By Abigail Stopka, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance

Sharness Dowdy is the proud owner of The Nite Owl located at 992 Kenmore Blvd. Open since 2021, the restaurant has become known as a Kenmore gem – specializing in food for the soul.

After working the graveyard shift for over six years, Sharness was inspired to open The Nite Owl when she noticed there were no restaurants open late to serve night shift workers like herself.

As a Kenmore resident, Sharness loves the many youth sports programs offered in the community and enjoys supporting her 9 year old son Jakhilan, who is a member of the Kenmore Youth Basketball and Football teams.

“Youth programs help kids engage in positive activities with other kids and it teaches them mentorship, team building and they can have fun while learning a new sport,” Sharness explained.

We sat down with Sharness to learn more about what inspired her to open The Nite Owl, and what she loves most about being not only a Kenmore resident but also a business owner on Kenmore Boulevard.

What Inspired you to Open The Nite Owl?

I worked at Akron General Clinic Hospital late at night and there were never any good food options open that late. From that point I decided that I wanted to change that, so I started planning my own restaurant. Planning this restaurant involved a lot of work. There was a lot of research involved in opening the restaurant, the logistics of running it, down to things like planning the menu. I used to cater for my friends’ businesses and that really inspired me to kick start this journey. I started out by selling only cheesecake and it really took flight from there.

Where did the name”The Nite Owl” come from?

It really comes down to the fact that I am just that, a Nite Owl. Which is why I always worked late shifts. Since I know the problems people who work late nights face when it comes to food options, I decided that I really wanted my restaurant to cater to them.

What Inspired you to make The Nite Owl a comfort / soul food restaurant?

I wanted the food I cooked for my restaurant to be the same food I would make at home and feed my family with, that’s what makes it special to me.

What is your favorite dish to cook?

I really love cooking all kinds of food so this is a tough question to answer. I would have to say that my favorite dish to cook is the Alfredo because I get to use my artistic culinary skills and I can make it look pretty.

Do you offer any specials during the week?

Yes, we have multiple specials throughout the week.

Tuesday: Cheeseburger and fries for $5.

Wednesday: Six piece wings and fries for $9.

Thursday: Buy any trio and receive $1 off your order.

Friday: Fish and fries for $10.

How did you learn to cook?

I learned to cook from my great grandmother and my grandmother. I have many memories of being very young and standing on the chair in front of our stove helping them cook. The first thing I ever learned to cook was skillet fried corn and baked chicken.

What is the most popular item on the menu?

The most popular item on our menu is hands down our rollies. The best way to explain our rollies is comparing them to an egg roll with a non-traditional filling. We have so many different types of rollies. The flavors we offer for our regular rollies are chicken bacon ranch, cheeseburger, philly cheesesteak and chicken philly. We also offer deluxe rollies which are cheeseburger mac, firecracker chicken and rice, BBQ chicken and rice and our soul rollie. You can get them with a side of boom boom sauce to really complete the taste.

Our rollies are a huge hit!

Are you planning on adding anything new to your menu?

Yes, we are planning on doing something new for the summer. I want to add some lighter food items to the menu. I have this really delicious salmon salad that I am excited to make!

As a Kenmore resident, what do you love most about Kenmore?

I love seeing all the new businesses opening up on Kenmore BLVD. I keep seeing vacant buildings turn into businesses and it feels really good. It feels like Kenmore is coming back to life.

What is the most rewarding part of managing The Nite Owl?

The most rewarding part of managing The Nite Owl is seeing all my hard work come to life and just being here and being able to be a part of it. Owners of large corporations don’t have the opportunity to really be a part of their restaurants. I love being a small business owner and being able to really contribute to my business. I get to do a mix of everything. I really love being here and being in the kitchen.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome with The Nite Owl?

The biggest challenge was definitely the life curve that the pandemic threw at us and everyone. It has been very hard to get people to work for me and inflation forced us to raise our prices which hasn’t sat well with a few of our customers, it is hard for them to understand why we have to raise our prices.

Tell us about a time when a customer made you feel like a million bucks.

One of my regular customers stopped by the store the other day and he always buys the banana pudding but this time he was praising it and asked me if I could make him a huge pan all for himself. It is such a good feeling seeing people enjoy my restaurant’s food.

What do you find unique about Kenmore?

I think the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance really makes Kenmore unique. They help to bring a sense of community to Kenmore. They are always looking for new ways to uplift the community and are helping to bring it back to the way it was before and I think that is so great.

Is there anything else you would like for people to know about The Nite Owl?

I want people to know that we have been working really hard and we are just happy to serve the community.

The Nite Owl serves food for your soul Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. and Friday through Saturday from 4 p.m. – 2 a.m. from its location at 992 Kenmore Blvd. You can place your order through their website theniteowlrestaurant.com, DoorDash, or in person at the restaurant. Follow them on Facebook at The Nite Owl, your mouth will be watering after scrolling through their photos showcasing their delectable food options.

And if you are in the market for a new job they are hiring a full-time cook, put your application in here.

After eight years of opening primarily only for live music and events, The Rialto Theatre now serves food and drinks four days a week.

In need of a new lunch time hang out? Ready for a new after work haunt? Then we’ve got good news for you.

The Rialto Living Room – which opened inside The Rialto Theatre in late 2021 – is now open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a full bar and food from Paninoteca, including hand crafted paninis, tacos, desserts and soups.

Aside from SRINA Tea House & Cafe’s brief residency inside the Rialto Living Room, the space had previously only been open during concerts, performances, and other events.

Rialto co-owner Seth Vaill said he hopes the new hours will attract a regular lunchtime and after-work clientele. Vaill added that the Living Room also features an “open stage,” where patrons can both perform and enjoy live music.

“We want this to become a favorite new spot for people to stop in for a sandwich or a drink or conversation and feel like they are in their own living room,” he said.

The bar – which features over 30 beers – and restaurant combination has already proved popular amongst the musicians and concert goers who have had the opportunity to experience it since Paninoteca began serving up its signature sandwiches last fall – the most popular of which is the “La Roma” which includes ham, pepperoni, San Marzano marinara, fresh mozzarella, banana peppers, and basil.

“It’s so exciting to see this space activated even when there isn’t live entertainment,” Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance Marketing & Events Director Corey Jenkins said. “It’s the perfect place to meet friends for dinner and a drink after work and unwind, and it’s great to have another dining option on the boulevard.”

The Rialto Living Room is located inside The Rialto Theatre at 1000 Kenmore Blvd. For more information, and to view the full food and drink menu, visit therialtotheatre.com. Follow Paninoteca on Instagram and Facebook.

This week marks the second anniversary of Just a Dad From Akron’s grand opening at 937 Kenmore Blvd. In two short years, founder Kenny Lambert has seen his business evolve from purposeful clothing store to a safe place for the community to visit and those in recovery or struggling with addiction to find support – and the support side of the business is poised to continue evolving.

Earlier this year, Kenny announced the launch of JADFA House with Kristi Watson – a Kenmore-based photographer and his partner. JADFA House is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that will provide recovery support and services to those struggling with addiction – something Kenny knows about firsthand.

Before getting sober and opening Just a Dad From Akron, Kenny spent years struggling with substance abuse and addiction on Kenmore Blvd. Now he and Kristi will help others aspire to sobriety on the same street where he once struggled.

“Building a safe place for people to recover, find God and come together in the name of faith and recovery was my inspiration to start the JADFA House”, said Kenny.

JADFA (an abbreviation of Just a Dad From Akron) House will serve as a safe place for people who are working towards sobriety and is built on three pillars: Faith, Recovery and Community. The goal is to create a space where everyone can feel safe and welcome to grow stronger in recovery, build healthy friendships, and continue building a mission for positive change.

“We don’t want to limit JADFA House to only people in recovery” explained Kristi. “We want JADFA House to benefit everyone in the community. We are planning to have cookouts, 5ks and other events to help bring good people to Kenmore Boulevard.”

JADFA House will offer sober support meetings where participants are encouraged to share their experiences and strengthen their commitment to recovery along with weekly activities like yoga, bible study, dinner nights, and morning meditation to those who seek out its services and become JADFA House members.

In addition to in-house sober support, JADFA House will help its members receive treatment and detox placement, community outreach education, and training.

JADFA House provides members with a sense of community, belonging, and positivity.

“It is our role to create a space for the community [at JADFA House] where everyone can feel welcome and free to come as they are and be themselves, knowing they can step into a space without any judgment” a JADFA House member said.

Kenny – who credits the birth of his daughter as the inspiration he needed to get clean – also knows how hard it can be for parents to get help and support when they have their children, which is why JADFA House also provides activities and supervision for children while their parents attend sober support meetings.

While JADFA House is already providing sober and mental health support through weekly meetings (every Friday at 8 p.m.) at Just a Dad From Akron, Kristi and Kenny say they hope to host the grand opening of JADFA House and move the support meetings there this summer.

In the meantime, don’t miss Just a Dad From Akron’s second anniversary party this Saturday, March 11, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. The event will feature prizes and exclusive merchandise.

For additional information or support, contact JADFA House at info@thejadfahhouse.org or visit their website at thejadfahouse.org. Find JADFA House on Facebook at The JADFA House 501c3. JADFA House will open at 916 Kenmore Blvd. in Summer 2023.

After years of devoted service, Tina Boyes will pass the torch to a new leader.

For most people within the Kenmore community, Tina Boyes hasn’t just been the executive director of Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance (KNA) for the majority of the organization’s existence – she’s been synonymous with the organization itself. Working tirelessly to transform Kenmore Boulevard from a tattered and worn business district whose glory days seemed like distant memories into Akron’s vibrant and emerging music row that’s welcomed sixteen new businesses in the past two years alone.

In late 2022, Boyes decided she wanted to begin serving the Kenmore community in a new way and informed the KNA Board that she would be transitioning out of the executive director role in order to run for the city’s Ward 9 council seat – a seat once held by her father Don Brode, and her grandfather George Brode.

Upon learning of Boyes’ intentions, the KNA board began working to identify the organization’s next leader. After an extensive search process and with significant consideration given to the skills, experiences and expertise needed to successfully guide KNA in its next phase of growth the board named Josh Gippin as executive director, effective February 20, 2023. Boyes will remain on board as outgoing executive director to aid with the transition through the end of March.

“Five years ago, the KNA board hired me to help revitalize Kenmore Boulevard at a time when most people considered it to be a net negative.” Boyes said. “Since then, we’ve cleaned up the space, filled vacant buildings with neighborhood-serving businesses and resources, and reignited a sense of community that has been missing for a long time. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and I can’t wait to support Josh as he takes KNA to the next level.”

Gippin brings an impressive skillset to the position. He has a wealth of experience in the real estate arena, has been active within Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood, understands the value of networking and fundraising, and has operated his own video production company for nearly 20 years, producing independent documentaries, along with promotional and brand videos.

“Josh brings the right amount of confidence and inquisitiveness to the role, not to mention a great energy and a willingness to jump right in and offer up fresh ideas,” KNA Board Chair Eric Cooper explained. “Leading up to the hire, Josh answered the interview questions thoughtfully and thoroughly and it was obvious in our conversations that Josh brought a high level of passion and compassion to the job, both of which are key components of nonprofit work.”

Under Gippin’s leadership, KNA will continue building upon the strong foundation laid by Boyes and will remain dedicated to attracting businesses, visitors, musicians, creatives, families, and residents to The BLVD through hard work, collaboration, and events.

“My family and I are so excited to become a part of the Kenmore community. Long before accepting this position, we had invested in Kenmore real estate, so we too are stakeholders. Tina has nurtured KNA from its very inception, and it has come so far. I am honored to be entrusted with carrying KNA and The BLVD into the future, together with you all.”

Please join KNA in welcoming Josh Gippin as executive director and be sure to say hello when you see him on The BLVD!

Opinion, Akron Beacon Journal

Published Feb. 23, 2023

Christine Fowler Mack resigned last week as the superintendent of Akron Public Schools. The previous Friday, without fanfare, I tendered my resignation from her Long Term Operational Planning Task Force. Here’s why.

The task force was billed as a “small and representative group of stakeholders” that would help to design a long-term operational plan that supports academic achievement, health and well being and equity goals while “most fully realizing the potential of our schools as community anchors.”

The group was indeed small, with mostly APS employees attending most meetings, and its recommendations were far from equitable.

At our second to last meeting, the former Morley Health Center was introduced as a potential site for a National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM high school. So was closing more neighborhood grade schools and leaving APS-owned Kenmore High School vacant. This made it clear to me that APS continues to value short-term expediency while giving insufficient attention to the role schools play in strengthening Akron’s residential neighborhoods.

APS’s facilities approach has weakened the fabric of our neighborhoods and people’s ties to both the school district and the city, as parents continue to move their students – and tax dollars – to the suburbs. Nowhere is this truer than in Kenmore, Akron’s second largest neighborhood. Once home to 10 APS schools, Kenmore is now left with a renovated middle school, a trio of grade schools and a vacant Kenmore High School property, located a mere block from where our agency, the city and grassroots investors are doing the hard work of revitalization. Rather than contributing to our efforts, APS is now considering the opposite: decommissioning Pfeiffer Elementary, the only remaining grade school north of Kenmore Boulevard.

Kenmore has felt the district’s shortsightedness directly as two previously decommissioned grade schools, Smith and Lawndale, were sold to someone without the capacity or capital to keep the properties secure, let alone serving as community assets. The buildings were repeatedly vandalized, set on fire and, in Lawndale’s case, razed, leaving behind only vacant land, unpaid taxes and bitter neighbors.

In 2003, APS and city leaders promised to rebuild Pfeiffer when Kenmore and the rest of Akron taxpayers passed a 0.25% income tax increase, which they did. More promises broken, but it’s a familiar refrain. Mere months ago, community leaders asked that Kenmore High School not be left vacant and were tantalized by the prospect of a STEAM school at the site. Not only is it clear the district had no intentions of bringing a STEAM school to Kenmore, it intends to retreat even further outside of Kenmore. Is this equity? Is this realizing the potential of schools as community anchors?

If APS truly believes in “encouraging kindness in our communities,” it can start with kindness to our communities. For Kenmore, that means a functional Pfeiffer Elementary School and a renovated and reused Kenmore High School building.

Mayor Horrigan has gone on record stating the city will not engage in land swaps until APS has a plan for Kenmore High School. Yet, with 10 months left in his term, APS and its Long Term Operational Task Force have no plan. With a new superintendent on the horizon and a slate of candidates vying for Akron mayorship, we ask this: Will you keep Akron’s promises to its neighborhoods? Because we’re mobilized and paying attention.

Tina Boyes is a candidate for Akron City Council in Ward 9.

On May 29, 1851, in an area of downtown Akron that looked a whole lot more like Kenmore Boulevard than the urban area we know today, Sojourner Truth delivered her iconic speech known as “Ain’t I A Woman?” which challenged the exclusion of women of color from the Women’s Rights Movement. On Friday, Feb. 17, Sojourner Truth Project Committee Chair Towanda Mullins and Education Committee Lead Margaret Maurer will share insight into how our city is honoring this important part of Akron’s history as part of Srina Tea House & Cafe’s Black History Month Celebration.

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, a committee of local Summit County Women raised funds to commission local artist Woodrow Nash to create a statue of Truth. the statue will be located in what will be called Sojourner Truth Plaza, located at the United Way of Summit & Medina Counties office on South Main Street in downtown Akron. This monument will serve as an ongoing opportunity to educate the public on the progress made over the last 100 years and honor the fight for voting rights for all women — especially many women of color who were excluded from voting until the 1960s.

“Sojourner Truth being an abolitionist, suffragist, preacher, we all stand on her truths,” Mullins said. “We are very proud here in Ohio to have this rich history, and we’re simply just trying to honor the past.”

This is a free event will start at 3 p.m. with music, food, tea and drinks with The Sojourner Truth Project presentation starting at 4:30. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

Do you and your partner love music? Have you dreamed of getting married on stage where some of your favorite musicians have performed?

If this sounds like you then you’ll get your chance on Thursday, March 30, 2023, when the Akron Municipal Court partners with Kenmore’s Rialto Theatre to host wedding ceremonies from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. with Judge David Hamilton officiating.

The Akron Municipal Court began offering wedding ceremonies in locations away from the courthouse during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when they were forced to stop hosting weddings inside the courtroom, and in May 2021, as social distancing continued to be a challenge, the court worked to identify outdoor venues throughout its jurisdiction.

That summer, couples were married at the Springfield Lake Gazebo, Hower House and Akron Art Museum.

“It was incredibly well-received, Judge Hamilton said. “We heard such positive feedback from both the couples and the venues [that we] continued the trend of hosting off-site weddings all year long.”

Realizing the changes the pandemic had necessitated were evolving into something positive for couples as well as local businesses and organizations, the court began looking at the many special and unique locations within the City of Akron and its surrounding townships to identify spaces that would give the couples they marry a special experience.

While the court considers practical issues such as parking and location when picking locations to host the ceremonies, the most important factor is whether or not a venue has the potential to become a place where couples can create lifelong memories and return to – especially on their anniversary.

“When we choose wedding venues, we like to think that the venue will instantly become part of the couple’s history.” Judge Hamilton explained. “The Rialto Theatre is so charming and fun and we wanted to find a special venue for March 30, also known as ‘330 Day.’”

Love will certainly be in the air at The Rialto on March 30 and it won’t be the first time vows have been exchanged at the theatre – local musician Dave Barbusci married his wife Elizabeth at The Rialto in 2020.

“If you are getting married you should definitely consider checking out the Rialto [as a venue],” Dave said. “We are glad we did – my wife had the time of her life.”

How can you book your 330 Day wedding at The Rialto Theatre?

Appointments are first-come, first-served and must be scheduled and paid for before the date of the ceremony. Time slots will not be added once all appointments are booked.

Prior to the ceremony, couples must obtain a marriage license from Summit County Probate Court. They then must pay a cash-only ceremony fee at the Akron Municipal Court in the Harold K. Stubbs Justice Center, located at 217 S. High St. in Downtown Akron between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The fee is $25 for those in the court’s jurisdiction, Akron, Fairlawn, Bath, Richfield, Springfield Township, Lakemore and the Summit County portion of Mogadore. There is a $40 fee for those residing outside the jurisdiction.

It is suggested to contact the Akron Municipal Court’s Chief Service Bailiff Patricia Williams at (330) 375-2592 to ensure space is still available before obtaining a marriage license or for any further questions regarding scheduling.

Couples are welcome to invite friends or family to witness the ceremony if they wish, however the court asks that the total number of guests be limited to ten guests or less than ten guests.

More information about Akron Municipal wedding venues can be found at https://www.downtownakron.com/newsitem/akron-municipal-court-announces-wedding-venues-for-january-february-and-march-2023

By Corey Jenkins, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance

For the first time in Kenmore’s recorded history, vinyl aficionados, crate diggers, and lovers of music on physical media have a shopping destination on Kenmore Boulevard.

But Juju Bonz Records – which will celebrate its official grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 18 at noon with an open house, live music, and a ribbon cutting by City of Akron officials – is much more than just a record store. It’s a place for community music makers and creatives to come together to network, make plans, and learn from one another.

In addition to selling new and used records, tapes, CDs and even 8-track tapes, Juju Bonz offers clothing, jewelry, magazines, rock and roll memorabilia and more. Visual artists can also consign their work there.

“Juju Bonz will be whatever the Kenmore community needs it to be beyond just a record store,” co-owner Julia Bentley explained. “Our last shop changed over time. Music and art are alive and can change, and so will this.”

Formerly known as Frankenstein Records, the business is the 16th to find a home in the Kenmore Boulevard business district in the past two years, said Tina Boyes, executive director of Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance. Another, Buzzbin Art & Music Shop, relocated to Kenmore from downtown Canton, where it served as a temporary home for the record store.

Gradually, the record store became a place where musicians and concert goers would hang out and network during COVID-19 when alcohol sales ended at 10 p.m.

“So much of the revitalization of Kenmore Boulevard centers on celebrating and building on our assets,” Boyes said. “Our musicians, our music businesses: those are assets. What’s missing are the additional gathering spaces: welcoming places where art and ideas can be exchanged. Juju Bonz is exactly the right place at the right time.”

The store will serve as a place for musical discovery, whether it’s by sitting on one of their couches and listening to music you’ve never heard or by spending some time in “The Wreck Room” – a DIY recording studio located in the back of the store where artists can experiment with the recording process.

“I want this to be an engaging space for the community to try something they’ve never tried before, whether it’s art or music,” Julia said.

Julia hopes to host alcohol-free or “dry” shows at Juju Bonz to give music lovers of all ages a safe and comfortable place to enjoy live music without alcohol. It’s a fitting use for a building once home to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

“Or, if someone just wants to hang out and play a game or read a book or talk music, this is the space.”

Juju Bonz Records is located at 989 Kenmore Blvd. It is open noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Sunday. Extended hours will be available after Buzzbin and Rialto shows too. For up to date information, visit Juju Bonz on Facebook or buzzbinkenmore.com/juju-bonz-store.

By Tawney Beans, Akron Beacon Journal

JOBS Executive Director Jen Herrick, left, and chef Jen Tidwell, right, help students cook during class, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, in Akron, Ohio. Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal

There are too many cooks in the kitchen.

Nearly a dozen young women bustle about NoHi Pop-Up’s test kitchen, a small space occupied on a Tuesday afternoon in November by House of Tacos. Bell peppers are being diced by some. Others assemble tacos, and a third group fills egg roll wrappers with a jerk chicken, cheese and vegetable medley before deep-frying them into soul rolls, one of the restaurant’s staples.

A new sound perseveres among all the commotion.

Click. Beep. Beep. Beep. Whirr.

It’s a noise that chefs hear in their nightmares – the mechanical drone of another order printing.

Front of house wants 15 tacos, just enough to finish off the jerk chicken, which needs to marinate overnight before more can be cooked off. After pushing out this final order, owner Chanell Cook shuts down the restaurant for the night.

None of the women return to their stations when Cook reopens the following week. The women weren’t on strike, or unhappy with their pay – in fact, they weren’t being paid at all.

They were students on a field trip with Jump On Board for Success (JOBS), a nonprofit program in Kenmore providing young and at-risk mothers with free job skills training and mentorship to help them achieve career-focused employment and self-sufficiency.

Chef Jen Tidwell instructs student JaQuae Blair on how to make tacos during on-site restaurant training in the kitchen at NoHi as part of Jump On Board for Success’ (JOBS) culinary program in Akron. Karen Schiely, Akron Beacon Journal

It takes a village … plus a little more

JOBS has about 30 participants annually, most ages 18 to 24 and living below the poverty line in Summit County. The major obstacles facing these women are a lack of reliable transportation, adequate child care and the welfare system’s benefit cliff, according to JOBS Executive Director Jennifer Herrick.

The benefit cliff drop occurs when someone gets a better-paying job and then loses their government assistance for food, housing or health care before their income makes up for the loss. Often, this leaves them worse off than if they had remained at a lower-paying job or unemployed altogether.

It’s as if they are being punished for making progress, which is a major discouragement for self-improvement, said Herrick.

JOBS offers free child care while students are in class through its partnership with BrightStart Early Preschool and early childhood education program, along with gas cards and bus passes.

Program participants can choose from hands-on courses in culinary arts, early childhood education, business administration, entrepreneurialism and information technology. In these classes, women gain industry skills and credentials such as HTML coding, food preparation or CPR certification that provide an advantage when applying for jobs. Most classes meet weekly, and course lengths range from six to 18 weeks.

A student slices peppers during a cooking class run by Jump On Board for Success in Akron. Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal

Soon after starting class, participants are matched with mentors, many of whom have also been through the program. Mentors provide encouragement and support while helping mentees with life skills such as time management, parenting, budgeting, setting goals and more. Often, the support system fostered between mentors, mentees and other program members creates a sort of found family – another crucial ingredient to their long-term success.

“JOBS is trying to create a village of support for those who don’t come from a family of support,” said Herrick.

A blessing in disguise

One Kenmore resident, Tiffany Gerke, 30, has transitioned from student to mentor to employee within the program since she discovered it in 2019.

In 2018, Gerke lived about an hour west of Akron in Austintown. That summer, her husband was away in rehab for a meth and heroin addiction. During his absence, with the help of her grandparents and in-laws, Tiffany and their two children moved in with her cousins-in-law, Sarah and Ben White of Akron.

At the time, Gerke didn’t know how to form healthy relationships or what a supportive community could look and feel like. That all changed after moving in with the Whites and joining JOBS, she said.

She first encountered Herrick at one of Kenmore’s First Friday events, where the director was selling goodies from that week’s culinary class. At the time, Gerke was a stay-at-home mom and didn’t know much about the culinary arts program. To her, it simply looked like a fun weekly activity where she could cook, receive culinary certificates and bring her kids along. During the first six weeks of the 18-week course, she was in the second trimester of her pregnancy with their third child, so she spent most classes feeling ill and taking breaks to sit. She finished the remaining 12 weeks of the course in spring of 2020 and graduated with a food safety and sanitation state certification. Gerke returned to the organization as a mentor in December 2021 and was recently hired part time as its mentor coordinator.

“It was a blessing that we came to Akron,” she explained. “I feel like literally this is where God wanted us to be… Some people, young moms especially, don’t have a lot of support. (In) this program we try to help them find that and help provide that for them, like love and support. I really appreciate that. I didn’t have any of that before I moved here, so it’s really helped me to build trust, to build bonds and relationships, to know what relationships should look like, like healthy relationships.”

In addition to her new title, Gerke will continue working with her latest mentee, Terah Coleman, 40, of Uniontown.

History of JOBS

JOBS was founded by Karen Lile and initially taught cosmetology to students in First Glance’s teen mom program in 2014. Two years later, Herrick, a former bakery owner with 28 years in the restaurant industry, joined and created the culinary course to teach the mothers how to cook in bulk while on a budget.

Jennifer Herrick, executive director of Jump On Board for Success (JOBS) center, instructs Nina Cameron, left, and Cassandra Collins during an on-site restaurant training in the kitchen at NoHi in Akron. Karen Schiely, Akron Beacon Journal

In 2018, JOBS began collaborating with the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance on a $150,000 grant from nonprofit health coverage provider CareSource, which allowed the culinary program to expand from six weeks to 18 weeks. This arrangement also connected program participants directly to job openings at Kenmore Boulevard businesses such as SRINA Tea house & Café.

Around this time, the program moved to Park United Methodist Church, where all its courses, except for culinary arts, are now conducted. Because a kitchen like that of a restaurant is needed for the culinary course, those classes are held at Goss Memorial Church. By 2020, Herrick was the executive director and within two years the program’s four remaining courses were added. Jenuine Cuisines Culinary Services owner and chef Jen Tidwell took over teaching JOBS’ culinary students in 2022.

Chef Jen Tidwell talks to students during on-site restaurant training in the kitchen at NoHi as part of the Jump On Board for Success (JOBS) program’s culinary program in Akron. Karen Schiely, Akron Beacon Journal

The Educational Foundation of America awarded the organization a $37,500 grant to hire part-time employees and fund marketing and program expansion. One avenue of growth Herrick is considering is to start offering both day and night classes.

This year, the organization plans to host a two-hour real estate seminar to teach participants about the house-buying process. Also, JOBS’ culinary course will once again host 330’s Flavor Throw Down, a “Chopped” style culinary competition fundraiser where two local chefs prepare a mocktail, appetizer, entrée and dessert without knowing what ingredients they will be using until the day of the event. The program’s culinary arts students work as their sous chefs.

How to get involved

Chef Jen Tidwell, right, works with JOBS students during class. Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal

All women who apply to the program are accepted. Applications are available on the JOBS website and Facebook page.

The organization accepts monetary and physical donations but sharing its social media posts and donating one’s time as a mentor are also appreciated. More information on how to donate and the process for becoming a mentor is on the JOBS website.

Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@gannett.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans.