Cleve’s Place, a Transitional Housing Program affiliated with Riverside House and named after Cleveland Bell III, Riverside House’s Executive Director, is on the search for a short catchy slogan that communicates the spirit of its mission of providing people with a second chance. Opened in 2012, Cleve’s Place currently houses nine residents, with the goal of providing a safe and structured environment for up to 40 at-risk individuals. We need a great slogan to promote our mission!

Cleve’s Place exists to provide affordable “3/4” transitional housing for 12 to 18 months to help the individuals released from prison, the homeless, veterans, and other at-risk males over 18 years get their lives back on track. This safe place serves as a transitional housing bridge from prison or homeless shelters into permanent housing. Our staff offers faith-based, non-denominational programs, including job training and job placement, life skills coaching, and case management in a disciplined environment encouraging individual responsibility.

The perfect slogan communicates exactly what we do and inspires those who read it to find out more.  Contestants should come up with a line encompassing what Cleve’s Place means for the community; the slogan should be no longer than a sentence. We are accepting slogans via email (Dafeny Iglesias at dafeny@riverside-house.org) or Facebook up until 5:00 p.m., April 12, 2013.

The winner’s name will be announced at the 100 Holes of Golf fundraising event held at the International Links Miami-Melresse Golf Course in Miami, FL on April 15. This event benefits both Riverside House and Cleve’s Place. Riverside House will engrave the winning contestant’s name on a plaque and hang it on the awards wall at Cleve’s Place. If the contestant lives in the city, he or she will also have a tour of the facility.

Thank you for joining; we can’t wait to read your entries!

Riverside House, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is holding a “100 Holes of Golf” Fundraiser on April 15 to benefit its mission as well as the mission of Cleve’s Place, a ¾ way transitional housing program named in honor of Cleveland Bell III, Executive Director of Riverside House. The fundraiser will be held at International Links Miami-Melresse Golf Course beginning at dawn and ending at dusk, with food and beverage available at 5:00 PM.

Eight golfers, five of whom are board members, will be playing 100 holes of golf for charity in 12 hours. In order to complete so many holes in 12 hours, the play is Speed Golf, where golfers hit the ball, jump in the cart, and hit it again. It is a lively tournament, with no time lost looking for balls or doing practice swings, and no reading putts, either. Each golfer will be expected to generate as much individual sponsorship as possible from anyone and everyone- family, friends, and business associates!

The participation cost for the golfers is $243 per player and will be donated by sponsors. These sponsors, friends, and family are encouraged to donate any amount of money per hole completed by the golfers. This money goes directly to both organizations and really adds up, so any level of sponsorship is appreciated, from $.50 a hole; $1.00 a hole, $5.00 a hole and so on.

There will be volunteers at the golf course all day to support the golfers with water, food, first aid and golf balls on this rewarding, if physically-demanding, fundraiser. Beginning at 5:00 PM, there will be a food & beverage area set up outside on the patio near the restaurant for staff, sponsors and vendors to cheer the golfers on their final 18 holes.

Please contact Dafeny Iglesias at (305) 326-9799 X102 or diglesias@riverside-house.org

We look forward to seeing everyone participate in some form! These fundraisers help Riverside House and Cleve’s Place meet their missions.

Image: Lotus Head

Video Credit: TED.com

Riverside House was honored by a visit from European Marshall Memorial Fellows (EMMF) on October 17 of 2012. The Marshall Memorial Fellowship brought these emerging leaders from Europe to explore American institutions, politics, and culture through meetings with policy makers and prominent community members, among others.  The Marshall Memorial Fellowship was created by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, an American, non-profit and non-partisan organization. This organization is funded through a gift from Germany in memory of the United States’ Marshall Plan Assistance.

We feel blessed to have been visited by the EMMF and to have been able to show them the kind of work we’re committed to. We believe Riverside House’s mission of rehabilitating released offenders (who make up a considerable portion of the U.S. population) to be of the utmost importance to our community. We are grateful to represent the giving spirit of Miami-Dade to these prestigious, innovative visitors. It was a memorable experience for us, and we must thank Luther Brewster, PhD, and South Florida Coordinator for the EMMF, for coordinating this valuable meeting.

Please enjoy the photographs!

After years of hard work raising funds, drafting plans, and finding the right people for the job, we’re happy to present Cleve’s Place. Named in honor of Cleveland Bell III, our Executive Director, Cleve’s Place offers an extension of Riverside House’s mission of guiding men and women convicted of crime into becoming productive members of society to other citizens in need.

Cleve’s Place will offer a faith-based, non-denominational program to benefit less fortunate and at-risk citizens including homeless people, veterans, and other males over 18 who need assistance getting back on track. Similar to Riverside House’s programs, our staff will guide and encourage these at-risk individuals through community and residential programs that emphasize personal accountability, family relationships and spiritual growth.

Providing a healthy environment

Time spent at Cleve’s Place will provide a healthy, supportive environment and an opportunity for individuals to prepare to move into permanent housing. As Larry Silvester, COO, states, “This provides a bridge between the homeless shelter and permanent housing.” One of the program’s main goals is to provide affordable, ¾ transitional housing designed for short-term living- about 12 to 18 months.

The residents will have their own beds, personal lockers, desks, and other essential amenities such as computers and internet available to them on premises. They will also benefit from job training, life skills coaching, referrals to community service providers, case management, and photo IDs in a structured and disciplined environment.

In its present state, Cleve’s Place is able to accept a select number of residents with the ultimate goal of growing to a 40 bed facility. Our first effort at extending transitional housing programs is being offered to male adults over 18 years of age who are dedicated to making better life decisions.

The Program Fee will be individually structured depending on the resident’s income and employment status. These fees will be modest in order to help the residents get on their feet, so contributions to offset the costs are truly appreciated!

We wholly believe that this program will bring peace and an improved quality of life to those taking part in it. We look forward to what the year has in store for us, and are thankful for the opportunity to serve, living by the words: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.

Riverside House also held its monthly training session. We feel blessed that Robert Weiss from SOI came to our facility to train the staff on MSDS and Universal Precaution. Thanks again, Robert!

We’re excited about the activities available at our facility as well as the different resources we can tap into for helping our residents during their time with us!