2019 Community Partner of the Month Awards

For the last nine years, the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation has held a Christmas stocking drive for the Cleveland Police Second District Children’s Christmas Party!

Third grade teacher Cherise Goodrich established and organized this drive from the get-go! It was started with 30 third-graders at Royalview Elementary School and has now snowballed into donations from the entire W-E School of Innovation!

This year over 300 stockings stuffed with toys, candy, and goodies will be given out to kids from struggling families. Even Santa made an appearance at the Christmas stocking drive to celebrate the Christmas spirit and to thank these wonderful students, families, and staff for showing everyone the true meaning of Christmas!!

A big thank you and Merry Christmas to the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation!!

It is because of this generosity in helping the kids of the Cleveland community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name the Willoughby-Eastlake School of Innovation as its Community Partner of the Month for December 2019.

Our friends at the accounting firm of Cohen & Co. have generously donated their services to handle the Cleveland Police Foundation’s taxes for the last three years!

Cohen & Co. recently assisted the CPF with taking over a charity that was started several years ago to help Cleveland Police officers who were battling serious illnesses or debilitating injuries. The charity, Helping Hands Hero Fund, was originally started to help First District Police Officer Hank Adkins through his battle with ALS. After Hank’s passing, the charity’s goal was to assist any Cleveland Police officer battling a serious illness.

When Cohen & Co. finished wrapping up the tax paperwork of the charity, the Cleveland Police Foundation assumed management and distribution of the funds. The charity, which is now referred to as The Hero Fund, will lend a hand to qualifying officers with a one-time gift to assist them financially.

We cannot thank Cohen & Co. enough for donating these important services to CPF and helping us help others through our charitable efforts!!

It is because of this generosity in helping the community of Blue and in turn the City of Cleveland that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Cohen & Co. as its Community Partner of the Month for November 2019.

Chas Shramek, owner of Proforma Connected, is a tremendous supporter of the Cops for Kids Program!

Chas was searching for a charity to support that would help Cleveland Police Officers as they worked in the community.  He reached out to his childhood friend, Sergeant Brian Middaugh.  The sergeant suggested Cops for Kids.

The financial support that Chas provides for Cops for Kids allows CPD officers many opportunities for community involvement.  The officers create relationships with the children of Cleveland through random acts of giving or through Christmas events and community programs.

Chas Shramek and Jacilyn, his wife, are true examples of giving. They understand the importance of forging a better relationship between the police and the community they serve.  Thank you Chas… we here at the CPD and the Cleveland Police Foundation appreciate you more than you know!

It is because of this dedication to making the community a better place to live that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Chas Shramek as its Community Partner of the Month for October 2019.

The Child Life and Education Specialists at MetroHealth Hospital are always there when needed!

Every month for the last five years, Cleveland Cops for Kids have visited the kids, families, and staff in the Pediatric Unit at Metro. Gifts are distributed and friends are made with some awesome people going through tough times!!

Having the opportunity to get to know the Child Life and Education Specialists has been a special experience. Seeing how well they interact and care for the kids and families served by Metro has been inspiring.

A big thanks to the staff for the opportunity to connect with the community and the people served in a very special way, with a ton of laughter and smiles that make everyone’s job so much better!!

It is because of their dedication to the kids and their families in the community and ongoing commitment to help the Cleveland Division of Police better connect with them that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name the Child Life and Education Specialists at MetroHealth Hospital as Community Partners of the Month for September 2019.

The City of Cleveland has celebrated the National Night Out Against Crime event for 36 years, and for the last 13 years, First Interstate Properties has hosted the event at Steelyard Commons.

The First Interstate team of Evan Berliner and Lauren Nicoloff have done an amazing job of organizing and planning the event and have helped make the Steelyard National Night Out one of the largest in the nation.

Steelyard Target and Randy Harris and team have been tremendous partners for NNO.  Not only do they contribute financially, but also bring many Target employee volunteers to help cook, set up, and serve.

The City of Cleveland and Cleveland Police Foundation value these partnerships formed through NNO and understand that strong partnerships like these build a stronger community.

It is because of this investment in our community and dedication to helping Cleveland Police better connect with our community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Lauren Nicoloff and Evan Berliner of First Interstate Properties, as well as Randy Harris and his Steelyard Target team as Community Partners of the Month for August 2019.

Ten years ago, then Cleveland Police Chief Mike McGrath brought together police officers from the Cleveland Division of Police and 30 kids from the community. They shared a morning of Lake Erie fishing on Trident Marine’s charter boat Holiday, with owner and Captain Wayne Bratton running the vessel.

This event was met with great appreciation from both the officers and kids. “Hanging out” together in a relaxed atmosphere  strengthened the bonds between them. This experience became an annual event as the Cops for Kids Fishing Outing was born.

Eventually, the gathering became large enough to include another boat and Captain Vitus Kijauskas of Linda Mae Charters. Just like Trident Marine, Linda Mae Charters charged a nominal fee to ensure the Cops for Kids event would continue to the present time.

Both Wayne and Vitus have always gone beyond the call of duty to make sure the cops and the kids have a good time and were always available for our trips on the lake. Unfortunately, Captain Bratton passed away last year from an extended illness. However, his devotion and dedication to our cops and kids will never be forgotten. Captain Wayne’s son Bill has taken over the business and made it his goal to continue to make the Holiday boat available for our events.

It is with great pride that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Trident Marine (Bill Bratton) and Linda Mae Charters (Vitus Kijauskas) as the Community Partners of the Month for July 2019.

The men working at the City of Cleveland Truck Repair Garage at East 49^th Street and Harvard Avenue do an awesome job! Delton Wright and his men rarely get the thanks and credit they deserve for keeping our city trucks up and running.

The Cleveland Police Foundation’s Cops for Kids truck has over 141,000 miles on it and the mechanics do a terrific job keeping that truck on the road for our many community events.  Without these men, Santa wouldn’t be able to make all of his toy deliveries for the holiday season!

On behalf of St. Nick and Cops for Kids, the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name the City of Cleveland Truck Repair Garage as the Community Partner of the Month for June 2019.

Val and Mitch Addy have been a valuable asset for many years not only to their First District community but also to the City of Cleveland. They never turn down a request for their help at an event!

Val and Mitch have both been members of the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association for five years and Val is the secretary for the First District Community Relations Board. They also served as greeters at this year’s Cleveland Police Foundation Tribute to the Blue held at the House of Blues.

Whether it’s volunteering at the Cops for Kids fishing events or dressing as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus for a kids’ Christmas party, Val and Mitch Addy always make themselves available to assist.

It is because of this dedication to making the community a better place to live that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Val and Mitch Addy as Community Partners of the Month for May 2019.

Joe Charboneau, the 1980 MLB Rookie of the Year for the Cleveland Indians, and Enzo Maddalena, owner of Masters of Disasters (a restoration company), have continually supported the Cleveland Police Foundation and Cleveland Cops for Kids.

They have been incredibly generous over the years, not only donating financially, but taking the time to attend many of the Cops for Kids fundraisers.  Joe has donated jerseys and signed memorabilia at events to help raise money so that CPD officers can connect with their community and most importantly the children.

It was fitting that the Community Partner plaques were presented to Joe and Enzo at a fundraiser they were hosting for charity on April 1st, the Cleveland Indians Opening Day!!

Thank you Joe and Enzo for helping provide resources for the Cleveland Police Foundation and Cleveland Cops for Kids to connect with the community!!

It is because of this devotion and dedication to the children and officers in our community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Joe Charboneau and Enzo Maddalena as Community Partners of the Month for April 2019.

The Edgewater Yacht Club has been hosting the Cops/Kids fishing event for the past ten years rain or shine with no questions asked. Their support for the kids, mostly from the Boys and Girls Club has been outstanding, and they have provided an outlet for the kids that may have never had before and that is an opportunity to take a boat ride, go fishing and eat lunch with officers from the Cleveland Division of Police.

As stated earlier this partnership began ten years ago when then Chief of Police, Mike McGrath was asked at a community meeting if he would consider setting up fishing trips on Lake Erie for inner city youths and he responded by saying, “I would look into the request and see if I can make it happen.” Chief McGrath then contacted Captain Wayne Bratton of the Holiday Fishing charters and the Edgewater Yacht Club and the partnership began. Safety Director McGrath was contacted for this write up and stated, “I am extremely proud that the Edgewater Yacht Club and the Cleveland Police Foundation have continued these summer fishing trips so that our kids from the community can interact with our officers in a positive way.”

It is because of this devotion and dedication to the children and officers in our community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to recognize the Edgewater Yacht Club as our Community Partner of the Month for March 2019.

Linda Litto has been a tireless and committed advocate of the community for many years. She has served the people of Ward 14, Ward 3, and now serves Ward 16 as the executive assistant to Councilman Brian Kazy. Linda volunteers as the president of the Monroe Street Cemetery Foundation, overseeing the restoration and care of the historic cemetery, and is a volunteer member of the Second District Police/Community Relations Committee.

Linda is constantly looking for ways for the community to join with the police, Cleveland City Hall, and neighborhood groups through projects which bring them together to promote increased communication and trust. Linda volunteers to help out at Cops for Kids events, sells tickets to help with fundraising, and promotes as well as financially supports the Cleveland Police Foundation charities.

Captain Keith Sulzer says of Linda, “Linda is kind, loving, and dedicated! Her concern for others is inspirational and this city and our community are fortunate to have such a wonderful example of community service.”

It is because of her dedication and devotion to the community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Linda Litto as Community Partner of the Month for February 2019.

The Cleveland Police Foundation announces its Community Partner of the Month: our good friends at Target at Steelyard Commons!

Target has been a tremendous partner for not only the Cleveland Police Foundation but also for Cleveland Police.  Since opening at Steelyard, they have donated school supplies, clothing, and a variety of supplies for those in need in our community.  Target has also been a major sponsor of National Night Out Against Crime. This event, hosted by Steelyard Owner First Interstate Management Group, is the largest NNO gathering in Cleveland.

Target offers large discounts to our Cleveland Police Patrolman Association’s “Shop with a Cop” which provides a Christmas shopping spree for children who have been affected by crime.  They also offered steep discounts to Skylight Financial Group’s Toy Drive for the Holidays, which offers thousands of gifts to Cleveland Cops for Kids for Christmas presents to needy families all over Cleveland.

“Steelyard Target has been a wonderful partner to CPF and Cleveland Police for more than 12 years! Whether it’s a bicycle for a child victim of crime, a Christmas tree for a struggling family, or gift cards to help support an event, Steelyard Target has been a blessing to the Cleveland Police Foundation, Cleveland Cops for Kids, and our community!” – Captain Keith Sulzer, CPF Liaison Officer

It is because of their dedication and generosity that we name Steelyard Target the Cleveland Police Foundation Community Partner of the Month for January 2019.