Introducing Noble Community Center

Noble Community Center is a community center without walls.

Over the summer, the center provided games and sports activities on available green spaces along Noble Road for children and adults to play, meet one another, and have fun. Local businesses provided water and canopies to keep everyone cool, and residents provided snacks, refreshments and game equipment.

The mission of the nonprofit is to arrange opportunities where all residents who live on the north side of Cleveland Heights can get together, talk, play games and participate in other engaging social, civic and educational activities that build a sense of community. Noble Community Center’s objective is to lessen neighborhood tensions, support the underserved, and improve the well-being of neighborhood residents. The center wants residents to feel they are accepted and respected, and belong to something larger than themselves. Members drive the work of Noble Community Center, and, while membership is limited to those who live in the area, donations are accepted from everyone.

In November, the center held a pancake-breakfast fundraiser at Applebee’s in University Heights, and raised enough funds to provide Thanksgiving meal baskets to several families whose children attend Oxford Elementary School.

Coming up is a capital resources event for up-and-coming entrepreneurs and operators of home-based or other existing businesses. The event, co-sponsored by the Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber of Commerce, will provide information on business planning and financing options, and ways to ensure business sustainability and growth. Tentatively planned for an evening in February at the Home Repair Resource Center, the event will begin with a meet-and-greet, followed by a discussion. The goal is to provide residents and business owners with options for starting or strengthening enterprises here in the community.

At the urging of Noble Community Center, staff members at Oxford Elementary School are setting up a club for caregiver grandparents. The idea is to provide a support network for residents who are caring for their children's children, or raising children of their own alongside nieces, nephews and cousins.

In the coming year, the center plans to do more to bring neighborhood residents together to help others, find shared interests, support our neighborhood, support local businesses and build a strong, inclusive community.

Noble Community Center welcomes suggestions, ideas, and volunteers. For more information, visit the Noble Community Center page on Facebook.