Much to Do in the Next Month

Upcoming Events for the Coalition

The next Teach In is set for Wednesday February 20, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. This is a 3 hour tour of homelessness in Cleveland and a chance to hear from people who have moved out of homelessness in Cleveland. The focus will be on those who are resistant to shelter. There is full description of the Stand Down at http://www.neoch.org/teachin.htm on our website.

The Self Help Legal Clinic ribbon cutting is February 26, 2008 at 1 p.m. The Cleveland Homeless Legal Assistance Program invites the public to the grand opening of the Pro Se Legal Assistance at the May Dugan Center. This clinic will allow those who are having a hard time finding a lawyer to take their case to go to the clinic and print out their legal proceeding and file the case on their own behalf. This pro se clinic can help with simple legal proceedings like a response to evictions, expungements, and divorce with no children. May Dugan Center is located at 4115 Bridge Ave. on the near west side of Cleveland. CHLAP offers a weekly legal clinic at the May Dugan Center every week, along with their clinics in the shelters they serve nearly 600 people a year.

An update on the Heading Home/County Trust Fund March 10, 2008 at 3:30 pm. The City/County organized a strategic plan for addressing the housing crisis in Greater Cleveland. The Coalition and the Cleveland Tenants Organization will host a public meeting to discuss the Heading Home implementation plan and the plans for finding funding for the development of affordable housing. We need your support and your assistance in implementing this important initiative. We will provide opportunities for involvement in the effort to start constructing new affordable housing units again. The meeting is March 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Coalition offices in the third floor conference room. All are invited.

NEOCH is hosting the 3^rd Annual Homeless Poetry Competition. As part of our Annual fundraiser, NEOCH hosts a competition to hear from local poets who have experienced homelessness. Anyone who has been homeless between March 2007 to March 2008 is welcome to submit a poem. Details are available through the Coalition at 216/432-0540. The winners will be announced at the NEOCH Annual fundraiser on May 2, 2008. Get your poems into the Coalition offices in the next month.

NEOCH is looking for local Photographers: We are also looking for photographers or those who want to learn how to be a photographer. We have an internship available for 7 photographers who will be trained on the art of photography and will receive a stipend, bus pass and a camera as part of the two month internship. Any homeless person with a physical or mental disability is welcome to apply through one of the local homeless shelters. The art will be displayed at two locations, and will be available at the Annual fundraiser. The images will be published in the Grapevine and will have the opportunity to sell the work and keep the profits. For more information call Teri’ at the Coalition.

Save the Date on the NEOCH Annual Fundraiser. Speaking of the fund raiser, mark your calendar for May 2, 2008 as the date for the NEOCH annual fund raising event. We will have details and ticket prices available in the next month.

NEOCH Annual Meeting is March 20 at 5:30 p.m. The Coalition will have a low key Annual Meeting to review the previous year and look forward with regard to the Coalition. The Annual Meeting will take place at the Coalition offices and will offer a light meal. Homeless individuals, members, key stakeholders in the community are invited to attend. You can meet the 2008-2009 Board of Trustees and find out ways to help the Coalition regroup after a tough year.

Training for Housing Cleveland website: In case you did not know, Cuyahoga County is the only place in Ohio with a fantastic all encompassing website of affordable housing available to rent. HousingCleveland.org has 1,500 available units and has over 200 unique users everyday searching for housing. We will have a training for how to use the website on February 25, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. at NEOCH. The training is directed at tenants, potential tenants as well as community development organizations or neighborhood centers. All are welcome to attend. To RSVP please call Mike at the Cleveland Tenants Organization at 216/432-0617 or the Coalition.

Staff

Posts by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless staff and Board.