to what is beyond the boundaries of their neighborhoods, let alone in a different country. This is a great way for them to meet someone from a different culture and broaden their horizons a little more."


A special thanks to Gina Cirino of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs for organizing the event!