NORVA members Ben Gascoigne and Haley McDonough have joined this past year motivated to engage of our newest NORVA members and recently returned volunteers. 

Our first Service Saturday was held on January 26, 2013. We are very proud to have provided English language tutoring, American cultural discussion, conversation and companionship to many beneficiaries from Bhutan, Nepal, Somalia, Iraq, North and South Sudan, and others. We are so pleased to have the opportunity to continue developing relationships with the refugee population of Cleveland. In the past year, volunteers have helped refugees with basic English skills, accessing community…

Thanks to all who attended Service Saturday on June 22!  We had a record turnout of volunteers including several of new faces.  The next Service Saturday will be on July 27th at 10AM at the Cleveland Public Library Walz Branch (7910 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102)  …

On June 22, a group of NORVA members visited the venue for Soups of the World this fall, the Slovenian National Home ("The Nash") in Slavic Village.  As a service project to help offset the cost of the facility, members helped clear a items from a stage.  Afterward, members had lunch, toured the facility, and learned more about the Slovenian community in Cleveland.…

The Soups of the World! committee is busy at work planning for the event next fall, which will take place on Saturday, November 16th from 6-9pm.  Soups is a major biennial fundraiser and third goal cultural event hosted by NORVA.  The committee has selected the Slovenian National Home in Slavic Village as the venue.  Please join us on June 22 at 10am for a day of service, which will help NORVA reduce the cost of rental.

NORVA members enjoyed an extra special Service Saturday on June 1.  Members met with 13 refugees and worked diligently on improving the participants English skills.  Immediately following class, NORVA members, students, members of the Ethiopian community, and friends enjoyed a feast of Ethiopian food prepared by a local Ethiopian immigrant, Tigist Gebremichael.  Dishes included homemade cheese, teef bread, and lots of sauces, that according to the cook took 50…

On Sunday, May 18th, NORVA members woke up early in the morning to help at the water stop between miles 5 and 6 in the annual Rite-Aid Cleveland Marathon.  Members setup tables on both sides of the street, filled hundreds of cups with water, and handed them out to runners as they passed by, all the while cheering them on!

NORVA Members ready to hand out water…