Growth and Unity: The Afghan Community Center

Cleveland has welcomed many newcomers over the years to build their lives in the city we call home. According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, since 2020, more than 7,000 refugees arrived in the state of Ohio, with over 2,300 arriving in Cleveland. Over 1,000 of them arrived to the United States from Afghanistan. There are many essential organizations around the city of Cleveland that provide resources for newcomers to thrive in the United States, with one of them being a developing new community center right here in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood. 

Prepping for Summer Fun at Henritze Park

Henritze Park, one of Old Brooklyn’s 9 parks and numerous greenspaces is getting an update! As part of the City of Cleveland’s ARPA funding allocated last summer, 17 playgrounds throughout Cleveland are being transformed.  

If you’ve visited the Old Brooklyn Community Development offices in the past few months and drove down W. 37th and Henritze or Stanford roads, you may have witnessed some work happening at the far west end of our block. Construction started late winter when the old park amenities were removed to prepare the site for all new equipment.  

This includes a new play area, new swings, a safety surface, benches, and bollards with fencing. Crews have been out there the last 2 weeks, already been placing some of the new equipment. We can’t wait to see the rest of the park and we’ll be sure to keep you all updated on its completion!  

Mai Tag at the Garden, Prost for BFCG!

The Ben Franklin Community Garden is host to many exciting community events, such as the music series, annual fundraiser, and more. It’s quickly becoming a community hub! Join in on the fun for their 2nd Annual Mai Tag Beer Fest! Mai Tag or May Day is a festival to welcome the spring weather and to drive away evil spirits. So help them prepare for Spring and a fun growing season!  

Teaming up with Schnitz Ale Brewery, the Garden will be serving up delicious local craft beer and food from local vendors. It’s a fundraiser to support the Ben Franklin garden, and proceeds will go towards maintaining and improving the garden for everyone in the neighborhood to enjoy.  

Get your tickets for May 11 to enjoy food, drinks from 9 local breweries, live music, games, and so much more! Click the button below to purchase your tickets. Tickets are $50. 

Crooked River Exploration Camp is Back this Summer!

The Crooked River Exploration Camp (CREC) will be launching out of Brookside Reservation again this June, July, and August! If your kids have been part of the camp in the past, we welcome you to register again! 

For those new to CREC, we hope your children will join. It’s open to school-aged kids from 1stto 6th grade, living in Old Brooklyn, who want to explore their neighborhood, local parks, and the National Park right in our own backyard, Cuyahoga Valley National Park! The camp is 3 days each month, focused on environmental stewardship and fun activities. 

Each 3-day session is $120 and financial aid is available! Sessions are: June 12-14, July 17-19, and August 7-9 from 9am-3pm. Lunch and snacks provided. For more information or to sign up, click the link below! Note: you will need to create an account first. 

Reimagining Broadview Road

On Thursday, April 25, OBCDC hosted a community meeting to gather input about what community members want to see on Broadview Road. Many of the takeaways from the meeting included a safer street for pedestrians and bicyclists, hopes for a grocery store, more active storefronts, and more.  

Along with this meeting, community members were also invited to partake in an online survey with the same content. With over 400 responses, OBCDC will be taking time over the next month to consolidate the data and review all that Old Brooklyn had to say. We plan for the data to be published later this summer. For more information or questions, reach out to Charles Kennick at CharlesK@oldbrooklyn.com.  

Join Partners from CSU for a Financial Empowerment Group

The City of Cleveland, in partnership with The Diversity Institute at Cleveland State University, is conducting a series of focus groups to gather insights for developing a municipal blueprint aimed at tackling racial wealth inequity. Cleveland State University is hoping to hear from you for their Financial Empowerment Focus Group happening later this month!  

By sharing your experiences and perspectives, you can help shape policies and programs that directly address the needs of our community. 

Are you: 

• Over the age of 18? 
• Live in Old Brooklyn? (or another designated neighborhood) 
• Black, Hispanic, or Latino? 

Participants will receive $15 for joining the group. For more information and to see if you qualify, click the link below! 

Check out the Community Updates page on our website for weekly updates! Here's a preview:

• Tree Planting Workshop on May 4
• Monthly YP Social Hour @ The Splatter Loft
• South Brooklyn Branch Library Book Sale!
• GardenWalk CLE is looking for OB gardens - join the fun!

Click the image to read more.

We're excited to share some upcoming volunteer opportunities with the OB MVPs! Applications are open for:

• Street Cleanup on May 22
• Host your own volunteer event
• Corporate opportunities for your organization
• Old Brooklyn Farmers Market

Click the image to learn more!

OBCDC members can enjoy various perks, including access to a membership portal! This is where we will share member events and information.

May Updates include:

• TAF grant submission
• CCNA Update
• Ohio CDC Association conference planning

... and more!

Not a member yet? Sign up here!

Click the image to learn more about our upcoming events in May, such as:

• Young Professional Social Hour, 5/15
• Home Repair Workshop #3 & #4, 5/7 and 5/14
• Better Streets Committee, 5/9

...and more!

Do you have an Old Brooklyn community event you think should be shared here? Or do you have an idea for a community event that you want to chat with someone about? Let us know by clicking here.