Community
Partners
Community
Partners
We open our doors every day to help low-income people of all ages access the resources they need to overcome immediate distress, find better opportunities, and build toward brighter futures. Poverty is complex with many variables that impact individuals and families, the challenges they face, and the paths to improve their situations. Step Forward understands this complexity. We work diligently to ensure each person, each family gets the support necessary to transform their lives and strengthen our community. But we cannot do it alone.
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We rely on a network of individuals and organizations to help us help people in need in Cuyahoga County. They join us as advocates to amplify the voices of low-income people. They provide financial and other support to enable us to offer critical resources to people in need. They direct people to us who might not know where to turn for help. They expand the services we offer to ensure we can support people in their areas of need, whatever that might be.
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We value our partnership with these individuals and organizations.
To understand the unique contributions each makes in supporting our mission, we categorize them as follows:
Ambassadors: Champion Step Forward's mission
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Funders: Provide funding from private or public sources to Step Forward
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In-Kind Supporters: Give time, donate services, or provide funding to Step Forward's program**
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Referral Partners: Refer individuals or families to Step Forward
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Service Partners: Provide integral/complimentary services to the people Step Forward serves
​*Partner meets criteria to fit into more than one category
**As a Head Start agency, Step Forward is required to fund 20 percent of its Head Start program.
Ambassadors
CAPLAW
The Center for Community Solutions
Citizen’s Coalition
Cleveland City Council
Community Action Partnership
Cuyahoga County Council
Family and Children First Council
National Community Action Foundation
National Head Start Association
Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies
Ohio Head Start Association
Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy
Ohio Urban Community Action Network (OUCAN)
PRE4CLE – Cleveland Metropolitan Schools
State of Ohio Department of Development
State Senator J.D. Vance
State Senator Sherrod Brown
Senator Jerry Cirino
Senator Kent Smith
Senator Nickie J. Antonio
Senator Matt Dolan
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State of Ohio Department of Development
State Representative Phillip M. Robinson
State Representative Thomas F. Patton
State Representative Daniel Troy
State Representative Terrance Upchurch
State Representative Elliot Forhan
State Representative Juanita O. Brent
State Representative Phillip M. Robinson
State Representative Thomas F. Patton
State Representative Kent Smith
State Representative Bishara W. Addison
State Representative Terrance Upchurch
State Representative Shayla L. Davis
State Representative Juanita O. Brent
State Representative Bride Rose Sweeney
State Representative Thomas F. Patton
U.S. Representative Sean P. Brennan
U.S. Representative Richard Dell’Aquila
U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty
U.S. Representative Darnell Brewer
U.S. Representative Michael Slandell
U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur
U.S. Representative Shontel Brown
U.S. Representative Anthony Gonzalez
U.S. Representative Max Miller
Funders
Arby’s Foundation
The Cleveland Clinic*
Cleveland Foundation
Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative
Cuyahoga County – Invest in Children
DigitalC
Early Childhood Education
First Energy
Key Bank
Ohio Department of Development
Step Up to Quality
PNC Bank – Grow Up Great Initiative
United Way of Greater Cleveland
USDA
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
In-Kind Supporters
Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine
CareSource*
ChildPlus
Children’s Museum of Cleveland
City of Cleveland Police Department
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Cleveland Metropolitan School District*
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
East Cleveland City Schools – Pre-Kindergarten Program*
Euclid City Schools – Pre-Kindergarten Program*
Friends and Family of Step Forward Head Start
Ideastream*
Meyer Design
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Referral Partners
BEST Community Resource Center
Breakthrough Schools
Brenda Glass Trauma Center
Brenda Corchado, State Farm Insurance Agent
The Centers for Families and Children
Cleveland Department of Aging
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
Cleveland Municipal Court
Cleveland State University
Community of Faith Collaborative
Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services
Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS)
Cuyahoga County Library System
Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry
Cuyahoga Jobs and Family Services
Donna Smallwood Senior Center
Friendly Inn Settlement Corp.
Help Me Grow
Hilton Hotels
JACK Casino
Jinisha Patel, State Farm Insurance Agent
Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center
Langston Hughes Community Center*
Manufacturers Advocacy Growth Network (MAGNET)
May Dugan Center
MedCerts
The MetroHealth System
Ministerio Dorcas
Molina Health Care
Moms First
Neighborhood Achievement Hub
Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. (NEON)
Nueva Luz
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District*
Salvation Army - Harbor Light Complex
Salvation Army - Zelma George Family Shelter
Seeds of Literacy
Shaw High School – Early Childhood Program
Slavic Village Development Corporation*
Smart Development Inc.
Stella Maris
Spanish American Committee
Starting Point
United Pastors in Mission
University Hospitals Case Medical Center
Union Miles Development Corporation
Urban League of Greater Cleveland*
Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Women’s Recovery Center
Workforce Investment Board – Youth Council
Service Partners
Achievement Centers for Children
Applewood Centers
Asian Services in Action, Inc.
Beech Brook
Burlington Coat Factory
Case Western Reserve University Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Case Western Reserve University Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
CHN Housing Partners
Cleveland Furniture Bank
Cleveland Job Corps
Cleveland Public Library
Community Housing Solutions
Daily Dose of Reading
Dave’s Supermarkets
Discount Drug Mart
Dress for Success
East End Neighborhood House
The Free Clinic
Gesher Cleveland Benefit and Resource Center
Goodwill
Greater Cleveland Food Bank
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland
Ibn Sina Free Clinic
The Literacy Cooperative
Music Settlement
Nature Explore
NEO Skill Corps (Americorps Volunteers)
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS)
OhioMeansJobs – Cleveland-Cuyahoga County
Playhouse Square
Rainey Institute
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Shaker Lakes Nature Center
Towards Employment
Youth Opportunities Unlimited