Fairfax and the Cleveland Clinic: A Community Partnership

Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation, a nonprofit that serves the Fairfax neighborhood in Cleveland, held the 13th Annual Louis Stokes Community Visionary Award Luncheon on Monday, October 13th. At the event, Executive Director Vicky Eaton Johnson presented the Stokes Community Vision Award to Dr. Delos M. (Toby) Cosgrove and the Cleveland Clinic.

Speaking to the audience, both Johnson and Cosgrove told the story of the unique community partnership that they have helped to form between Fairfax and the Clinic over the past four years. This partnership includes the Clinic offering free smoking cessation classes for Fairfax community members, Clinic volunteers helping to build Habitat for Humanity homes for families in the neighborhood, a community farmers market that is now being held on the Clinic campus, and a partnership between the Cleveland Clinic and the students and teachers of John Hay High School.

Johnson and Cosgrove also touted the Greater Circle Living Initiative, a partnership between University Circle institutions and the Cleveland Foundation. Through this initiative, employees of Greater University Circle institutions are eligible for up to $15,000 in grant funding should they choose to purchase a home in the surrounding community.