ACTIVISM

CLEVELAND AIR QUALITY COALITION fights to improve air quality for all Clevelanders, and we are asking the community to join us in encouraging Cleveland City Council to pass an improved Air Code that recognizes that many small pollution sources add up over time, devastating community health. Visit cleairquality.org to learn more.

END THE SALE OF FLAVORED TOBACCO: The Campaign to End Tobacco Targeting, made up of community groups, public health advocacy organizations, and faith institutions from around the city, is seeking to end the sale of flavored tobacco products in Cleveland. This includes sweet, candy-flavored e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes that the tobacco industry uses as an effective and intentional means of getting children and vulnerable communities addicted to nicotine. Visit clevelandendstargeting.org to join us.

NO KINGS PROTEST: Join Indivisible and its community partners for a day of peaceful protest as we voice our opposition to authoritarianism and democratic backsliding, Saturday, October 18 from 1 pm to 3 pm near the Free Stamp at Willard Park (at E. 9th and Lakeside). Visit nokings.org to sign up.

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS

HOMEWORK HELP: Kids, need help with your homework? Got a big project coming up and don’t know where to start? Come to the Jefferson Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (850 Jefferson Ave., in Tremont) on Mondays and Thursdays anytime between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, and a library staff member will be available to help!

MERRICK HOUSE FREE YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM: Merrick House offers quality after-school care Monday thru Friday, 3:30pm-6 pm at 1050 Starkweather Ave., for students ages 6-17.  The program offers homework assistance, snacks, arts and crafts, field trips, fitness activities and service projects. Some programs offered include Youth Leadership Council, Junior Achievement Curriculum, and Ambassador of Compassion Curriculum. Older students (ages 13-17) are encouraged to participate in discussions on issues affecting them today, such as sexuality, teen pregnancy, and drug and alcohol abuse. For more information or to sign up, call 216-771-5077 or email lozells@merrickhouse.org.

ARTS

ARTIST INVENTORY CHALLENGE: Join Art House, Inc. for an entertaining evening of good conversation, good food, and watching the creative process unfold as invited artists create new work inspired by donated materials. Saturday, October 11 from 7 pm to 10 pm at 3119 Denison Ave. To RSVP, visit arthouseinc.org.

BOOST FUND: Assembly for the Arts will award $1,500 each to between 40 and 50 local artists this Fall through its new Boost Fund, to help them bring their work to life and pay for a wide variety of art-related expenses. The third and final application period for this year will be open from October 22 to November 20. To be eligible, artists must be at least 18 years old and residents of Cuyahoga County. Boost Fund recipients will be selected through a nationally modeled random selection process facilitated by Assembly for the Arts.  This process will occur after the open application period has ended. To apply, visit assemblycle.org/BOOST

FRIENDS AND FAMILY OPEN STUDIO: Art House, Inc. (3119 Denison Ave.) offers a free family-friendly art workshop on the third Saturday of each month from 1 pm-3 pm. In this month’s workshop, “Mixed-Media Sculptures”, teaching artist Meri Ruble will help us discover creative ways to repurpose and reuse familiar found objects while building imaginative collages or sculptures, Saturday October 18. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. Donations are appreciated. Visit arthouseinc.org to sign up, or call 216-398-8556 for more information.

PAINTING EXPLORATION: Explore your creativity in this engaging adult painting class focused on water-based media such as watercolor, gouache, and acrylics, Saturdays from 11 am to 12:30 pm at the Carnegie West Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (1900 Fulton Rd). Designed for all skill levels, this class offers guided instruction in foundational techniques like color mixing, brushwork, layering, and composition, while also encouraging personal expression and experimentation. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, you’ll enjoy a relaxed, supportive environment perfect for building confidence and creating beautiful, expressive works of art. Register at cpl.libcal.com/event/14643380.

STREET STUDIO: This month’s Street Studio will be Saturday, October 25 from 1 pm to 3 pm at St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin Ave. All are welcome to share music, poetry, spoken word or to listen in support. Piano, drums, guitar, and microphones provided – as well as coffee and snacks. For more information contact Ian Heisey at heisey2140@sbcglobal.net or Trennell Garrison at sapphire1497@yahoo.com.

COMMUNITY

MEET THE CLEVELAND WESTSIDE VILLAGE: Happy Hour, October 14, 4:00-7:00 Forest City Brewery, 3135 Columbus Road.  The Cleveland Westside Village is hosting a “happy hour” for older adults to learn more about our organization. We are a group of seniors, working to age in place and enjoy life. We invite people, 55 and older, from the neighborhoods of Ohio City, Detroit Shoreway, Cudell and Edgewater to learn about our organization. at the Forest City Brewery on October 14, from 4:00 and 7:00. Join us for a complimentary beer or a glass of wine.

Please register at Clevelandwestside.helpfulvillage.com/events 

THE CLEVELAND BAZAAR, Cleveland’s longest-running indie craft fair, will hold its last outdoor pop-up market of the season at Market Square Park (across the street from the West Side Market) on Sunday, October 5. Come browse crafts and goods for sale from your favorite local artists from 10 am-4 pm. For more information, visit clevelandbazaar.org.

FAMILY HISTORY DAY: Discover your family’s roots at Family History Day at the main branch of the Cleveland Public Library (525 Superior Ave.) Saturday, October 4 from 10:15 am to 5:45 pm. Learn essential research techniques from expert genealogists and connect with like-minded researchers. This full day of engaging lectures is perfect for beginners and experienced researchers alike. Registration is required, and a box lunch will be served at the Learning Commons at 12:30 pm. Register now at https://tinyurl.com/CPLHistoryDay. Questions? Call the Center for Local & Global History at 216-623-2864 or email CLGH@cpl.org.

OHIO CITY OKTOBERFEST: The first-ever Ohio City Oktoberfest, sponsored by Ohio City Incorporated, will take place Saturday, October 4 from 3 pm to 8 pm at Market Square Park (across the street from the West Side Market). Featuring live music, pretzel tossing, stein holding competitions, and tasty local food and drink, it’s sure to be fun for the whole family! To get your free tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/OCOktoberfest

WARD 14 COFFEE WITH COUNCIL: Residents, local businesses, and community partners of Ward 14 are welcome to meet one on one with Councilwoman Jasmin Santana to discuss their concerns and ideas for the community at these semi-monthly meetings at CentroVilla25 (3140 W 25th St). The next meeting will be on Thursday, October 30 from 4 pm to 6 pm. Questions? 216-664-4238 or MMiranda@Clevelandcitycouncil.org.

ELECTION

BE A POLL WORKER: Participate in our electoral process and earn some extra cash by signing up to work the polls for the upcoming general election on November 4. To serve as a poll worker in Ohio, you must: be a US citizen, be at least 18 years old and registered to vote, not be running as a candidate in the election in which you are working, and have not been convicted of a felony. To apply, visit boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/election-day-workers.

EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING, ahead of the November 4 election, will begin October 7 at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. (Please note that the Board of Elections has recently moved to its new home at 1803 Superior Ave.) It will be open for voting on select days from October 8 until Sunday, November 2. For a full list of hours, visit boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/voters/vote-early-in-person . Don’t forget to bring a valid photo ID!

VOTE-BY-MAIL APPLICATIONS for the general election on November 4 are available at boe.cuyahogacounty.gov/voters/vote-by-mail or by calling 216-443-8683 (VOTE). Applications must be received at the Board of Elections by Tuesday, October 28 at 8:30 pm. Once you receive your ballot in the mail, fill it out and mail it to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections at 1803 Superior Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Monday, November 3 to count. You can also return your ballot in person at the Board of Elections. All vote-by-mail ballots returned in person must be received at the Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on November 4  in order to be counted.

EMPLOYMENT

EDWINS LEADERSHIP AND RESTAURANT INSTITUTE: Start your FREE culinary education today. Classes start Monday, October 10, at 12383 Cedar Rd. Applications are accepted Fridays promptly at 9 am. You will learn all positions in a restaurant, including chef/cook, hosting, bartending, and serving. Email: Derrick@EDWINSrestaurant.org. Cell: 216-744-4309. Office: 216-921-3333. Call/text/email, or just come in any Friday at 9 am SHARP!

HALLOWEEN

BIG CITY BOO, a Halloween-themed event for kids and families, returns to city recreation centers on Friday, October 31 from 5 pm to 7 pm. The event features candy, refreshments, and games – all in a safe and fun environment. Every Cleveland rec center will be participating, including Cudell (1910 West Blvd.), Estabrook (4125 Fulton Rd.), Halloran (3550 W. 117th St.), and Michael Zone (6301 Lorain Ave).

BOO BASH: Enjoy Halloween-themed crafts, games and more during this yearly celebration at the Fulton Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (3545 Fulton Rd.) on Tuesday, October 28 from 4:30pm – 5:45pm.

SPOOKY AUTUMN FEST, Tower City’s annual, family-friendly Halloween event, returns on Saturday, October 25 from noon to 6 pm. The event will feature indoor trick-or-treating, an inflatable corn maze, festive Fall games, and pumpkin decorating. Costumes highly encouraged! Visit towercitycenter.com for more information.

TRICK-OR-TREATING: Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating will be held in Cleveland on Halloween night, Friday, October 31, from approximately 6 pm to 8 pm. Households participating in passing out candy should turn their front porch light on to indicate to trick or treaters that they are participating.

HEALTH

BLOOD DRIVE: Give the gift of life by donating blood at the Lorain branch of the Cleveland Public Library (8216 Lorain Ave.) Saturday, November 1  from 10 am to 3 pm. To sign up, go to RedCrossBlood.org and enter the code “LORAIN BRANCH” or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

CLEVELAND CARE CALLS is a free service offered by Cleveland’s Department of Aging and Public Safety that provides free, automatic calls to check on a person’s well being. The program is open to 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, Monday thru Friday. 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.

COMMUNITY WELLNESS CLINIC AND HEALTH TALKS: Join staff from Cleveland Clinic’s Lutheran Hospital for this monthly clinic and health talk inside the Community Room at CentroVilla25 (3140 W 25th St), on select Tuesdays from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. The next three dates will be October 21, November 18, and December 16. Topics we will address include:Smart Gym & Exercise Physiology, Sleep Medicine, Reducing Late-Stage Cancer, and Reiki/Meditation. All events are free and open to the public. Contact Janice González at gonzalj5@ccf.org with questions or concerns.

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. The Crisis Text Line is a free 24/7 text line where trained crisis counselors support individuals in crisis.

FREE DENTAL AND MEDICAL CLINIC: MedWish MedWorks will hold a free two-day dental and medical clinic on Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22 at the Huntington Convention Center (300 Lakeside Ave E). Services provided include dental screenings, cleanings, extractions, fillings, and temporary partials for adults and children. General and women’s health. Doors open at 7 am, walk-ins only. You do not need to provide a name, ID, or other identifying details like income or insurance. Translation services are available. Need help now? If you are in need of no-cost/low-cost health care, you do NOT need to wait for a MedWish Medworks clinic. Please call 216-692-1685 ext. 205, or email the team at NavTeam@medwish.org. We can discuss your situation and options and help you find the care you need to live a healthier life.

HOUSING

CLEVELAND HOUSING COURT has a neighborhood kiosk at the South Branch Library (3096 Scranton Rd). Attend housing court hearings without traveling downtown. Walk-ins welcome starting at 10 am. To learn more: cpl.org/legal and clevelandhousingcourt.org, or call the Cleveland Housing Court Bailiff Department at 216-664-4765.

IF YOU NEED SHELTER contact Cuyahoga County’s Coordinated Intake office at 216-674-6700. Hours of operation: 8 am – 8 pm, Monday – Friday. After hours and weekends please call 2-1-1 for an on-call Coordinated Intake representative. If it is after hours, women in need of assistance may also go directly to Norma Herr Women’s Center, 2227 Payne Avenue, and staff will assist you in contacting Coordinated Intake the following day.

PAINT VOUCHER PROGRAM: Northwest Neighborhoods is offering a new paint voucher program. Eligible recipients will receive a voucher to use at Sherwin-Williams (4329 Lorain Avenue) for up to 60% off paint and up to 15% off paint supplies. Homeowners over the age of 18 in the Detroit-Shoreway, Cudell, and Edgewater neighborhoods are eligible. Proof of residency is required. Residents are eligible for one voucher every two years. Landlords and rental properties are not eligible. For more information, contact Kena Chappell, Director of Healthy Homes, at kchappell@nwneighborhoods.org.