Monsters Family Coming Together to Help Community

May 14, 2020

As the world faces uncertain times with the spread of COVID-19, people around the globe have responded in positive ways by coming together to help those in need.

 

Members of the Cleveland Monsters family have done just that, finding a wide variety of ways to make a difference across Northeast Ohio.

 

As a part of our Monsters family, we would love to hear how you have been helping during this unprecedented time. If you or a friend has made an effort to help our community, with no acts of kindness being too small, fill out the form below so our organization can recognize your efforts as well.

 

Animal Shelter Assistance

 

Monsters front office staff members Celena Zevnik and Jess Fisher were both moved by their love animals to find ways to help, whether it was through monetary donations or physical donations.

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local shelters like the Cleveland APL and Storm’s Angels are encountering unique situations due to social distancing measures all while trying to find homes for the animals. Zevnik and Fisher helped in numerous ways, including by purchasing items off organizations’ Amazon wish lists, donating food or bringing awareness to fostering pets.

 

Blood Drives

 

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home of the Cleveland Monsters, worked together with the American Red Cross and Cleveland Clinic to hold multiple blood drives at the end of March and through April to help with a nationwide shortage amid the pandemic.

 

Monsters front office staff members Ben Adams and Noah Volz were among the overwhelming number of donors that answered the call from across Northeast Ohio.

 

According to the Red Cross, 405 lives were saved from the initial blood drive on March 27th alone.

 

Food Assistance

 

As much of the state shut down, businesses and individuals worked to find unique ways to help those most in need in terms of food security. With many members of the Monsters organization helping through monetary donations, captain Nathan Gerbe provided lunch and grocery gift cards to all frontline workers at University Hospitals’ Landerbrook COVID-19 Testing Site. Additionally, Gerbe and the Monsters Community foundation worked to provide lunch, recreation equipment and monetary support to Ohio Guidestone. 

 

Several Monsters partners also found ways to support the community including Saucy Brew Works offering free pizza slices to those in need with no questions asked and most recently provided boxed lunches to frontline workers.

 

Together with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chick-Fil-A, 170 meals were donated to the residents and staff at Laura’s Home Women’s Crisis Center, a branch of the City Mission.

 

Personal Actions

 

Monsters broadcaster Tony Brown was motivated by own family connection to frontline healthcare workers and raised funds for Direct Relief to help supply personal protective equipment for American medical workers.

 

Brown played a series of four Sunday concerts on Facebook Live as a way to help raise awareness and funds for a month. Not only did he reach his personal goal of raising $1,000 per session, but the final total donated through his efforts surpassed $4,200.

 

Tori Priest, a member of the Monsters front office, has been using her time at home by sewing masks to be provided to immunocompromised members of the community. Inspired by knowing the challenges her brother faces during this pandemic, Priest has made more than 50 masks and sends them out to people she sees needs them through her Facebook account and word of mouth.