COMMUNITY SERVICE ALLIANCE
4001 TRENT ROAD, CLEVELAND, OH 44109 www.comservealliance.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO BE A CATALYST OF SUBSIDIZED LOW-RENT HOUSING, TRAINING AND TRANSITIONAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOMELESS MEN SO THAT SHELTER POPULATION AND ACCOMPANYING PUBLIC COSTS ARE REDUCED.

COMMUNITY SERVICE ALLIANCE (CSA) HAS BEEN PROVIDING HOUSING, JOB ASSISTANCE, AND PERSONAL, BEHAVIORAL AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT FOR MEN TRANSITIONING FROM POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS AND ADDICTION FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS. THE MISSION OF CSA IS TO BE A CATALYST FOR LASTING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE EMERGING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND PEOPLE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR TRANSFORMATION. WE CARRY OUT THAT MISSION BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE, SHORT-TERM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IDENTIFYING AND SECURING LOCAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND OFFERING TRAINING THAT FOSTERS PERSONAL, BEHAVIORAL AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT, ALL TO PROMOTE THE EVENTUAL INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF THE MEN WE SERVE. WE ASSIST THE MEN WE SERVE TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL BY RELYING ON CHRISTIAN-BASED PRINCIPLES TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND JOB ASSISTANCE, AND ADDRESS THE ADDITIONAL ISSUES - PRIMARILY SUBSTANCE ABUSE, ADDICTION AND RECOVERY - WHICH ARE PREVENTING THEM FROM LEADING PRODUCTIVE LIVES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. CSA'S VISION IS TO ENGAGE EIGHT KEY COMMUNITIES - FOUNDATIONS, BUSINESSES, SERVICE PROVIDERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FAITH COMMUNITIES, LANDLORDS, NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS, AND THE HOMELESS - TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP TO SERVE CLEVELAND NEIGHBORHOODS AND EACH OTHER IN WAYS THAT HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN POSSIBLE. WE SERVE AS A CATALYST AMONG THESE KEY PARTNERS TO MAXIMIZE EACH IN A WAY THAT BUILDS UP THE OVERALL COMMUNITY AND ITS RESIDENTS, PROVIDES THE MEN WE SERVE WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES, AND FOSTERS A BROAD SENSE OF COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, COOPERATION AND CHARITY. THE "HOME" IS ARGUABLY THE CENTRAL MOST IMPORTANT AND INFLUENTIAL FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO A PERSON'S PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD AND THEIR PLACE IN IT. WHEN A HOME IS UNSTABLE, UNAFFORDABLE OR OTHERWISE THREATENED, PEOPLE GROW FEARFUL FOR THEIR FUTURE. IN URBAN COMMUNITIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS, CONTRIBUTING TO DESTABILIZED NEIGHBORHOODS AND REINFORCING THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY. BY STARTING WITH "HOME- AND THEN ADDING EMPLOYMENT TO THE PACKAGE, WE BELIEVE WE CAN CHANGE LIVES, RENEW NEIGHBORHOODS AND TRANSFORM A CITY. OVER THE YEARS, CSA HAS DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH EXACTLY THAT GOAL. CSA IMPLEMENTED THE HOUSING COMPONENT OF OUR MISSION IN 2005 WITH THE CREATION OF PROCOP HOUSE, THE FORMER CONVENT AT ST. PROCOP CHURCH ON CLEVELAND'S WEST SIDE. IT IS A 22-ROOM HOUSE THAT MEETS THE HOUSING, JOB ASSISTANCE, AND PERSONAL, BEHAVIORAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE MEN WE SERVE. THE SUCCESS WE HAD WITH PROCOP HOUSE, COMBINED WITH A CONTINUED NEED FOR THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, LED CSA TO OPEN A SECOND HOUSING PROGRAM - FULTON HOUSE - TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND REACH OUT TO MORE INDIVIDUALS IN NEED. FULTON HOUSE IS A 13-ROOM HOUSING PROGRAM DEVELOPED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF VETERANS EMERGING FROM HOMELESSNESS. THROUGH FULTON HOUSE, CSA PROVIDES AN ORGANIZED APPROACH TO ADDRESS VETERANS' HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND PERSONAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS, AND WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VA AND OTHER EXISTING PROVIDERS TO CONNECT THESE MEN WITH A WIDE RANGE OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FINANCIAL LITERACY AND CREDIT REPAIR SERVICES, LEGAL SERVICES, MEDICAL, HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS, FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT. A SHORT TIME LATER, WE NOTICED A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO WERE STAYING WITH CSA FOR LONGER PERIODS THAN OUR AVERAGE STAY OF 11-14 MONTHS. WHILE OUR GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT AND BE A PART OF THE TRANSITION TO PERMANENT, INDEPENDENT HOUSING, SOME MEN, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, ARE NOT FULLY PREPARED TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION AS QUICKLY. THE CHALLENGES THEY EXPERIENCE ARE OFTEN FINANCIAL IN SCOPE, AND REQUIRE THE RESIDENT TO PAY OFF PRIOR DEBTS, GET ON TRACK WITH CHILD SUPPORT, OR SIMPLY SAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO MANAGE A BUDGET ON THEIR OWN. THE BARRIERS CAN ALSO BE PERSONAL IN NATURE, AND FREQUENTLY INVOLVE ISSUES OF TRUST, INSECURITY, AND FEAR AND ANXIETY OF BEING ON THEIR OWN - SOMETHING MANY OF THESE MEN HAVE NOT HAD TO FACE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IN RESPONSE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BEGAN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A THIRD HOUSING SITE THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MEN WHO REQUIRE THE SUPPORT OF CSA FOR A LONGER STAY. AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF TO RENOVATE A VACANT MULTI-FAMILY HOME ON CLEVELAND'S WEST SIDE AND CONVERT IT INTO A FACILITY TO ADDRESS THIS NEED. THE BOARD SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THE PLAN TO RENOVATE THE HOUSE INTO A SIX-ROOM LONGER STAY HOUSING SITE CAME TO FRUITION IN THE FALL OF 2013 WHEN CSA FORMALLY DEDICATED SANDY'S HOUSE - NAMED IN MEMORY OF MRS. SANDRA SULLIVAN, ONE OF THE FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS OF CSA, A LOVING AND LONG-TIME SUPPORTER OF OUR MISSION, AND A SELFLESS ADVOCATE FOR DISADVANTAGED AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. AS WE CONTINUED TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAM AND THE ONGOING COMMUNITY NEED FOR OUR SERVICES, CSA WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEHEMIAH COLLABORATIVE, A FAITH-INSPIRED EFFORT TO ADDRESS HOUSING ON CLEVELAND'S WEST SIDE, TO PLAN FOR OUR FOURTH HOUSING SITE. THE NEHEMIAH COLLABORATIVE IS A PARTNERSHIP OF CSA, BUILDING HOPE IN THE CITY, FAMILY MINISTRY CENTER AND SCRANTON ROAD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WHICH SEEKS TO RESTORE HOMES AS A UNIQUE TOOL FOR PERSONAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY RESTORATION. CSA'S NEWEST SITE IS LOCATED ON TROWBRIDGE AVENUE, JUST A FEW HOMES FROM WHERE FULTON HOUSE AND SANDY'S HOUSE ARE CURRENTLY LOCATED. THE PREVIOUSLY ABANDONED TWO-FAMILY HOME WAS BUILT IN 1903, AND WAS SECURED BY NEHEMIAH COLLABORATIVE THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CUYAHOGA LAND BANK. THE SITE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO CSA'S FOURTH LOCATION - BILL'S HOUSE, NAMED IN HONOR OF BILL DILLINGHAM, A FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER OF CSA, ITS CURRENT BOARD PRESIDENT, AND A U.S. ARMY VETERAN. THE NEWEST LOCATION WILL PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR SEVEN VETERANS STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY AND ADDICTION. THE HOUSE WAS OPENED IN THE FALL OF 2019. ON THE PROGRAM SIDE, CSA DOES NOT DUPLICATE PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY. RATHER, OUR GOAL IS TO CONNECT THE MEN WE SERVE WITH A VARIETY OF EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCES, ALIGNED WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. WE BELIEVE OUR MODEL IS UNIQUE, AND SINCE OUR INCEPTION CLOSE TO 15 YEARS AGO, OUR APPROACH HAS HELPED MORE THAN 2,000 INDIVIDUALS WITH HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND PERSONAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT. WHAT WE ARE MOST PROUD OF ARE THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES WE CAN SHOW - MORE THAN 70% OF THE MEN WE SERVE SUCCESSFULLY MOVE ON TO PERMANENT, INDEPENDENT HOUSING WITH A CONSISTENT RECORD OF SOBRIETY, A FULL OR PART-TIME JOB, A RENEWED PERSONAL FAITH, AND THE BEHAVIORS AND SKILLS NEEDED TO REMAIN PRODUCTIVE, DRUG-FREE, CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. IN ADDITION TO THE HOUSING COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM, WE ACTIVELY WORK WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO ASSIST THEM WITH IDENTIFYING AND SECURING LOCAL WORK EXPERIENCE AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HARD AT WORK WORTH DOING HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CSA MISSION SINCE OUR INCEPTION. OUR GOAL WAS TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THE AGENCY'S WORK EXPERIENCE AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, AND WORK WITH EXISTING AND PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER PARTNERS, AS WELL AS RESIDENTS AND ALUMNI, TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO HELP MEN TRANSITION FROM POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS TO EMPLOYMENT, INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. SINCE REFOCUSING THE PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES IN ACCOMPLISHING OUR GOAL. CSA HIRED AN EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR TO LEAD THE EFFORT, AND WE RENEWED RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXISTING EMPLOYER PARTNERS AND ADDED NEW EMPLOYERS TO THE PROGRAM. WE NOW HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMPANIES INCLUDING ADVANCED SECONDARIES, ADMIRAL PRODUCTS, BISHOP CONSTRUCTION, BLUE RIBBON MEATS, BUCKEYE BUSINESS PRODUCTS, HURON POINT TAVERN, MR. HERO, N.A.R.I., SHAIA'S PARKING, TRUE FREEDOM MINISTRIES, WAREHOUSE DISTRICT PARKING, AND WERNER G. SMITH, ALONG WITH SEVERAL LOCAL TEMP AGENCIES. AND ADDITIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE BEING DEVELOPED ALL THE TIME. AS IMPORTANTLY, WE CONTINUE TO SUCCESSFULLY PLACE MORE RESIDENTS AND ALUMNI INTO A VARIETY OF FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THEM FURTHER THEIR OWN GOALS AND BETTER PREPARE THEM FOR THE NEXT STEPS IN THEIR JOURNEYS. ON AVERAGE, OUR WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM PLACES MORE THAN 60 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY INTO PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE PROVIDING THE CHANCE FOR OUR MEN TO WORK HARD AT WORK WORTH DOING. OVER THESE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, CSA HAS GROWN THE ORGANIZATION'S ABILITY TO SERVE MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED US THE MOST - MEN WHO ARE HOMELESS, IMPOVERISHED, STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION, MARGINALIZED. FOUR HOUSES ~ PROCOP HOUSE, FULTON HOUSE, SANDY'S HOUSE AND BILL'S HOUSE ~ AND THE CAPACITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF 48 MEN A CONTINUUM OF HOUSING TO ADDRESS SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM NEED

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