The private nonprofits surprisingly announced Jan. 11 they were joining forces in the context of a historically strong working relationship and shared goals to have a positive impact on the community.

The boards of both groups approved the agreement for the agencies to merge effective July 1, 2024.

However, officials have not come up with a name for the new agency.

With the extensive and ever-increasing need for community behavioral health care in this region, the unified agency, which will provide both mental health and substance use disorder services, will be better positioned to deliver critical health care services and champion key projects which will best serve the community.

So, the merger of the agencies does make sense.

In recent months, the nonprofits deepened their working relationship as they prepared for the launch of the new Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center set to open in 2025 at 6140 S. Broadway in Lorain.

The original plan for the two agencies to run that facility jointly sparked conversations of stronger ties and the potential merger.

Don Schiffbauer, CEO of The Nord Center, is adamant that the collaboration represents a big win for Lorain County because bringing the expertise of two top-notch organizations together under one roof will improve access to care through a groundbreaking no-wrong-door approach to behavioral health care and substance use disorder in its service area.

Schiffbauer will serve as the first CEO of the new agency.

Even Dan Haight, president and CEO of The LCADA Way, acknowledged that this partnership has been long-standing, and it is a major step forward by taking the initiative to officially integrate the two organizations.

Haight will become the chief operating officer for the new agency,

This new flagship agency will be able to better fully leverage the financial and human resources to effectively and consistently deliver high quality and high value behavioral health and substance use disorder care to people living in Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties and surrounding communities.

Over the next six months, the partners will work out key details including brand identity, specific staffing structures and board composition.

The total workforce of the combined agency will be approximately 425 with a $45 million annual budget.

Creating this single organization will allow for not only improved efficiencies and cost savings but also for enhanced coordination of care.

As for The Nord Center, it was founded in 1947 and was named in 1970 as the Walter G. Nord Community Mental Health Center in honor of Walter G. Nord (1884-1967), founder of Nordson Corporation and lifelong supporter of mental health initiatives designed to help all the citizens of Lorain County.

In 1996, the agency officially changed its name to The Nord Center, providing industry-leading behavioral health programs, prevention, education and client advocacy that focuses on individual recovery and well-being.

Staff at the agency also focus on creating positive outcomes that lead to healthier lives and a stronger community.

The mission of The Nord Center is to engage people in the community to achieve mental and emotional health through prevention, treatment and advocacy.

The LCADA Way touts itself as a proven leader in recovery since 1981.

For over four decades, its mission has been to transform individual lives, families and communities suffering and struggling from alcohol abuse, substance abuse, behavioral health issues and gambling addiction.

In the last 10 years, The LCADA Way has gone through a few changes and even an expansion.

In October 2015, the agency changed its name to The LCADA Way.

Rebranding to The LCADA Way highlighted its unique approach centered around leadership, compassion, awareness, dedication and advocacy.

This approach is leading the agency to better serve the community and help individuals on the road to wellness and recovery.

In November 2015, The LCADA Way expanded its services into Medina County with the opening of the Wadsworth Wellness Center.

The LCADA Way provides a full array of behavioral health care services tailored to be gender and culturally appropriate based on individual client needs to assist them on the road to wellness and recovery.

And The LCADA Way is certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and The Joint Commission.

We applaud the merger of The Nord Center and The LCADA Way as a good collaboration to help people struggling and suffering to get their lives back on track.

One of the biggest moves Oberlin Community Services made in 2023 was to make serious upgrades to its space, including moving from its Professor Street home to a new site at 500 E. Lorain St.

By moving, the nonprofit pantry nearly tripled in size.

With the extra space, it can provide a great deal more to serve its clients.

The pantry closed its doors at the former location Dec. 22.

It reopened Jan. 3 in the new home.

Oberlin Community Services started in 1955 and has grown into one of the largest social service organizations in the county.

In fact, the agency is instrumental in many facets of the community.

It provides three main cornerstones of service, including food, emergency assistance, and resiliency and sustainability programming.

But the larger dedicated space for its indoor choice pantry, allows for additional parking that reduces wait times, loading docks, giant walk-in cooler and freezer units, a pavilion for events, more outdoor space for its People’s Garden, a big community room, space to build a large kitchen and several offices.

Also, Oberlin Community Services leaders say the new location is large enough that there’s ample space to share it with other nonprofits.

Jason Hawk, communications and development coordinator for Oberlin Community Services, said the focus of the agency mainly is on southern Lorain County.

However, the agency wants to make sure that there’s enough food to go on the tables of all of its clients, wherever they live.

The expanded pantry came at the perfect time because the demand for food and other supplies for low-income residents has been skyrocketing.

On a typical day, there could be between 150 and 180 households that visit the pantry.

Hawk emphasizes that Oberlin Community Services just wants to make sure that people who live in the southern, more rural, more agrarian parts of the county can get food.

Hawk also pointed out that the new space has more than enough room to accommodate the other programs of Oberlin Community Services.

The pantry and the warehouse are more than 14,000 square feet in size, which nearly is triple the space it had just for the food program.

And the expansion has allowed for more families to visit the pantry and the wait times have decreased.

The goal of the pantry is to provide more than just the bare minimum, and be able to provide meat, dairy and fresh produce to Lorain County residents in need.

Hawk thanks the people and organizations that donate to Oberlin Community Services.

The agency has a very wide support system, not only in terms of people who are willing to bestow financial gifts, but farms, grocery stores and others that donate food.

The agency also offers food deliveries; the Senior Box Program through Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio; a pop-up produce pantry; indoor choice pantry; and drive-up distributions.

But, it’s just not the pantry that serves clients at Oberlin Community Services.

When funding is available, it offers emergency financial assistance to help southern Lorain County residents with rent and mortgage payments, utility bills, life-saving prescription medications, shelter and transportation assistance in the form of a gasoline card to get to a necessary appointment.

When someone reaches out to Oberlin Community Services for assistance, it’s often the first time the individual had an opportunity to discuss some deeper, more personal issues with anyone.

So, Oberlin Community Services will help by advocating for the client and empowering them to get their needs met.

And if the agency doesn’t have the resources to assist or provide to the individual or family, it will make referrals to the best resources that can help.

The mission of Oberlin Community Services is to empower Lorain County residents through emergency assistance, food programs and other services while at the same time, promoting systemic change.

With its new and expanded headquarters, Oberlin Community Services will be in a better position to help others.

The latest development is RE/MAX Above and Beyond opened an office at 404 Broadway.

Justin Costanzo, director of operations for RE/MAX Above and Beyond, which has offices in Westlake, Middleburg Heights, Broadview Heights, Brecksville and Hudson, says the company sees potential in Lorain’s real estate scene.

Costanzo wants RE/MAX Above and Beyond to be at the forefront of the rebuilding of Lorain, especially on Broadway.

The office opened Nov. 1 with a ribbon-cutting Nov. 15.

Costanzo realized that Lorain has a high transaction rate and that home prices are much lower than in other parts of the country.

Believe this: Costanzo and RE/MAX Above and Beyond wouldn’t have invested in Lorain if they didn’t believe that over the next three to five years, that this area is going to thrive.

Although Costanzo is excited about the future of the company in Lorain, he stated there is a challenge opening during the winter when there is not a lot of foot traffic.

So, Costanzo is eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring because of the potential of some new businesses opening in downtown that could generate more foot traffic.

RE/MAX Above and Beyond has three employees, but Costanzo is focusing on hiring quality agents to fill out 10-12 positions.

Costanzo pointed out that the Lorain community was helpful in getting the office set up.

Several people have stopped by and welcomed the company to downtown.

And there’s been some collaboration between RE/MAX Above and Beyond and Jason Shaffer, who owns Magdalen’s Gallery and Espresso at 633 Broadway in downtown.

Shaffer, who opened his coffee shop in May, did all of the artwork for the RE/MAX Above and Beyond office.

Costanzo also credits Lorain City Hall for being welcoming with its assistance and help in the process of opening.

RE/MAX Above and Beyond wasn’t the only business that opened since November and is calling downtown Lorain home.

The Gilmore restaurant, which is inside the Ariel Broadway Hotel, 301 Broadway, in the space formerly occupied by Dodie’s Dockside, is serving up customers with a unique culinary experience.

Dodie’s Dockside closed in late October.

Roosevelt Samuel, co-owner of The Gilmore, said the restaurant focuses on fine dining and cocktails, and Ohio-based food with an international flair.

Samuel, along with his cousin Royce Lasion and Dave Gilmore, held a soft opening Nov. 1 for The Gilmore.

For three years, the three co-owners have worked on the concept.

The men deserve credit for taking a chance, and then seeing it come to fruition.

More people should take a chance on their dreams just as The Gilmore owners did.

And the restaurant seems to be successful.

Samuel and his partners have been specific about what they want from the new restaurant.

They strive for perfection in all three key areas that they believe a restaurant needs to succeed; they want to get it right the first time.

The Gilmore restaurant stresses good customer service, quality food, beverages and cocktails, and the ambiance.

Downtown Lorain saw other businesses open in mid-2023.

Shaffer’s Magdalen’s Gallery and Espresso is similar to a classic cafe, with a European-style menu and is espresso-driven.

Shaffer still will operate Jason Shaffer Photography, which is in the same building.

The gallery aspect will function as a display for both Shaffer and other local artists.

The main area is for Shaffer’s art, but it shifts the other gallery space every month to let artists host their own show.

A few days after Magdalen’s Gallery and Espresso opened, just down the street, the 4th Street Diner, 400 Broadway, had a grand opening.

Lorain businessman Anthony Horn opened the eatery that boasts a distinctly 1950s flair.

The restaurant, themed heavily after the Rat Pack members — Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop — features traditional American breakfasts and lunches.

Currently, the 4th Street Diner is closed for the winter, but plans to reopen in March.

Next door to the 4th Street Diner, is Papasitos Mexican Cantina, which also opened last spring.

The owners of Papasitos & Beer, 2532 W. Erie Ave. in Lorain, wanted a restaurant in downtown, and opened the new location for dining in and carryout.

Hopefully, the economic thrust for downtown Lorain will continue in 2024, because there still are a lot of unoccupied store fronts available.

In October, the city hired Euclid’s ANT Professional Services to help beautify some areas one building at a time.

After a successful round of trash pickups, the city went back to the well this month calling on ANT to continue its citywide cleanup efforts.

On Dec. 18, Maggie Haas, operations manager for ANT, along with city housing inspectors Juan Cortez-Ruiz and John Berrios, started their second round of efforts.

This time, they descended on a property in the 500 block of West 18th Street.

City officials generated a list of several locations in need of cleaning, but the West 18th Street required immediate attention.

The company, with a four-person crew, collected all of the debris that was dumped at the abandoned lot.

During the first round of cleanups, crews from ANT collected and disposed of over 300 tires that were abandoned.

Also, the company gathered an astounding eight tons of garbage off the ground and hauled it to a dump.

But, there’s another issue when it comes to cleaning up properties.

This involved crews tidying up occupied homes where owners and tenants have excessive trash and debris in their yards.

Berrios pointed out that the homeowners or occupants have been notified and received plenty of prior warnings by the city to clean up their properties.

But, as one would guess, some don’t.

Oftentimes, the initial warnings are sent out a month in advance.

If lot owners do not heed the warnings, lots are cleaned and the property will have a lien as part of its annual property taxes.

In fact, the city has a “clean and lien” program built into its ordinances.

For occupied property, Berrios noted the city is understanding if the owners are elderly or do not have the finances to get everything cleaned up.

While the city inspectors are willing to work with the homeowners, there are some properties that are too far gone to fix.

In those cases, the city razes the buildings to eliminate nuisance properties, which can breed criminal activity.

During 2023, Lorain has authorized the tearing down of several nuisance houses.

On Sept. 11, a crew from All American Demolition shredded the dwelling at 783 W. Sixth St., a stone’s throw away from the Lorain Public Library System Main Branch Library, 351 W. Sixth St.

Jennifer Black, director of marketing and public communications for the Lorain Public Library System, recalled that for many years, the house was known around the library as the “cat house” because of the number of felines sheltered by the previous owner of the home.

After the pipes burst last winter during an ice storm, the house fell into such disrepair the owners moved out and sold the house to the library.

On July 21, the city continued its ongoing series of demolitions and razed the abandoned building at 1039 Streator Place.

Don Buchs, owner of All American Demolition, handled the duties of tearing down the dilapidated dwelling, which only took 15 minutes.

It was in such bad shape that even Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley called it an eyesore.

The house presented a danger to children attending Lorain County Community Action Agency Head Start at Hopkins-Locke, 1050 Reid Ave.

And for people who think the city is not moving fast enough to demolish blighted houses, Bradley wants to assure them his administration is tearing them down and improving Lorain.

On April 5, the city authorized the demolition of the former Lorain Products building on F Street.

However, before demolition could start, crews had to drain the entire basement of the building because it contained over 1 million gallons of water from years of flooding.

And on Feb. 15, Jon Veard, president of United Property Management, authorized the razing of the century-old building on the northwest corner of Denver Avenue and East 28th Street in South Lorain.

The structure that was torn down was next door to Mariotti Printing, 513 E. 28th St., which Veard owns.

The demolition was necessary for the city’s revitalization plans, and Veard just wanted to clean up the neighborhood as well as that block.

So, the city and Veard deserve credit for their efforts in getting rid of the properties that possibly could hinder redevelopment or a spirit of caring to neighborhoods.

The city is doing a pretty good job of cleaning up the worst properties.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot more work to be done.

Several Lorain County school districts were among those that increased law enforcement presence at their facilities after receiving the threats sent from another country via a Dec. 10 email.

Officials deemed the threats as not credible, but it still shook up school districts to the point where some considered cancelling classes.

The districts did a good job using social media to inform parents and the communities of the threats.

The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office said school districts received email messages from an account that claimed to be a Russian organization targeting American schools.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation learned of the bomb threats at the schools, and after investigating the claims, determined there was no credibility found in the warnings.

The FBI did take the hoax threats seriously, because of the potential of putting innocent people at risk.

While the FBI did not receive any information to indicate a specific and credible threat, it vowed to continue to work with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share and act upon threat information as it comes to their attention.

The FBI also urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately.

And, out of an abundance of caution, the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office asked its road patrol to increase security checks around the schools mentioned in the threat for that night along with the next evening.

The Sheriff’s Office showed its commitment to providing the safest environment for students and township residents.

Elyria City Schools, as many others in the area, alerted parents of the threat through social media and email messages Dec. 10.

Officials at Elyria Schools took to social media, in particular Facebook, to say they learned of the threat that was emailed to the district and to other school districts across the state.

In the Facebook post, Elyria Schools officials stated the threat, which claims to come from a foreign terrorist group, is not believed to be credible.

Federal, state and local law enforcement looked into these matters locally and across the nation.

As a precaution, law enforcement throughout the area conducted searches of the schools and property not only in Elyria, but also in other communities.

Huron City Schools, in Erie County, also addressed the issue on social media.

Officials for Huron Schools stated that although the threat was not credible, law enforcement would conduct an investigation.

Huron Schools did not cancel classes, but there was an increased presence from the Huron Police Department at district buildings.

In Huron County, the New London Police Department used social media to state that they and officials with New London Local Schools discussed the matter as they assessed the threat.

New London Police Department Chief Joseph Hicks wrote that upon receiving the bomb threat, contact was made with other area law enforcement agencies including the Sandusky field office of the FBI.

Hicks wrote the New London Police Department was informed and was aware of the threat and that agents already were investigating the matter.

After careful consideration, a joint decision was made by the New London Police Department and New London Local Schools to move forward with classes, but with a heavy police presence.

Hicks went even further stating that If someone sees something unusual, to immediately alert authorities.

New London Schools Superintendent Brad Romano wrote the afternoon of Dec. 11, the school district received a threatening email indicating the presence of a bomb.

Romano did what he was supposed to and contacted local law enforcement officials who were in communication with the Huron County Sheriff’s Office and regional FBI field office to determine the source of the email.

New London Local Schools, along with the other districts, made the decision to resume classes Dec. 11.

In Cuyahoga County, Euclid City Schools Superintendent Christopher Papouras addressed the community on social media Dec. 10.

Papouras wrote that the Cleveland Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI tracked several of these incidents across Ohio.

Ohio wasn’t alone.

Multiple public schools in Texas received similar emailed hoax threats, which also were deemed not credible, though some schools remained on heightened alert.

Ohio officials deserve credit for investigating and determining the bomb threat was not credible.

Over the past few years, Overton Howard has found ways to assist causes dear to her.

Through her Join Forces project, Overton Howard has helped to institute a new cause to support.

Known as Tools Under the Tent, the project aims to provide hats, mittens and hot meals to people living under the city’s bridges.

Lorain has the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge and the Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge.

Overton Howard believes her efforts are an awesome way to get people who are like-minded to come together to help others.

Overton Howard, the wife of Bishop Charles Howard, pastor of God’s Kngdom Church in downtown Lorain, also hosts a talk show called “Valerie Overton Howard is Keeping It Real.”

Since it started in 2020, the show has featured a number of guests.

Through the show, she connects with the wider Lorain community.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, Overton Howard wanted to join forces with like-minded people, and started the show.

Guests included law enforcement officials, mental health experts, substance abuse counselors, people from the faith community and anyone who was in a position to help others.

Collectively, they planned community outreach events.

Thanks to her talk show, Overton Howard was able to create Tools Under the Tent.

Instead of working as different groups, the activists came together under the same umbrella.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, they pooled their resources to better help people.

As a unified consortium, they collected care packages and handed them out to the homeless people living under Lorain bridges.

And on Dec. 5, the group delivered the first 25 of the care packages.

Tools Under the Tent will not stop there.

Throughout the winter, they plan to continue going out to the community and delivering even more care packages.

The rest of the first round of care packages will go out Dec. 22 as part of the initiative’s Community Day.

Along with physical items, the group is looking to provide hope and holiday spirit to those who need it.

Organizers will have some Christmas music playing, and they are looking to pass out some soup.

Overton Howard also wants others to come together and join the effort because people really are in need.

If people can help, they really should consider lending a hand to Tools Under the Tent.

Overton Howard, also a life coach, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker, just wants to help people and enlisted others to follow her.

But, there are other Lorain County organizations assisting those in need.

Neighborhood Alliance operates the Haven Center, which is the only 24-hour, 365-day emergency shelter in Lorain County that serves men, women and families.

The Haven Center offers a full-service, 68-bed facility with meals, toiletries, laundry and clothing as well as connections necessary to transition into independent housing.

Another is Catholic Charities St. Elizabeth House in Lorain, which provides daily hot meals, basic needs, a choice food pantry, fresh produce, rental and utility assistance, temporary overnight shelter, coordinated entry and case management.

Its men’s overnight shelter can support up to 50 men who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, as well as those with special needs.

For women, the Elyria YWCA operates the Women’s Campus Project, the first transitional housing project for homeless women in Lorain County.

The project provides transitional housing in several homes that the YWCA owns.

The Lorain County Office of Aging provides home-delivered meals to seniors in specific townships in Lorain County, Avon, Avon Lake, Sheffield, Sheffield Lake and Wellington.

The North Ridgeville Office for Older Adults Senior Center offers Meals on Wheels program to seniors 60 years and older.

Meals are delivered on Mondays and Wednesdays for a total of up to five meals per week.

North Ridgeville Community Care provides various emergent needs, including a food pantry, clothing/household Items, utility and housing assistance, summer lunches, school supplies and prescription financial assistance.

Faith House is a supportive housing program providing homeless single-parent families with disabilities the opportunity for housing with needed support services.

And there are others.

But Tools Under the Tent is bringing groups together to provide a little relief with some outerwear and hot meals to people living under the bridges this winter.

Overton Howard deserves credit for creating Tools Under the Tent because it is making a difference.

The leaders say there is a rise in domestic violence cases as well as the fentanyl use that’s crippling addicts.

But, a collective effort with people coming to the table is key: law enforcement, community groups, clergy, schools, health officials, everyone.

For residents, if they see something, they should call the police.

There are many ways to report crimes as they are happening, including calling Crime Stoppers and anonymous tip lines.

On Nov. 30, a group of city and Lorain County officials gathered at Christian Temple in downtown Lorain convened for a news conference to discuss the recent acts of violence, which not only is impacting the International City, but the county, state and the country.

The leaders included Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley; Imam Paul Hasan of Interfaith Ministries of Lorain County; Lorain Ward 2 Councilwoman Victoria Kempton; Michael Doud, executive director of Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board; Mark Adams, commissioner of Lorain County Public Health; and Kathy Rednour, psychotherapist from the Family Counseling Center in Westlake.

The Rev. Lelia Jindra, pastor of Christian Temple, 940 W. Fifth St., opened the conference with a prayer and stated the main purpose for the gathering was to find hope for the community.

Jindra spoke about residents who are struggling, who believe they have no hope and may feel completely alone in their battles.

But, Jindra believes there is hope for the lost and they are not alone.

Jindra’s hope is the community can offer support through a steady presence of solidarity.

The call to action by the Lorain leaders was in part prompted by the senseless shooting deaths of Skylar Young, 24, her daughter, Angel Isaac, 9, and son, Bandin Young, 4 months.

Lorain police continue to investigate the fatalities, however, thus far, the facts and evidence lead detectives to believe that the situation was a murder-suicide committed by Tyler Young, 29, the husband of Skylar Young.

Authorities discovered the deceased family Nov. 19 inside a split-level apartment residence at 129 E. Ninth St.

The couple had a history of domestic violence situations, including an incident this year reported by Skylar Young, although a Lorain County grand jury declined to indict Tyler Young.

Police believe that the mental health issues of Tyler Young likely played a part in the tragedy.

Now, domestic violence occurs every day, and unfortunately, touches every community in this country.

Americans of every race, religion and background are affected; its consequences transcend generations, impacting children and reshaping whole families.

The Lorain incident came just a month after the nation recognized National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in October.

The leaders also addressed the rash of recent shootings and drug overdoses, which are everyday occurrences.

There are many factors that can lead to stress such as poverty, homelessness, job loss, deaths of loved ones, loneliness, crime and violence.

The leaders believe these factors play a large role: drug use, domestic violence, suicide, child abuse and criminal activity.

Imam Paul Hasan, who helped to organize the news conference, stated that women should be protected and that women should be free of being victims of domestic violence.

And with the holidays approaching, domestic concerns usually rise.

Hasan also spoke about the significant fentanyl problem plaguing the community and that he has a good friend who recently lost his son to a narcotics overdose.

Hasan doesn’t believe prayers alone will eradicate these issues, but that some sort of action must be taken as well and people working hard to address the problems.

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley also joined the solemn gathering adding that it’s never pleasant to the leaders of a community when there is a tragedy like the deaths of the mother and her two children by the hands of a coward.

Bradley pointed out that some types of crimes can be prevented.

Bradley conferred with Lorain Law Director Patrick Riley and the city no longer will drop charges against a domestic violence offender, even if the victim disagrees.

The law offers an opportunity to prosecute without the victim’s consent, and Bradley said the city intends to follow through with that plan.

This is a good start and let the courts figure it out.

What would really help is if residents would get more involved.

If you see something, say something.

It is our hope that you have much to be grateful for – employment, family, friends, health or other noteworthy successes.

Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-A-Child collecting donations to provide children with new winter clothes

For some among us, that isn’t the case.

Some of our neighbors are wondering just how they’ll possibly be able to afford new, warm clothing and footwear for their children.

And some could see the holidays as a season of excess.

Don’t take that the wrong way.

It’s a time of love, sharing, forgiving and joy.

Many celebrate faith, hope, optimism and tradition.

But, it’s also a time of constant shopping, bustle and pressure: There’s no way around it.

Adding to that feeling so many of us get at this time, is that each year the season seems to get longer.

However, we’re not complaining about that part.

You see, we’ve already started our shopping.

No, we’re not out there buying Christmas gifts for our families and friends.

We’re heading out with some of our friends to carry out the mission of the Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-A-Child Fund.

First, we must pay homage to journalist and civic worker Rhea Soper Eddy, who started the program in 1924 while working at The Journal, which was the predecessor to the current Morning Journal.

This was the premise nearly a century ago when Clothe-A-Child was created: To raise money and use volunteers to shop with youngsters at local stores for coats, boots and warm clothes.

There are some parameters, though.

The family must provide proof that they are in need, and children must be between the ages of 4 and 12.

The youngsters also must be enrolled in school.

Children get $150 to purchase practical school clothing, including everything from outerwear to underclothes.

And what’s even more wonderful is retailers — Meijer and JC Penney — have items on sale and the youngsters can stretch that $150 a long way, in some cases, with deep discounts, they can get $200 worth of brand new clothes that they picked out.

What a blessing that is.

This year, we accepted applications from mid-September to late-October, but donations are accepted all year-round.

Since the program launched, we’ve had a few volunteer shoppers meet under-resourced children at the stores to buy the warm coats, clothes and boots.

During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, we were forced to use fewer shoppers because even now, we continue to practice safety measures to avoid spreading the virus.

So, since 2021, parents have shopped with their children.

Last year’s campaign saw 240 children experience shopping trips before Christmas to Meijer in Lorain and Sandusky, and JC Penney in Avon.

In 2021, we gave 189 children shopping trips, which was down from 269 in 2020.

So far this year, we have shopped for over 100 youngsters, with a goal of 300.

We will continue shopping all the way up to a week before Christmas.

That feeling of excess we lamented above is easily canceled out by the smiles of the youngsters finding the perfect outfit or the right gloves.

To be able to keep shopping and reach our goal of serving as many children as possible, donations are needed.

It’s important to remember that at this time when spending seems almost expected, many in Northeast Ohio still are struggling to feed their families and keep them warm.

We can’t forget that some of our neighbors won’t have much to celebrate this holiday season.

That’s where Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-A-Child steps in.

Donations are accepted year-round by making checks payable to Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-A-Child, c/o The Morning Journal, 401 Broadway, Suite B, Lorain, OH 44052.

In past years, we’ve requested people who have fundraisers to benefit Clothe-A-Child to tell us about it.

We've resumed our fundraisers, including the Meijer Presents the Bradley Dash at Journal Jog, volunteering during the Rockin' on the River summer weekly concert series and the Lorain County Community Foundation's Connect to a Cause which gave us funds to start shopping.

Thanks to the generosity of our two major sponsors, Meijer and Northwest Bank, that shopping has continued.

Over the years, generous donors have entrusted their hard-earned dollars to the charity.

The donations are down this year compared to previous years, but the shopping continues because the need continues.

To continue the shopping and reach our goal of serving as many children as possible, we need your help.

We thank you for your continued support of this worthy cause.

And, we hope you’ll consider sharing your generosity again to assist children in need.

In early November, Garfield Elementary, located at 200 W. 31st St., established the resource room and stocked it with all kinds of supplies such as nonperishable food, clothing and other items for parents and families.

About five years ago, Monteleone toured a few schools around the country and observed that many of them included spaces for parents with washers and dryers, as well as other amenities.

After visiting schools in Columbus, Ohio, and Nashville, Tenn., Monteleone was inspired to create a similar space at Garfield.

Monteleone wanted a place where parents of students who needed a little assistance could go and get those essential needs and food items to help the family.

Monteleone had a vision to eliminate difficult choices that parents should never have to make.

Rather than choosing to put food on the table or gasoline in the car, the hope is that the resource room allows them to do both.

After the school tours, Monteleone had a space in mind for the resource room.

Garfield’s storage room was a perfect fit, and the school had a relatively easy time finding partners to help stock the shelves.

Monteleone said the past two years have been the perfect storm for the opportunity to create the resource room, especially, since House of Praise International Church, 4321 Elyria Ave., adopted Garfield.

The Jiffy Group is the other partner that put in a hefty order of nonperishable items at Sam’s Club, and had them delivered to Garfield.

Through volunteer work from both the House of Praise and The Jiffy Group, Monteleone’s plan quickly came to fruition.

Then, it became a matter of connecting the school with parents in need.

Monteleone imagined a place where parents could order items from the privacy of their own home in a dignified and discreet manner.

It is similar to online shopping at Amazon, eBay and other sites such as Instacart where people can order groceries.

Monteleone credits Lorain City Schools Assistant Superintendent Ross May with creating the online ordering system for the resource room.

The ordering system is intuitive and uses Google forms and a spreadsheet to make sure parents get what they need.

The objective is by Thanksgiving, parents can go online and order like they would at the online outlets, whether it’s a bar of soap, a jacket for their child for the winter, or groceries just to get them through the week.

The resource room is ready, but far from a finished product.

Garfield would like to partner with more organizations around Lorain to supply perishable food items a few times a month.

Monteleone believes expanding the resource room’s reach is endless and would love for it to grow where people outside of the Garfield community can use it.

The resource room is a unique concept, and more school districts would do well to implement something similar.

For one thing, the Garfield resource room is within walking distance for some parents to pickup the items, especially if transportation is a barrier.

But, Garfield is not the first school to offer a resource room in Northeast Ohio.

In 2022, the Maple Heights City School District opened a resource room for families that needed a little extra.

The Maple Heights City Schools resource room was designed to assist families in need within the community with clothing, household goods, canned food and other essential items.

Maple Heights families can access the resource room by contacting school counselors, principals, building secretaries or by completing the referral form located on the district’s website.

As for food, Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio has the School Pantry Program, which is designed to ensure every child has the food they need to grow and thrive by creating food security for the entire family.

In partnership with local school districts, Second Harvest can increase the amount of food families have on-hand by hosting monthly pantries with a nutritious assortment of shelf-stable food, produce, bread, refrigerated and frozen foods at various sites throughout its service area of Lorain, Erie, Huron and Crawford counties.

Second Harvest administration staff, district social workers, teachers, students and parents provide guidance and volunteers for each distribution — welcoming families onto school grounds.

Garfield and Monteleone deserve credit for this resource room to help families that need a little bit more in a dignified way.

The funds will allow some Lorain County senior citizens to remain in their homes and connect to their communities, preserve their personal assets and will promote a healthy, independent and active lifestyle for older adults.

This is a step in the right direction to helping senior citizens, especially those who may feel isolated and don’t know where to turn, even for some services.

During a Lorain County Commission meeting in October, Deputy Administrator Karen Perkins indicated the county had applied for $927,000 through the Department of Aging’s Healthy Aging Grant program to address the factors that influence positive health outcomes and foster improved quality of life for seniors in Lorain County.

At their Oct. 31 meeting, commissioners Michelle Hung, Dave Moore and Jeff Riddell voted unanimously to support the funding from the state.

The grant approval process required the county to adopt a resolution in order to officially solidify the agreement.

Specifically, the funds will be utilized to help the local aging population with transportation, food, housing, finances, education, healthy living, socialization and counseling services.

The Ohio Department of Aging administers programs and services to meet the needs of older Ohioans.

These programs are funded by the federal Older Americans Act, Medicaid and other sources.

The Ohio Department of Aging is a cabinet-level state agency, and Ursel J. McElroy is the current director.

As a point of interest, the U.S. Administration for Community Living designated the Ohio Department of Aging as state’s lead agency for Older Americans Act services.

And, the Ohio Department of Medicaid contracts with the Ohio Department of Aging to administer certain Medicaid programs.

Most of its programs and services are coordinated locally by contracted area agencies on aging.

The Lorain County Office on Aging is the primary agency supporting Lorain County’s older adult population.

Its mission is to improve the health, well-being and independence of aging individuals and other adults with special needs, and to provide support, resources and advocacy to ensure that older adults can age successfully in Lorain County.

The Lorain County Office on Aging has other resources and programs to assist senior citizens such as the Aging & Disability Resource Network, in-home services, nutrition, the Kinship Program, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Senior Years newspaper.

With more than 76,000 older adults living in Lorain County, the need for services to support this vulnerable population continues to grow.

By ensuring easy and continued access to its services and resources available through partnerships, the agency has shown it is a compassionate steward for those who need its help the most.

The vision of the local agency is to be the best place to age in the nation, while the mission is to foster sound public policy, research and initiatives that benefit older Ohioans.

Similar to the local efforts, the Ohio Department of Aging administers programs and services to meet the needs of older Ohioans and are funded by the federal Older Americans Act, Medicaid along with other sources.

But, for those Ohioans age 55 and older, soon they will have the opportunity, if they want to obtain job training to join the modern workforce through the Ohio Department of Aging’s Senior Community Service Employment Program.

The Senior Community Service Employment Program began Oct. 12 and will continue over the next four months.

Vantage Aging will host a series of online workshops for older Ohioans looking to re-enter the workforce.

The first workshop covered resume writing tips for older adults.

Upcoming workshops will include: Developing a Winning Mindset; Job Search Strategies for Older Workers; and Seniors, Computers and Cybersecurity.

But senior citizens interested should reach out to the Ohio Department of Aging’s Senior Community Service Employment Program for more information.

Older workers are a valuable asset to Ohio’s workforce because they bring skills and years of experience to the workplace, have a strong work ethic and they likely would find work enjoyable, meaningful and fulfilling.

This could be the answer to some of the employers looking to fill some of the technical-skilled jobs that are vacant.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of workers aged 65 or older has grown by 117% in a span of 20 years, while employment of individuals 75 years or older has likewise increased by 117%.

With the grant, Lorain County is in a better position to help those who are in need.