CLEVELAND — For over a half-century, the May Dugan Center has been helping families across Northeast Ohio enrich and enhance their lives through a half dozen programs, including behavioral health, food and clothing giveaways, education and workforce development.
"We're an anchor at 41st and Bridge; people know where to come for help," said Rick Kemm, the Center's executive director. "We're a gem; we're here to help people in need."
But over the past year, that need has grown to include helping refugees from other countries resettle in Cleveland. Working with the State Department through the Hebrew Immigration Aid Society, they started welcoming refugees in September.
"And since then, we've welcomed 150 newcomers to the city of Cleveland. We hope to receive around 200 by the end of the year," said Sarah Edelman, director of Education and Refugee Services.
"Our services include welcoming them to the city; We pick them up at the airport. Before they get here, we find them a house; we find the furniture, we set it all up for them so they have a cozy place to start their new path in life. We also help them with all of their case management needs, like signing up for benefits, making sure their Social Security cards get here on time and then helping them apply for employment," she said.
They also provide them with financial coaching and weekly cultural orientation every Friday.
"That brings together all of our refugees to learn how to assimilate here to the Cleveland area."
We met folks like Afwerki and Robel on Tuesday. They hail from Eritrea in Africa.
"Sarah's been helping me a lot through his process," said Afwerki, who has been in the U.S. for 14 years. His brother Robel, though, just arrived a few days ago. He was just 10 the last time he saw him.
"So he was a little kid, now he's a, he's grown man," said Afwerki. "This is a miracle for me, yeah, it's a miracle."
Edelman says the $50,000 the center received from Cleveland City Council will go a long way in helping folks like Robel. The center is always looking for volunteers to help as well.
"We can use help with people donating their time to help set up homes or potentially driving our refugees to different appointments. There's a lot of different opportunities that we can make happen if people are willing to volunteer."
This center on Bridge Avenue was named for May Dugan, the daughter of Irish immigrants who advocated for the poor in this West Side neighborhood from the late 1800s to her death in 1972. It's a legacy Edelman can especially appreciate; Dugan was her great-grandmother.
"So to live out her legacy is, it's humbling and I hope I can live up to her," she said. "I think she would be very proud of the work we're doing here at the center."
