YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank

How did 1 year fly by so quickly?! Yes... YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank is officially a year old! Gasp! 

Me too, kid, me too...
Image source: womenunlimitedworldwide.com

Last July I became involved with forming a group of young professionals to start a YP networking group in affiliation with the Cleveland Foodbank. Never did I imagine what a tremendously eye-opening experience, adventure, and friendship forming time it would be!

Not familiar with the Cleveland Foodbank or YP Pantry? No problem!

Here's a little history and my top 5 reasons why you should consider getting involved!

The Cleveland Foodbank supplies a majority of the food used in local hot meal sites, shelters, and food pantries throughout Northeast Ohio. In addition, they provide food to child care centers, group homes, and programs for the elderly.

The most astonishing thing I learned after getting involved with the organization is that there IS enough food in Cleveland. Let me reiterate that point, there.is.enough.food.in.Cleveland.for.EVERYONE! The issue or challenge, which the Cleveland Foodbank certainly advocates to overcome, is that we need to reconsider and revise the way food is distributed throughout our community.

So who does the Cleveland Foodbank serve? Are people really going hungry in Cleveland? Well, chew on this...

Image source: Cleveland Foodbank

WOW! So what can you do to help? There are a variety of ways for you to get involved and contribute. Learn about 5 ways you can help fight hunger here. And if you're a young professional, between ages 21-39 and looking for a group to get involved with, here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider joining YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank!

1) Get hands on experience! Unlike some YP groups, where you pay annual dues, slap it on your resume and occassionally go to social outings at local bars, this group encourages you to roll up your sleeves and get involved! I dig being a part of YP Pantry because there are so many opportunities to volunteer at the Cleveland Foodbank warehouse and assist with repack events.

New YP Pantry members packing their first pallet in the warehouse!

Actually sorting food, organizing crates, checking labels, and visually seeing the food to be distributed to local pantries makes a huge impact. and raises your awareness of how much need is right in our community!

2) Make a difference in our CLE community! Several YP Pantry community events take place at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lakewood. The produce you may have just recently sorted in the Foodbank warehouse is delivered to the church for hot meals and produce distribution. As a Lakewood resident myself, I was completely blown away after attending the first YP Pantry there.  Serving nearly 200 people, who are quite likely your neighbors, is very eye-opening and truly humbling as it magnifies the incredible need right in our own backyards. Make a difference, and feel good serving someone a tasty meal or hand out fresh fruits and vegetables.

Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

Peanut butter and jelly pros!
Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

Average produce distribution line
Fresh sweet potatoes, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, and apples
from the Cleveland Foodbank
Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

3) Volunteer in lieu of dues! As I mentioned before, I really appreciate the hands on experience. So in lieu of dues,  members are required to volunteer 24 hours of their time over the course of a year. And there's plenty of ways to earn it too, doing a repack in the warehouse, assisting with an on-site agency distribution day, and more--check out all of the current event/volunteer listings by visiting the YP Pantry Facebook events page and registering on Eventbrite. If you're just starting out in your career, or paying off student loans--your time is just as valuable as money! So come out and volunteer, and save your due money for other expenses ;)


4) Make new friends! Over the course of the past year, I've met some AMAZING people that I can now call friends. Our common interest was volunteering, but some of those initial volunteer experiences developed into friendships.

Meet other young professionals who enjoy giving back, having fun, and making new friends. The YP Pantry Social Happy Hour events have included some of CLE's best restaurants such as Noodlecat, Bier Markt, and Grovewood Tavern.


Slurp-a-licious time at YP Pantry Social at Noodlecat!

Ale, Cookies, and Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Bier Markt
with YP Pantry Core Council Members, Tracy and Kate

Register for the next YP Pantry Social Happy Hour on July 30 at Light Bistro and see what it's all about. And the best part? Donate 2 boxes of your fave cereal at the event, be entered to win a pair of tickets to the Taste of the Browns, andddd 15% of your bill that evening will be donated directly back to the Foodbank too! That's a major win!

5) Stay updated! So maybe you've attended a few YP events, maybe you're new to the city. Find out other fun things happening in CLE too. Cleveland Foodbank offers other fun ways to volunteer like at Cleveland Indians games too. Fill out an application to be added to the YP Pantry monthly e-newsletter list,  check out other YP Pantry Core Council members awesome blogs all about CLE, like Amanda from Clue Into Cleveland and Jen from Why? CLE, or follow YP Pantry and Cleveland Foodbank on Facebook.

So, hope to see you at an event or volunteer opportunity soon to help support the Cleveland Foodbank mission!

*Full disclosure: I am a YP Pantry Core Council member and volunteer of the Cleveland Foodbank. All opinions expressed are completely my own.*

 

Wordless Wednesday: A Christmas Party For a Cause!

Christmas Ales
Photo by JAMinCLE

 

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Christmas cookies
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Your best ugly Christmas sweater, seriously, does this come in my size???
Prize will be awarded for "best" dressed!! So bring your game!
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A Christmas Party for a cause!

Join myself and other Cleveland Foodbank: YP Pantry members to indulge in some holiday  festivities, meet other young professionals, learn about the YP Pantry mission & support a great cause!
Monday, December 17
6pm-9pm at Bier Markt
15% of your bill will be donated back to the Cleveland Foodbank
Register now for the event by clicking here and get all the event details

 Hope to see you there and share in the holiday cheer!

 

**Full disclosure, I am a Council Member of the YP Pantry, all opinions expressed are 100% my own**

Monday Meditation: Top 5 Thankful Thoughts

"My old dream was self-centered; my new dream is service oriented. And the baseline of this sounds cheesy, but it is gratitude. That's right. Simple gratitude. When I find that I focus on what I'm grateful for, the things I already have, the glorious and healthy body in which I reside, life opens."

-Mastin Kipp via The Daily Love

In light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I want to focus on GRATITUDE. This quote from Mastin Kipp (if you haven't already signed up to receive his Daily Digest...what are you waiting for?!) is awesome and he always keeps it real. Recently, I was keepin it real with one of my gal pals, T.A. about things we were grateful for...whenever anyone asks you this question of thankfulness, gratitude, counting blessings (especially around the holidays) everyone seems to give the same standard answers which probably look something along the lines of this:

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But these are GIVENS! These are the wonderful foundations we often take for granted. So, we are all grateful for these standards, let's dig deeper! Why are we grateful for family? What makes them so special? How has good health truly impacted your life? Take a moment today to slow down and quantify and glorify these gifts into the daily encounters they are. The little things that I REAAAALLY appreciate, actually add up to the BIG things, called LIFE!

So here are my top 5 specific things I am grateful for today, and that continue to open up my life everyday.

1) Hula hooping. Yeah, betcha didn't see that one coming! My mom recently introduced me to the workout of hula hooping, believe me, I laughed, just as you probably are right now. It's completely ridiculous and an activity most of us haven't attempted since we were little rugrats. You feel awkward, silly, and over the top....and it's totally awesome, plus a FABULOUS core work out!!! Definitely recommend getting back in touch with your health and fitness in a fun and light way. It will make you appreciate the fact that working out doesn't always have to suck, you can slim down your belly and hips as you swivel to some jams, and help release your pent up frustrations after a stressful work day! Check out Gabby Bernstein's book: Add More ~ing to Your Life for other suggestions of how to add more action and happiness to your life (Thanks for the recommendation, Allison!)

Proof, hooping makes you laugh and your body feel good

2) My sister's phenomenal cooking skills. Seriously, this girl has NEVER cooked up a bad meal before...even at 2am after a night of festivities...she's the only person I know that will not only insist you eat a good "snack" before bed...but she turns it into a gourmet creation... she's not gonna zap something in the microwave for you. No, she goes all out to make a tasty surprise--like the fresh thick toasted sandwich with mortadella, cheddar and spinach she just popped in the broiler for me during the wee hours of Sunday morning. She serves up dishes, snacks, sammies--you name it, straight from the heart. Her thoughtfulness to serve a good meal to her loved ones at any time of the day or night fills me up, but also nourishes the spirit. Best.Sister/Cook.EVER.

3) Being included in friends' big life events. Okay, we already know we're all thankful for our friends. But what about pulling off the surprise of a lifetime...and witness the shock and elation on your gal pal's face as she walks in after accepting a surprise proposal from the man of her dreams, to be greeted by her friends & family waiting for her. Yes! This weekend my good friends Julie & Ryan got engaged, and we were all so thrilled to be included as part of the special occasion. All those nights of hanging out with them and witnessing the sparks lead to what we had all been rooting for--a spectacular engagement between two hilarious and genuinely great human beings! So thankful I got to share in part of this new chapter of your lives!

Congrats Ryan & Julie!!

"Bling bling!"

Supppper jazzed for Julie! Congrats lady!!!

4) Sweet finds at Marshall's that make you stop and say, "Wow, Marshall's, sh*t just got real. Thank you." I discovered this gem while recently perusing the aisles of Marshall's. It pretty much jumped off the shelf and smacked me upside the head. I needed it--figuratively and literally. The past few months have certainly been shaken up and very challenging in some aspects of my life. And yet, simultaneuously--it's terrific, and life is opening up in ways I never imagined either. Even when things don't go according to the original plan, there is always a much BETTER and BIGGER plan that's unfolding and gently guiding you without you even knowing it! As Mastin put it "my old dream was self-centered; my new dream is service oriented." Life suddenly becomes way more rich when you come to the realization that "Your journey is unfolding exactly as it should be!"



5) Meeting new great people in Cleveland at events that benefit our city and its residents. This past weekend, I participated in our YP Pantry "Give Thanks" event at a local church. We distributed a hot meal, canned food, to-go food, fresh produce, and some well wishes to people who've fallen down on their luck. My job was to help make 70+ bagged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We then helped serve nearly a 100 people hot meals. The pastor of the church informed us that despite distributing food 4 times a month for the past 18 years, they only had the opportunity to SERVE meals to guests twice, the other times people had to stand in line and wait for a plate. People were so thankful and appreciative to have someone serve them at a table setting. It was a truly humbling experience, not only was I thankful that I've never experienced the burden of worrying about where my next hot meal is coming from, but also because it validated the fact that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Everyone! 

Peanut butter jelly tiiiiime!
Photo source: YP Pantry Facebook Page

Not only was it incredible to be able to give back and help others in need, but I also met & chatted with some great new friends from YP Pantry too. Win, win! Be sure to check out our next YP Pantry event in which a portion of your bill is donated directly back to the Cleveland Foodbank. Join in the festivities and true holiday spirit by contributing to a worthy cause while enjoying Christmas Ale, cookies, and ugly Christmas sweaters. A lot of great things to give THANKS for here in CLE!

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So, what are your top 5 thankful thoughts for today? Daily acts of service, faith, inclusion, health and fitness contribute to our overall well-being. Break down the clichés, get to the nitty-gritty things that help you grind through the day, and take time this week to say THANK YOU for all the little things that really make a BIG difference in our lives!

Here's a final sendoff...of JESSICA'S daily affirmations. LOVE it! (Thanks, T.A. for getting me hip to the other thankful Jessica!)



Young Independent Filmmakers Making Magic Happen in CLE

There is a powerful underlying culture of young, talented, innovative and professional filmmakers and actors creating awesome projects in CLE right now. Our arts and culture scene is thriving. Although we have a collective network of arts organizations which fosters artists' growth (i.e. Cleveland Public Theatre, MOCA, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, etc.) some of the arts have yet to establish a platform to nurture, network and help navigate the path for emerging artists/creators. Enter young independent filmmakers in CLE! They have yet to experience a network to take them in, help develop their craft, provide resources, and establish a platform to showcase these fantastic films to our comminity. Have you heard about "The Avengers" filming in CLE? I bet! How about the tax credits for big budget films to come to our city and shoot movies? Yep, probably familiar with that too! And don't get me wrong, I think it's great to offer a temporary economic boost to our region and gain notoriety by having big budget films takeover the city...but what about the spectacular artists/innovators/filmmakers making magic come to life here, everyday, on a shoe-string budget with a high caliber message, quality, vision and film that can attest to the born and bred generation of Clevelanders who are making it happen?



The wonderfully talented production team Studio on Mars
bringing you the upcoming film, THE SAMARITANS
Zach Shildwatchter, Executive Producer. Jen Poland, Director of Photography. J. Buckner, Director.

Well a wonderful opportunity recently came to fruition and I was so happy to be a part of it and share the story with you, my CLE Believers! My good buddy Justin aka J. Buckner invited me to come for a day of filming on set for a short film called THE SAMARITANS.

J. Buckner: ACTION!

This, my friends, is the type of project that puts fire in my belly. The young people who defy the odds, who commit to their dreams, who pound the pavement to build a sustainable support network of filmmakers/artists in CLE, who resist Ohio "brain drain" and commit to our region's success,  and  who truly make our city's culture and arts so dynamic.

I knew it was going to be a spectacular experience for a laundry list of reasons, but considering I have already seen his last short film, "I AM ALIVE," which was just screened as the feature film in Rock Island, Illinois last week, and as part of the Monster Mashup in Chicago a few weeks ago-- I knew the quality of film that I would witness in the making.

Yeah....AWESOME!
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Seriously, this guy and his team are too legit to quit. The short film has already gained notoriety and a post-apocalyptic following of zombie fans...so I knew a wild CLE adventure was ahead as he invited me to hang out on set for a day of filming his new film "THE SAMARITANS."

The story of "THE SAMARITANS" was written by William B Keller (Bill) of Columbus, OH. Bill originally wrote the the short film to focus on the idea of peoples' reactions during moral dilemmas by turning seemingly innocent decisions into life-impacting events. Bill has been writing for over 30 years with a long list of credentials. But 3 1/2 years ago he lost his life long partner, Jill. He said he really struggled with just giving up and had all these thoughts in his head that he just needed to get out. He knew he had to pull something positive out of the tragedy of losing his high-school sweetheart, so he based the couple in the film on him and his wife, and used that as a foundation to build the story. (BTW Bill is the SWEETEST man ever and incredibly inspiring!) He wanted to make people stop, and think about how each action has a reaction.

"THE SAMARITANS" writer, left Bill Keller pictured with his son Will

The story centers around a young couple who skip out on work to go enjoy a beautiful day at the park, when they are unexpectedly faced with an unusual situation as a man, claiming to be a priest, emerges from the woods, panic-stricken and collapses onto the couple's car begging for help...



I'm pretty sure I'd be a liiiiittle bit alarmed if I was in the car right now too..




Pictured, Eric Small as Priest, Kellen Boyle as Tom, and Samantha O'Brien as Sarah

I have to give a huge round of applause to Eric Small who played a lead role as the priest. He delivered some serious drama and emotion--take after take...meanwhile in 40 degree temperatures.. and half-clothed. He was a tremendously talented actor and demonstrated some serious commitment to his craft! More people like him on the move in CLE!



Orderlies taking action...
Pictured Mike Chastain

I then met some similarly awesome people, Mike Chastain of Akron and Pakob Jarenpone of Akron, who played the role of the orderlies. Both gentlemen served as extras during the recent filming of "The Avengers" in Cleveland and haven't looked back since. They agreed that there is the sudden churning of independent filmmakers cranking out steller productions in our city and hope to see more and be more of a part of it.

Pictured Mike Chastain, left and Pakob Jarenpone, right
majorly B.A. & would NOT want to mess with these guys!

When I asked J. Buckner his opinion on why Cleveland is a great place to make and film movies he responded, "There is not as much red tape here compared to places like NYC or LA. People in Cleveland think it's cool when they see someone out filming, rather than as an inconvenience or passé, like a film shooting on the streets of NYC. We have four beautiful seasons here and every shot you may need can be accessed in just an hour drive--rural farms, big city skyline, well-known restaurants, manicured parks, Lake Erie beaches. It's all at our fingertips."

The biggest point each cast and crew member kept circling back to was the incredible potential for rising filmmakers and talented actors in Cleveland. As Zach Shildwachter, Executive Producer of "THE SAMARITANS" framed it, "Cleveland is a wide open market. Ripe. A lot of people are demanding high quality local films, but there is limited supply. Our biggest obstacle as filmmakers is cultivating a tangible network. We need a sustainable base to grow from. We don't want to be some circus act that just rolls into town." I couldn't agree more. As glossy and glamorous big budget films in Cleveland are, if we really want that industry to thrive, let's start building it--by the people and for the people of CLE!

Image source

So, CLE, are you ready? Are you jazzed? Well, may I present to you the long awaited, totally rad trailer for the making of this film I got to watch come to life. Click here for a link to the trailer of "THE SAMARITANS" or click the trailer below and be sure to like them on Facebook to stay tuned for the release of the final product! Young. Independent. Talented Filmmakers...making the magic happen in CLE! Enjoy :)

The Samaritans- Trailer

http://vimeo.com/52897175

www.thestudioonmars.com

Wordless Wednesday: Stand For Something!

 

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Cleveland Foodbank: YP Pantry! Fight against hunger!
Photo by JAMinCLE



Get out there and make it happen, CLE! Stand up for what you believe in!

YP Pantry, Pizza for the Soul, Aurora Farms Shopping Spree, & Predicting My Future with Turkish Coffee Grounds

 

I kicked off my weekend a tad early on Thursday night at our first (and SELL-OUT!) social event of YP Pantry. I am a council member of the newly formed Young Professionals group that focuses on the Cleveland Foodbank mission and engaging young CLE professionals in nutrition, community giving and networking.


The event took place at the Grovewood Tavern (ah-dorable). We had an awesome turn out of people and I met old friends and new ones there too.


IRL meeting with friends, yay! Crystal of Eat*Drink*Cleveland and Katrina of BiteBuff

Considering I've only been blogging for under a year--I was astounded and humbled when I (finally) met some friends in real life who recognized me from my blog! What a terrific feeling of connecting with my readers and fellow bloggers in real life--and all for a good cause!

YP Council Member and fellow blogger, Amanda of ClueIntoCleveland, Sarah of CookerGirl, me, Crystal of Eat*Drink*Cleveland, Julie of WearingMascara, and Katrina of BiteBuff

Friday rolled around and I stopped over my bff, Catie's house. Not only is she an awesome friend, but she is also an OUTSTANDING cook! Her trade by day is a nutritionist and it surely shows in her ability to whip up the healthiest version of a fresh pizza. Yummm.

Chef Catie approved!
 

Freshly made whole wheat pizza dough, artichokes, fresh basil from her garden, garlic, black olives, and fresh broccoli. Deeeeelish! 

Gabbing with your besties (Catie & Jules) while eating homemade pizza, glass of vino, and decompressing is some serious nourishment for the soul!

 

C'est la vie!!

I also scooped up some sweet dollar deals from The Exchange, and provided some reminiscent tunes from our high school days for the evening! Totally JAMmin!

Clockwise from top left: Romeo Must Die Soundtrack, No Doubt, Incubus, The Allman Brothers, Phish.
Good times!

After dinner, I headed back to Lakewood to meet up with fellow sister duo, Stacy and Kelly. We decided to try out the Brother's Lounge based on other's recommendations despite never going there before ourselves.

"It's whatever. It's a hair flip!
Happiness is only a hair flip away!"

It was an eclectic crowd of people along with a live band playing. Think we would have experienced a much different evening had there been a different band playing. Maybe not. Either way--we had a good goofy girls night time...and had the pleasure of meeting this interesting fellow:

Nuff said.

Saturday morning arrived quickly. And I headed out to do some retail therapy with my mom and sis at Aurora Farms. It was a gorgeous fall day and I was totally in the mood to add some snuggly fall apparel to my wardrobe. I love fall fashion!!!!

Birds of a feather, shop together!
At Aurora Farms

The three of us always have a blast shopping together & haven't gone in far too long. Who will snag the best deal!?! Well I scored: 2 fall sweaters, 1 versatile jacket, 2 dressy work tops, a pair of flats, and a bracelet for...$150.00!!! Wooo! My best deal was a to-die-for swing two toned jacket from the Banana Republic outlet. Originally $120.00 for $35.00! Don't mind if I do, Banana.

After our afternoon of power shopping, we decided to take it easy. My sis and I headed over to her bf's (Danny) family's house. His family is so sweet and genuine. His Mom, Noha, cooked up a feast of Lebanese food (we all know my love for Mideastern food!!!) including baby eggplant, stuffed with beef and spices, served over rice,  Man, I am so lucky to have such great cooks in my life :)

From left to right: Noha the multi-faceted woman (Danny and Gizelle's mom, phenomenal cook, and coffee ground reader,) me, Danielle, my sis, Gizelle, and Mrs. K with our coffee cup fortunes

After dinner, Noha made Turkish coffee for everyone out of these outrageously cool golden cups straight from Egypt. (I WILL get there someday!)

 

G sipping her Turkish coffee

 We had so much fun together. Gizelle, Danny's sister, asked her mom to "read our Turkish coffee grounds." I had never heard of this tradition before--but it is SO COOL! It's a Mideastern tradition specific to Turkish coffee that allows you to "read your future, by examing the images and shapes left in your coffee grounds." After drinking your cup, you flip it over, and wait for the grounds to dry. Then someone trained in the tradition (Noha, in this instance) uses the coffee grounds as a method of fortune telling by determining images in the grounds.

Noha reading the grounds

Us girls were all for the good fun and decided to do it. Results: shivering, baffling, and spot-on! Laughter, tears and hopefulness.

Coffee ground reading
Mine is the far left cup
 

So what did Noha see in my grounds? That I am going through a period of sadness and turmoil, but based one the whiteness on the top of my cup--the period will pass and open up to peace soon. Also, saw Jesus. I was ready to stop right there--pretty tough to beat that one! Lord knows I have been praying! And it surely brought me comfort. Then she saw this:

 



Two roosters in my cup. Top left hand side. That is a symbol of two similarly stubborn people who are fighting or ready to battle. Not good. And in the middle--a tall, dark, handsome man extending his arms to comfort me. Wowzer. But--I will turn away towards something better for myself. Pretty crazy. It was all in good fun though, and all open for interpretation. I am usually not into that kind of stuff, but Noha seemed to be pretty accurate with each of our readings and we definitely had a good time doing it. What a great evening and entertaining hostess! I love the opportunity to learn about other cultures, food and try new things! Be open!

Today, I really kept it low-key...and think I am beginning to battle the flu bug everyone has had. Bummer, but I am so happy for all the nourishment and love and new experiences I had in CLE this weekend. What did you do? Have you ever scored big at Aurora Farms? Has anyone ever read your coffee grounds or told you your fortune? How did it turn out? Keep JAMmin, CLE!