West Side Catholic Center received an honorary award from the Community West Foundation for offering help to the needy for many years, Cleveland Community News reported.

Awarding Ceremony

According to the report,  this year’s David and Martha Hessler Illuminating Hope awardee is West Side Catholic Center. It is a long-standing nonprofit that consistently supports the community regardless of religious affiliation.

Designed to recognize a local nonprofit that is truly “illuminating hope” in the community, the award itself is a replica of the “Homeless Jesus” statue by Timothy Schmalz. He is also the artist behind the “Matthew 25 Collection.” The said award is inspired by its namesake, philanthropists David and Martha Hessler, who are long-time Community West supporters, as mentioned in the same article.

The Village Newspaper notes that the West Side Catholic Center executive director, John Litten, received the reward on July 28, 2022, at Crocker Park. It was announced towards the closing of the 25th-anniversary celebration of Community West Foundation. Litten gave a Wesmoving acceptance speech on stage as one of the effective leaders of the center.

In addition to the honor, the awardee also received a $10,000 unrestricted grant from the Foundation.

For more than 40 years, West Side Catholic Center has provided meals, clothing, household items, and emergency services at zero cost to those who are needy. It also served as a free family shelter and a workforce development training center, as mentioned on the news.

West Side Catholic Center is also the longest continuously funded agency for 25 years.

West Side Catholic Center

Based on the official website of West Side Catholic Center, its mission has always been to lead people to self-sufficiency since 1977. It is a private non-profit agency rooted in the Catholic church's teachings. It offers free services to cater to the needs of men, women, and children in the Greater Cleveland area. The center has started training all its staff and volunteers to become “trauma-informed” since 2010, as mentioned on the site.

As an avenue of faith, hope, love, and respect, the center is open to volunteers and donations supporting its advocacies and programs. Every year, the center has over 500 volunteers responding to the community’s food, clothing, shelter, and other needs. Donations, either in cash or in-kind, are also a big contribution.

The center is located at 3135 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Community West Foundation

According to its website, Community West Foundation works with organizations offering basic needs programs and services. It covers Cleveland, Western Cuyahoga, and Lorain Counties. It also has partnerships with hospitals like Fairview and Lutheran.

Community West Foundation also provides grant funding to non-profit agencies. These are awarded on a quarterly basis after applications are reviewed by the Board of Directors and Grants Committee. Each quarter is scheduled for a different mission, as explained on the website.

The foundation also values philanthropy in society. This facilitates a systematic and transparent distribution of donations to a donor’s desired recipient in the community.