Partnership for a Safer Cleveland

🎒 Happening This Saturday! Don't Miss Cleveland's Back to School Festival!

The first day of school is almost here, and this is a great opportunity for Cleveland families to get ready for a successful year ahead!

Join the Cleveland Back to School Festival on Saturday, August 8, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Cleveland Public Auditorium.

Families can enjoy:
📚 FREE school supplies
📖 Books
✂️ Haircuts
🩺 Wellness checks
🎉 Family-friendly activities

🚗 Free parking is available at Willard Garage.

The event is free and open to all Cleveland families, while supplies last.

A safe and successful school year starts with a strong community. Let's help ensure every child begins the year with the tools and support they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with friends, neighbors, and families who may benefit. Together, we can help every student start the school year off right.

🔒 One simple step can help prevent a tragedy.

Every year, children and teens are injured or lose their lives after gaining access to unsecured fi****ms. The Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Store It Safe campaign encourages firearm owners to securely store fi****ms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition to help prevent unintentional shootings and reduce the risk of su***de among youth. The initiative is a collaboration between healthcare providers, firearm safety experts, law enforcement, and community organizations, all working toward the shared goal of keeping children safe.

The campaign emphasizes that safe storage is not about whether someone chooses to own a firearm. Instead, it focuses on responsible storage practices that can help protect curious young children, impulsive teenagers, and everyone else in the home. Since its launch, the program has expanded across Ohio, providing education, training, and thousands of firearm safety devices to families and communities.

💬 What are your thoughts?

Do you believe safe firearm storage education should be a larger part of public safety efforts? Have you or your community taken steps to encourage responsible firearm storage?

As always, we encourage respectful conversation and welcome perspectives from all sides.

Store It Safe - Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics Store It Safe is a unique partnership of healthcare providers, firearm safety experts, and community organizations established to keep children safe from unintentional firearm deaths and teens safe from su***de by fi****ms. Young children are often curious and will touch anything, while teens are st...

🎒 Happening Tomorrow! Help Spread the Word!

Tomorrow is your chance to help local students head back to school with confidence!

The Big Back to School Book Bag Collection will take place tomorrow, providing brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies to students as they prepare for the new school year.

📅 Thursday, August 6
🕐 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
📍 1540 E. 55th Street, Cleveland

A backpack is more than just school supplies. It's an investment in a child's education, confidence, and future. Thanks to the generosity of community partners and volunteers, this event will help students start the school year ready to learn.

If you know a Cleveland family who could benefit from this event, please tag them below or share this post. A simple share can help ensure more children have the supplies they need for a successful school year.

Together, we're building a stronger, safer, and more connected Cleveland by supporting our youth every step of the way.

🚨 Should Ohio require fi****ms to be stored out of the reach of children?

An Ohio lawmaker has introduced Amya's Law, legislation inspired by the tragic death of 11-year-old Amya Frazier, who was fatally shot after another child gained access to an unsecured firearm. The proposed bill would hold adults accountable if a minor accesses a negligently stored firearm and causes harm. It would also provide financial incentives, including a sales tax exemption on firearm safety devices and a tax credit for purchasing gun safes, lockboxes, or trigger locks.

Supporters say the proposal is about preventing avoidable tragedies while respecting responsible gun ownership. Opponents are expected to raise concerns about government overreach and Second Amendment rights. Like many public safety issues, the debate centers on balancing individual freedoms with protecting children from preventable harm.

💬 What do you think?
Do you believe Ohio should require greater accountability when children gain access to unsecured fi****ms? Are measures like tax credits and safe storage incentives the right approach, or should firearm storage remain solely a personal responsibility?

We encourage respectful discussion and welcome perspectives from all sides.

Ohio Democratic lawmaker wants gun owners to store fi****ms out of reach of children • Ohio Capital Journal Ohio state Rep. Darnell T. Brewer, D-Cleveland, is introducing Amya’s Law — a bill that would penalize adults who leave fi****ms accessible to minors.

Got plans for tonight? Come join us.

Connect with your local police district, meet City officials, and enjoy an evening with residents as we work together to create safer neighborhoods.

☀️ Need Help Keeping the Power On This Summer?

Summer heat can be more than just uncomfortable. For older adults and households with medical needs, it can become a serious health and safety concern.

The HEAP Summer Crisis Program is available through September 30 to help eligible households maintain or restore electric service and stay safe during the hottest months of the year.

You may qualify if:
✔️ You meet income guidelines
✔️ Someone in your household is age 60 or older
✔️ Someone has a documented medical condition
✔️ You participate in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)
✔️ You have received a utility disconnection notice
✔️ You need to establish electric service

Eligible households may also receive assistance with cooling devices, such as air conditioners or box fans, while supplies last.

If you think you or someone you know may qualify, don't wait to apply.

📞 Division of Senior and Adult Services: 216-420-6700
📞 Cooling Device Information: 216-480-4327

Extreme heat can pose real risks, especially for older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Sharing information like this can help keep our neighbors safe, healthy, and connected to resources they need.

Please consider sharing this post with family, friends, or neighbors who may benefit.

🎒 Music. Food. Fun. Free Backpacks. Community.

Looking for a fun way to wrap up the summer while helping local students get ready for the new school year?

Join the 8th Annual 216 DJ's Cleveland Community Cookout on Saturday, August 15, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Our Lady of Fatima Parking Lot, located at E. 67th Street and Lexington Avenue, across from League Park.

Families can enjoy:
🎒 FREE backpacks filled with basic school supplies for students
🎵 Live music by the 216 DJ's
🌭 Food and refreshments
🎉 Family-friendly activities
🤝 A day of community connection

More than 200 backpacks will be distributed to help students start the school year prepared and ready to succeed.

Events like this are a great reminder that building a safer Cleveland means investing in our youth and ensuring every child has the opportunity to begin the school year with confidence.

Know a family who could benefit? Share this post and help spread the word!

📚 We Read It So You Don't Have To.

Every week, our team reviews hundreds of news stories, research reports, funding opportunities, community events, and public safety updates so you don't have to.

Then we narrow it down to what matters most and deliver it straight to your inbox.

Each edition of Advancing Safety includes:
📰 The latest local, state, and national public safety news
🤝 Community events and initiatives making a difference
💡 Violence prevention strategies and promising practices
💰 Grants, funding opportunities, and valuable resources
🌟 Stories highlighting the people and organizations strengthening our communities

No endless scrolling.
No clickbait.
No information overload.

Just a thoughtful, easy-to-read newsletter that helps you stay informed about the issues, ideas, and people shaping a safer Cleveland.

Whether you're a community member, nonprofit leader, educator, law enforcement professional, elected official, or simply someone who cares about our neighborhoods, Advancing Safety is your weekly connection to the work that's making a difference.

📩 Subscribe today and see what you've been missing:
https://mailchi.mp/safercleveland/join-newsletter

Because building a safer Cleveland starts with an informed community.

🎒 Help Cleveland Students Start the School Year Strong!

A new school year is right around the corner, and you can help make a difference for local students.

On Thursday, August 6, McDonald's and several community partners are hosting the Big Back to School Book Bag Collection to provide brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies to students preparing for the upcoming school year.

📅 Thursday, August 6
🕐 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
📍 1540 E. 55th Street, Cleveland

Every child deserves to begin the school year with the tools they need to learn, grow, and succeed. Community efforts like this remind us that when we come together, we can help remove barriers and set our young people up for success.

Know a family who could benefit from this event? Or someone who would like to support the effort? Share this post and help spread the word throughout our community!

🏙️ What's Next for Cleveland's Historic Greyhound Station?

One of downtown Cleveland's most recognizable landmarks could soon begin an exciting new chapter.

Playhouse Square is exploring ideas for the future of the former Greyhound Station, with possibilities that include entertainment, dining, community gathering spaces, pop-up events, and other uses that would breathe new life into this historic property. While no final plans have been announced, the vision centers on creating a welcoming destination that complements the surrounding neighborhood.

Revitalizing underused spaces isn't just about preserving historic buildings. It's about creating places where people want to gather, connect, and invest in their community. Vibrant public spaces can help strengthen neighborhoods, encourage economic activity, and contribute to a safer, more welcoming downtown for residents and visitors alike.

What would you like to see become of the former Greyhound Station?

Share your ideas in the comments!

How Playhouse Square is thinking about the next act for Cleveland's Greyhound station During an interview and tour of the historic Greyhound station this week, Playhouse Square CEO Craig Hassall talked about ideas from a cabaret to a food hall to a blend of entertainment and dining.