LMM is committed to ensuring all program participants, staff, and the wider community have the tools and knowledge necessary to be informed citizens. This commitment leads LMM to regularly share resources regarding upcoming elections, host candidate forums, and provide civic engagement programming focused on history and justice.

It also leads LMM to take a stand when we see policies that restrict civic engagement. The people LMM serves often face barriers to civic engagement because of housing insecurity or previous justice involvement. We believe more must be done to actively encourage the people we serve and work with to participate in the democratic process.

Issue 1 is currently on the ballot in Ohio. This amendment, if approved, would make it more difficult for Ohio voters to pass citizen-led initiatives. Due to concerns that Issue 1 would further limit civic engagement amongst the people LMM serves and employs, LMM’s Board of Directors Advocacy Committee voted for the agency to oppose Issue 1:

LMM encourages others to take a stand against this amendment. Early Voting has started at your county’s board of elections, lasting until August 6. It is also not too late to request an absentee ballot – you have until a week before Election Day (August 1) to do so! And of course, you’re able to vote in person at your polling location on Election Day (August 8). Make your voice heard!

Throughout the month of July, LMM has been celebrating and highlighting the importance of advocacy and civic engagement. Our A Push Toward Justice blog series has shared stories that stress the connection between being civically engaged and creating a more just community. We have also worked to educate our staff, program participants, and the community about upcoming elections, how to register to vote and options for voting.

To support these awareness-building activities and all of LMM’s 2023 advocacy initiatives, click on the button below. Make sure your voice is heard and partner with LMM to build a stronger community with more equitable opportunity for all.

Today, nearly one in three Americans have a criminal record, making the need for correctional education and fair chance hiring paramount to the success of restored citizens and the economy as a whole.

Join the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park and LMM on Wednesday, August 9 at 4:30 PM for a conversation with LMM's VP of Workforce Development, Ian Marks, on tearing down the misconceptions of hiring individuals with criminal records.

Earlier this month, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry welcomed members of the Center for Community Solutions (CCS) Board of Directors and staff for a tour of the agency and lunch provided by Metro45 Cafe & Catering.

This visit was part of a half-day community engagement program organized with the support of LMM Advocacy Director and CCS board member, Margie Glick, and CCS's Senior Fellow, Community and Racial Equity, Zulma Zabala. In addition to visiting LMM, attendees visited the West Side Community House and East End Neighborhood House. This program aimed to bridge the divide between practice, policy and advocacy.

Congratulations to LMM's Workforce Development Program Director, Malika Kidd, for joining the Cuyahoga County Board of Health's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Community Advisory Board!

“Civic engagement doesn’t end when polling locations turn back into schools, churches, and libraries after Election Day is over.”

LMM Advocacy Intern, Emma Arrighi, reflects on her own experiences with advocacy and organizing, as well as the importance of being civically engaged in our everyday lives, in the latest edition of LMM's A Push Towards Justice blog series.

On August 8, Ohioans will head to the polls for a special election to vote on Issue 1. If approved, Issue 1 would make changing the state’s constitution more difficult. Specifically, the ballot proposal would amend the state constitution, raising the threshold for future constitutional amendments and requiring a 60% supermajority of Ohio voters to pass, instead of the current 50% plus one vote.

The City Club of Cleveland's State Issue 1: Amending Citizen Initiative & Our State's Constitution forum will be hosted on Wednesday, July 26 at 12:00 PM. Click the button below to register for the event and learn more about Issue 1 from current and former state officials.

The Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry is hosting a Basic Needs Donation Drive to meet the needs of individuals being released from the Cuyahoga County Jail. Providing support for basic needs such as clothing and shoes, food and hygiene products is vital in helping restored citizens reintegrate into society, as many individuals are released only with the items they had when they were charged.

We hope you will support us in strengthening our community through this clothing drive!

To support the mission and programs of LMM, donate today!