At age 16, Ronnie Cannon was an average kid who made some bad decisions and served nearly 20 years in prison before turning his life around. Upon his release, he found Towards Employment, which helps individuals overcome barriers to employment and a career path to success. Cannon and two others will share their stories of personal and career transformation at Towards Employment's fundraiser A Chance to Advance this Friday, June 14 at the Maltz Performing Arts Center on the Case Western Reserve University campus.

Cleveland Asian Festival set some new records last weekend. FreshWater Cleveland was there too, raffling off goodies and gifts provided by Cleveland Museum of Art, MAGNET, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery, and Kimpton Schofield Hotel.

The two-day Cleveland Asian Festival gets going later this month in AsiaTown, with plenty of food, music, dancing, demonstrations, and other fun! Festival admission and parking are free, too!

Towards Employment is hosting its annual fundraising event, "A Chance to Advance" in June, with early bird tickets now on sale through May 14 for $25 off per ticket to an evening of musical entertainment with jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci.

Empowerment was top-of-mind for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress when it recently invested $2.013 million into 17 CDCs, with focus on the residents and needs like home repairs, community engagement, and real estate development.

Local artist and muralist Tessa LeBaron has curated an exhibit, "Art for Earth Day," in which 19 local artists have created works made entirely from trash or upcycled materials. The exhibit opens this Saturday, April 27 at Negative Space Gallery with a free reception, and continues through May 27.

Billionaire and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott last week awarded Towards Employment $2 million—the largest donation in its history—and also awarded gifts to Birthing Beautiful Communities, LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, and Fairfax Renaissance Development.

The Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services and Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry announced that the 2100 Lakeside Men’s Shelter is opening a newly renovated addition to the largest homeless shelter in Ohio. The new shelter will have about 400 beds with more personal space and more privacy.

Filmmaker Johnny Wu's newest film, "Bullets, Brothers and Blood," featuring a diverse cast, delves into a gripping tale of mistaken identity amid a crime-ridden town. The film premieres this Saturday.

It's time to scare away winter this weekend with the Cleveland Kurentovanje Festival—when the mythical Kurenti appear, their bells loudly ringing as they dance around a bonfire to chase winter away and welcome spring at the Slovenian National House in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood.

St. Casimir Catholic Church in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood is currently working on the second phase of its green infrastructure plan—installing permeable pavers and other systems to divert rainwater from the storm sewers to help keep Lake Erie clean—thanks to green infrastructure grants from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.

Cleveland Masterworks: In the late 1800s, Alexander Brown used his civil engineering degree to develop the Brown Hoist—an automated crane system for unloading ships' cargo that reduced costs and turnaround times. His successful business was housed in the J. Milton Dyer-designed Brownhoist Building in MidTown. Today the building is a gathering space for creatives, small businesses, and collaborators who want to give back to the St. Clair-Superior and MidTown neighborhoods.

Two local artists—Kelle Schwab and Lisa Quine—just completed the first two murals in Murals Across the City Campaign sponsored by Destination Cleveland and partner Graffiti Heart. Four more murals are to come.

Famicos Foundation is holding its annual fundraiser, Moonlight Masquerade, tonight to continue its efforts to create vibrant, healthy neighborhoods with more than 90 programs and services.

FreshWater managing photographer Bob Perkoski provides a peek into the everyday lives of Clevelanders going about their business in the neighborhoods and on the streets of Cleveland.

This year's Cleveland Asian Festival needs volunteers to help accommodate the more than 30,000 expected guests in AsiaTown the weekend on May 20.

The Cleveland Asian Festival, happening May 20-21, will be a Near Zero Waste event this year. Festival organizers are working with Rust Belt Riders and volunteers to compost and recycle as much as possible.

FreshWater managing photographer Bob Perkoski provides a peek into the everyday lives of Clevelanders going about their business in the neighborhoods and on the streets of Cleveland.

Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry and PadSmart have just launched a pilot program to build energy efficient solar-powered homes to provide those experiencing homelessness with affordable a new affordable housing option.

The congregation at St. Casimir Church and community members in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood are raising funds to buy hams to pass out to Willson School students the day before Thanksgiving.