The Cuyahoga Land Bank took part in a dedication and prayer service welcoming Star and her three children to their new home in Cleveland last week. Star is a participant of the City Mission’s New Horizons Program, which works with area non-profits and faith-based organizations to find housing solutions for single mothers and families served by Laura’s Home, a crisis center for women on Cleveland’s west side.
“I am so grateful for everything that so many people did for my family and me,” says Star, who came to Laura’s Home in 2018. “This means my children will have a safe home, a forever home.” Star recently completed a required 12-month program through The City Mission in which participants receive food, shelter, counseling and training in confidence-building life skills. Completing the program also includes finding employment or an appropriate source of income so that families can begin saving money and create a working budget.
The renovation of the three-bedroom one-bath home on Cleveland’s west side was made possible through a partnership between the Cuyahoga Land Bank, the City Mission, and the Bellaire-Puritas Development Corp. Members of the Cleveland Police First District Community Relations team volunteered their time off-duty to renovate the home over last year.
“This is the fifth home the Cuyahoga Land Bank has provided for the New Horizons Program,” says Gus Frangos, President and General Counsel for the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “Seeing this family in their new home in time for the holidays was heartwarming. To see this once abandoned property transform into a fully renovated home in which this wonderful single mother has the opportunity to raise her children in a stable environment keeps us motivated in the work we do. It is truly a blessing,” says Frangos.
See how you can make a donation to the New Horizon’s program or the many other ways you can get involved on the City Mission’s website HERE.
