The Center for Community Solutions' history is an in-depth look at the history of health and social services in Greater Cleveland. Founded in 1913 as the Federation for Charity and Philanthropy, a group of community leaders set out to better organize and coordinate the efforts of charities in Cleveland, including: 

• Edgar E. Adams
• Mr. and Mrs. Newton D. Baker
• A.D. Baldwin
• Chester C. Bolton
• Starr Cadwallader
• M.A. Fanning
• Sereno Peck Fenn
• Mrs. Frederick H. Goff
• Alexander Hadden
• Homer H. Johnson
• Thomas H. Johnson
• Martin A. Marks
• Samuel Mather
• C.A. Nicola
• Rev. T.C. O'Reilly
• Henry Lindsay Sanford, M.D.
• Mrs. W.R. Warner
• Edward Mason Williams
• James DeLong Williamson

In 1913, the above founders developed one of the first modern Community Chests in the United States, the Community Fund. The first Community Fund drive raised $127,000, which the Federation distributed to 55 social service and charitable member organizations.

The establishment of the Federation was big news across the country: on April 6, 1913, The New York Times published "Unique Attempt To Solve Philanthropy’s Big Problem: Cleveland has Organized a Federation for Charity and Philanthropy Which Will Make a Concerted Appeal for All Charities and a Gift to It Will Make the Donor Immune from Separate Gifts to Institutions." John D. Rockefeller, Sr., praised the concept of "federated fundraising" by sending a significant pledge and stating, "I believe in the spirit of combination and cooperation...and that this principle will eventually prevail in the art of giving."

In addition to raising and distributing funds, the Federation educated the public about cutting edge health and social issues. Its first major projects included the Conference on Illegitimacy, a survey of people with disabilities, "baby week" in Cleveland, and the closure of substandard tenement nurseries.

In 1917, in an effort to improve the planning and provision of social services, civic leader Belle Sherwin initiated the merger of the Federation with the Welfare Council, an organization formed three years earlier to assist the city welfare department and serve as a clearinghouse for surveys and other social service activities. The new Welfare Federation of Cleveland and its role in, and capacity for, health and social planning became an example to communities across the country. During The Center for Community Solutions time as the Welfare Federation of Cleveland its accomplishments included the following:

1920s
During the years following World War I, Cleveland was an industrial beacon for African-American families looking for better jobs and housing opportunities. Between 1919 and 1920 alone, Cleveland's African-American population increased 325 percent from just over 8,000 to more than 34,000. Sadly, many arrived in Cleveland only to find housing shortages and vast unemployment. Sherman Kingsley, the Federation's Board secretary at the time, brought this matter to the attention of the Federation which eventually organized the Negro Welfare Association, today a chapter of The Urban League, to combat this situation. 
  
In 1921, on the leading edge of professional social work practice, the Federation encouraged "group work" as a method comparable to "case work," making Cleveland one of the first cities to employ this approach. At the same time, the Service Information Bureau was formed to help people locate specific human services.
 
1930s
The Great Depression caused unprecedented suffering and greater demands on limited resources in the community’s human services agencies. In response, the Federation advocated for a welfare levy, which was placed on the ballot and approved by Cuyahoga County’s voters in 1932. This became one of two general purpose human services levies that continue to support health and human services today.
 
1940s
During World War II, while thousands of men were away from home, the Federation administered child day care centers to permit women to take war-related jobs, assisted the Civilian Defense agency in recruiting and training 50,000 volunteers, recruited foster "war homes" for 400 children, and supported the community’s efforts to combat the increasing problem of juvenile delinquency. In 1943, the Federation held its first annual Health and Welfare Institute (now known as the Human Services Institute), an all-day conference on critical community problems and issues for professionals and volunteers. Toward the end of the 1940s, the Federation’s Committee on Older Persons became involved in the creation of social and recreational activities for seniors, leading to the founding of the first Golden Age Center in 1955. Today, a number of Golden Age Centers provide services for thousands of Greater Cleveland’s seniors, and the Federation’s Council on Older Persons still serves as a catalyst for improving services to older adults.
 
1950s
Also during the 1950s, a number of community information and referral services were consolidated into the Federation’s Community Information Services. Thirty years later, the Federation’s information and volunteer services merged with similar community services into an independent organization. In 1988, First Call for Help became a part of United Way Services, where it continues to assist thousands of people with information and referral each week. 
 
1960s
In 1961, a monumental project - the Health Goals Project - was begun under the leadership of William C. Treuhaft. Over the next five years, the project prepared a "healthy community" model. The next two decades witnessed developments inspired by this landmark project’s recommendations, including the county’s move toward comprehensive health care services through the county hospital system, the establishment of neighborhood health centers, the inception of comprehensive health services in city centers, improvements in access to dental health services, development of family planning services for the poor, and the creation of a health "campus" where hospital services link with community social services.
 
As the Welfare Federation celebrated a half-century of work in 1963, it underwent a significant reorganization. A new, central planning board worked with an augmented planning and research staff. The Welfare Federation maintained five major Councils supported by the work of staff and hundreds of volunteers. This period of renewal contributed to its capacity to mobilize for a statewide campaign to create a community mental health services system overseen by local mental health boards.

1970s

The 1970s brought new initiatives to the community and the Federation. In 1971, the Federation facilitated the merger of five of its member agencies into one organization providing comprehensive services for families and children. That organization continues to serve thousands of Greater Clevelanders today as the Center for Families and Children. In 1972, an internal reorganization resulted in a new name, Federation for Community Planning, and a new focus on planning, research, community education and advocacy. The role of fundraising and allocation was taken on by United Way Services.

In 1973, the new Federation gave serious attention to the problem of abused and neglected children, developing a comprehensive, community-wide plan to control the problem. Over the next several years, implementation of the plan led to a wide range of programs, including a 24-hour hotline, a self-help organization, and educational programs to help professionals identify child abuse. Those services evolved into another spin-off organization - Bellflower Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. Continuing its work on children’s issues during the late 1970s, the Federation worked with local human service agencies to help them address the implications of court-ordered busing to racially desegregate Cleveland’s public schools.

1980s
During the 1980s, several major Federation initiatives addressed the needs of specific population groups. One project worked to increase accessible facilities and services for people with physical disabilities, another looked at the various systems involved with juveniles who commit violent crimes or repeated serious offenses, and a major study focused on the use of community mental health aftercare services by discharged psychiatric patients.

Two human needs reached alarming proportions during 1980s: homelessness and HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). To address the unmet health care needs of the homeless, the Federation established clinics at two homeless shelters where, in addition to acute health services, patients were connected with social service resources. After several years under the Federation’s umbrella, this project evolved into an independent organization - Care Alliance - that continues to provide for the multiple needs of homeless people. Concurrently, HIV/AIDS had reached epidemic proportions. The Federation formed the AIDS Commission of Greater Cleveland, which administered state-funded programs for community-based research, education, and outreach. As other organizations developed to address this public health problem, the Commission released a major report and community plan for addressing future needs related to HIV/AIDS before disbanding itself in the early 1990s.

1990s
During the 1990s, the Federation continued serving as a catalyst for improving health and social services on such matters as child immunization. In 1998, a community immunization registry to help ensure that all children receive preventive health care was developed by the Federation and implemented by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

The latter half of the 1990s saw the Federation focus its work on targeted issues of welfare reform implementation and linkages between local health and social service organizations and Cleveland’s public schools. The Federation took the lead in both areas by building formal and informal partnerships among public and private organizations and systems, with the goal of better serving Greater Cleveland residents. Those partnerships have become models for other communities.

21st Century
In 1996, the Federation changed its organizational structure and began to focus its resources on specific issues for specific periods of time.
These changes led to a decision to change the organization’s name in 2004 to The Center for Community Solutions.

From its beginning, Community Solutions recognized the importance of engaging public officials at the local, state, and national levels in social welfare issues. One of its first projects involved encouraging City Council to enact an ordinance banning overcrowded "mushroom nurseries" that kept children in unsafe environments. Throughout its history, Community Solutions has been active in legislative advocacy, often taking the lead in efforts to change or create legislation to improve the lives of Ohioans. The Center for Community Solutions’ legislative agenda has included such issues as welfare reform, nursing home standards, child and elder abuse reporting, patients’ rights, group home zoning, and health care for seniors. Significant ongoing attention is focused on government funding of human services.

The Center for Community Solutions Board Chairs
Martin A. Marks • 1913-1915
Homer H. Johnson • 1915-1916
Alvah S. Chisholm • 1916-1917
James R. Garfield • 1917-1921
Dr. James D. Williamson • 1921-1923
Fred W. Ramsey • 1923-1926
Cleveland R. Cross • 1926-1929
Arthur D. Baldwin • 1929-1933
David E. Greene • 1940-1942
Hal H. Griswold • 1935-1940
John A. Greene • 1940-1942
Raymond T. Kelsey • 1942-1943
Harry F. Affelder • 1943-1947
Louis B. Seltzer • 1947-1951
Sidney D. L. Jackson • 1951-1953
Galen Miller • 1953-1956
Edward H. deConingh • 1956-1959
Harry T. Sealy • 1959-1962
Fred M. Hauserman • 1962-1964
Ray S. Livingstone • 1964-1966
William D. Ginn • 1966-1968
Robert M. Ginn • 1968-1970
A. A. Sommer, Jr. • 1970-1972
Frederick M. Coleman • 1972-1975
Thomas C. Westropp • 1975-1976
Allen H. Ford • 1976-1978
Homer D. Webb, Jr. • 1978-1980
Richard E. Streeter • 1980-1982
R. Bruce Campbell • 1982-1984
Ann G. Ford • 1984-1986
Seth C. Taft • 1986-1988
James M. Friedman • 1988-1992
Mark K. Hauserman • 1992-1995
JoAnn Boscia • 1995-1997
Carolyn W. Fleig • 1998-1999
Linda A. Grandstaff • 2000-2001
Stephen D. Williger • 2002-2003
David S. Goodman • 2004-2005
Stephen J. Ong • 2006-2008
Robin C. Cottingham • 2009-

The Center for Community Solutions Executive Directors
Whiting Williams • 1913-1917
Sherman C. Kingsley • 1917-1921
Rowland Haynes • 1922-1927
Raymond F. Clapp • 1927-1935
Edward D. Lynde • 1935-1959
W.T. McCullough • 1959-1972
Leona Bevis • 1972-1979
William S. Gaskill • 1979-1980
Ralph Brody, Ph.D. • 1980-1995
Eric D. Fingerhut • 1995-1996
Nancy Travers • 1996-1997
Larry D. Randall • 1997-1998
John A. Begala • 1998-2004
Gregory L. Brown • 2004-2008
John A. Begala • 2008-