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From the Executive Director's Desk; Dear Friends,  “I’m grateful…I gain more than I give…I learn so much from interacting with guests and volunteers…I am changed because of this.” Gratitude, receiving, learning, being changed by our experience – each and all of these are reasons why InterAct members and partners came to participate in the 2008 Homeless Stand Down. All who came, guests and volunteers, were transformed in some way by their experience. This change, this transformation is something that we find in many areas of our lives. Our country may be on the verge of electing its first African-American or first woman President. Some of our religious institutions are undergoing joy-filled growth and heart wrenching loss. Yet, both joy and loss are transformative. Many people and groups in our world are pushing, trying to stretch and to reshape all kinds of boundaries. Most, if they love their country, organization, or religious tradition, are attempting to transform responsibly, without losing the heart of who they really are. We all want to hold closely to that which is our core. InterReligious Partners in Action of Greater Cleveland is no different. We are grateful. We are growing. We are experiencing radical transformation, but our core remains the same. InterAct remains committed to creating a network of interreligious partners who are committed to understanding one another and to making a positive impact in our communities, in our world.
To that end we are excited to have welcomed four new staff members: Ani Palmo Rybicki – Administrative Assistant; Joshua Mendel – Bookkeeper; Pam Marvinney – Communications Coordinator; and Antonette (Toni) Sacco - Volunteer Administrator. Adam Schultz, a graduate student at Mandel School for Nonprofit Management has also been contributing to special projects. Not only is our staff growing, but we are also experiencing opportunities to carry out our mission in new ways. We are enlarging the scope of our volunteer opportunities by adding new congregations and sites in our Congregate Meals Program. We have initiated a comprehensive Development and Communications Plan and have already submitted six grant proposals this year. We have opened membership to individuals as well as to congregations and groups. InterAct Cleveland was invited by the Cleveland Foundation to participate in a third pilot year of the Project Access program for nonprofit organizations. This third year “Star Class” benefits from monthly meetings and attendance at seminars which run from March to November, 2008. We are one of only nine nonprofit groups in the class. We are exploring a new partnership related to the InterAct Community Food Pantry. For a number of years the Board of Trustees has been hoping to grow the services and opportunities to make a stronger Community Food Pantry. The plan includes increasing the volunteer presence of our individual members and of our member congregations. We view the pantry as a placefor increased collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic through health related outreach. Finally, we are searching for a strong partner agency who mission provides the momentum for this future vision. To that end, InterAct Cleveland has been in conversation with the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, The Cleveland Clinic, The Antioch Development Corporation, an outreach arm of Antioch Baptist Church. Antioch’s relationship with InterAct Cleveland dates back to membership in the Euclid University Cluster of Religious Organizations that originally supported the old Hunger Center and eventually founded East Side Interfaith Ministries, as InterAct was called at its incorporation in 1991. As this planning and conversation continue we will have more news to share. Sadly, the transition of the food pantry brings loss with it. We will say farewell to our longtime employees, Mary Tinker and Barbara Williams. Ms. Tinker has capably managed the food pantry for the past 36 years, even before it was under the auspices of InterAct. Ms. Williams has been a valued employee for the last seven years. Please feel free to stop by the pantry on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. between now and June 30th to wish both Ms. Tinker and Ms. Williams all the best. InterAct Cleveland is grateful for their years of compassionate service to the community. InterAct Cleveland is growing, but we are growing in a responsible way. We will continue to be at the center of the interreligious life of Greater Cleveland through dialogue programs, celebrations, advocacy, and direct service projects. But we will also do more. We will partner with other nonprofit organizations to provide volunteers for their programs. We will become an outstanding force for good in our community. That is, we will grow our volunteer corps into a force that brings people of diverse religions together not only for conversation and celebration, but to join the values of our faith traditions in an effort to challenge our communities to make a difference, to help, to heal, to cultivate peace, to value pluralism, and to increase appreciation of our differing gifts. InterAct Cleveland can do this only with your continued participation and support. You--our individual, congregational, and partner members--ARE the force for good. We are transformed by interacting with one another. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Community Food Pantry and other InterAct programs contact Toni Sacco, Volunteer Administrator at InterAct Cleveland. 216.241.0230. Sr. Donna
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