July 2021

Utilization

relink.org has thousands of users per month who are in search of basic needs, addiction recovery resources and other options to get them on their feet. Last month, we pulled the top five cities where relink.org was used and noticed how strongly Columbus and the rest of Franklin county really comes out on top. Thank you to our Columbus users, and everyone else who has put relink.org to good use last month.

Connect: Outreach & Education

Events

R.V. Outreach Day with Homeless Hookup Cle

After a personal experience with homelessness, Dean Roff, Founder and CEO of Homeless Hookup Cle, made it his mission to provide for those in similar situations. His ability to connect with the community in need near the Cleveland area is unlike anyone else.

Homeless Hookup is a 501(c)3 non-profit in Cleveland that started from the passion within Dean Roff to serve the community where they are.

Support from the Lakewood Fire Department allowed Dean the ability to purchase and equip the Homeless Hookup R.V. with a shower, mobile barber shop, storage for the thrift-store-worth of clothing he has available and room to keep hundreds of hygiene products on-hand to pass out.

Thrive Peer Support organized a wonderful day of outreach which involved a spirited caravan of resources driving around the city of Cleveland. Lead by Dean in the Mobile Hygiene Unit, a half a dozen vehicles drove to different locations that Dean knows are highly populated by people who may benefit from our services and help. Free bagged lunches, haircuts, clothing, hygiene kits, Narcan and more were provided at each stop and the resource of relink.org was shared with each person in need to support them beyond just this day of giving.

To find out when relink.org will be in the community next, visit the outreach tour 2021 page on relink.org.

If you would like to support Dean in this effort, visit the Homeless Hookup Cle wish list on amazon here, to purchase some of the hygiene products for him to give to those in need.

Project White Butterfly -- Erasing Stigma, Embracing Truth

Sara Szelagowski is the founder of Cleveland-based non-profit, Project White Butterfly. After the tragic death of her brother, Szelagowski decided to make a change in the lives of those struggling with addiction. PWB began in August of 2019 as a way to reach out and connect with those struggling with substance use disorder in an approachable and gentle manner.

Sara and PWB partner, Jasmine Kochheiser, put together an incredible visual representation in June at a local Recovery Community Organization, depicting the effects that Substance Use Disorder can have on a person and their loved ones. In addition to conveying the effects that SUD can have, the presentation also demonstrated how SUD can affect anyone from any background, how to understand the inciting incidents, triggers and more.

To learn more about this event with so much passion behind it, click here.

Empower: Awareness

Powerful Stories

relink.org Can Help in Many Circumstances

After a recent, and unfortunately, unsettling call, it reminded us that relink.org really is a powerful tool and has grown into such a diverse resource since its inception in 2017.

This month, a grandmother in Southern Ohio called our statewide coordinator to express concerns for the wellbeing of her daughter and the safety of her grandchildren. She noted that her daughter has struggled with Substance Use Disorder for quite some time which has lead to further mental health issues. In fits of anger while being under the influence, her daughter often takes out frustrations on her husband and two small children. With no where else to turn and no idea where to get help in order to keep her grandchildren and daughter safe, she called relink.org. After a great discussion of what her needs were and what the safest options for her grandchildren were, we were able to connect her with multiple resources to help this family find peace and stability once again.

Visit relink.org

Restore: Information

Adapting to The Needs of Our Users

Se habla Español?- relink.org Adapted for Spanish Speakers in Ohio

A long awaited change has been made to relink.org! We are very excited to announce that our online portal of resources, available to all 88 Ohio counties, now has Spanish language capabilities. It continuously remains our goal to reach those in need where they are, however we can. This new feature will allow us to reach more individuals in need than ever, and is an exciting opportunity to learn more about the needs in the Spanish-speaking areas of Ohio. As we have evolved since our inception in 2017, relink.org has made incredible strides to remove barriers from an individual in need to receive help/support during difficult times, and we certainly are not stopping here.

If you or a loved one could benefit from this new feature, be sure to visit needs.relink.org and click on the flag in the top right corner that corresponds with the language you would like to browse the website with.

Visit Needs.relink.org

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