Gesher 2013 2014 Annual Report
OUR GOAL
Facilitating smooth access to government and private programs for the members of our community.
Med
Save
SNAP
Dow
Child
Heap
Emer Medicaid Save the Dream SNAP (food stamps) Down Payment Assistance Child Care Medicaid $885,000 Medicaid
Heap/ Pipp $20,000 Heap/Pipp
Savethe theDream Dream $125,000 Save
EmergencyFurnace Furnace $18,000 Emergency
SNAP(food (Foodstamps) Stamps) $62,400 SNAP
Water/ SewerDiscount Discount $13,680 Water/Sewer
DownPayment PaymentAssistance Assistance $60,000 Down
JFSA(Rent $5,542 JFSA & Utilities)
ChildCare Care $20,000 Child
EPP/ CEI (Appliances) $3,000 EPP/CEI (Appliances)
Heap/Pipp
Wat JFSA
EPP/
$1,212,622.00 In its first year July 2013- July 2014 Gesher aided the community in securing $1,212,622.00 worth of assistance
OUR PARTNERS
An initiative of Agudath Israel Midwest Region, Gesher helps eliminate cultural barriers to accessing and applying for assistance programs and uses dedicated staff to help families meet the challenges of financial hardship. Navigating the inner workings of government programs poses an unnecessary, added strain to their emotional overload. This is where Gesher steps in. In conjunction with the JFSA, they work to open doors that are otherwise locked to those who need them. As community builders, the Federation and Gesher create a synergy that fuels client referral on an individual level on behalf of the community. Some of these include: •
The Greater Cleveland Foodbank – designed to pack, sort and ultimately distribute fresh
produce to families that are financially challenged •
Gemach – a way for community members to fill the voids in needy households through shar-
ing furniture, household items and most importantly, clothing •
Education – a virtual army of volunteers who are given over to cultivating life skills through
extracurricular academic instruction •
Employment - implementing a self-sufficiency intervention that includes employment and
housing stabilization elements When Gesher and the Federation work hand in hand, they can make proactive efforts to create the building blocks for Cleveland community life.
KEY ALLIANCE
Gesher takes pride in its status as an Ohio Benefit Bank Pro site. Gesher was featured on the new online training of the OBB as being an outstanding Site.
Aryeh Joseph is a member of the North East Ohio Outreach & Enrollment Counsel, as well as a part of the Steering Committee. He is an active participant in the Education & Enrollment Subcommittee. Consequently, Gesher has hosted trainings from The Legal Aid Society with similar ones planned for the future.
Aryeh Joseph is a member of the Heights Family-toFamily Collaborative, an initiative of the Centers for Families and Children.
Aryeh Joseph has just been certified as an OSHIIP volunteer to help those in need of assistance with Medicare.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & EDUCATION
Gesher Utilities Resource Fair in Conjunction With the Cleveland Housing Network October 2013
Gesher FUTURE PLANS Dear Partners & Supporters, We hope you have enjoyed paging through this report. As is evident, the success of our first year has surpassed even our own expectations. We have you to thank for turning our vision into a reality. With an eye to the future, there are a number of projects we would like to add to the Gesher roster. 1) Website - the ability to access forms and applications, as well as other useful resources. This would streamline operations and save Gesher beneficiaries and employees valuable time. A website is also a way of providing aid in a more discreet manner to people who find it difficult to step forward and request help. 2) Target marketing - educating the community about the services we provide. We would like to reach out to each sector of the community with the services that apply to them. In addition, we could email updates to our clients when programs change, end, or new ones are added. 3) Medicare - Assisting those on or applying for Medicare in navigating the complexities of the system. 4) HEAP/ PIPP - A partner site, enabling us to process applications, thereby encouraging a larger number of people to take advantage of this valuable service. 5) Health Insurance - Educating and assisting those eligible to apply for health insurance on Healthcare.gov. 6) Career Guidance - Building resume writing and interviewing skills and imparting business acumen know-how. 7) Fiscal training - Providing education on financial responsibility, budgeting etc. Looking forward to another rewarding year at Gesher! Sincerely,
A.vrohom Adler
Aryeh Leib Joseph
2120 South Green Rd. Suite 001, S. Euclid, OH 44121 / p. 216-862-4599 - 216-862-4837 / f. 216-862-4595 / gesher@agudathisrael-mwr.org