ADVOCACY

DISABILITY ECONOMIC JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE: For information on the work of the collaborative visit:  TCF.org.

ARTS

FREE MUSIC LESSONS for children grades 3 thru 12 at 5 p.m. M thru Fridayat Cudell Recreation Center (1910 West Blvd) Jan. 9 to March 3! Instruments are provided. Monday: Percussion. Tuesday: Keyboard. Wednesday: Violin. Thursday: Voice. Friday: Guitar. For more information contact Darelle Hill at 440-801-6547 or darelle@arts-inspiredlearning.org. Or register at: https://arts-inspiredlearning.org/play-it-forward-cleveland/?mc_cid=462aa52d8e&mc_eid=caf778a4e9

FREE CRAFTY FRIDAYS at Art House. Select Fridays from January 6 to March 17 from5-6:30 p.m.  Have you ever made a Perler Bead key chain or a flower arrangement before? Now is your chance to do so and not make a mess at your own home. Bring family and friends on Fridays for free, fun, art, and crafts. Lite refreshments served. Registration is suggested. Visit www.arthouse.org for more information and to register.

WALKABOUT TREMONT: Friday, January 13th from 5-10 p.m. on Professor Avenue and surrounding streets. For more information visit: walkabouttremont.com.

OPEN CALL SPACES: SPACES invites local, national, and international creative professionals at all stages of their careers who engage in experimental practices with strong conceptual foundations to apply to our 2023 Open Call! Applications will be accepted now until January 19, @ 11:59 PM. Questions may be directed to SPACES staff at contact@spacescle.org

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING FOR ARTISTS: Photography Submission  | CAN Journal | Deadline: Jan 6; Artist Residency | Praxis Fiber Workshop | Deadline: Jan 15; Artist Residency | ATNSC | Deadline: Jan 16; Arts Education Specialist | Zygote Press | Jan 17; Open Call | SPACES | Deadline: Jan 19; Call for Submissions | Kaiser Gallery | Deadline: Jan 20; and Call for artist | The Sculpture Center | Deadline: Jan 29.

ASSISTANCE

PREVENTION, RETENTION AND CONTINGENCY (PRC) FUNDING: Merrick House has Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC) funding available to assist anyone with rent or utility payments. Payments are limited to $125.00 per household and will be paid directly to the vendor. Interested parties should call Merrick House at 216-771-5077 for an application.

CELEBRATIONS

REYES MAGOS: A Three Kings Day celebration will be held on Tuesday, January 3^rd at 5 p.m. at Buhrer Elementary School, 1600 Buhrer Avenue. Children under age 12 will receive a gift. Supplies are limited and gifts will be distributed on a first come first served basis. This year will be drive through pick up only. For any questions or concerns, please contact the Community Relations Board Hispanic Liaison, Christopher Martinez at 216-664-2705. The event is sponsored by the City of Cleveland Community Relations Board.

CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: Monday, January 16 from 3-4 p.m. Watch on WKYC or at tri-c.edu/MLK2023. The celebration will include a performance by Grammy winner Pastor Marvin L. Winans. Enjoy student presentations, performances by the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and more as Cuyahoga Community College honors scholarship winners who embody King’s work.

CONSUMER

CUYAHOGA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES (CCDJFS) WARNS OF SNAP AND TANF ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (EBT) CARD SKIMMING: According to the Federal Food and Nutrition Service, Ohio is among several states being targeted by criminals stealing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This is known as skimming. In skimming, criminals use a device placed over a point-of-sale card reader that steals information from payment cards like the SNAP Ohio Direction and Ohio Works First (OWF) Ohio Pathway cards. This means SNAP or cash assistance benefits could be stolen without a customer knowing. Unfortunately, Cuyahoga County now has confirmed cases of this fraud. SNAP recipients should check their accounts for any irregularities, change their PIN, and look at any card reader before using it to check for possible skimming devices. The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS) is taking a proactive approach to address public assistance fraud and is sending customers “Tips for keeping your SNAP EBT and Cash cards safe” to increase awareness among customers on card skimming. These messages include ways customers can report fraud, tips to keep their cards safe, and some things to look out for. If a customer believes their benefits have been stolen, please notify the Cuyahoga County Department of Health and Human Services (CCDHHS) Department of Investigations and file a theft report with the local law enforcement agency. Below are the different ways you can report public benefit fraud: Complete and submit the online Public Assistance Fraud Form at https://hhs.cuyahogacounty.us/forms/public-assistance-fraud-referral-form. Or call the CCDHHS Fraud Hotline at (216) 987- 6950

CUYAHOGA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS WARNS BUSINESSES OF TAX PAYMENT SCAMS: The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs is alerting businesses to multiple mail scams that demand payment of alleged past-due taxes. The scam letters have a headline that says, “Distraint Warrant.” They purport to be from “Cuyahoga County Tax Assessment Securities” or the “Cuyahoga County Tax Processing Unit” – offices that do not exist. The scam letters claim to be warrants for unpaid taxes. One version threatens business owners with seizure of their wages, bank accounts or Social Security benefits. Consumer Affairs is advising businesses who receive these or other scam letters: Do not call the toll-free number provided in the letter. Report the scam to Consumer Affairs by calling 216-443-7226 or by emailing a copy of letter to consumeraffairs@cuyahogacounty.us. Remember that only scammers will request payment in retail gift cards, money wires or bitcoin. Government agencies do accept these payments. Business owners who wish to check their tax status can contact the Ohio Department of Taxation at 1-800-282-1780. The Cuyahoga County Treasury Tax Services Department can be reached at 216-443-7420. Learn more about scams at cuyahogacounty.us/scamsquad.

EDUCATION

LAKE ERIE INK TEEN ANTHOLOGY: Be part of Lake Erie Ink’s seventh published anthology of teen writing. Follow the prompts or create your own piece to align with the theme: Keys & Locks. Submissions open to grades 9-12 and must connect to the theme. Editors are accepting fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art. Multiple submissions accepted. Submissions due by January 15. For more information or to submit an entry visit: lakeerieink.org/teen-book-project.

ENVIRONMENT

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN: The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is developing a regional climate action plan for Northeast Ohio. The Climate Action Plan will integrate local initiatives and identify opportunities to develop programs and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience, and enhance equity at the regional scale. Public Engagement Meeting/Listening Sessions will be held at Cuyahoga County Community College,Jerry Sue Thornton Center, 2500 East 22nd Street on January 10, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and through a live YouTube feed. The following link will be live for viewing the session on January 10th: YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/oe-BmsO0-mo Residents will have the chance to help shape and frame the plan by providing feedback during the climate mitigation and adaptation strategy phases of the engagement process and work together to reach a low carbon future that supports the national goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Stay connected and visit eneo2050.com for updates and engagement activities.

HEALTH

JANUARY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH: If you suspect someone is experiencing a mental health crisis or is contemplating suicide, consider reaching out to them with empathy and understanding. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Dial 911 if it is an actual emergency. The Jason Foundation is another available resource. The Jason Foundation is dedicated to the awareness and prevention of suicide through educational programs and provides tools and resources to identify and assist those who are at-risk. For more information on helping your friends and loved ones who are suffering with a mental illness, please visit www.jasonfoundation.com.

COVID -19 TESTS: As COVID-19 cases rise, it’s important to stay safe this winter. Each U.S. household can now order 4 COVID-19 at-home tests shipped straight to their door at no cost. All you need to do is visit COVIDtests.gov and enter your contact information and mailing address. At-home tests, or “self-tests,” give rapid results and can be taken anywhere, regardless of your vaccination status or whether or not you have symptoms. Visit CDC.gov to learn when to test yourself, how to use an at-home test, and what your test results mean.

NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY PRACTICE is offering walk-in or scheduled vaccine appointments at all seven community health center locations. To register call 216-281-0872 for assistance.

FLU VACCINES are available on Mondays and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McCafferty Health Center 4242 Lorain Avenue. No appointment is necessary.

COVID-19 VACCINES for those age 12 and older are available on Mondays and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McCafferty Health Center 4242 Lorain Avenue. No appointment is necessary. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

COVID-19 VACCINES for those ages 6 -11 available on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McCafferty Health Center 4242 Lorain Avenue. No appointment is necessary. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

MONKEY POX VACCINES are available on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at McCafferty Health Center 4242 Lorain Avenue. No appointment is necessary.

LIBRARIES

FREE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) WORKSHOPS at the Jefferson Branch of the Cleveland Public Library, 850 Jefferson Avenue, on Tuesdays February 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Once the link is activated on January 10th, people 18 and up can sign up at: https://cpl.libcal.com/event/9720845. Those signing up early will receive a PowerPoint via email so they can practice ahead of time if they wish.

FAMILY CIRCLE TIME: South Branch Library, Scranton at Clark Avenue, every Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Children’s Room Main Floor.  Stories, songs and fingerplay. Children ages — 0 -11years.

CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY WEST PARK CAMPUS, 3805 W. 157^th, will reopen on Saturday, January 7^th.

VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO SERVE AS GREETERS OR TAX PREPARERS with the Cuyahoga EITC Coalition at the Gordon Square Arcade (6516 Detroit Ave.) This important service helps hardworking residents receive their full tax refund. No prior experience is necessary – training is provided. If you are interested, visit refundohio.org or call/text Emily at 216.200.6704.