Marc Nathanson is Director of Development for New Life Community, a unique transitional program for homeless and jobless families in the Greater Cleveland area. Marc's role at New Life is to raise money, increase name recognition and get people involved in this amazing center. In addition to the opportunity to implement his professional skills and experience in sales and marketing, Marc is truly inspired and motivated by partici-pating in the process of transforming homeless, jobless individuals into inde-pendent, productive members of the community. “I am so passionate about it because I love what we are doing,” Marc explains. “It's so important to the city of Cleveland and the population we serve.”

New Life Community was founded in 1989 by Tom and Grace Uhle. Located in a renovated school house at East 152nd and Kinsman Road in Cleveland, the facility provides housing and, more importantly, an intensive four-month program that empowers residents with the education and life skills necessary to create financial independence and security for their families. “We provide holistic support for our residents,” Marc tells us. “It is important for each of our residents to walk out as a whole person, because when they walked in here, they had forgotten about this.” The residents attend classes, conduct an extensive job search and, ultimately, begin work at a new job while living in one of the fourteen on-site apartments.

The classes at New Life teach the residents how to secure and maintain a successful job, home and healthy family through job skills, life skills and money management training. In order to remain in the program for the full four months, they must follow New Life's rigid structure. Although the program alleviates a few of life's burdens by providing on-site housing and a before and after school program, it is up to the residents to take control of their lives. “We give them the tools and they do everything else on their own,” Marc clarifies.

The most powerful lesson, however, is learning to love themselves. Each morning at New Life begins with positive self-reflection in a meeting called “Yeah Me.” The staff members and the residents who are not working at a job gather each morning to share something positive that happened in the past twenty- four hours. “It is an amazing way to start your day,” Marc reflects. “Everybody has a 'woe me.' But here, we really preach about blessings. We want the residents to know that they have things to be grateful for.”

Working directly with the residents is personally fulfilling for Marc. “The involvement with the residents is one of the main reasons why I am here.” Marc explains. “I attend the 'Yeah Me' meeting every day which allows me to reflect on the wonderful things in my life.” He continues, “I not only witness, but I am also a part of the transformation that these families go through. I learn from the residents about persistence and courage.”

Two inspiring, magnificent handmade quilts drape the walls of the sun-drenched 'Yeah Me' room. In the first, a women huddles beneath a tree, her face hidden in her arms. In the other, however, she leaps and bounds across the quilt, her arms outstretched, hair billowing behind her. Marc explains, “A local artist, Mary Ann Breisch, made these quilts to depict how our residents feel before and after the program. In the first, the woman's self-esteem is low; her whole body is down. The second shows how our residents feel at the end of the four months here. They get a job and a place to live, and, ultimately, true freedom. We get to be a part of the miracles that happen here.”

In truth, New Life Community generates the miracles, and Marc ensures that these accomplishments do not go unnoticed. For the past two years in his position at New Life, Marc has strived daily to laud the center's outstanding achievements. Marc proudly states, “I have the opportunity to share the fact that one hundred percent of our people found jobs last year, and it took them an average of only eighteen days to find a job. Ninety-five percent of our residents secured permanent housing last year. Plus, our residents left with an average of $1,500 in savings.”

Marc also works to find innovative ways to raise money for the center through private donations. “One of the things that I love about what I do is that I can put my ideas into action immediately,” Marc expresses. “If I want to plan a benefit or a concert to raise money for New Life, I can go out and create a benefit or concert. For a person with a sales and marketing background, this is a dream come true.”

Marc is integral in making other people's dreams come true, too. New Life Community is fortunate to have his devotion, passion and skills. Marc truly loves his job and is proud to share, “I get to do everything I love to do here. I have my heart in a wonderful place, but I also use my business experience. To me, it's the best place in the world to be. Every day I feel blessed and grateful to be here.”

New Life Community gratefully accepts in-kind and monetary contributions. To learn more about the program or to donate, please contact Marc at (216) 751-7301, extension 217, or at mnathans@apk.net.

Each issue of Balanced Living Magazine features a person in love with his or her job. We would like to inspire our readers to live their passion. If you would like to recommend someone for this column, please send your requests to editor@BalancedLivingMag.com.