David B. Miller, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., Chair of The Center for Community Solutions Board of Directors, “I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of The Center for Community Solutions has voted to establish a half million dollar CCS Endowment Fund for Racial Equity to be held at the Cleveland Foundation. Interest earned by the fund, will be used to further the organizations’ advocacy and policy work focused on advancing racial equity in Greater Cleveland and across Ohio.”
While we haven’t always spoken out clearly against racial and class inequities, we have since our earliest days often been at the forefront of efforts to improve the lives of Black Clevelanders and other persons of color.
John Corlett, the President of The Center for Community Solutions, said “the 108 year history of The Center for Community Solutions is not without its flaws, while we haven’t always spoken out clearly against racial and class inequities, we have since our earliest days often been at the forefront of efforts to improve the lives of Black Clevelanders and other persons of color.” He added, “the persistence of racism in our community and country speak to the need for an endowed fund that can provide the organization with the financial muscle to challenge it today and tomorrow.”
Over their history, hundreds of Community Solutions’ volunteers and staff have led important efforts to combat racism and intolerance. Community Solutions created a biracial committee in 1917 to deal with issues that arose from the wartime migration of African-Americans to Cleveland from the South. In 1946 they adopted Principles for Interracial and Intercultural Relations, and in the 1960s they worked to help health and human service agencies improve their employment policies, client outreach, and board representation. After World War II, they helped resettle Japanese Americans in Cleveland who had been imprisoned in internment camps during the war. In the 1970s they wrote and distributed a handbook that was used nationally to help community groups plan school desegregation activities.
You can help support this work by contributing to the CCS Endowment Fund for Racial Equity via the Cleveland Foundation which manages our endowment funds.
Community Solutions will work to grow the fund in the future and encourages donors who want to support Community Solution’s work to identify and dismantle structural racism to consider making a gift as well. You can help support this work by contributing to the CCS Endowment Fund for Racial Equity via the Cleveland Foundation which manages our endowment funds.
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