Despite the many challenges we have faced this year, The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program has continued to support our network of 253 graduates. We have shifted to providing our graduates virtual programming and educational enhancements designed to increase their leadership capabilities. One of our graduate programs - the Graduate Board Match Program (GBMP) - began its second phase, connecting a new set of graduates with non-profit boards in Cleveland.

The purpose of GBMP is to conduct a board match process for graduates seeking board service opportunities with organizations seeking new board members while providing enhanced training and support to graduates desirous of serving on the boards of non-profit organizations. Through GBMP we have doubled the number of NLDP Graduates serving on non-profit boards, from 17% to 34%. This means more of our graduates are providing the non-profit boards they serve with their passion, dedication and the leadership skills and tools they learned in NLDP.

ATTENTION CLEVELAND-AREA NON-PROFITS: If you are looking for community-oriented leaders to join your Non-profit Board of Directors, reach out to Julia at jferra@nldpcleveland.com to learn more about NLDP's Graduate Board Match Program.

"This match is very well aligned with my values and interests in family engagement. I am looking forward to contributing and learning how to benefit our community more and more."

View a list of NLDP Graduates currently serving on Boards of Directors.

NLDP is excited to announce that on February 1st, 2021 we will kick-off a pre-recruitment period for our next cohort, Cohort XIV. The goal of Cohort XIV Pre-recruitment is to gain a better sense of how many community leaders are interested in becoming a part of NLDP Cohort XIV and whether they feel comfortable gathering for in-person sessions, once it is safe to do so. We are hoping to begin Cohort XIV in late fall of 2021. The final decision on enrolling a new Cohort ultimately depends on the risk of COVID-19 and local and state health mandates in place at that time.

NLDP's virtual Graduate Capacity Building Sessions have been active since September, occurring on a monthly basis. The purpose of the Virtual Graduate Capacity Building and Networking Project is to continue strengthening the NLDP Graduate network throughout Cleveland and its inner-ring suburbs while simultaneously continuing our mission to increase the leadership capacity of all NLDP Graduates. The goal of this brand-new virtual programming is to promote graduate to graduate support and engagement in a safe way during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virtual sessions have covered topics such as Leading Equitably During a Twin Pandemic, Adapting to Change and Self-Care. Our upcoming virtual Graduate Capacity Building Session on Sunday, December 13th from 5-7PM is in partnership with Cleveland Dinners, a new endeavor from NLDP Graduate Ricardo Reinoso, Cohort XIII. The mission of Cleveland Dinners is to provide a safe space around the table for an honest conversation about the state of race and equity in Cleveland, in both virtual and live settings.

GRADUATES: Email Julia at jferra@nldpcleveland.com to RSVP for NLDP's next virtual Graduate Capacity Building Session on Sunday, December 13th from 5-7PM.

Did you know that if you are a member at Cleveland Public Library, you have access to online databases of educational courses? Cleveland Public Library (CPL) provides cardholding members access to a variety of online courses, ranging from language courses to professional development courses. These online courses are offered to CPL members through four different platforms - Digital Learn, Gale Courses, Lynda.com and Rosetta Stone.

One of the platforms - Gale Courses - offers six different grant writing courses. These grant writing courses are designed to help you learn the process of grant proposal writing and how to write and develop strong, effective proposals. This could be an effective tool for NLDP Graduates as they learn and continue to develop their grant writing abilities. The grant writing courses are available in Gale Courses in their writing and publishing category.

Explore CPL's online educational resources here.

In the midst of all that has occurred in 2020, one NLDP Graduate decided Cleveland needed what he had to offer. NLDP Cohort XIII Graduate Ricardo Reinoso launched Cleveland Dinners in August with a mission to provide a safe space around the table for an honest conversation about the state of race and equity in Cleveland, in both virtual and live settings (Cleveland Dinners is currently virtual). The Cleveland Dinners model aims for diverse groups of people to share a meal with facilitated dialogue on race and equity, helping bridge the gap that separates many of us.

Since launching, Cleveland Dinners has hosted four virtual dinners on Zoom - two of which were test dinners to test the virtual dinner model. Each dinner includes dialogue in small breakout rooms with facilitators trained to guide conversation on race and equity. Cleveland Dinners was featured in FreshWater Cleveland in August and Fox 8 News in October.

To learn more about the project, explore the virtual dinner model and sign up to receive communications, go to clevelanddinners.org.

Through generous funding from the Cleveland Foundation and Cuyahoga County, PCs for People has launched a new program called PCs for Kids. The program gives out free computers and hotspots to K-12 students enrolled in a public or charter school in Cuyahoga County. Students or caregivers can register for a computer at www.pcsforpeople.org/ohio. Registrants will need to provide proof of enrollment, which can be any official school document that includes the student's name, name of the school, and a recent date. The student/caregiver will then be able to pick up the computer and/or hotspot at a participating public library.

PCs for People is also coordinating special distribution events around Cuyahoga County. They will work with organizations in the county to promote the event in their community and will distribute computers and hotspots from the PCs for People truck in a designated parking lot. If your organization is interested in hosting a truck event, contact PCs for People using the email address or phone number below.

Download information about the program here. If you have any questions, email cuyahoga@pcsforpeople.org or call 216-777-4441.

Freshly Rooted, an initiative in Cleveland focused on empowering individuals to make healthy and sustainable food and lifestyle choices, has teamed up with Councilwoman Jasmin Santana to host a women's empowerment and development program. Sessions will occur weekly each month through February 2021, covering different topics each month, and are free for women who live in Cleveland.

January's sessions will occur weekly on Saturday mornings from 9-10:30am. January's topic will be "Let's Reset Our Health" and will explore the power of hydration, whole foods vs processed foods and reveal the truth about sugar to incorporate simple techniques to reset our health in the new year. February's sessions will occur weekly on Monday evenings from 6-7:30pm. February's topic will be "Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals" and will help participants assess and identify where more balance is needed in their life while helping them learn to set S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

For more information about the S.E.E.D.S. virtual educational series, download this PDF and sign up for sessions here.

Top with Redi Whip, red sprinkles and a mini candy cane immediately prior to serving (if storing in the refrigerator, leave these toppings off until ready to serve).

Makes 4-6 servings, depending on container size.

This month's video features Alex Robertson, C-IX, and his organization Recess Cleveland. Watch here!