The City of Green has announced its 2026 Green Leadership Initiative Class for 2026, including Dennis Shawhan, Chaplain and Executive Director of Broken Chains Ministry.

The Green Leadership Initiative brings together a group of local business and community leaders who are dedicated to serving the community and the City of Green.

The six-session program will address topics to stimulate a broader understanding of the social, economic, policy and environmental issues impacting the community.

Women’s substance abuse recovery services will be enhanced at Lydia’s Home thanks to a $75,000 matching grant from the Christ Foundation of Hartville.

Lydia’s Home is a Certified Level II Recovery Residence for women located in the City of Green.

“Grant funding directly reduces resident costs, enhances services, and ensures ongoing outreach to women in need,” said Tamela Shawhan, operations director of Lydia’s Home.

"Through the generosity of our donors and the Christ Foundation, women entering the program this year will be able to get started at no cost, allowing them to focus completely on their recovery.”

Wondering how you can help sponsor a woman at Lydia's Home?

Lydia's Home is a Certified Level II Recovery Residence for women located in the City of Green that meets the standards of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR).

This year, your gift of any amount will be matched and will provide vital funding for women in recovery right here in Summit County.

This program is unique. In addition to providing a real, loving home, our staff offers a comprehensive program that includes treatment, relapse prevention, accountability, transportation, family support, and much more.

Learn how your gift makes a difference, and how your gift will be matched up to $75,000.

Have you heard our story? Listen to Dennis, Tamela, Kurt & Renee share the human stories behind our ministry.

Dennis shares the incredible success of the Urbean Cafe workforce development program in equipping former felons for success in work and life, and the ways the program has contributed millions in economic impact and saved taxpayers millions more.

Tamela talks about the love, support, and guidance behind the successful women at Lydia’s Home, and the reasons this faith-centered recovery home in the City of Green is special.

Kurt and Renee share their experiences as Men’s Outreach and Women’s Outreach Coordinators, and the stories of the men and women they meet on the path to recovery.

At the heart of it all is faith. "A faith relationship with Jesus Christ is vital to recovery." ~ Dennis

This year, we are thrilled to announce our first $75,000 matching gift program. Thanks to a generous donor, all donations, including online gifts and corporate sponsorships, will be matched up to $75,000.

This program gives us the opportunity to raise up to $150,000 to benefit Lydia’s Home.

As many of you may know, nonprofit grant programs continue to change. Some of the programs that our ministry has relied upon are no longer available.

This effectively resulted in the loss of $150,000 in grants for the ministry this year.

But, thanks to a generous donor, we have the opportunity to bridge that gap.

With your help, we can do it.

We continue to overcome barriers to recovery and are proud to announce that women can now apply for residency at Lydia's Home via our website via an easy, 3-part process.

Opened in 2017, Lydia's Home is a Certified Level II Recovery Residence for women located in the City of Green that meets the standards of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR).

Lydia’s Home provides a curriculum-based, faith-centered recovery program in a safe home environment that helps women successfully overcome barriers to recovery and independence.

Read this month’s blog to learn more and submit your application today.

You can do this. We can help.

Akron’s Urbean Café has contributed more than $10 million in economic impact to Summit County, provided workforce development for nearly 170 people, and saved Ohio taxpayers more than $5 million in direct costs since 2011.

Launched as a Restorative Justice program, the Urbean Café has been a successful example of real-world workforce development and faith-centered mentoring since its inception.

“The Urbean Café program was designed to help overcome the employment barriers faced by returning citizens,” said Dennis Shawhan, executive director of Broken Chains Ministry.

Located in Akron’s Robert K. Pfaff Metro Transit Center, café employees have a 2% or lower recidivism rate compared to the national average of 43% within one year.

Meet Chuck Baldwin, Urbean Cafe’s General Manager, read his story, and learn more about this unique program in downtown Akron, Ohio.

Thanks to Wayside Furniture in Akron, your donation of up to $100* will be DOUBLED when you drop off your donation in person on Thanksgiving weekend, November 29 through December 2.

Where: Wayside Café, 1367 Canton Rd., Akron, Ohio 44312

When: Saturday, November 29 through Monday, December 2.