Showing posts with label jobless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jobless. Show all posts

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Art Sales Support Outreach Services for Homeless and Jobless




Building Bridges of Compassion and Care at Fellowship Hall

Members of the Federated Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio contribute portions of artwork,  textile and candy making sales to support Ohio City Power programs and services hosted at sister facility, St. Paul's Community Church and Outreach. St. Paul's serves the Ohio City neighborhood and Cleveland, Ohio vicinity.

From a recent Federated Church newsletter post:
"Lisa Braun, Executive Director of Ohio City Power, a program benefiting the homeless and jobless of the neighborhood of our sister church St. Paul's Community Church, is proud to offer many gifts designed by members of Federated.  
Most recently local artists, Mary Ann Boysen and Mary Hobbs have donated their creations for sale.  
A portion of the proceeds pays for bus tickets, food and clothing for job skills workshops.  
You can find Lisa and other volunteers after both services in Fellowship Hall.  
Hough Bakery chocolates, tie-dye items, beautifully knitted scarves and now custom pins and note cards will be available.   
Thank you to the many loving members of Federated for donating their time and talents to those less fortunate.  
For the whole story on Ohio City Power please visit the website here."
Melinda Smith, Communications Director, Federated Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
What ideas do you have for leveraging creativity for enterprise to build community and share with others in need? Add your comments below! We'd like to hear from you!

Find, Friend and Follow Ohio City Power!


Copyright 2014 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 1-440-289-1657 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net 

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Ohio City Power Partners With The Cleveland Clinic




 

Ohio City Power Workforce Development

Lisa Braun, Executive Director of Ohio City Power (center), Gayle Agahi, Director of Strategic Partnerships (right) and Rosemarie Petryszyn, Military & College Recruiter (left) of the Cleveland Clinic form a team linking the homeless/jobless in the neighborhood of St. Paul’s Community Church in Ohio City to employment.  Visit our website ohiocitypower.net to learn more.  For more information on programs and donations please email Lisa at lisabraun@ohiocitypower.net.


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Less Mentioned Benefits Of Ohio City Power Workforce Development

 
Jessica Montgomery organizes a small job mailing project for a client.
Shown above: Jessica Montgomery, Friend to Ohio City Power, organizes a mailing project for an Ohio City Power small business client. Small job projects provide much needed cash income for workers who produce quality, quick turnaround work.

Ohio City Power's workforce development program is designed to help individuals shift  from a situation of homelessness or joblessness to securing employment. 

To support this transition, Ohio City Power seeks out and builds collaborations with large, growing regional companies such as Employment Connection, Cleveland Clinic, Judson Retirement and Towards Employment

Usually, the initial motivation for someone is for a paycheck and the idea of getting back into the workforce, but there are other benefits to consider too.

As it is approaching the time of the year when many companies increase hiring, the following are some of these benefits to consider:

A job can be considered as part of an individual's identity in this society

When people ask who someone is, the answer often includes where they work or what they do for a living. This is thought of as a big part of "who you are". 

For example, she is a "baker" or he is "a receptionist." Sometimes family is also considered when answering this, but a job can be a significant part of the “essence” of who someone is when describing them. 

Especially when losing a job, it's easy to feel a loss of more than just a job. It can feel like part of who you are is missing. This can lead to other problems that carry over into one's personal life.

Getting "out of self" can help a person's frame of mind
Businesses succeed by providing what potential consumers want. The focus is catering to others to be successful. To contribute to something in a workplace helps give purpose to life and meaning.

At St. Herman's House Of Hospitality, and at partner organization St. Paul's Community Church, there is a saying often shared: "There is dignity in all work." 

There is an another known belief that when you help other people with their problems, it helps you deal with your own problems. These could be personal issues at work or away from work.

You can begin to see you are not the only one with problems, or maybe you gain a perspective you had not thought of before.

Networking could also be included here
You might learn a skill you never knew you had or benefit from an opportunity that wouldn't have otherwise be available that could eventually inspire others.

If people see someone making an effort to improve themselves, it puts the thought into them to think about doing the same thing.

Human nature is to gossip, so why not have people talk about something constructive? It is human nature to follow when someone else leads, so you are not the only one.

"It takes a village," as the expression goes.


It can lead life to a different path in life
Some who enter Ohio City Power's program have had a setback in life. It could be financial disaster, time in jail, family problems or legal or debt problems. 

Getting back to work after a difficult time can help you grow your life in a different direction, and possibly even improve your situation.  

Someone could notice a skill set you have but were unaware of before and tell others, opening up potential income opportunities. In this competitive job market, especially, this is very powerful. Often, temporary positions can lead to permanent ones.

These are some of the many ways that getting a job can be more than just receiving a paycheck.

- Written by Albert Wagner, Operations Manager, Ohio City Power; Edited and Published by Betsey Merkel
  
Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!

Copyright 2013 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 1-440-289-1657 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Underlying Issues Challenge Serving Homeless Population

Ben Osborn, Quality Assurance Officer (left), at Ohio City Power's Federated Flies spends time coaching, mentoring and training new tiers. Shown: Ben Osborn and Dawn Brown.
Ben Osborn, Quality Assurance Officer (left), spends time coaching, mentoring and training new tier, Dawn Brown. At St. Paul's Community Outreach, 4427 Franklin Blvd., in Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio.
As Ohio City Power assists the homeless population in getting back to the workforce, a December 2012 article on the Internet help accentuate some of the considerations to remember when serving the homeless population.

Recently a story from the New York Times went viral about a homeless man who was given a $100 pair of boots by a Police Officer after he was seen barefoot outside on a very cold night.

It turns out the man, Jeffrey Hillman, was not homeless, but has an apartment paid for by vouchers, social security and veterans benefits. 

This, however, still brings attention to those suffering in the cold, the reasons for it and what can be done. Many others are still there in the cold, like Mr. Hillman was.

Some people wonder how people even survive outside on a cold Northern winter night. The homeless are a segment of the population Ohio City Power is proud to serve and support.

The following are some of considerations in helping the homeless, using this barefoot man in the cold as an example:
  • Homelessness can negatively affect a person’s self-worth in a number of ways.
  • Things could be at work here, such as pride, underlying fear or basic human emotions.
People generally do not like to think of themselves as “homeless”. In this society people have certain assumptions about the homeless, such as they are lazy or it is their own fault, and blame is often attached.

When Mr. Hillman was asked how he ended up homeless, he stared blankly, paused and said “I don’t know.” Pride could keep people in this situation from answering the question directly. Being homeless can take a mental toll, in addition to taking a physical toll.
A basic human emotion is to feel appreciated in some way and the absence of this can lead to a variety of problems. For some it is easier to hide from their problems than to face them.
  • The homeless are human and might not like to admit they have underlying problems.
One comment he made was “I could lose my life”. This underlying fear contributed to him being found shoeless in the cold again, after being given boots!
  • Another issue faced by the homeless is that middle-aged men in this society are expected to be able to provide for themselves. For some, the shame is too much to try to face people. 
One woman had said she bought him a pair of shoes a year ago. To be in the cold barefoot again indicates some sort of problem. It is possible he sold them for something like drugs, in which case there would be another underlying problem.

It is important to remember that some, even a Veteran like himself, are in these kinds of situations every day in cities all across America.
  • Another possibility for being homeless, mental illness, is another issue that could be hard to for some people to deal with. People do not like to think of themselves in this way, even if they did not cause it. 
When these problems add up with other problems it is often too late to try to regroup their lives, and homelessness results. The question, then, is where do you get assistance?

If someone in the Cleveland area thinks assistance could be useful please contact 211, which is United Way’s First Call For Help, and they can inform you of where to get help.

Deep down many people naturally would like to help those they think really need help. There is a perception of people holding out cups as con artists who don’t really need the help and unfortunately, this has probably always been part of the population. People generally aren’t quick to help in that scenario. People in that case would blame Mr. Hillman for being in that situation.

However, for some people there is an empathy that thinks, what if this were them? Thinking of yourself when you were that cold could make you want to help someone else in that situation.

The article does not give details about the Police Officer, but this tells you there are people somewhere who look out for others when conditions are unfavorable. It leads you to wonder how many other times this happens on a typical night that people do not hear about.

Ohio City Power would also like to help those who are homeless and looking for guidance back into the workforce, for whatever reason.

- Written by Albert Wagner, Operations Manager, Ohio City Power; Edited and Published by Betsey Merkel

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!

Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 1-440-289-1657 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

Thursday, March 8, 2012

TONIGHT: Ohio City Bandits Basketball Game Broadcast


Ohio City Bandits is a basketball team sponsored by Ohio City Power.

The Ohio City Bandits will host Aby Zeno's team this evening at St. Paul's Community Church & Outreach gymnasium located at 4427 Franklin Blvd., in Cleveland, Ohio. Directions. 

Carlos Steward, Captain and Point Guard, Ohio City Bandits, who is also Ohio City Power's Assistant  Director of Recreation, lead's the team in their first home game this season.

Tonight's game starts at 6:00PM and will be broadcast on the Ohio City Bandits Livestream channel below. 

Sign in to chat or go directly to the Ohio City Bandits Channel by clicking the upper left icon below.


Watch live streaming video from ohiocitybandits at livestream.com

Ohio City Power is a recreation, employment and leadership training network based in Ohio City in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Recreation is a core investment of Ohio City Power programming. 

Exercise, team cooperation, and competitive performance strengthen physical and mental health of community members and improve a greater sense of well-being.

Learn more about Ohio City Power programs and services for the homeless and jobless at  the Ohio City Power website here. 

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!
Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Federated Flies Creates Jobs

Spark Flies
Program: Federated Flies
Photo: Spark Flies. Image © Alice Merkel.
 


Federated Flies is an Ohio City Power program that provides skills training to the homeless and jobless in the craft of fly tying for fly fishing. 

Ohio City, Ohio community friends refine their fly tying skills with the assistance of expert craft instructors to create beautiful sought-after hand tied flies for fly fishing. 

Federated Flies craftspeople undergo an assessment process and are required to complete four, two-hour training sessions at minimum wage with a private evaluation at session close prior to generating product.

Sales are a source of income for Ohio City Power members. Working at St. Paul's Community Outreach facility with provided equipment and materials, beautiful final creations are added to the Ohio City Power Store for sale.

Take a moment to view the Federated Flies photo album at Ohio City Power on Flickr by clicking the link below:
 
 

The Ohio City Power Store sells the following quality products and services crafted by the homeless and jobless:
  • Candy Making
  • Mailing Projects
  • Small Parts Assembly
  • Textiles
  • Federated Flies 
To learn more about OhioCityPower visit our website! Be sure to stop by the Ohio City Power Store and order your Federated Flies in time for spring river fishing!

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!

Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Bingo, Badminton & Basketball = Friendships & Well-Being

Bingo, Basketball and Badminton is an Ohio City Power recreational program to promote friendship, good health, and well-being.

The February 2012 Bingo, Basketball and Badminton event was hosted with the support of Nick's Family Diner, located at 4116 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, is a local business who co-sponsored 10 Breakfast Special certificates for event winners.



Each Breakfast Special included three eggs, three pieces of bacon, sausage, toast, coffee and a generous tip for the waitress! Friends can eat a hearty meal and get out of the cold to rest and relax in a friendly environment.

Attractive, economically resilient communities invest in recreational programs to strengthen camaraderie and develop a spirit of goodwill and fellowship to improve local culture.

Where do you gather in your community? How many open, neutral spaces does your neighborhood offer for public recreation and sports?

Ohio City Power recreational activities are located in Ohio City at St. Paul's Community Outreach gymnasium, 4427 Franklin Blvd., in Cleveland, Ohio 44113.

Watch the related video Ohio City Power Builds Local Business Partnerships 
Visit the Ohio City Power website at http://www.ohiocitypower.net

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!

Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Friday, February 24, 2012

Candy-Making Promotes Earning

Line Up
Shown: Valentine's Day 2012 Chocolaty Pops.
Photo: Line Up. Image © Alice Merkel.
Take Me To The Flickr Slideshow.

Chocolaty Pops create first-step employment opportunities to revitalize the earning power of community residents.  

Excellent quality chocolate is formed with candy molds for holiday occasions and beautiful Chocolaty Pops are created!

Sale proceeds provide income for Ohio City, Ohio homeless and jobless.

Chocolaty Pops are made in celebration of annual cultural and faith-based holidays throughout the year.

St. Patrick's Day Chocolaty Pops go on sale the week of February 27, 2012. Stop by the Ohio City Power Store to make your selection of candy!

Angel. Image © Alice Merkel Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Ohio City Power candy making program provides education, skills training and re-employment opportunities for Ohio City, Ohio homeless and jobless.

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!

Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Ohio City Power Builds Local Business Partnerships

Ohio City Power builds local business partnerships to improve programs and services for the homeless and jobless.

Lisa Braun, Executive Director, Ohio City Power and Myrlin Roberts, owner, Nick's Family Diner, 4116 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, talk about the Breakfast Special ten winners will receive at the February 20, 2012 Bingo, Basketball and Badminton!



In this video you will,
  • See the local street scape of Lorain Avenue, Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Meet Lisa Braun, Executive Director, Ohio City Power
  • Hear Myrlin Roberts, Owner, Nick's Family Diner talk about the Breakfast Special
  • Good wishes for future collaborations
Local partnerships generate shared opportunities quickly.

What business partnerships are you developing in your community? How are you working together? Do you have interesting stories to share? 

P.S. Be sure to check out our new You Tube channel at http://www.youtube.com/ohiocitypower  Leave a comment and let us know what you think! Thank you!

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!
Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Saturday, February 18, 2012

UPDATED Bingo, Badminton & Basketball Builds Social Skills & Good Health

Covering Up. Image © Alice Merkel Photography. All Rights Reserved.
Join us today, Monday, February 20, 2012 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM for Bingo, Badminton & Basketball with Healthy Snacks and Prizes!

  • The Bingo Games Table will be officiated by the Mozingo Family, of The Federated Church Chagrin Falls Green Committee.
  • Badminton Games will use an official shuttlecock and titanium racket set. 
  • Round-The-World Basketball Games will rotate 10 players shooting at a time for top wins.

10 winners will be presented with a gift card to Ohio City's own, Nick's Family Restaurant for a complete, all inclusive, Breakfast Special! Nick's Family Restaurant is located at 4116 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44113.

Healthy Snacks will feature:
  • Strawberries, Cheese & Crackers
  • Peanut Butter-filled Pretzels
  • And Hot Coffee!  

Join us! Build valuable friendship networks, engage in fair sports play, and experience live team work on the court!

You'll leave with a renewed, re-freshed spirit and sense of well-being!
  • Who: Open to the Public. Ages 18 and over. Men and Women.
  • When: President's Day, Monday, February 20, 2012
  • Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
  • Where: St. Paul's Community Church and Outreach Gymnasium, at 4427 Franklin Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44113

Click on the Google map below for easy directions!

View Larger Map
 
Add the Ohio City Power Google Calendar for future recreation and sports event updates! 

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!
Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications
 

Friday, February 17, 2012

Ohio City Power Programs Build Employment Networks

Photo02160900

Shown left to right: Michele Phelps, Area Temps, Senior Sales Recruiter; Ernest Draper, Ohio City Power, One-On-One participant; and Lisa Braun, Exec. Dir., Ohio City Power. 

From the Journal of Lisa Braun, Founder & Executive Director, Ohio City Power, about a recent employment interview experience at Area Temps in Parma, Ohio:
Ernie and I had an appointment with the Senior Sales Recruiter on February 14 at 1 p.m.  We were told it could take two hours.  Ernie and I filled out the paperwork and at 3 p.m. and two hours of playing the game Hang Man it was necessary for me to leave.  We never got to see the Recruiter.
We rescheduled the final portion of the interview for February 16 at 9 a.m.  Ernie and I were there at 8:15 and were seen right away by Michele Phelps, Senior Sales Recruiter.  Michele and her staff were very apologetic about the long wait but in the end were very pleasant, patient and kind with Ernie.
Ernie is hoping for part-time work in maintenance.  He has an excellent work history and we are confident he will succeed!
Learn more about the One-On-One program, and other Ohio City Power programs and services strengthening re-employment networks in Northeast Ohio at OhioCityPower.net.

Learn more about the Northeast Ohio employment firm Area Temps and explore the Google location map below:


View Larger Map


Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!
Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net 

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

3 on 3 Basketball Tournament Fundraiser Sat Jan 28, 9am-6pm!

Image © Alice Merkel Photography. All Rights Reserved.



Join us for 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament Saturday, January 28 from 9:00am-6pm at St. Paul's Community Church and Outreach, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio  44113.

Have fun and help raise funds to improve the St. Paul's Community center's gym floor and facility lighting!

Ohio City Power is a two-part program that provides recreation, skills training & employment coaching for the jobless and homeless.

Access to regular recreational programs is essential to maintaining a good state of physical fitness and well-being.

Plan to play a Saturday game to support team safety, promote high quality sports performances, and enjoyable fan experiences!

Follow the details below to enter to play a great day of basketball AND help upgrade an awesome local sports facility with plans to host many more exciting games this season!
5-player max per team; 2-game minimum per team
Trophies & Cash Prizes - 23 years of age & over only
$100.00 ENTRY FEE
All proceeds go to St. Paul's Outreach gym floor and lighting improvements. For more information, call Duane Drotar at 216-280-2100 or send an e-mail to, duanedrotar@yahoo.com


Image © Alice Merkel Photography. All Rights Reserved.
Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!
Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications

Friday, January 13, 2012

New Kid On The Block!


Welcome to the Ohio City Power Blog!

Ohio City Power programs connect the homeless and jobless to recreation, skills training and workforce development opportunities in Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio.

We'll be posting news and updates right here!

Ohio City Power is supported through grant programs, foundation support and faith-based organizational contributions and member engagement.

Check out our new website at http://www.ohiocitypower.net/ for information, stories and photos of Friends, events and activities.

Would you like to collaborate? Connect with us at the Ohio City Power Network! Add your e-mail to our Home page here.

Ohio City Power is located at St. Paul's Community Church & Outreach, 4427 Franklin Blvd. in Cleveland, Ohio.

To contact Lisa Braun, Exec. Dir. at Ohio City Power, send an e-mail to lisabraun@ohiocitypower.net for more information.
 

Find, Friend or Follow Ohio City Power!
Copyright 2012 Ohio City Power. Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works. Ohio City Power, Ohio City Power @ St. Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113. Phone: 216-651-6250 ext. 2 Web: www.ohiocitypower.net

- Betsey Merkel, Ohio City Power Communications