As we embark upon a new year and reflect on 2022 and all its many challenges, we realize and marvel at what an amazing year it was. We celebrated the life of our Executor Director by presenting Amber's Night of Hope, our annual fundraiser, in June, at The Cleveland Art Museum, which was a tremendous success.
We continue recruiting young people and volunteers through Zoom and in person. We successfully created ten new communities between Covid and post-Covid, keeping existing communities motivated and stimulated. Most communities continued to meet via zoom, but many began to meet in person at restaurants, libraries, and homes.
Excited to get back to in-person gatherings, COH hosted our second COH picnic in September, allowing communities to leave isolation and share fresh air, fellowship, and grilled hot dogs. We also had our fourth Friendsgiving in November to appreciate our volunteers and youth. They engaged with laughter, costumes, pictures, and a 360 machine. It was a fun time for the youth, volunteers, and our Lorain communities that had never had an opportunity to meet our Cuyahoga communities and other youth because of Covid.
During Christmas again for the fourth year, we partnered with Fostering Hope to help youth with children get some Christmas cheer.
We are grateful to continue our work in Cuyahoga County next year, and we are excited to work with new staff that understand the importance of relationships. Unfortunately, we have discontinued the pilot program in Lorain, but we are continuing our support of the young people and their communities.
Relationships are fundamental for us all, and as we slowly transition out of isolation and separation, we will all be back together soon. We all know we are better together. COH wishes to thank you all for your unwavering commitment to your young person and COH and for the awesome work you have done in 2022.
We look forward to an even greater year in 2023!