Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) Calls on County Council to keep the County Executive’s $650K Budget Allocation Increasing the Capacity of the Juvenile Public Defender’s Office. At a press conference on November 9, GCC clergy leaders called on County Council to keep County Executive Chris Ronayne’s allocation for the Juvenile Public Defender’s office in the County’s 2025 Budget. They emphasized how GCC sees this investment in the Public Defender’s Office as an investment in the future of our children in Cuyahoga County.
Leaders Followed-Up with Public Comment Monday, November 13th, at the Council Budget Hearing at 1pm
Click here for a copy of the press release
Here is the link to press conference : https://youtu.be/qBuM7KKPd1c.
On Monday, November 20th at 1pm GCC leaders packed County Council chambers to witness the Council’s vote on the $650K budget amendment submitted by County Executive Ronayne.
To learn more about the action, and the outcome of the council’s vote on Monday, November 20, please see Ideastream Public Media’s reports here: Greater Cleveland Congregations campaign on juvenile justice reforms hits roadblock at council | Ideastream Public Media
and Cuyahoga County Council pulls juvenile case money from public defender | Ideastream Public Media.
Join your GCC Friends on Thursday, the 14th of December at 6pm to Celebrate a Year of Accomplishments and Look at What’s Coming in 2024!
Please join us at 1899 Social Club (20040 Van Aken Blvd., Shaker Heights) for a holiday celebration of GCC’s many accomplishments in 2023 along with a look at what’s coming in 2024. Please bring or share with friends and families who have supported GCC’s work throughout the year. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided and a cash bar will be available. If you plan on attending, please click on the link below:https://forms.gle/u4sYPAbEgm4EXUgr6.
GCC RIP Medical Debt campaign
In October, GCC launched a Medical Debt Relief Campaign open to GCC member congregations and supporters to eliminate millions of dollars of medical debt for persons throughout Cuyahoga County. RIP Medical Debt has been engaged to relieve unpaid medical debt in Cleveland. They have negotiated a deal to retire $6 million in debt for $40 thousand. RIP Medical Debt uses your donations to purchase bundled medical debt portfolios on the secondary debt market and then forgives that debt at pennies to the dollar. When debt relief recipients open the yellow envelope from RIP, they are told that their debt has been bought by a third party and erased with no strings attached. They owe nothing on the debt and face no tax penalty.
To learn more about how you and can donate to the medical debt relief campaign visit this website:
Debt Relief Campaigns – RIP Medical Debt. The Worship Team has scheduled the GCC RIP Medical Debt campaign for an offering partner on Dec 3. If you contribute online in advance and you’re comfortable naming your donation, please mention that you are a member of UUCC!
Thank you!
UUCC Greater Cleveland Congregations Team