ARTS

ARTISTS AT THE TWIST: Come help us celebrate our 36th annual holiday arts show at the Cleveland Twist and Drill Building (1242 E 49th St.) on Saturday, December 7 from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday, December 8 from 11 am to 5 pm. Visit artistsatthetwist.com for more information.

ARTS COMPETITIONS: Artists worldwide are invited to participate in Ten Moir Gallery’s 3rd Faces and Botanical Art Competitions, both taking place this December. These exciting competitions are open to creators aged 18 and over, welcoming both 2D and 3D mediums across all art styles and techniques. The deadline: December 31, with up to $650 in cash and prizes awarded to the Best in Show winner. To learn more, visit tenmoirgallery.com/art-competitions-open-call.

ARTS AND CULTURE NETWORKING NIGHT: Neighbor Up and its community partners invite you to hear from Kamisha Thomas, co-founder of Returning Artist Guild in Columbus, Ohio, and enjoy a performance by Journee Bleu, a lyricist, singer, songwriter, actress, and poet.

It’s also a chance to network with other artists and learn about Spark Grants for artists, arts and culture nonprofits, and creative businesses in need of funding. See you Wednesday, December 4 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Lounges (1547 St. Clair Ave NE).

LATIN SOCIAL DANCE YOUTH PROGRAM: Become part of the Latin Social Dance family at Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center (2800 Archwood Ave). We’re looking for new students, ages 12-18, to learn traditional dance, salsa, and bachata this fall and winter in our youth performance group, which meets on Thursdays from 6 pm to 8 pm.  Our winter session will end with a performance at our Parrandón Navideño event on Saturday, December 14. Register at juliadeburgos.org/calendar or call 216-894-5664 to learn more.

ST. PAUL’S STREET STUDIO (LOCATION CHANGED): 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 216-973-1486.  Please note that this month’s street studio will be from 1-3 pm on Saturday, December 7 at Fairview Gardens Apartments (3207 Franklin Blvd, near Kentucky Garden) and not at its usual location at St. Paul’s Community Church.

CITY SERVICES

CALL CENTER AND WEBSITE FOR NON-EMERGENCY CITY SERVICES: For information or help with City of Cleveland services visit clevelandohio.gov/311 or call 311 (216-66-2000).

FILE A POLICE REPORT ONLINE by calling 833-461-0144. This will prompt you to enter your 10-digit phone number followed by the # sign. A text/SMS message with a direct link to the website page will then be sent to your cell phone. Reports that can be filed online include property damage, misdemeanor theft, theft from a vehicle, bicycle theft, lost property, and petty theft (value under $1,000). Reports that can’t be done online are crash reports and reports where there is a named suspect.

SAFE SMART CLE: For information on how to register your home or business camera in a partnership with the Cleveland Department of Public Safety contact Camera Sharing Access Program Advocate Gbrown3@clevelandohio.gov.

COMMUNITY

ANNUAL COMMUNITY AWARDS: Northwest Neighborhoods will present a variety of awards to community members at its annual meeting early next year. Nominations for the various awards are now being accepted and are due by December 31. Residents of the Cudell, Detroit Shoreway, or Edgewater neighborhoods are eligible. To learn more or to nominate someone, visit nwneighborhoods.org/awards.

FREE CHORE SERVICE: During the winter months, staff members from Cleveland’s Department of Aging are available to do limited indoor chores for Cleveland seniors and adults with disabilities. The appointments are one hour in duration. There is no charge for this service, but we ask that you provide your own cleaning supplies and equipment. Some tasks we can help with: sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, cleaning the stove or refrigerator, dusting, and cleaning the bathroom. Some things we don’t do: fold laundry, change bed linens or clean bedrooms, painting, or electrical work. This is not an exhaustive list. To learn more, call 216-664-3998 or 216-664-4694

KNITTING CIRCLE: Join the Lunchtime Knitting Circle on the second Wednesday of each month from noon to 1 pm at the Public Administration Library (Room 100 inside Cleveland City Hall). This month’s meeting will be on Wednesday, December 11.

TREMONT THINK AND DRINK: Join us for an engaging book discussion while enjoying your favorite beverage at Lincoln Park Pub (2609 W 14 St) on Monday, December 9 at 7 pm. This month, we will be discussing Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder.

DONATIONS NEEDED

RED CROSS BLOOD AND PLATELET DONATIONS: By scheduling and keeping appointments TODAY, donors can help provide for those in immediate need of lifesaving care. To schedule an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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, contract 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.

FOOD

COMMUNITY SHARE-A-MEAL: Please join us for a free meal on Wednesday, December 4 and Wednesday, December 18 at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, 10205 Lorain Ave. All are welcome. Join us in the cafeteria and enter through the rear door. Doors open at 4:30 pm for coffee, appetizers, and catching up with friends. Dinner will be served at 5:30 pm. A mini food pantry is available on occasion. Community meals are held the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

FOOD ASSISTANCE: Apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other public benefits over the phone at: 216-738-2067 or text FOOD to 63566 for information regarding SNAP applications, food pantries, free produce and hot meals.

FREE FRESH PRODUCE is available at Orchard STEM School (4200 Bailey Ave.), via the monthly mobile food pantry sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank the first Wednesday of every month. This month, the pantry will be held on Wednesday December 4. While you’re there, don’t forget to join us for our Parent TownHall Meeting, located in the Inquiry Garden. It is a great opportunity to offer your input and feedback, as well as address your concerns, to help our staff understand how to best serve you and your family.

FREE HOT BREAKFAST: Enjoy a complimentary breakfast courtesy of Bridge City Church at 3381 Fulton Rd every Saturday. Delight in church-made eggs, sausage, grits, and donuts—all for free! Breakfast is served between 8 am and 11 am.

HEALTH

CLEVELAND CARE CALLS is a free service offered by Cleveland’s Department of Aging and Public Safety that provides regularly scheduled automatic calls to check on a person’s well-being. The program is open to all residents aged 60 or older or to adults with disabilities aged 18-59. You can select the date and time of the call, between 7 am and 11 am, Mondays thru Fridays. The automatic system will make several attempts to call you in a thirty-minute period. If there is no response, the department will contact anyone you have designated as an emergency contact, who can then decide if they want to do a home visit to check on you. You must complete an application to participate in this program. Contact the program’s director to sign up at 216-664-6316 or 216-664-2833.

THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY WARM LINE is a free, confidential phone service that offers mental health support and is available 24 hours a day. Call 440-886-5950.

DEPRESSION AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD):  If you or someone you love is struggling with depression and/or thinking about suicide, get help now. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988, is a free resource, available 24 hours a day for anyone who is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. You can also contact the Ohio Crisis Text Line 24/7. Text the keyword “4hope” to 741 741 to be connected to a trained crisis counselor within 5 minutes.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

CLEVELAND BAZAAR: Cleveland’s longest-running indie craft fair returns for its twentieth year at 78th Street Studios (1300 W 78th St). Come check out crafts and goods for sale from over 125 Bazaar artists, resident artist studios, food trucks and so much more. Saturday, December 14 from 10 am to 9 pm and Sunday, December 15 from 10 am to 4 pm.

MAY DUGAN TREE LIGHTING: Join us for our 15th annual tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, December 5, 5:30 pm-8 pm, at the May Dugan Center (4115 Bridge Ave). Treats, hot cocoa, music and singing. Santa will be in attendance. Free event. Donations welcome.

NUTCRACKER EXTRAVAGANZA returns Friday, December 6th to Cleveland Public Library’s Carnegie West Branch (1900 Fulton Rd). Join us for a performance from Dance Arts by Regina as they share excerpts of the holiday favorite, “The Nutcracker”. This 45-minute interactive presentation will enchant both children and adults as they are swept away to the Land of the Sweets along with the dancers. There will also be tree ornaments to decorate, holiday displays to browse and check out, and a pizza party after the performance provided by Ohio City Inc. Be sure to read “The Night Before the Nutcracker” in the StoryWalk too! The event starts at 3 pm, and the performance begins at 4 pm.

PARRANDÓN NAVIDEÑO: Celebrate Latino heritage with family, friends, and community this holiday season at Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center (2800 Archwood Ave.) on Saturday, December 14 from 3 pm to 5:30 pm. Enjoy cultural performances, a fashion show, kids activities, food, gifts from Santa and the Three Kings, and much more! Contact us at info@juliadeburgos.org or call (216) 894-5664 with questions.

PEOPLE’S BUDGET HOLIDAY PARTY: Join People’s Budget Cleveland at our all-coalition holiday party in AsiaTown on Wednesday, December 11 from 6 – 8pm. Let us know you’recoming by filling out the form at this link https://tinyurl.com/mr6tdwvt, and we’ll follow up with you with a location.

QUEER THE HALLS: Join the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland on Saturday, December 7 for its annual LGBTQ+ artisan market. New this year: the event will be held at both The LGBT Center (6705 Detroit Ave.) and the Near West Theatre  across the street, to accommodate growing demand.

THRIVE FOR CHANGE HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Join us for our second annual holiday open house, sponsored by United Healthcare on Wednesday, December 11 at Thrive for Change (11002 Detroit Ave). This event will feature: tours of our harm reduction space and information about our impact, lunch or dinner and other refreshments including gluten free and vegan options, raffle baskets, free harm reduction supplies (naloxone, fentanyl testing strips, etc.), and networking opportunities. This event is free to attend. We just ask that all attendees RSVP to either the Lunch or Dinner time frame for capacity and food planning purposes at https://tinyurl.com/26ch8e75

PARENTING

FAMILY CONNECTIONS engages families with young children to nurture social connections, enhance child development, and improve school readiness. Family Connections provides parenting support and educational opportunities for families with children from birth through age six. Year-round free programs and services for families and children to play, learn, and grow together. For more information visit: www.FamilyConnections1.org or call 216-921-2023.

LEAD POISONING PREVENTION TIPS are available by searching for Child Lead Poisoning at www.odh.ohio.gov.

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY offers K-12 programs including National Youth Sports Program, Provost Scholars Program, Project STEP-UP, TRIO Upward Bound and TRIO Talent Search. For more information call Angela Cain at 216-368-5152 or contact her by email at precollege@case.edu.

RESOURCES

LINKING EMPLOYMENT, ABILITIES AND POTENTIAL (LEAP) works to advance a society of equal opportunity for all persons, regardless of disability. For more information visit www.leapinfo.org , call 216-696-2716 or email info@leapinfo.org.

LEGAL AID offers free assistance to people and groups with low income. Learn how to make a Rent Deposit with the Court when housing issues are a problem. For more information call the Tenant Information Line at 216-861-5955.

FIRST TIME HOME BUYING WORKSHOP:  First Federal Lakewood, in collaboration with Northwest Neighborhoods, is hosting a free financial workshop entitled “First Time Homebuying: What You Need To Know” on Wednesday,

December 11 from 6 pm to 7 pm in the Community Room at Aspen Place (6016 Lorain Ave).

FOOD BANK RESOURCE CENTER: Welcome to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s new Community Resource Center (15500 South Waterloo Rd), a one-stop shop for community members where they can find food assistance and a variety of resources from our community partners to help with things like housing, employment, and healthcare. For more information, call our help center at 216-738-2067 or email Ranesha Thomas at rthomas@clevelandfoodbank.org.

PROJECT RED CORD NIGHT OUT: Join The Renee Jones Empowerment Center for Project Red Cord Night Out on Friday, December 20 at 5 pm at W. 73rd and Lorain Ave. Free and open to the community, the project offers food, a mobile medical clinic, personal care items, and access to partner organizations. For details, contact The Renee Jones Empowerment Center at 216-417-0823.

SENIORS

CLEVELAND DEPARTMENT OF AGING: Call 216-664-2833 for information about services.

CALL CUYAHOGA COUNTY ELDER ABUSE HOTLINE at 216-420-6700 to report suspected abuse.

TRANSPORTATION

FREE BUS PASSES: Pregnant or a new parent? RTA is now offering free weekly bus passes to pregnant mothers and to parents of children under one year old through its Baby on Board program. Call 216-658-1355 for more information and to sign up.

THE OHIO CITY AND TREMONT BETTER STREETS COMMITTEES, resident-led groups that promote biking, walking, and safe streets in their neighborhoods, meet on the second Tuesday of every month at the Bike Cleveland office (3000 Bridge Ave, Suite #1). This month’s meeting will be on Tuesday, December 10. Learn more at bikecleveland.org/…/better-streets-committees. Questions? Reach out to Jenna at jenna@bikecleveland.org.

UTILITY ASSISTANCE

HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (HEAP) WINTER CRISIS help is available to Plain Press readers in zip codes 44102, 44109, 44113 and 44135 through Cleveland Housing Partners. Call 216-600-8108 Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Households outside those zip codes should call Step Forward. For information visit: stepforwardtoday.org/energy-assistance-programs.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR WATER OR SEWER BILLS? CHN housing partners can assist you in finding the right program and applying. Call CHN at 216-774-2349 or go to chnhousinpartners.org/utilityassistance to schedule an appointment.

VOLUNTEER

TAX SITE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The Cuyahoga EITC Coalition is looking for volunteer tax preparers and intake specialists for the 2024-2025 tax season to help hardworking taxpayers file their taxes for free. Just one hour of your time can provide up to $6,900 in EITC refunds and save someone hundreds of dollars in paid preparation fees. Two-part, Coalition-led training begins in December. To learn more or to sign up to become a volunteer, visit refundohio.org/volunteer.