Community Was at the Heart of CCH in 2022

Reflecting on 2022 immediately brings feelings of pride, resilience, and appreciation for all we have achieved together, and is a reminder that together we can accomplish just about anything. More than any year since I have been with Central Community House (“Central”), staff have come together as a family, caring for each other and our neighbors with compassion, altruism, and a personal commitment to improve the world around them. For this I could not be more thankful.

As you likely know, Central has something for everyone! Multi-faceted programming throughout 2022 bridged fellowship; educational and social components ensured fun; and rewarding activities met needs and embraced gifts of our community.

203 Parents found support through workshops, support groups, family field trips, and case management. They learned how to navigate the IEP process, budget and buy a home, and develop realistic expectations for their kids (and themselves!). They socialized at monthly “Chat & Chew” events, built friendships with those going through similar life phase journeys, and empowered each other.

79 Entrepreneurs actively worked on their business plans; and attended business finance, marketing, certification, technology, and access to capital workshops. They shared ideas at quarterly think tanks, and participated in a culminating pitch contest.

105 Youth played and learned at Central while their parents were at work. They learned reading, writing and mathematics while gardening, playing the ukulele; and engaging in sports, cooking, and in STEM activities. They participated in street hockey clinics with the Blue Jackets, channeled their creative juices during “Art in the House”, and went to some of their favorite places – the Kirkmont center, Camp Mary Orton, Bloc Garten, and United Skates of America.

352 Older youth and young adults engaged at TRANSITS ARTS – through employment as part of the TRANSIT ARTS Residency Program, and through creative expression and positive risk-taking during arts workshops and events. A new addition included a Pop Strings class, and the popular Black Girls Glow project transitioned to an ongoing offering. While income and creative learning were important outcomes, perhaps the most valuable was the healing, relationship building, networking and professional development that resulted.

TRANSIT ARTS youth and professional artists could always be found performing together in the community, including at a number of prestigious venues – e.g., the Bronzeville Jazz Music Festival, CapCity Nights, the Columbus Arts Festival, Franklin Park Conservatory, the King Arts Complex, the Lift All Voices: Music & Arts Festival, Ohio Art Education Association Awards, the Parson’s Library, Rise Up CBUS, United Way, and the Vanderelli Room. They also appeared on “Good Day Columbus” as a partner of the inaugural CBUS Soul Fest. These provided opportunities for youth to shine, grow, and connect –  for some, leading to the next internship or job.
 

366 Seniors engaged in so many ways in 2022 through Village Central, as well. They led the way through advisory and governance meetings, developing priorities which included field trips, workshops, and ensuring that their friends were safe and healthy. They participated in book clubs, art classes, a Spring Tea event, tai chi, and line dancing. They planned and hosted an Open House. They learned about how to prevent falls, maximize their memory, and stay connected through technology. And, they had an important, frank conversation with Councilmember Hardin about affordable housing and safety, advocating for their needs along the way.

Intergenerational engagement included the development of the Keeping the Recipes Podcasts, where youth learned from seniors through interviews and storytelling, honoring and celebrating the legacies of the elders in our community.

As a community, we accomplished so much together last year – we supported our neighbors with school supplies and backpacks, toys and meals during the holidays, warm coats over the winter, and a safe place to trick or treat and celebrate. We cleaned the neighborhood together, and brought in the harvest together at Central’s Community Garden. Monthly community meals and open mics had unprecedented attendance. We also hosted vaccination clinics and voter registration drives, and our Board Advocacy committee began to host conversations with local partners.

We brought together over 200 community members during our Village Makers Festival in September, allowing us to honor heroes in the Near East; share a meal; and enjoy music, games, and dancing.

Vital to our success, Central worked with 265 volunteers in 2022, who provided nearly 1,300 hours of engagement. And we received in kind donations totaling nearly $65,000!

And, of course, we helped each other in 2022, In fact at scale never achieved previously. This included helping households in crisis. Federal Emergency Rental Assistance funds were critical in preventing homelessness, and included a disbursement of $908,217.92 to 223 households.

And our staff and programs were honored for their excellence.

On World Kindness Day, Central Community House was recognized as a HumanKindness Prize awardee, along with our partner Settlement houses. This award was given by the Center for HumanKindness at the Columbus Foundation, in partnership with The Walter Foundation.

TRANSIT ARTS was recognized for their achievements during an Ohio Senate session, after receiving the 2022 Ohio Art Education Association (OAEA) Distinguished Organization for Art Education Award. TRANSIT ARTS Director, Jackie Calderone, was also recognized with a Distinguished Citizen for Art Education Central Region Award.

Our Technology Access Project was named “Outstanding Case Study” in a Cornell University report, where they praised Central’s “deep and relevant community knowledge” for helping policymakers design a technology program that could quickly and effectively meet the needs of our senior neighbors.

So, as you can see, we have been busy! And, we are honored and humbled to work with our neighbors every day.

Thank you and until next time, warm regards,

Tammy Forrest
Executive Director, Central Community House