NewsChannel5 teams up with Famicos Foundation, Rebuilding Together, to improve neighborhood

CLEVELAND - Residents living on E. 116th Street in Cleveland will soon be visited by a group a volunteers with smiling faces who will work to improve their neighborhood.

The volunteers will pick-up trash, remove high weeds, replace landscaping, and perform some basic painting.

The effort is part of NewsChannel5's Building Better Neighborhoods initiative, and is set to take place Friday, Aug. 17.

Residents like Jamie Kidd, who has lived on E. 116th Street for the past 40 years, are pleased about the upcoming Building Better Neighborhoods event.

"I'm very excited. I'm getting more help than I'm getting now," said Kidd. "I really appreciate that."

The neighborhood was selected by Ward 9 Cleveland Councilman Kevin Conwell and the Famicos Foundation.

"We're pleased to work with NewsChannel5's Building Better Neighborhoods to make a difference on this street," said Conwell. "The residents living here are going to participate, the residents are going to help, the residents are going to feel better about their community."

The event is also being coordinated by Rebuilding Together Greater Cuyahoga Valley, an organization dedicated to helping low income families improve their homes and quality of life.

"We not only give hope to homeowners, we help remove blight and give hope to the neighborhood," said Rebuilding Together Executive Director Paul Holm. "We just hope to build a better sense of community."

The volunteer team will be led by NewsChannel5's Leon Bibb, who grew up in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood, just a mile and a half from E. 116th Street.

"Leon knows the neighborhood, he's from the neighborhood," said Councilman Conwell. "He's always helping out at Glenville, so we know Leon Bibb is very inclusive in our community."

Volunteers interested in joining Leon Bibb, and signing up for the event, should contact Famicos Foundation volunteer coordinator Sadie Johnson at (216) 791-6476 ext. 244, or get more information from the Famicos Foundation website.

"We're starting to get more new houses, were starting get homeowners back into the neighborhood," said Kidd. "More businesses are coming back as well, it's all a plus."