Joseph House of Cleveland, Inc.

Mission: Grounded in our Catholic faith, with love and respect for those we serve, we assist refugees who come in need of shelter and a path to self-sufficiency, and help those in need in our neighborhood community.

Joseph House of Cleveland Inc. is a 501(c)(3) that was created in 1997 to help meet the housing needs of refugees resettling in Cleveland. It is a collaboration of one suburban and three urban Catholic parishes: Divine Word, St. Vitus, Immaculate Conception Cleveland and St. Paul Croatian. Over the past 27 years, the ministry has expanded to include a clothing bank that serves both refugees and Cleveland neighbors in need. Staffed by volunteers, the Joseph House Clothing Bank provides much-needed clothing and shoes at no cost to thousands of local neighbors and refugees. Throughout its history, Joseph House has served refugees from 37 different countries on 5 continents of the globe- North America, South America, Africa, Europe  and Asia. 

This is a crucial time for Joseph House.  For years, we have been able to use our current location rent-free, allowing us to focus our resources on providing free clothing, shoes, and essential household items to refugees and local families in need. However, this property is being sold, and we are now faced with the challenge of relocating our Clothing Bank to a new space. The move comes with significant costs. Not only will we need to cover ongoing rent at the new location, but we will also have to invest in critical updates to make the space suitable for our operations.

Despite these challenges, we view this transition as an opportunity to build a sustainable future for Joseph House. Our aim is to establish a business model that supports the expansion of our outreach while upholding our commitment to providing essential, cost-free services for those in need. In the first ten months of 2024, Joseph House experienced an increase of over 10% in Clothing Bank appointments for both residents and refugees, a trend we expect to continue into the coming year. 

We cannot do this alone, and we are asking for your help. Your generous donation will directly support our relocation efforts and ensure that we can continue serving refugees and others in need in our local community. No amount is too small, and every donation brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of relocating and expanding our services to those who rely on Joseph House. Your support will have a lasting impact on the lives of all those we assist. 

Thank you for considering our request. Your generosity is deeply appreciated.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me...Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." 

Matthew 25: 34-40

Find out more about Joseph House:

Visit our website: 

Josephhouseofcleveland.org

Watch our winning video from the #WeGiveCatholic 30-second video contest!

https://youtu.be/EvYHFj88iUU

Northeast Ohio Catholic Magazine: 

 http://faithdigital.org/Cleveland/CLE0918/#?page=18

The Plain Dealer:

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/04/joseph_house_clothes_shelters.html 

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/07/joseph_house_clothing_bank_ser.html