Charleston, South Carolina will always be a special place for Linda Holmes. However, in this phase of her life, she finds herself grateful to live in Cuyahoga County.

The Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry and its partners are coming together to help formerly incarcerated individuals and their families keep warm during the winter season.

The Cuyahoga County Family and Children First Council has partnered with the Values-in-Action (VIA) Foundation to provide workforce training services to local youth. The purpose of the program is to help participating students identify their career interests while developing their character strengths, workplace values and practical skills.

There are more than 300 children in Cuyahoga County who need a permanent family. Laura Fonseca and Matthew Goodwin are part of the team responsible for finding them loving homes. Fonseca, a Permanency Support Specialist, and Goodwin, a Child Protection Specialist, have close to 50 years of combined experience at Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS). In recognition of National Adoption Month, the pair share their thoughts about adoption and the need for the community to do its part to provide for our most vulnerable.

Justice has been a fighter for his entire young life. Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Justice works with rehabilitative professionals and has made strides to improve his motor-functioning skills. Justice's heartwarming story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, dedication, and the essential role each person plays in assisting youth in their quest to find their forever families.

Chris Anderson, a resilient 19-year-old who has weathered numerous storms in his young life, is now using his experiences to provide support and guidance for those in need within our community. Having recently gained emancipation from the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Foster Care Program, Chris is determined to effect positive change for youth who are now experiencing many similar adversities.

In a heartwarming display of support and dedication, the Kinnect to Family program has successfully assisted a grandfather in maintaining placement of his one-month-old granddaughter despite facing financial hardships. The program, which aims to prioritize relative placement for children in need, has proven once again that familial connections and support can greatly benefit a child's well-being.

More than 300 employees from the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), along with other County employees and community partners participated in the 2023 Cuyahoga Hero 5k walk

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when child advocates across the nation focus on ways to prevent abuse and neglect, recognizing the importance of strong families and communities working together to keep children safe.

The namesake of the Payne and Superior Avenues building dedicated his life providing services to residents throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond. Virgil E. Brown (1917-2010) became the first African American to lead the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections as well as the first elected to the Cuyahoga County Commission.

After much research and preparation Cuyahoga County will soon have a collaborative Child Protection Team (CPT) dedicated to detecting and preventing sometimes severe and hard to spot cases of child abuse and neglect. Clinicians from MetroHealth System, Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children will join forces with the multidisciplinary team at Canopy Child Advocacy Center to form the CPT in an unprecedented collaboration between organizations.

The culmination of a four- year federal grant project has not only changed the ways Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services address the needs of youth who identify as LGBTQ+ but has also provided a blueprint for Health and Human Services divisions throughout the nation to follow.

Ticket to Hope, an Ohio-based non-profit, successfully partnered with the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide hockey tickets to the Cuyahoga County families.

In honor of Older Americans Month, the Division of Senior and Adult Services (DSAS) wanted to spotlight a Cuyahoga resident who embodies this year’s theme of “Age My Way.” We found the most amazing example in Centenarian Vaddie B. Todd. Todd was recently honored by the Cuyahoga Council, friends and relatives in celebration of her 105th birthday, which occurred on March 21, 2022.

Social isolation – also known as loneliness -- is a big contributor to declining health in older adults. Did you know that social isolation is as detrimental to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day? Lack of meaningful social interaction among older adults can lead to obesity, depression, sleeplessness and a downward spiral of issues. DSAS helps seniors get social. Our Community Social Services Program works with 36 community partners across the County to ensure adults age 60 and over have opportunities to engage with one another.

As we age, we can at times find ourselves in situations that put us in peril. Even the savviest, most independent of us can fall prey to any numbers of risks – from a physical injury, to a mental decline, a shady new acquaintance or a seasoned scam artist. While most people can safely navigate these pitfalls, some older adults need a helping hand to stay safe when these situations arise.

When the COVID-19 Pandemic forced government agencies and non-profits that assist people to close their doors to in-person services, the leadership at The Centers for Families and Children (The Centers), who administer the Child Development Associate Training got creative.

If you ever visited the Mt. Pleasant Center on Kinsman Avenue, more than likely you have sat in the Barbara S. Galloway Conference Room, located on the second floor of the facility. The woman for whom the conference room is named, has a legacy worthy of the recognition.

The Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative partnered with the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the National Fatherhood Resource Center and Little Free Libraries for outstanding events last week. The goal was to promote the importance of fathers reading to their children, and it proved to be a huge success!

As a result of federal legislation that expanded the Child Tax Credit, nearly 90 percent of families with children are eligible to receive up to $3600 per child under 6 and $3000 per child 6-17 years of age. Research has shown that the expanded Child Tax Credit reduced child poverty and allowed families to meet their basic needs. Child Tax Credit dollars were used to purchase food, pay rent, and afford other household needs.