Downtown Cleveland Residents (DCR) provides a structure which promotes communication and active participation between downtown residents, downtown businesses servicing residents, and the City of Cleveland within the boundaries of downtown. They do so by hosting 2 different monthly gatherings to give residents a chance to meet the people that make decisions that may impact their livelihood.
Josh Jones, the Chairperson for Community Outreach, and a Downtown Cleveland Resident himself, joined this group as an opportunity to bridge the gap between his neighbors and shareholders. From having just one conversation with Josh (pictured on the left, with President Alan O'Connell and VP Julianne Putano), one can tell how vital he is for fostering a connected and community-based downtown. He shares, “Government and nonprofits are responsive to groups of citizens, not the other way around.” In short, DCR’s main goal is to elevate the voice of residents to the city, making sure that their opinions are heard, while truly getting to know one another.
To help form these connections, they host monthly meetings at the Old Stone Church, a central meeting location for all downtown residents. These meetings have allowed Josh to exercise his community building skills which he learned through the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP). The leadership training combined with advice from fellow members of DCR has empowered Josh to create an atmosphere best for Cleveland residents— welcoming and united. For example, members agreed that meetings could be friendlier and more accessible. This lead Josh and Julianne to choose new locations for their monthly mixers, which are held in different venues to reach a bigger audience, as residents are wide spread throughout downtown.
Their next monthly mixer will be held within the Campus District at Lake Affect Studios! This monthly mixer is a great time to meet other downtown Cleveland residents, shareholders, and community organizers, all while enjoying free appetizers and exploring the Superior Arts District. Not to mention, attendees of the mixer will get FREE access to Lake Affect's concert series right after the event! Come meet your neighbor at DCR's Resident Mixer on Thursday, August 1st, from 6pm-8pm at 1615 East 25th Street. Have we mentioned how welcoming everyone is?
