Weekly News from LMM
Recapping the Charles R. See Forum
CRS Forum panel (left to right) - Moderator Rachel Dissell, ODRC's Roxanne Coey and LMM's Malika Kidd
Dan Moulthrop giving the Chopping for Change students a tour of The City Club
Last Friday, LMM hosted the Charles R. See Forum on Reentry at The City Club, which featured keynote speaker Ms. Susan Burton, author of Becoming Ms. Burton and founder of the Los Angeles-based A New Way of Life. Ms. Burton and the panel, which consisted of LMM Workforce Development Program Director Malika Kidd and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections' Roxanne Coey, discussed important topics around reentry including barriers when returning to community, lived experience, empathy and more.

In addition to a great discussion, LMM's Chopping for Change students had a chance to attend the event, as well as provide dessert for the post-forum reception.

Didn't get a chance to attend? Click the 'Watch the Forum' button below! You can view more photos from the event here.

Huge thank you to everyone that came together to make this event happen, to those who attended, and of course to Charles R. See, for the decades-worth of impactful work he has done to bring reentry to the forefront at the local and national levels.
The Conclusion of the Becoming Ms. Burton Book Club
LMM’s Advocacy department held the third and final session for the Becoming Ms. Burton Book Club earlier this week. This conversation, led by Community Engagement Coordinator, Gloria Craig, addressed both the contents of the Becoming Ms. Burton book, authored by Charles R. See Forum keynote, Susan Burton, as well as the Friday City Club Forum conversation.

The advocacy department sends its gratitude to all those who read the book, participated in these discussions and watched the Forum. We look forward to future conversations on reentry, justice and creating a stronger community together.
Cultivating Change at the Peoples Reentry Assembly
Photos by Michele Lenni
Last Saturday, community partners and advocates came together to host the first-ever People’s Reentry Assembly. This half-day program, hosted at LMM's Richard Sering Center, offered an opportunity to elevate the stories and experiences of those with past criminal legal involvement, provide information about policies that could reduce housing-related collateral sanctions and determine a path for advancing these policies in Northeast Ohio.

We appreciate everyone who was able to attend and look forward to continuing to build on the reentry conversations that were had. A special thank you to the many people and organizations who contributed to making this event a success including the members of the Greater Cleveland Reentry Leadership Coalition’s Advocacy & Policy subcommittee and the Justice Housing subcommittee. To learn more about the advocacy work LMM is doing in this area, click here.
The Metro45 Food Truck: A Social Enterprise on Wheels
Metro45 is a social enterprise of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry that provides life-changing services to those most in need through feeding people experiencing homeless and offering valuable culinary and workforce training to marginalized individuals. Learn more about Metro45 in this article from Freshwater Cleveland.

Metro45's food truck will be setting up shop at different venues around town throughout May. Want to grab a bite from their delicious menu? Here's where you can find the food truck this month:

  • May 5 - Lakewood Truck Park 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • May 13 - Lakewood Truck Park 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
  • May 14 - Unplugged Brewing 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
  • May 19 - Lakewood Truck Park 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
  • May 27 - Unplugged Brewing 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
  • May 28 - Lakewood Truck Park 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Check out Metro45 on social media or their website for the latest updates.
Close Out Breaking New Ground with LMM
We're $118,000 away from completing the Breaking New Ground (BNG) campaign, LMM's affordable housing initiative that offers families exiting homelessness renovated housing in the St.Clair-Superior neighborhood housing at affordable rents and connections to supportive services.

As LMM has been purchasing and renovating more units, volunteer photographer and videographer Michele Lenni has been documenting the process. To view some of her BNG photos, click here. Stay tuned for more videos and photos from Michele!
Portraits of Strength: Stories of Redemption
The Portraits of Strength gallery, created by Lydia Bailey, features photos and stories of LMM staff members who have overcome extreme challenges in their lives, now using their experiences to help others. Their adversity has turned to strength with their work going to the full sense of vocation. Hiring these individuals has greatly benefited LMM. Their stories are a testimony to the advantages of Fair Chance Hiring in the workplace. Click the 'View Gallery' button to read their stories.

The full Portraits of Strength gallery will be released later this year. Want to learn more or host the gallery? Contact Lydia Bailey, Coordinator of Volunteers at the Men’s Shelter, at [email protected].
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month recognizes the importance of raising awareness about mental health challenges, erasing the stigma and advocating for quality care & support.

LMM prioritizes mental health through the health & wellness services we offer throughout our various program areas including counseling, case management/social work, support groups, trauma-informed approaches and more.