NLDP Cleveland

05/28/2026

🌟 NLDP 2026 Graduate Grantee Spotlight Series 🌟

Meet Delesia Robinson, graduate of NLDP's Cohort IX and founder of Pride Among Daughters and Sisters (PADS), an organization working to eradicate period poverty and restore dignity for women and girls. Inspired by a single story, Delesia transformed compassion into action—providing free menstrual hygiene products to those who need them most.

Through a new collaboration with UH Midtown’s Rainbow Babies & Children’s Ahuja Center, PADS is expanding access to period products for patients, families, and community members navigating financial hardship. Rising costs have made menstrual supplies unaffordable for many, forcing impossible choices that affect health, education, and employment.

Delesia’s work removes stigma, reduces barriers, and ensures that access to basic care is treated as a right—not a privilege.

05/26/2026

✨ We're in Recruitment Season for NLDP Cohort XIX ✨

NLDP exists to strengthen the leadership and abilities of grassroots, community-based leaders who are serving their communities daily. If you're looking for new skills and tools to continue improving your neighborhoods as well as your own leadership, you've come to the right place!

👉 Are you ready to take the next step? Apply to participate in NLDP's Cohort XIX today: https://loom.ly/UAUYFOY

05/21/2026

Do you receive our newsletters? 🤔

The Heartbeat newsletter, which showcases updates on our programs, highlights from NLDP and CDCLP graduates, and much more, lands in your inbox three times a year. Discover all there is to know about our leadership programs here: https://conta.cc/49B6a3b

👉 Sign up to receive future newsletters: https://loom.ly/nYUzSOU

05/19/2026

🔎 Inside NLDP Cohort XVIII: Session 15

Session 15, The Neighborhood Tour, brought learning out of the classroom and into Cleveland’s neighborhoods—offering a firsthand look at the leaders and partnerships driving community change. Throughout the day, the cohort engaged directly with local leaders and organizations that are shaping stronger, more connected communities.

From the Foluke Cultural Arts Center and The Friendly Inn Settlement to Habitat for Humanity, Greater Cleveland, Northwest Neighborhoods CDC and the Djapo Cultural Arts Institute at The Pivot Center for Art, Dance and Expression, the tour highlighted a range of organizations working across housing, arts and community development. Cohort XVIII also enjoyed a delicious lunch at STONE MAD PUB, RESTAURANT AND BOCCE—thank you to our tour guides and partners who made our tour a smashing success!

05/14/2026

🌟 NLDP 2026 Graduate Grantee Spotlight Series 🌟

Do you remember Ebonie Randle? Ebonie is founder of the Bee Scouts Pollinator Camp through Shalom & Tranquility Garden Network. Created to address “nature deficit” and environmental inequity, Bee Scouts offers hands-on, garden-based learning for youth ages 8–12 in Cleveland’s Brooklyn Centre neighborhood.

Through beekeeping, pollinator science, journaling and stewardship activities, participants build confidence, environmental literacy and a sense of responsibility for living systems. The program also reduces fear around bees while highlighting their critical role in food systems and community wellness. By reconnecting young people to nature in accessible, joyful ways, Ebonie is cultivating future environmental stewards while helping them take pride in their community.

05/11/2026

🚨 NLDP Graduate News Alert 🚨

Shanelle Simmons, graduate of NLDP's Cohort XIII, was recently featured in a News 5 Cleveland special feature highlighting local Earth Day initiatives. Shanelle's work as Regional Impact Manager at PCs for People was the focus of this feature, as Shanelle spoke about the importance of Earth Day and how people can help save our earth by donating their old technology to PCs for People.

📰 Watch the feature here: https://loom.ly/qKk-TPM

05/08/2026

📣 Shout-out to Jeff Mixon, graduate of NLDP's Cohort XVII 📣

Jeff was recently promoted to the senior administration team at Northern Ohio Recovery Association (NORA) Inc. NORA's mission is to empower individuals, families and communities to support lifestyles of recovery. Jeff attributed this recent victory to his time spent in NLDP and the support he continues to receive as a program graduate. Learn more about the work Jeff leads and contributes to here: https://loom.ly/rE-ag54

Congrats, Jeff! 👏

05/06/2026

✨ Now Recruiting: NLDP Cohort XIX ✨

You’re already doing the work—NLDP helps you grow your leadership, expand your impact and strengthen Cleveland’s neighborhoods. Join a powerful network of community-based grassroots leaders committed to learning, connection and change.

Apply today and invest in yourself—and your community.
👉 https://loom.ly/UAUYFOY

04/30/2026

🌟 NLDP 2026 Graduate Grantee Spotlight Series 🌟

Meet Odetta Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Southeast Cleveland Resource Center, a grassroots community hub in Slavic Village rooted in lived experience and radical compassion. The Center provides food access, reentry support and a safe, welcoming space for neighbors to gather together and find helpful resources.

What sets this work apart is authenticity—every volunteer, including Odetta, has firsthand experience with incarceration, homelessness, food insecurity or domestic violence. That shared understanding fuels trust, empathy and connection. As food insecurity continues to rise and access to quality groceries remains limited, the Center serves hundreds of families each month through its growing food pantry and community meals.

Odetta’s vision is simple and powerful: show up, remove barriers and let people know they matter, because community care saves lives.

📍 Stay up-to-date on all things happening at the Southeast Cleveland Resource Center here: https://loom.ly/PywLVXk

04/27/2026

🚨 NLDP Graduate News Alert 🚨

NLDP Cohort VI graduate Stephanie Wahome Lassiter was featured by Ideastream Public Media for her role in helping a Cleveland teen’s story become the currently-streaming film Time Out. Through her nonprofit Art of Me, Stephanie works with young people to share their stories and perspectives through writing, film and art. The stories the youth choose to tell center around what matters most to them, often focusing on relationships, family, their community and their futures.

Young writer Jalen Cater brought his heartfelt story to life with Art of Me—demonstrating how creativity, mentorship and community can elevate youth voices to audiences far beyond Cleveland.

📰 Read the feature here: https://loom.ly/v71IQ98
🎬 Time Out is streaming free on Tubi

Image #2 courtesy of Ideastream Public Media.

04/23/2026

📣 Shout-out to Vanetta Jamison, graduate of NLDP's Cohort VIII 📣

Vanetta was honored at The National Action Network's Greater Cleveland Chapter Women's History Month luncheon in March. Vanetta is the former board president of The Legal Aid Society in Cleveland and is widely known in Cleveland for her community engagement efforts. Notably, Vanetta led the program “I am more than my Zip Code” to expose youth to the world beyond the community in which they live.

Congrats, Vanetta! 👏

Congrats to Colleen Cotter, Executive Director, & Vanetta Jamison, former board president, who are being honored tomorrow at The National Action Network Greater Cleveland Chapter Women’s History Month Luncheon. Excited to celebrate them!