Drumplay Supports the Cleveland Street Paper II

Upcoming Show

Drumplay has a gig at the Beachland Ballroom on May 4-- opening for Electric Junkyard Gamelan. They will continue to read from "The Big Book of Daniel" with guest, Bill Kennedy. Kennedy has one of the smoothest voices in Northeast Ohio and does a radio show on WCSB radio on Saturday evening. Again, our friends over at Cool Cleveland have a good overview of the event. Jim from Drumplay is trying to raise enough to publish the next issue of the Street Chronicle at all of these events.

Brian Davis
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Upcoming Events

NEOCH is Working On Housing Issues

Cuyahoga Affordable Housing Alliance Speaker in April

The April 6, 2008 Cuyahoga Affordable Housing Alliance Meeting will feature Bill Faith, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio . Faith will talk about state and national budget issues, COHHIO’s advocacy agenda, funding opportunities, and other issues that may impact housing in Northeast Ohio . CAHA is a monthly meeting on the first Monday of the month (unless there is a federal holiday) at the lower level of the HUD building/US Bank Building at East 14^th and Euclid Ave. ( 1350 Euclid Ave —across from United Way ). Everyone is welcome to attend.

National Low Income Housing Coalition Conference in April

One of our national partners, NLIHC, has a housing conference every year. This is the first time in 15 years in which advocates for affordable housing actually have an opportunity to see funds invested in housing. Because of the housing collapse, rental housing is cool again. This is a great conference to learn about the NLIHC agenda, and prepare for federal investment in housing. We urge those who care about housing to try to make it to DC April 19 to April 22 for this conference. Please click on this link to sign up to attend their conference here or it is available on the front of their website www.nlihc.org. See you there.

NEOCH Annual Fund Raising Event

If you are a member of the Coalition, you should have received our postcard reminding you to save the date for our May 1, 2009 fund raiser. It will be at Massimo da Milano, and we are keeping the tickets affordable for 2009. We will have our best silent auction ever, and we will give out the Ione Biggs Award this year. We will have details on our website later this week. As always, any questions, call the Coalition at 216/432-0540.

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

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.

More Events to Get Ready For

Homeless Memorial Day and Phil-an-thro-pia

Homeless Memorial Day is set for December 21, 2007 at Franklin Circle Church at 5:15 p.m. This is a candlelight vigil for those who passed away over the last year and had experienced homelessness. Franklin Circle will host a special meal after the event, and InterAct Cleveland will bring inter-religious figures to the event for a diverse prayer service. Peter Lawson Jones, Cuyahoga County Commissioner, will say a few words, and NEOCH will read the names of people who have passed away over the last year. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Every year Executive Caterers hosts a luncheon, and the profits go to various non-profit organizations. This year the luncheon is on Monday December 10, 2007. Tickets require a minimum donation of $50 per person by sending a donation into Landerhaven, but making the check out to NEOCH. Your donation is tax deductible and you get to enjoy a delicious lunch with other activists or your co-workers. Call NEOCH and we can send you a reservation card or give you more information at 216/432-0540.

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

Upcoming Coalition Events

Events of the Homeless Coalition

1. Please join us on Thursday night September 25 at 5:30 p.m. to begin the planning on our Annual fund raiser for 2008. If you like planning special events or want to help NEOCH get the word out about the organization. We need your help. If you can offer time to help with the NEOCH fundraiser call Teri’ at 216/432-0540 ext. 101.

2. Lt. Governor and Director of the Ohio Department of Development, Lee Fisher, will speak to the Cuyahoga Affordable Housing Alliance on Monday October 1 at 1:30 p.m. at the lower level of the HUD/US Bank Building. Free and open to the public this forum will focus on state efforts to preserve and expand affordable housing in Ohio. Fisher will touch on the foreclosure crisis and the impact of the State Housing Trust fund, and will take time to answer questions. The forum in at 1350 Euclid Ave. in the Playhouse Square section of Cleveland.

3. The 2008 Stand Down health fair is set for February 1, 2008. In an effort to raise supplies and funds for the anticipated 1,000 homeless people who attend the Stand Down, NEOCH is partnering with InterAct Cleveland to kick off the Homeless Stand Down season on October 27, 2007 at 1 p.m. at Calvary Presbyterian Church at East 79^th near Euclid Ave. We will begin collecting winter coats, hats, and gloves as well as other supplies for the Stand Down. For more information call InterAct 216/241-0230.

4. The NEOCH website was recently updated please check it out and give us your feedback www.neoch.org. There is a common design and theme, some great pictures, statistics, and solutions to homelessness. We have a few job openings listed on the website and a calendar of events. We also have links to our partners and to our two blogs. You can also donate directly on our website through Network for Good. Please give us some feedback on the site and let us know what you think.

5. A few other upcoming events to put on your calendar:

December 1, 2007 is the Annual Woodchoppers Ball in Kent.

December 10, 2007 is the Philanthropia luncheon at Landerhaven

December 21, 2007 is the annual Homeless Memorial Day

As always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to call NEOCH at 216/432-0540.

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

Upcoming Events in Community

Mark Your Calendars

Bill Faith of COHHIO on Monday
The Cuyahoga Affordable Housing Alliance meeting on Monday April 2, 2007 at 1:30 p.m will feature Bill Faith of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing Ohio. Bill is the state director and chief lobbyist for housing and homeless issues. He will talk about issues related to state and federal budget issues. He will also talk about the possibilities of funding a federal housing trust fund and increasing the revenue going to the state housing trust. The meeting takes place in the U.S. Bank building at East 14th and Euclid Ave. in the lower level. All are welcome to attend and there will be time for questions.

COHHIO Conference April 23 and 24
If you would like to know more about housing and homeless issues in Ohio, COHHIO sponsors an annual conference and lobby day. The conference is Monday April 23 and April 24 in Columbus. To register or for more details go to the COHHIO website at www.cohhio.org. On Wednesday April 25, housing advocates will descend on the state capital to push for the state to get back to serving poor people. The state has not had a housing agenda for years and has turned its back on poverty issues. The April 25 lobby day attempts to remind state legislators that three cities in Ohio are high on the list of the poorest cities in America.

ABLE Also Going Down to Columbus
The Advocates for Budget Legislation Equality has organized in Northeast Ohio to push for fairness in education, human services, health care and housing issues with the State budget. They are taking a bus down to Columbus to lobby for equity in the budget on April 26, 2007. If you would like to go down with the bus please call Tim at May Dugan at 631-5800.

NEOCH Annual Fund Raiser
Mark your calendars for May 4, 2007 and join us for the NEOCH Annual fund raiser. We will have special keynote speaker Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and the announcement of the award winner of the Ione Biggs Social Justice advocate of the year. The fund raiser is at Massimo da Milano at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from the NEOCH website or through the NEOCH office. The invitations will be mailed next week and you can sign up online beginning on Monday. If you have questions about any of these activities feel free to call NEOCH at 216/432-0540.

Also next week we will post the important legislative issues that the Coalition is following in the federal, state and local legislative and executive branches of government.

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