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July 4 Drop-In Center/ Admin. OfficeClosed

July 10 ExpressiveArtsProject @ SIHS Breen Center

August23 AssociateBoard Sips&SwigsEvent @ 78th Street Creative Studios

September 1 Drop-In Center/ Admin. OfficeClosed

September 16 MassinDrop-InCenter

September27 St.JosephParishSOUL RacebenefitsWSCC

October14 MassinDrop-InCenter

November8 WarmHeartsWinterNights @ Westin Downtown Cleveland

For more information visit the WSCC website!

Mark your calendars!

Summer2014

There is new life on the grounds of the WSCC. Where once a lifeless concrete courtyard occupied space, there now is a place where children can frolic among flowers in the sunshine, women can relax in a peaceful setting, and the warmth of spring and summer can be fully enjoyed without leaving “home.”

Plans have been in the making for the Courtyard for well over a year, and thanks to Peter and Katy Gibbons, the vision for a multi-use garden for play, conversation and recharge has become a reality.

Originally conceptualized by Kathy Hanratty of Enviroscapes Design, the garden was executed by the Krueger Group in collaboration with Frank Pattison of Pattison Landscaping.

Miracles on 32 nd Street

ConcreteJungle: Capital Project Turns Concrete Jungle into a Sensory Garden

The Krueger Group is an award-winning, Cleveland based full service construction management, design-build and general contracting company. They have a long history with the WSCC. The company has renovated the Drop-In Center as well as the Women and Children’s Shelter. Several members of the Krueger Group’s talented team currently serve on the WSCC Associate Board including Project Manager Dan Krueger, Project Manager Jack Doheny, who serves as the President of the Associate Board, and Project Superintendent Bob Carroll.

Elements the garden currently includes:• A raised garden that will give children the opportunity to learn to

Story Continued On Page 5

plant vegetables and tend to their care and harvest; • A rain barrel to collect water from the gutters which can be used to water the plants in the garden while teaching sustainability;• Two planters with annuals and a Japanese Maple tree;• Mulch beds with flowers and plants chosen to provide year-round color including boxwoods, hydrangeas, hostas, butterfly bushes, yellow cypresses and ornamental grass;• Two seating areas;• A grassy play area using synthetic turf which provides a green, soft setting that requires no maintenance.

Courtyard Image As Work Begins Courtyard Image Completed Work

Director’sDialogueWestSideCatholicCenterBoardofDirectorsAnita Cook, Executive DirectorJoseph Morford, PresidentPaul Bachman, VicePresidentRichard Manson, TreasurerRebecca Ralich-Spak, Secretary

Joseph ArnoldJames CiociaSarah CoakleyKorby CollinsLezette DumasRobert ElwoodJames GulickChristina HeinVincent HvizdaChristopher KoehlerMatthew Kraay, MDDennis KuclerRobert KushmanGale MazzellaRonald PattonKevin RyanAlfonso SanchezJulia SieckMichael SoleckiSharon TuftsAdvisoryBoardJess* & Julie BellPeter & Rita CarfagnaRev. Thomas FantaBishop Roger W. Gries, O.S.B.Jim & Joan LivingstonGeorge & Mary Lu WasmerRev. Robert J. Welsh, S.J.

FoundersRev. Robert BeginKay EatonSr. Brigid Griffin*Sr. Donna Hawk, CSJAggie HoskinRev. Paul Hritz*Sr. Mary Hurley, HMSr. Kathleen Kilbane, CSJBarbara MillerDonna Kelly RegoSr. Loretta Schulte, CSJ • deceased

West Side Catholic Center2 www.wsccenter.org 3

Several weeks ago, a lively group of teens came to the Drop-In Center to volunteer. Like so many groups that come to give of their time, they exuded enthusiasm in serving and were visibly happy to be here. Unlike so many of our volunteers, they were not from Cleveland, or even Ohio.

Rockford, Illinois is home to the young people who came here representing the Sacred Heart Youth Group, and WSCC was one of several organizations with which they chose to volunteer during a week-long service trip to Cleveland. We did not recruit

BlessingsInABackpack: Filling Bellies This Summer

in need, but to join forces to bring famlies together in fellowship in the process.”

The collaboration resulted in the WSCC and Arrupe Backpack/Picnic Summer Program. The program is currently serving 50 children attending the five-week Arrupe Summer Camp as well as their families. As the straight-forward title suggests, the Backpack/Picnic Summer program consists of a picnic at the close of camp every Friday at 3:30 p.m. for participating campers and their family members. Following the picnic, each camper is provided with a backpack of food for the weekend including items for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

The weekly picnics are being held on grounds owned by St. Ignatius on 32nd St., just down the street from the WSCC. WSCC is providing the drinks, utensils, and paper goods. St. Ignatius is providing the tables, chairs, grills and the backpacks.

IntheKnow?WSCCsharescurrentinformationonthewebsite,viasocialmedia,e-news-lettersandblogs.Tostayintouchbesuretolike,readandclickoften.

• Forcurrentcalendars,donateorvolunteergoto www.wsccenter.org.• TofriendusonFacebookgoto facebook.com/westsidecatholiccenter.• Tweetaboutususing@wsccenter.

Wanttogetinvolved?

ThereareopportunitiestojoinourAssociateBoard,volunteerortosupporttheprogramsoftheWSCC.

FormoreinformationcontacttheAdvancementDepartmentatinfo@wsccenter.org.

them, nor did we have any ties to them. They simply had heard of the good work we do, and our reputation for providing quality volunteer experiences, and came to us.

I am in awe every week to witness so many volunteer groups at WSCC representing our corporate community, civic organizations, schools and parishes. They plant flowers at the Women and Children’s Shelter, clean our Drop-In Center, read to the children and serve meals to clients. And more often than not, we don’t ask them to come here.

They ask us to be here.

WSCC survives and thrives on the good works of volunteers. They provided the foundation on which this organization was built. They are the human resources that maintain the present level of excellence. And they are the building blocks on which we will grow.

The sight of so many young people serving fills me with hope. The youth groups that invigorate the Drop-In Center with such energy and the young professionals who bring new perspective to our Associate Board are this organization’s future. Some of Cleveland’s most iconic institutions have been challenged with replacing the old guard of leadership, dealing with the loss of long-time support from individuals and families whose children have moved far away. Recruiting a new generation of leaders has been a communal nonprofit concern and priority.

And yet at our humble agencys the leaders of tomorrow are drawn here by a sense of goodness, purpose and principle. WSCC may not be the largest institution in Cleveland, but it is a purposeful one, and those who serve here are standouts among volunteers.

May we all rejoice and give thanks for the comfort we can take in knowing this organization is in good hands for many years to come.

Anita CookExecutive Director

Which leaves the food – both for the backpacks, and five picnics. Fortunately, both WSCC and St. Ignatius are supported by loyal supporters and donors that make their good work in the community possible. The funding for food for the children’s backpacks was secured from a generous donor. Each of the picnics is being sponsored by a different group, including: Magnificat High School, St. Basil Youth Group, St. Christopher and St. Ignatius Moms, St. Albert the Great and Katy Gibbons and Family.

“This program was developed to help prevent children in our neighborhood from going hungry in the time period between the close of school and the start of the summer lunch program,” Judy said. “While this program indeed accomplishes this, it is doing so much more. With the partnership of St. Ignatius and the wonderful church and family groups that stepped up to make this program a reality, we are bringing together families to share a meal and true camaraderie amongst all involved.”

For the past several summers, WSCC staff have observed a number of mothers bringing their children to the Drop-In Center for breakfast and lunch during the transition period between the end of school and the start-up of summer lunch programs. It was apparent that children were hungry, and WSCC saw an opportunity to address this need with the help of one of our most valued neighborhood partners.

The Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership at Saint Ignatius High School provides students with the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of neighborhood children and families in need. Program Director Judy Kern reached out to John Gill, Director of Arrupe, to explore a collaboration to address the gap in providing children’s meals. As great minds really do think alike, John was already laying the groundwork for a program to provide neighborhood kids who attended the Arrupe summer camp program with backpacks filled with food to carry children through the weekend.

“John was immediately receptive to the idea of collaborating to address summer hunger among our neighborhood children,” Judy said. “We saw an opportunity not just to provide food to children and families

DidYouKnow?According to the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, Cleveland has the third highest rate of childhood poverty among 76 cities in the U.S. with total populations of 250,000 or more.

Approximately 47,000 children under the age of 18, equating to 53%, live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. Only Detroit and Cincinnati have higher childhood poverty rates (59% and 54% respectively).

According to the 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Review, between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013, there was a 16% increase in the number of homeless children up to the age of 17 served within the Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care from the same time period in the previous year, from 1,144 children in 2011/2012 to 1,322 children in 2012/2013. This is a significant increase from past years.

The increase in the number of homeless children served mirrors the increase in the number of homeless families served, from 559 families in 2011/2012 to 646 in 2012/2013.

West Side Catholic Center4 www.wsccenter.org 5

Anne Straitiff is the winner of the 2013 Dorothy Day Humanitarian Award. The annual award is presented to a volunteer whose service exemplifies the spirit of Dorothy Day and her mission to the homeless and forgotten of our society. A brief look at Anne’s activities shows how, in so many ways, she is deserving of this honor.

Anne is a Personal Shopper. As she helps each guest find the right clothing and household goods from the Drop-In Center’s inventory, she always does so with a spirit of care and compassion. She helps clients in the Employment Program, assisting them with resumes, applications and interviewing skills.

Anne’s compassion is also demonstrated in her service as a Companion in the Passages Program. For five years, she has been a friend and mentor to formerly homeless clients of the WSCC. From help with homework or new jobs, to birthday celebrations and picnics, Anne walks with the marginalized in our community. She is equally at home in celebrating good times or in support during difficult ones.

Service for Anne extends beyond the WSCC. From writing letters to prisoners, visiting the sick and elderly and as a St. Ignatius volunteer with the Joseph of Arimathea ministry, Anne embraces Dorothy Day’s spirit of humility, kindness and empathy.

2013DorothyDayHumanitarianAwardRecipient:Anne Straitiff

Right:Anne Straitiff

Below:Anne volunteering as a Passages Companion with Dominique, a Zacchaeus client.

Any additional supplies or donations will be distributed through Project ACT, a program of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Project ACT, Action for Children and Youth in Transition, served 3,656 homeless Cleveland Metropolitan School District students last year. The program provides the children with whatever they need to succeed from clothing and food to school supplies.

There are also life skills coaches in school buildings with high numbers of homeless students to work with them one-on-one to build self-esteem and academic success.

Help us complete250backpacks!

SuggestedCompletedBackpack:Backpack

PensPencilsErasersCrayonsMarkers

Colored PencilsLined PaperNotebooks

Pocket FoldersPencil Pouches

Glue Sticks

Each year WSCC does a collection to provide filled backpacks to the clients of WSCC. Our 2014 goal is to provide each child residing in our Women and Children’s Shelter or participating in our Zacchaeus Housing Solutions Program a backpack filled with the supplies needed to start school.

WSCC cannot do this without your generous donations of supplies or cash donations toward the purchase of these supplies. Individuals can plan a school drive at work or with friends and neighbors. Businesses and organizations can fill backpacks with all the needed items or concentrate on one supply, such as 250 boxes of crayons.

FillBackpacksWithLoveAndSuppliesCollection July 1-31

Please be assured that these supplies will be in the hands of children in need before the first day of school.

If you would like to participate,please contact the AdvancementDepartment at 216.631-4741.

On behalf of all the grateful children, we thank you for helping them get ready for a successful school year.

ReflectionOnMyService:Jesuit Volunteer - Emily KeatingEmily Keating will complete one year of Jesuit Volunteer service at WSCC in July.

Most of my days are spent coordinating the WSCC’s Expressive Arts Program and assisting with the Employment Program.

When I describe my WSCC experience to friends and family, the only words that come to mind are authentic spirit and soulfulness. Whether it’s a boisterous crowd eager for lunch, Employment Clinic participants working together on team-building skills, or artists expressing themselves through new media, working at the WSCC has exposed me to pieces of the human spirit, my own and others’, that I had never seen.

As you know, on any given day, we can encounter hundreds of people that come through our doors – some

who are coming to the Drop-In Center for the first time and others who have been coming for decades. We meet clients as we are providing everything from a fresh pair of socks to a listening ear. But the beauty of our roles as volunteers is that we get to share a part of our day with each of the clients we encounter.

My greatest joys as a volunteer at WSCC have been the little moments. The small, raw, and genuine interactions with clients, volunteers, and staff. This experience has been inspiring to me and shown me who I hope to become.

If you ever have a day when you question the “greater good” of the services being provided at WSCC, remember these connections – with clients, volunteers, staff, donors, and the city of Cleveland, have the power to change our community.

SummerIn-KindDonationWishList

SummerClothing*Plus sizes always neededDiapers (esp. larger sizes)

BabyWipesSmallHouseholdItems

ToiletriesSchoolSupplies

Thank you for your donations of new and/or gently used items.

In-kindDonationReminders:

Due to limited storage space, we can accept no more than TWObags per donor.

Donations are accepted Monday - Friday 8:30AM - 2:00PM.

WSCC can only accept NEW baby car seats and playpens.

ContinuedFromCoverPageConcrete Jungle

Encounters with the natural world are also important for children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Many of the children in the Women and Children’s Shelter experience mental, emotional, psychological and developmental problems as a result of the trauma they suffer from homelessness, domestic violence, physical or sexual abuse, instability and insecurity.

“In order to move forward and live independently, healing must take place – among both the women and children in our Shelter,” said Anita Cook, WSCC Executive Director. “The Courtyard is an impactful element of design in making the Women and Children’s Shelter a place where women and children feel safe, welcome and uplifted.”

Moving forward, there are plans to create a “living wall” by painting a mural on the exterior brick wall complemented by climbing hydrangeas growing on lattices. There are also plans to add a fountain to help create a soothing sound and provide entertainment for the children.

The Courtyard is based on the premise that natural landscapes promote a sense of emotional well-being. Studies have linked exposure to nature to reduced levels of stress, improved mood, increased social behavior, decreased levels of depression, and improvement in cognitive functioning. These mental health issues are apparent in the clients served by WSCC who have all come from traumatic situations.

6 West Side Catholic Center

NewsBriefsFromtheWSCCKitchenGiving our clients access to fresh produce means sharing with them creative ways to prepare them, especially for the summer.

ZestyGrilledVegetables4 Zucchini (1.5 lb.)3 Red Peppers3 Yellow Peppers1/4 cup Italian Dressing1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Cut the zucchini diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices.2. Clean all the peppers of seeds. 3. Slice the peppers into 1/2-inch strips. 4. Place the vegetables in a grill basket or appropriate grilling container.5. Grill for 10 minutes or until crisp- tender, turning occasionally. 6. Place in a large bowl.7. Add dressing and toss to coat.8. Sprinkle with cheese.

PrepTime:20 minutesServings:8

This simple, yet delicious, low-calorie dish is rich in vitamin A and C, and a great diabetic recipe. Suggested to be paired with grilled chicken or fish.

www.wsccenter.org

Increase In FamIly Poverty

7

WSCCexpressesgratitudefortherecentdonationsmade inhonor/

memoryofthefollowing:

InHonor:Ginine BeyerLucas BrandtEric Brenner

Joe BryanAnita Cook

Connie GardnerJudy Herman

Mary Ann LeonardJohnny Pudelski

Jackie Conway ScanlonFr. Robert Stec

Pat StraussLillian Tovtin

InMemoriam:Ursula Hinske

Rita KiererRose O’Donnell

Josephine and Joseph PaternitiJoseph Schager

DonorGratitude

means more PeoPle In need oF servIces

The WSCC has prided itself for being a resourceful and responsible social service agency for over 35 years. Your cash and in-kind donations go directly to benefit the thousands of people served annually at WSCC.

In recent years, competition for funding, donations, and volunteers has meant the WSCC has had to be nimble in reactions and proactive in our approach to donations to ensure we do not have to reduce the services provided.

As we all are acutely aware, the Greater Cleveland community is economically unstable. The needs of families in our community continue

to increase. If WSCC questions the timing and the scope of cuts to social service agencies across the community, it is only because we know first-hand that families here have never needed the help more than they do today.

WSCC must be able to continue to carry on its mission on behalf of the many individuals who live daily not knowing when their next meal might be or where a mother and her 3 children will sleep for the night. Will our fellow citizens who have so little or nothing be forced to rely entirely on already-stretched public assistance because no other safety net will exist?

Please consider a special gift of any size - small, medium and large - to help bridge the gap and make certain that this essential safety net that WSCC provides remains strong.

Sponsorship&MarketingOpportunites:WSCC has 2 fundraising events coming soon: WarmHeartsWinterNightsandNew Associate Board’s Sips & Swigs beer tasting event. Each event has opportunities for sponsorships, marketing, and in-kind donations. For more information contact Jennie Highfield, Director of Advancement at JHighfield@wsccenter.org or extension 132.

3:00-7:00PM

Advanced Tickets:Regular Ticket: $50VIP Ticket: $65 **Only Advance Purchase Includes Food Truck Voucher.Non-Tasting Ticket: $25

At the Gate: Regular Tickets: $60Non-Tasting Ticket: $25

http://wsccenter.org/sipsandswigs

Sample hand-picked beer flights from Ohio’s favorite craft breweries complemented by Cleveland’s favorite

food trucks.

Get down to music curated by Half-Moon Jack.

Rub elbows with the best brew-masters in the biz & mingle at

78th Street Studios.

Proceeds to Benefit West Side Catholic Center.

Must be 21 or over to attend event.

The Associate Board is grateful to the following generous sponsors:

Britton Custom Cabinets

Keg Sponsor

Draft Sponsor

Swig Sponsors

Jonathan and Julia SieckSip Sponsor

OpportunitiesForBusinessesWSCC does not work alone in our mission to serve all that come in need of food, clothing, shelter, advocacy or self-sufficiency. To our clients, we operate as a gateway to our services and to resources in the community.

To other nonprofits, businesses, and faith organizations, we offer the opportunity to collaborate in our vision through partnerships. For businesses in the community who want to donate time, funds or goods, the WSCC can, in return, provide much in return.

A Business Partner has the opportunity annually to: • Donate $250 - $10,000,• Contribute 20 hours of volunteer

or pro bono service, or • Provide an in-kind donation.

Interested in becoming a Business Partner? For more information, please contact Director of Advancement, Jennie Highfield, at 216-631-4741 ext. 132 or JHighfield@wsccenter.org.

HopeForABetterFutureBridgette had a job and home. She was not rich but held it together for herself and her children. Then it all fell apart.

Thanks to the WSCC, Bridgette’s journey has taken a positive turn toward a path to self-sufficiency. Bridgette and her children found a place to stay in the Women and Children’s Shelter. While her children attended school, Bridgette attended the WSCC Employment Clinics. She updated her resume and worked on her interviewing skills. In the evenings, the children worked with the Youth Advocates in the Shelter.

Bridgette left the Shelter and became part of the Zacchaeus Housing Solutions program. With the assistance of her Case Manager, Bridgette found a small house to rent in a safe neighborhood where her children attend school. Bridgette continues to attend the Employment Clinics and will do so until she finds a job. She has a few interviews scheduled in the next week and is confident she will be working again very soon. She even found a great interview suit at the Drop-In Center.

Warm Hearts Winter NightsSilent Auction Wish List

Loges/Suites for Sporting EventsVacation Homes/Hotel Stays

Behind-the-Scenes ToursCatered Dinners

Theater Subscriptions or Tickets$100 Gift Certificates for Restaurants

or Shopping DestinationsMagnums or Cases of Wine

Wine Classes or ToursKitchen Appliances

ElectronicsUnique Experiences

and more....

Contact the WSCC Advancement Department to make a donation

or for more information.

ItisourMission:

West Side Catholic Center isgrounded in faith, hope, loveand respect for thosewe serve,weassistallwhocomeinneedoffood, clothing, shelter,advocacyandapathtoself-sufficiency.

3135 Lorain AvenueCleveland, Ohio 44113Phone: 216.631.4741Fax: 216.631.2379www.wsccenter.org

Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAID

Cleveland, OHPermit No. 4374

“I come to the Expressive Arts Program’s writing classes and Art Excursions to keep my mind active and to see friends.”

- Milton