ADVOCACY

DRIVE TO JUSTICE SUMMIT: On September 28^th, 2024 from 10-3 pm on Tri-C’s Metro Campus join Policy Matters Ohio, the Fines and Fees Justice Center, Neighborhood Connections and Towards Employment in mobilizing directly impacted Ohioans to advocate for a comprehensive that truly helps decriminalize poverty.

ARTS

HINGETOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL: Enjoy a full day of free live music at various venues around the Hingetown area of Ohio City (near W. 29 St. and Detroit Ave.) Saturday, August 31. Local musical acts will perform throughout the day, from 2:30 pm to 9:30 pm, at the following venues: Jukebox (1404 W. 29 St.), the Transformer Station (1460 W. 29 St.), and Bop Stop (2920 Detroit Ave). The event is free and family friendly. For more information, including an event schedule and full lineup, visit local4musicfund.org.

MUSIC AT MAIN: Enjoy free live music Saturday, September 7 at 2 pm at the main branch of the Cleveland Public Library (325 Superior Ave), in the third floor lobby or outside at the Eastman Reading Garden (depending on the weather). This month’s concert will feature Tweed, an Irish band weaving together traditional and contemporary music from Ireland, Scotland, and England.

MUSIC NEAR THE MARKET: Come enjoy free live music and our magnificent Beckerath pipe organ every Wednesday of the year at 12:15 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church (2031 W. 30 St). This month will feature Florence Mustric performing “Mendelssohn sonatas” on September 4 and 11, and Robert Myers performing “Minor delights” on September 18 and 25. For more information or to receive program notices, please contact Robert Myers at 216-283-1700.

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE POP-UP MUSIC:  Listen to local, live music at Playhouse Square Plaza (on the corner of Huron and Euclid) with mellow classic rock from The Bridge Live! on Thursday, September 12, and alternative folk duo The Baker’s Basement on Thursday, September 26. Both events run from 4 pm to 7 pm.

STORY WARS is a free monthly storytelling event at Jukebox (1404 W. 29 St) that was created to spur people into creativity. At the start of each round, a prompt is drawn blind from our big-jar-of-prompts and then read aloud. Anyone who would like to create their story has 5 minutes to write, choreograph a dance, compose a song—however you want to express yourself. After the 5 minutes is up, creators go around and read/perform their story for the audience. After the stories are finished, everyone (audience included) casts their votes! This month’s event will be Thursday, September 19 from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm. You don’t need to be a writer to enjoy the night. Come hang out, listen to the stories and cast your votes. Everyone is welcome. Visit storywarscle.com for more information.

ST. PAUL’S STREET STUDIO, 1-2 p.m. on September 28^th at St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin.  Join in to share music, poetry/spoken word in a peaceful atmosphere of respect. You are welcome to add your voice or simply listen and provide support. Piano, mics, drums, and acoustic guitars provided along with an encouraging circle to listen. For more information contact Ian Heisey at heisey2140@sbcglobal.net or at 216-9731486.

CLEVELAND

CITY SERVICES: WHAT IS 311? 311 is an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects you with highly trained Citizen Support Specialists who are ready to help you with requests for non-emergency City services and information. i.e. streetlamp outages, backed up storm sewers. 

COMMUNITY

FREE AQUARIUM TICKETS: During the month of September, Greater Cleveland Aquarium (Flats West Bank, 2000 Sycamore St) is offering free admission to all classroom educators, from Pre-K thru college. In addition to free admission and parking (with validation), classroom educators who visit between September 1 – 30, 2024, 10am – 5pm, are also eligible for 10% off any level Annual Pass and will be entered for a chance to win a $100 Staples gift card to help with student or office supplies. Questions? Call 216-862-8803 or visit greaterclevelandaquarium.com.

POLICE COMMISSION SEEKING APPLICANTS: The City of Cleveland is now seeking applications for the Community Police Commission (CPC) for seven commissioners to join the CPC in December.  Eligible applicants must be City of Cleveland residents.  Those who are interested have until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, September 6 to apply. Visit tinyurl.com/5374vz5y to get started.

TAKE A HIKE: Enjoy free, self-guided walking tours of various historic Cleveland neighborhoods on select days, now thru September 30. Locations include: Tremont every Tuesday at 6 pm (meet at Sideyard Park, 1370 Abbey Ave.), the Erie Street Cemetery every Sunday at 10 am (meet at the cemetery, 2301  E. 9th St.), the Veterans Memorial Bride the second Sunday of every month at 1 pm and again at 2 pm (meet at Luna Bakery, 1468 W. 9th St.), and the Warehouse District every Wednesday at 6 pm (meet at Constantino’s Market, 1278 W 9th St). For more information, including additional locations and dates, visit takeahikecle.com.

WARD 14 COMMUNITY MEETING with Metro North Block Club on Tuesday, September 24 from 6:30-7-30 p.m. at Hispanic Ministry, 3114 Scranton Avenue. For more information contact Adam Gifford at Agifford@metrowestcle.org.

YWCA AWARD NOMINATIONS: We are now accepting nominations for YWCA Greater Cleveland’s 2025 Women of Achievement Award honorees! This prestigious award honors extraordinary women and their accomplishments in their careers, community service, leadership, mentoring, and dedication to YWCA’s mission. Nominations are open through Friday, September 13. To nominate someone, visit ywcaofcleveland.org/women-of-achievement.

OHIO CITY ANNUAL MEETING & BOARD ELECTIONS: September 4 -deadline for membership in order to be eligible to vote at annual meeting on any necessary business; September 14 – applications for election due to Governance Committee; September 22 – deadline for membership in order to vote at Annual Election; and September 24 – Annual Meeting of Members 5:30 p.m. at Bob Stop. For information on how to sign up as a member of Ohio City Incorporated visit: https://www.ohiocity.org/membership

CUYAHOGA COUNTY

SIGN UP FOR READY NOTIFY, Cuyahoga County’s emergency notification system, at https://cuyahogacounty.gov/ready/readynotify/readynotify to stay prepared and notified of emergencies. The ReadyNotify system provides notifications for emergency events, weather alerts, and other information.  Additional information and tips about staying safe in emergencies can be found at Ready.gov.

DONATIONS NEEDED

WARM UP CLEVELAND: Do you sew, knit, crochet, or quilt? Donate handmade items at any Cleveland Public Library location year-round to help neighbors in need. For more information, contact Outreach and Programming Services at 216-623-2921 or ops@cpl.org. All donations will be distributed to local charities. For more information, including a full list of participating charities, visit cpl.org/warmupcle.

EDUCATION

CLEVELAND TRANSFORMATION ALLIANCE: Find the right kindergarten for your child. Visit mycleschool.org or call 216-592-2303 for more information.

FREE CULINARY EDUCATION: EdwinsLeadership and Restaurant Institute (13101 Shaker Square) offers FREE culinary education to formerly incarcerated adults, giving them a foundation in the culinary and hospitality industries and a support network necessary for long-term success. If interested, call, text or email Derrick Speights at derrick@edwinsrestaurant.org or 216-744-4309. Or just come in on any Friday at 9 am sharp.

FREE BOOKS for kids ages 0-5: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio mails kids one free book each month until their 5^th birthday. Any child in Ohio between birth and age 5 is eligible for the program. To sign up, visit: OhioimaginationLibrary.org.

FREE CITIZENSHIP CLASS: Building Hope in the City offers free citizenship classes at the Hope Center (15135 Triskett Rd.). Topics covered include naturalization prep and N-400 review, English instruction, and U.S. government and history. Orientation and registration for the next session is Wednesday, September 4 from 5:30 pm to 7:30, and classes run from Monday, September 9 thru Monday, November 25, every Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Questions? Contact Sharon Hughes at sharonh@buildinghopeinthecity.org.

FREE CLASSES FOR SENIORS: Through Program 60, Ohio residents, age 60 and older, can register for regularly scheduled credit and noncredit courses at Tri-C on an audit, tuition-free, space available basis. Must register in person at an Enrollment Center. tri-c.edu/program60, 216-987-6000, enroll@tri-c.edu.

SCOLASTIC ART AND WRITING AWARDS: The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers tracks the creative development of more than a quarter of a million teenagers across the country. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, recognize student achievement in the visual arts and creative writing. Creative teenagers in grades 7-12 from public, private, or home-school programs throughout the U.S. and its territories and Canada are eligible to apply. Art categories include architecture and industrial design, ceramics and glass, comic art, design, digital art, drawing and illustrations, editorial cartoons, fashion, film and animation, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Writing categories include critical essays, dramatic scripts, flash fiction, humor, journalism, novel writing, personal essay and memoir, poetry, science fiction and fantasy, and short story. Several sponsored awards in specific categories are also offered. For more information visit: https://www.artandwriting.org/?mc_cid=21ac2b9fff&mc_eid=b09aac01aa

ELECTION

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING ahead of the November 5 presidential election will begin October 8 at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (2925 Euclid Ave.) The Board of Elections will be open for voting on select days from October 8 until Sunday, November 3. For a full list of hours, visit boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/voters/vote-early-in-person. Don’t forget to bring a valid photo ID!

VOTER REGISTRATION: To be eligible to vote in the presidential election this November, you must be registered to vote by October 7. To register to vote for the first time, check or update your voter status, request an absentee ballot, or find your polling location, visit boe.cuyahogacounty.gov. You can also visit any branch of the Cleveland Public Library to receive assistance with 

EVENTS

WARD 11 STREET FEST: Join Councilman Danny Kelly and other community leaders for this new free street festival with live bands and DJs, food trucks, beer, face painting and more on Saturday, September 7, 2pm-8pm at Variety Village (W.118th St. and Lorain Ave).

THE CHALK FESTIVAL at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) features sidewalk artistry by professional chalk artists and local community groups, families, and individuals, all using the CMA’s south plaza and walkways that wind through the Fine Arts Garden and down to Wade Lagoon as a colorful canvas. The event will be held Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15 from noon to 5 pm both days outside the art museum (11150 East Blvd).

CLEVELAND NATIONAL AIRSHOW: Celebrating 60 years, the Air Show is Cleveland’s Labor Day Weekend tradition with three days of aerial thrills featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, military jet demonstrations. The event runs from Saturday, August 31 thru Monday, September 2 at Burke Lakefront Airport. While it is a ticketed event, much of the show’s aerial performances are visible from around the Cleveland area.

GIGS ON THE GREEN: Enjoy these free weekly concerts every Wednesday now thru September 11, from 5 pm to 8 pm on Public Square. September 4’s concert will feature the Chardon Polka Band, and September 11 will feature jazz pianist Theron Brown.

HISPANIC-LATINO HERITAGE CELEBRATION: The Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center (2800 Archwood Ave.) will celebrate its 10th annual Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month Celebration Saturday, September 14, from 4 pm to 7 pm. Whether you’re interested in volunteering, sponsoring, performing, vending, or hosting a resource table, we want to hear from you. Get involved and make this celebration unforgettable! Contact us today at 216-894-5664 or email info@juliadeburgos.org.

MAX HAYES CAR SHOW: Come check out a wide selection of classic cars and mingle with other classic car enthusiasts at this year’s edition of the Max Hayes Classic Car Show,which will take place in the parking lot of Max Hayes High School (2211 W. 65th St.) on September 14, 10 am – 2 pm.

THE OHIO CITY STREET FESTIVAL returns Sunday, September 15 from 11am to 7 pm for a full day of music, entertainment, food, and local vendors. For more information, visit www.ohiocity.org/OCSF or email Katy Baumbach of Ohio City Inc. at kbaumbach@ohiocity.org.

TREMONT ARTS AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL (TACF): Saturday, September 21, noon-7 p.m.; and Sunday, September 22, noon -5 p.m. in Lincoln Park. Come celebrate the cultural and artistic diversity of Tremont and the Greater Cleveland area, featuring fine art, sculpture, original jewelry, children’s activities and programs, food booths, musicians, and performers. More information is available at: https://experiencetremont.com/featured-events/tremont-arts-cultural-festival/

FOOD

CLEVELAND FOOD BANK: Cuyahoga County has increased funding for emergency food assistance by $250k due to a significant increase in calls for service stemming from recent power outages. Cuyahoga County will work with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to replenish food lost in the outages. The Food Bank locations can be found at https://www.greaterclevelandfoodbank.org/get-help/map.  

HEALTH

DOG-FRIENDLY YOGA: Bring your four-legged friends to these bi-monthy, donation-based yoga sessions at City Goods (1442 W 28 St). Held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from May through September at 6:30 pm, this month’s sessions will be Wednesday, September 4 and Wednesday, September 18. Donations are appreciated. Questions? Email venturepawz@gmail.com.

FREE SMOKE ALARMS are available to Cleveland residents thru Operation Save-A-Life, a program of the American Red Cross and Cleveland Fire Department. The smoke alarms are installed by Cleveland firefighters at no cost to the resident. To apply, call the 24-hour hotline at 216-361-5535. Please note that the application and installation process may take up to 90 days.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL: Proper disposal of hazardous chemicals from your home has never been easier in Cuyahoga County. As a resident, you can turn in unwanted products at a free collection held in your community. The City of Cleveland has a drop off the first Friday of every month at the Division of Waste Collection city garage (5600 Carnegie Ave). This month’s event will be Friday, September 6. Hours are 9 am-3 pm. No latex paint, please! For more information, including a full list of what can and can’t be dropped off, call the Cleveland Service Department at 216-664-2397, or visit cuyahogarecycles.org.

TAI CHI FOR OLDER ADULTS at the Lakewood Public Library main branch (15425 Detroit Ave.) from 2 pm to 3 pm every Wednesday from September 18 thru November 6. Contact the instructor, Patricia, at 216-956-3757.

LEGAL AID

BRIEF ADVICE CLINIC: Have a legal question?  Legal Aid has answers! Visit this Brief Advice Clinic at the Lorain Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (8216 Lorain Ave.) on Saturday, September 7 to chat with an attorney about a problem related to money, housing, family, employment or other issues. This clinic is first come, first served, no appointments needed. (Only questions on civil legal issues, not criminal problems). Please bring all important paperwork with you. Intake hour is from 10 am to 11 am. In the meantime, Legal Aid is open 24/7 online at lasclev.org, or you can call Legal Aid for help during most business hours at 888-817-3777.

FREE EVICTION HELP: You may qualify for free legal representation at your eviction hearing if you have at least one minor child in your household and meet income guidelines. Call the Legal Aid Society at 216-861-5835 or apply online at lasclev.org to find out if you are eligible for free legal help. The sooner you call, the more a lawyer can do for you.

PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

REAL ESTATE TAX RELIEF AVAILABLE TO VICTIMS OF STORMS: If your property was damaged in the August 6th storms, you can apply for a reduction in value and property tax assistance. The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office provides property owners the ability to file an Application for Valuation of Damaged or Destroyed Property. The deadline to apply is December 31^st. Learn more and apply: https://cuyahogacounty.gov/fiscal-officer/

2024 PROPERTY TAX REAPPRAISAL: To challenge your reappraisal or explore resources that may help reduce your property tax visit: https://cuyahogacounty.gov/fiscal-officer/2024-sexennial-reappraisal

STORM CLEAN-UP

CUYAHOGA COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, in partnership with volunteers from Team Rubicon, the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Ohio, and Crisis Cleanup, has established a hotline for residents who want assistance moving tree and yard debris. Residents struggling to clear tree and yard debris can call (330)208-9761 to make a request. Services are free of charge.

VOLUNTEERING

THE METANOIA PROJECT Metanoia Project has a permanent site for the 2024-2025 season at 10050 Clinton Road Cleveland 44111. Volunteers are needed to sign up for meals for the season, beginning on November 15th and ending on April 15th.  The Metanoia Project will be hosting 35 guests in one space, and is asking for volunteers to bring enough food for 35 people. Dinner should arrive between 6:30pm – 6:45 pm. Paper products, utensils and drinks are always appreciated. A reminder email will be sent out a week prior to the evening you will be bringing the meal. If you are interested in signing up, please email Michael Stanczyk at volunteercoordinator@projectmetanoia.org

NEAR WEST THEATRE (6702 Detroit Ave.) offers a variety of ways for you to get involved in local theater, including auditioning for upcoming productions, volunteering as a backstage crew member, and volunteering at the box office. For a full list of opportunities and to apply, visit nearwesttheatre.org/get-involved. Questions? Email info@nearwesttheatre.org. Please also note that we are committed to diverse, inclusive casting. We will cast artists without regard to disability, race, age, sexual orientation, color, gender identity, etc.

VOLUNTEER SOCCER COACHES are always needed for Near West Recreation’s soccer leagues. No experience is necessary. A background check is required (paid for by Near West Recreation). We are looking for individuals who enjoy working with and leading kids and have general knowledge of the sport. Commitment level ranges from 3-6 hours per week. Questions? Call or email, 216-781-3222 or nearwestrec@ohiocity.org.

WEST SIDE CATHOLIC CENTER (3135 Lorain Ave.)is currently seeking volunteers for the following areas: Afternoon Receptionist, Database Entry, Monday Cook, and Clothing Sorter. Most opportunities are during traditional work hours, but we have occasional Saturday morning food pantries. If interested, please email Veronica at vfavela@wsccenter.org.

YOUTH

FALL REGISTRATION AT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS: Fall registration is underway at Boys and Girls Clubs for youths ages 6-18. Due to federal budget cuts there will be fewer clubs open this year. As the new school year gets underway, the only club open on the West Side of Cleveland will be the club at Joseph Gallagher School. There is no charge to join a club. Visit the Boys and Girls Clubs website for more information at www.bgcneo.org.