Immediate help for the Hurting, the Hungry and the Homeless
Last year, we provided more than 120,000 meals and 72,000 nights of shelter to thousands of men, women and children in crisis. But more importantly, we changed lives. We gave homeless adults shelter, and we cared for their children. We helped them access additional support and resources from the community. We fed them bodily with nutritious meals and spiritually with daily chapel services. This year, and every year, we will do so again. This resource is especially critical during the harsh Cleveland winters where the weather can quickly become life-threatening.
A long-term commitment for long-term change
For some men, women and children in crisis, 30 days or less of emergency help can bridge them to more stable circumstances – the apartment or job has come through, the abuser is removed from the home, a spot in a specialized program has become available, etc. For others, The City Mission’s Long-Term Programs provide the foundation for a changed life. We give them shelter, but we also provide case management, workshops, job training skills, Christian discipleship, and other resources to help them change the course of their lives. Crossroads and Laura’s Home participants are serious about transformation and graduate after completing the six month residential requirements. For some, it’s a first-ever graduation.
Helping today’s children and teens not need our services when they are adults
Poverty can hold generations of families captive to a life filled with despair, fear and struggle. Education (academic, lifeskills, and spiritual) can provide a foundation for self-sufficiency and making wise choices in life.
The City Mission provides an afterschool drop-in center, Saturday club and summer day camp for children in grades 1-8,and evening teen club and basketball league on Saturdays (January – April) and summer programming for teens. and A daytime program for students who have been suspended, expelled or have dropped out from school, reaches many troubled students and monthly Family Nights bring Central Neighborhood youth and their parents/guardians together for a special evenings of fun and meaning. At the heart of our programs, relationships are what make the difference as the Mission’s staff and volunteers get to know the children, teens and their families individually and provide Christ-centered support and encouragement for each member of the family to thrive. In addition, teens can earn up to $10,000 in college scholarships by their consistent participation in our high school programs.
Be a bridge of hope to inmates and their families during and after incarceration
Jail or prison inmates receive regular visits, correspondence, Bibles, reading glasses and other practical help from staff and volunteers from The City Mission. Their families also receive emotional support and guidance as they deal with having a loved one incarcerated and during the transition period after release. For some, coming to Crossroads or Laura's Home after their release helps them to leave their past behind, including develop life and work skills, building a network of friends who will provide positive influence and support and learning to interact with family as they adjust to their new freedom in a world that may have changed a lot during their incarceration.