Partners Fight Poverty

Cleveland Clinic and KeyBank Foundation invest a combined $4.6 million to United Way. BY JOANNE CAHILL

Large donations to United Way of Greater Cleveland from Cleveland Clinic and KeyBank Foundation are earmarked for two widescale efforts aimed at tackling poverty and its long-term effects.

A $2.5 million, five-year commitment from Cleveland Clinic will support the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition, a public/private partnership among local organizations and individuals dedicated to removing harmful sources of lead exposure from area homes. At the same time, KeyBank Foundation announced its three-year $2.1 million investment in United Way’s Community Hub for Basic Needs, established to uplift those living in the deepest poverty across Greater Cleveland.

Collaboration and partnership are common denominators among both projects.

“It’s a really phenomenal achievement to unite so many voices from public, private, corporate and philanthropic sectors in an effort to prevent lead poisoning in our community,” says Dr. Roopa Thakur, a Cleveland Clinic pediatrician who is heading up the clinic’s lead safety efforts. “The coalition has drawn from the experiences, needs and assets of residents, landlords and experts to develop comprehensive policy recommendations that address lead exposure at its source — Cleveland’s housing stock.”

Thakur explains that lead poisoning cannot be reversed once detected. Small children living in older homes are at the greatest risk of exposure, which can lead to lifelong damage, including cognitive impairment, developmental delays, hearing and speech problems, inattention and lowered IQ. At the highest levels, lead exposure can damage kidneys and blood and nervous systems, as well as lead to a coma, convulsions or death in the worst cases.

“The take-home message here is clear,” she adds. “Primary prevention is critical.”

The Lead Safe Home Fund provides families and property owners with the resources they need to make homes lead safe. With the Cleveland Clinic gift, along with investment from the public sector, private sector and other philanthropic partners, the funds raised to date total $45 million. The estimated cost to reach the goal of making Cleveland lead safe is $99 million.

August A. Napoli Jr., president and CEO of United Way of Greater Cleveland, says that the Lead Safe Coalition is a good example of what he views as an essential role for United Way — being a leader, convener and partner.

“We are uniquely suited for this role,” he says. “We are an objective partner and in a unique position to build trust and develop relationships.

“In two years, the coalition has already raised nearly half of this money,” he says. “It is within reach to raise the remaining funds and solve the lead problem.”

Napoli says the harm caused by lead is just one of many hurdles in the fight against poverty. He views the $2.1 million gift from KeyBank as a critical opportunity for real progress.

He also praises KeyBank’s longstanding leadership in the community, with nearly $23 million in support to United Way since 2000.

“Our teammates have a long history of supporting the United Way here

in Cleveland and across our footprint,” says Randy Paine, KeyCorp executive vice president and president of Key Institutional Bank. “United Way is focused on bringing meaningful change to all members of our community while finding ways to reimagine how we serve those in need.”

Paine says KeyBank’s most recent gift reflects its priority of supporting efforts that prepare people for thriving futures.

“These priorities align with United Way’s Community Hub, given its focus on analyzing our region’s needs to identify ambitious and specific poverty reduction goals,” he says. “This grant not only helps United Way examine poverty, but it also helps the organization provide all people with the education and opportunities they need to break out of poverty.”

With a goal of being a leading voice for those living in poverty, United Way’s Community Hub is a new model that moves the organization to more of a focus on the individual person in need.

“We have refocused our attention on what our north star is — the person in need,” says Napoli. “We had drifted away from this by funding a vast delivery system of agencies. The Community Hub model brings the focus back to the person in need.”

He explains that the Community Hub will invest in a smaller network of agencies who agree to partner with United Way in meeting specific community goals, established standards and metrics of measuring outcomes.

“We will be funding 12 to 15 agencies — much fewer than in the past,” says Napoli. “We are driving collaboration and consolidation. The previous delivery system was overbuilt and underutilized.”

Economic mobility programs are one of the top priorities. Skill building, workforce placements, transportation, financial literacy and workforce readiness programs are in the works for people living in low-income communities.

KeyBank will also continue its support of United Way’s 2-1-1 helpline, which serves about 300,000 people annually. It provides free and confidential 24-hour help with everything from food and shelter to assistance with utilities and transportation, just to name a few.

“While a caller may reach out looking for food or shelter, our call center professionals attempt to identify their greater needs and often end up helping them navigate to other critical services,” explains Napoli.

Educational programs about poverty and its effects also fall under the KeyBank donation. To that end, United Way plans to open a Poverty Lab — a unique physical location where visitors can virtually explore what it means to live in poverty. In addition, a curriculum for corporate and nonprofit partners focused on learning racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) skills is under development.

“It is so important to demystify poverty,” says Napoli. “This is how we move from awareness to understanding to commitment.

“We all can be empathetic, but we are only going to make that commitment if we understand it,” he says. “The beauty of philanthropy — and offering a hand up — is that everyone can participate, and we invite them all to do it.” 

“We have refocused our attention on what our north star is — the person in need. We had drifted away from this by funding a vast delivery system of agencies. The Community Hub model brings the focus back to the person in need.”

— August A. Napoli Jr.

August A. Napoli Jr. Randy Paine Dr. Roopa Thakur