Cosgrove Offers Respite Care

by Grapevine Bob

  This center is more than a center for providing meals for those in need. There is a young African-American man sitting in the office when you first enter the building, a self-acclaimed born again Christian. His name is Albert Williams, and he has been working in a capacity to help or work to give services to the Homeless since 1991, three years at Cleveland Health Care for the Homeless, and two years at Community Planning.

  Albert explains with a pleasant voice and smile, that this center serves between 4,000 and 8,000 meals in one month, along with the capacity to provide showers. In this very modern facility for men and women, once out of the showers the Cosgrove Center offers clean and usually new white socks and underwear, as well as clean clothing from underwear to outerwear.

  Albert says, "Not only do we serve a meal at 8:30 A.M., we serve a noon lunch in which chefs from leading clubs and restaurants in this facility deliver foodstuffs in two large shopping bags, also providing hot meals to senior citizens and the handicapped every month at surrounding facilities and residential districts."

  Opportunities for employment are able to reach those seeking employment; long-term employment, not short-term. Volunteers from local high-schools and colleges are received daily for help in preparing lunch trays for the noon meal. This task is usually carried out happily and enthusiastically. The Bishop Cosgrove Center would like the public to know that the facility has a need for donated food stuffs, canned goods, used clothing, underwear as well as outerwear.

  The Bishop Cosgrove Center is cleaned from bathrooms to stockrooms, with its kitchen facility being cleaned every first Monday of the month. This facility, with its hands-on supervision by Mr. Albert Williams, with his strong character and ready smile, is a four-star facility in which the public receives quality service.

Editor’s Note: The Cosgrove is located at 1736 Superior Ave.. They are open 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (except the second Monday of every month.) They can be reached at 781-8262.

Copyright NEOCH and the Homeless Grapevine published July 1998 Cleveland Ohio