'Never in a million years did I think I would be standing here' | Cherry Street Mission program readies graduates for the workforce
'Never in a million years did I think I would be standing here' | Cherry Street Mission program readies graduates for the workforce
Cherry Street Mission's Workforce Development Program graduated four people Friday. Some already have jobs waiting for them.
We’ve been reporting for months on employers having a hard time finding workers.
A program offered by the Cherry Street Mission is helping to connect those employers with people who are ready to make a positive change in their lives.
“Never in a million years did I think I’d be standing here,” Dominic Beltran said at his graduation ceremony at Cherry Street Mission on Friday.
Beltran said it’s because until about nine months ago, drugs and alcohol ruled his life.
“I wasn’t able to get up since I was under the influence. So it made it very difficult to make it anywhere I needed to go,” Beltran said.
He went through rehab with the Salvation Army, which led him to Cherry Street Mission’s Workforce Development Program.
“It feels very good,” Beltran said. “Honestly, I don’t know how to explain it.”
Courses taught by Northwest State Community College and Owens Community College instructors are offered in building trades, office specialist and auto tech, among others.
“What we’ve done is looking at what are some of the in-demand jobs that are happening in Lucas County right now. We try to stay in touch with that and we offer programs to help bring people to those positions,” Tami Norris, Vice President of Workforce Development for Cherry Street Mission Ministries, said.
The programs are short, taking a couple of months to complete; graduates get a credential supported by the colleges.
“There’s a variety of funding streams available to help pay for the classes,” Norris said. “So we work with you to determine which is the best way to get you funded to go into the classes.”
While the number of people receiving unemployment benefits has dropped to its lowest level since the 1970s, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 1.5 million fewer Americans are working than before the pandemic.
The four graduates who got their certificates at Cherry Street now have the skills to get a job that pays a living wage.
Beltran already has one. He’s soon to be working as a roofer.
“I start Monday at 8 a.m.,” he said.
Six months after graduating from Building Trades class at Cherry Street, Dominic has earned a $2 raise and is on track to “have his own crew” as a foreman. Dominic has said that the insight and techniques, soft skills and success training he learned from the class has helped him deal with negative coworkers. Dominic is over one year sober and his relationship with Christ is truly blossoming.
If you’re interested in signing up for a workforce development course, click here.
Did You Know?
Did You Know?
We take stewardship seriously. And we know that every dollar given through the ministry was someone’s sacrifice and has a purpose to fulfill and a difference to make. With this in mind, we are very intentional about keeping a lean staff that is primarily focused on the essentials.
74% Ministry Team
26% Operations/Outreach
100% Dedicated to your community
In total, Cherry Street Mission Ministries employs a total of 62 employees, 48 of which are full time.The 74% of our team serving through direct ministry to guests includes seven Ministry Leaders, three Chefs,15 Housing Stabilization Advocates, and 21 Ready For Life Advocates. The other 26% is comprised of those whose ministry is to keep the mission functioning through operations and outreach.
Cherry Street Mission offering job training | Your Day
Cherry Street Mission offering job training | Your Day
Cherry Street Ministry Sustains Individuals Through Winter
Cherry Street Ministry Sustains Individuals Through Winter
Since its founding in 1947, Cherry Street Mission Ministries has had a singular calling: to provide sustenance for the body and nourishment for the soul. One of the most prominent local charities, Cherry Street’s Downtown Toledo facilities have expanded to include separate housing for males and females, and meals and services at its Life Revitalization Center and Mac Cafe in the former Macomber High School building.
But in addition to the normal increase in guests typical during the winter months, this season they’ve experienced an 800 percent increase in people experiencing homelessness for the first time.
“We’ve had to be exceedingly fluid in providing access to the activities this diverse population needs,” said Ann Ebbert, CEO / president of Cherry Street. Numerous new guests were impacted by the end of the federal moratorium on evictions last fall. Many people who had lost or left jobs during the pandemic were still able to remain in their homes. “But since October we’ve been full,” Ebbert said, because “when the moratorium went away, many of those who were subsistence living fell through the cracks.”
Many of the newer guests experiencing homelessness still have transportation, so Cherry Street is running out of space to park guest cars at its housing centers. In addition, Ebbert said that some guests are working at overnight jobs and will use the shelter and its services during the day, a departure from the organization’s regular schedule.
Solving Challenges
Every guest arriving at Cherry Street goes through the same intake assessment, where needs and issues are identified. “Some need a meal or a bed, while others need more,” said Ebbert. The organization develops its programming to assist guests with solving three problems:
- Achieving a stable income
- Securing safe and affordable housing to provides a sense of place, community and safety
- Building healthy relationships
Admission to the organization’s residential system requires a strict quarantine period until a prospective guest receives a negative COVID-19 test. Once that negative test comes in, the prospective guest can join into all the programs within the facilities. Hand washing, mask wearing and social distancing are also crucial to daily operations.
“We are a faith-based ministry organization, and that is one of the properties we explore with our guests,” Ebbert said. But participation in the spiritual ministry is not mandatory at the organization. “Everyone is on their own journey,” she said.
In addition to medical and mental health care, Cherry Street offers a variety of employment training programs to guests. “We act as a hub for all sorts of human services providers, so our guests can access everything at one stop,” Ebbert said.
Raising Funds and Awareness after 75 years
How are Cherry Street’s programs funded? “People here have gigantic, generous hearts, and our programs are always funded,” said Ebbert. Like many local charities, they rely on personal relationships in the community, along with a strong social media presence, to get the word out about their needs. Cherry Street publishes a wish list of items on its website, and a link to its wish list on Amazon. Typically (and especially during winter months) there is always a need for:
- Chap Stick (or other lip balms)
- Waterproof boots
- Waterproof gloves
Additionally, the Mission celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, kicking off with a February 14 commemoration of National Day of Soup (in a nod to Cherry Street’s start as a soup kitchen). Area restaurants will participate in a soup competition at the Mac Street Café. And a spring-to-fall partnership with area restaurants and bars will offer Cherry Street information through QR codes at tables.
Other events during this anniversary year include a “75 hours of prayer” observance during the week leading to Easter in April, a 75th anniversary party on June 15 and the annual fall fundraiser “Be the Bridge.” Watch their website, Facebook and Instagram pages for details.
Veterans on the move
Veterans on the move
HOUSING FOR HEROES
Cherry Street has developed an incredibly beneficial partnership working with the Department of Veterans Affairs. One of the most powerful things we can do for our guests is connect them with the right resources that already exist to serve them.
During the deepest part of the pandemic, within 30 days SIX veterans were placed in VA housing and were able to move out of Cherry Street into their own homes. A man who had moved out recently stopped by to pick up a care package our team prepared for him. He had a pep in his step and light in his eye that exuded the pride and joy overflowing from his spirit now that he is finally back in a place of his own.
The work done at Cherry Street isn’t just about meeting needs, it’s about restoring dignity and hope to those who have felt misplaced and broken. God is for his children, and it is our joy to work alongside Him as He lifts heads and restores souls. Community collaboration leads to greater impact on the guests and your community.
We are doing more together.
Charlie has a home.
Ryan has a home.
Jerry has a home.
Ready For Life makes an impact
Ready For Life makes an impact
STRATEGIC PROCESSES ARE STANDARDIZING CARE AND IMPROVING OUTCOMES
The pandemic at Cherry Street has pushed and challenged us. But during this complex time, the team was hard at work strategizing and refreshing one of our key efforts in the fight against poverty.
The “Ready For Life” program was relaunched out of the desire to standardize and strategize our approach to care and wholeness. The entire Engagement Team was hard at work creating Standard Operating Procedures and developing trainings, manuals, and much more to comply with best practices as prescribed by experts in the Social Work field and person centered care.
Not only will these updates enable staff to dive into a more efficient and effective workflow that will lead to greater impact on the guests and the community, but reporting and tracking processes will be brought into alignment with our partners and strengthen data shared within the community and government.
The Ready For Life launch was a true team effort. One of the staff leaders who played a heavy role in developing this curriculum was the Ready For Life Manager, Nora Riggs. Nora is a Licensed Social Worker and holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Toledo.
“We’ve seen guests start to think beyond the moment-to think about what life can look like when they have sustainable income, healthy relationships, and stable housing,” said Nora. “Guests are attending weekly support groups that follow a monthly theme, with curriculum to guide the advocates in each topic.
“The advocates are doing a wonderful job applying the intensive training they received and have completed 84 goal plans with guests in our first 30 days of the RFL relaunch! We thank God for every member of the team who has helped us get to this point, and are excited for the work that will continue to change lives and bring restoration & hope to our guests.”
“We’ve seen guests start to think beyond the moment-to think about what life can look like when they have sustainable income, healthy relationships, and stable housing.”
We are excited to see the continued impacts of the program as it continues to demonstrate life change. Thank you for championing the strategic work of Cherry Street and making a difference in the lives of those served.
Volunteerism Highlight
Volunteerism Highlight
The Appold Learning Center, typically referred to as the Cherry Street Library, is located on the second floor of the LRC and is a beautifully classic picture of what a library should be with its richly colored wooden shelves and peaceful environment. The library is linked to the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, which means not only are the shelves stocked with an excellent variety of books, but the computers can access incredible information, databases and resources, just as if you were logging in at your local library.
Open mornings and afternoons every weekday, guests are able to step away from the bustling environment of the cafe and spend some time browsing shelves, scrolling through personal and professional pursuits on the computer, or taking a moment to breathe. A volunteer or two-like Sister Nancy-sits at the desk and assists guests with computer questions, creates library guest passes, tidies up as necessary, and might even enjoy their own book. The library re mains quietly productive while providing physical and emotional rest to guests, making it a beloved spot in the building.
If you’d like to volunteer in the library, you can send a message to volunteer@cherrystreetmission.org to find a time that works for you.
Cherry Street Mission Ministries is more than a soup kitchen; it's a life vocational experience
For the past 75 years, they've made it their mission to help people by eradicating poverty one person at a time.
Author: Jeremy Downing
TOLEDO, Ohio — As anyone in immediate need of a helping hand knows, Cherry Street Mission Ministries can be a lifesaver, whether it’s a warm meal and a place to sleep on a cold winter night or a safe place for domestic violence survivors. But there’s much more to how they help our communities.
“We are able to do things that other small communities aren’t able to do. So we’ll have people visit Cherry Street to get healthy again and then go back to the community that maybe they came from or maybe they’ll choose a new community to go participate in.”
Cherry Street Mission Ministries CEO Ann Ebbert says for the past 75 years, they’ve made it their mission to help people by eradicating poverty in the surrounding 25 counties.
Ebbert says they usually see about 1,500 people a year, but in the last year and a half that help has become more in demand and they’re seeing an increase of about 30 to 35 new, first-time people a month.
“What we’ve seen is a remarkable increase in people coming to our front door who would be called first-time homeless. Right now we are seeing numbers that we typically see in the middle of February, which is our heavy, high season, as you can imagine. The pandemic really made it vibrantly clear that there are a group of people that have absolutely no other options.”
Help is always available, but the assistance Cherry Street offers is more than you might think since they are much more than just a soup kitchen.
Cherry Street partners with both Toledo vocational schools as well as Owens Community College to offer career certificates for career-level jobs to teach skills for jobs in welding, tool and die, auto manufacturing, office specialists and even job placement.
“Everything from soft-skills, like how to have good attendance and a good attitude, to how to do a resume and how to have a great interview.”
They also offer baseline healthcare, substance abuse help and mental health services and place an emphasis on creating healthy relationships; all of which are available to anyone in the community, not just residents.
“Because you can have all the skills but if you don’t know how to create relationships,” Ebbert says, “you don’t have the boundaries in your life that will keep you on track to use your skills.”
Cherry Street is also adding new training classes next year in the building and construction trades and will be partnering with Mercy Health and ProMedica to provide medical beds for people getting out of the hospital but don’t have a home to go to fully recover.
Ebbert says their mission to help others has a bonus, it also means helping themselves as well.
“That ability to look someone in the eye and say ‘we’re humans together and we’re going to work through this together’ is just an amazing experience to have as a staff person here.”
Cherry Street Mission Ministries currently has 65-70 staff members and 2,500 volunteers working 24/7 365 days a year and can always use more help in terms of donations and volunteering.