Community Conversations

United Way’s Community Conversations is a public forum for information and dialogue on issues affecting our Northeast Ohio community. They cover a wide range of topics, focusing on equitable and continual policy solutions.

United Way of Greater Cleveland continues to be committed to serving as a convener and giving voice to the crises in our urban and rural communities to allow prosperity and equal opportunity to exist for all.

This virtual series is free and open to the public.

2024 Sessions

When Social Security is Not Enough: Accessing Older Adult Services in Northeast Ohio

December 10 @ 12 p.m.

As the number of households headed by people aged 65 and over continues to increase, more older adults struggle to make ends meet even with the help of Social Security. In Cuyahoga County, 51 percent of older adults do not have the financial resources to afford necessities like food, health care, and housing, while in Geauga County, the number is 40 percent. In Cleveland, the number of older adults living in poverty increased by 18 percent from 2021 to 2023, according to The Center for Community Solutions.

Even though there are programs and resources available to assist the older adult population, these services can be difficult to access and navigate, especially for those without Internet or access to transportation, who are experiencing social isolation, or who are living with a disability.

Moderator Drew Maziasz of Ideastream Public Media will lead a panel of experts in a discussion on the current and emerging needs of older adults in our communities, programs designed to assist older adults and tips on navigating the service system, and policy recommendations to address the growing population of older adults living in poverty. 

Panelists include:

  • Orion Bell, President and CEO, Benjamin Rose
  • Mark Dorony, Program Manager, United Way Services of Geauga County
  • Fatima Perkins, Director of Community Outreach and Advocacy, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging

The event is free, but registration is required. Reserve your seat here.

The Conversation

Our discussion on Imagining a New Path to Prosperity in Cleveland: Universal Basic Employment focused on an innovative pilot program that seeks to create sustainable wage jobs by investing in people, neighborhoods, and businesses.

Thank you to moderator Abbey Marshall from Ideastream Public Media, Devin Cotten, CEO of Universal Basic Employment, Emily Campbell, President and CEO of The Center for Community Solutions, and Cleveland Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones for a lively and informative conversation.

Additional Resources

Previous Sessions

The 2023 Community Conversation series focused on the end of pandemic-era enhanced food assistance; the release of our Community Needs Assessment; how to access utility assistance and the impact the loss of utilities have on health; and navigating city, county, and state governments and communicating with local government officials.

The Conversation

February 28, 2023

At the end of February, an estimated 1.5 million of Ohio’s poorest households will lose at least $95 worth of food a month. In May, 200,000 Ohioans will be at risk of losing Medicaid coverage due to federal legislation that passed in December 2022 ending COVID-19 pandemic policies. A panel of experts from Cuyahoga County discussed the impacts of these changes on individuals, families, and organizations, what people can do to make sure their food and healthcare needs are met, and projects and initiatives that help address reductions in public benefits.

The Participants

The 2022 Community Conversation series – Raising Our Voices – addressed key issues community members raised as significantly impacting the Greater Cleveland area. These issues include guaranteeing equitable access to high-quality education and health and mental health services, addressing systemic racism in the community, and ensuring community voices and needs are heard through voting and civic engagement.

The Conversation

February 9, 2022

Our February conversation focused on the continued impact the ongoing pandemic is having on the education of children in Northeast Ohio. As new COVID-19 variants emerge, urban and rural communities still face challenges in providing adequate, accessible, and appropriate learning opportunities for students and their families.

Our panel of education experts discussed the challenges with remote learning, social isolation, hybrids, family stress, and workforce shortages that continue to impact children’s educational outcomes.

The Participants

The 2021 Community Conversation series focused on the Cleveland Consent Decree, which was entered into in May 2015. The Consent Decree stemmed from a 21-month-long investigation that determined the Cleveland Police Department had engaged in a pattern of excessive force. As part of the Consent Decree, the City agreed to make sweeping policy changes in how the Cleveland Police Department interacts with the community.

Five years after the City of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice entered into the Consent Decree, United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Cleveland Branch of the NAACP partnered on an 11-month series of conversations about the Consent Decree and its ramifications for our community.

Signature Sponsor

Our Community Conversation series is made possible in part by our Signature Sponsor, Rockwell Automation.

Rockwell Automation logo

Information and Resources

Important Help Lines

Utility Support

Access to Free Food

How to Connect with Local Government

Individuals Without Internet Access

Call 2-1-1 or Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Help Center at 216-738-2067.

Medicaid Information

This 5-month virtual event series is complimentary and open to the public. The 2022 initiative is part of United Way of Greater Cleveland’s Public Policy Agenda to advocate, convene and support issues that impact Greater Cleveland. The series is possible through partnership with The City Club of Cleveland

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