Smart Development Inc.

The Cuyahoga County Welcome Center is hosting the Welcoming Week Employer Application Event for Immigrant Newcomers in collaboration with Greater Cleveland Works / OhioMeansJobs Cuyahoga County!


Thursday, September 10, 2026
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Cuyahoga County Welcome Center
4261 Fulton Pkwy.
Cleveland, OH 44144

This event will feature employers that have been identified as welcoming to individuals with limited-English. Job seekers will have the opportunity to meet with employers, complete applications and in some cases interview onsite. Employers will feature a variety of opportunities, including full-time, part-time, entry-level, skilled, and professional positions across various wage ranges and schedules. Language support will be available during the event.

Flyers in: English, Arabic, Spanish, Pashto, Swahili

Today is One World Day — a celebration of the cultures, traditions and people from around the world who help make Cleveland the city we are proud to call home. 🌎

We’re excited to share that Smart Development was recently featured by Destination Cleveland in “From Afghanistan to Cleveland,” a beautiful story highlighting Surraya, an Afghan New Clevelander who arrived with her husband and six children in 2024. Smart Development was proud to help connect Destination Cleveland with Surraya and to contribute our perspective on what it truly means for newcomers to find belonging in our city.

As we shared in the article, “Welcome is what happens when you arrive. Belonging is what happens when people begin to recognize that this city is theirs too.”

Surraya’s story reflects what we see every day: newcomers rebuilding their lives, entering the workforce, raising their children, preserving their cultures and becoming part of the fabric and future of Greater Cleveland.

On One World Day, we celebrate Surraya, our international communities and all the cultures that continue to shape Cleveland. ❤️🌎

Read the full Destination Cleveland feature: https://bit.ly/4ce7f2k

From Afghanistan to Cleveland For Surraya and her family, Cleveland became home through neighborhood connections, familiar foods and a city where they could build a future without leaving their Afghan culture behind.

We’ve been busy at Smart Development, and we’re excited to share what we’ve been accomplishing together!

From expanding workforce training and helping families navigate housing, healthcare, employment and public benefits, to distributing more than 47,000 pounds of food in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, our team continues to respond to the needs of families across Greater Cleveland.

This summer, our annual Day of Dignity was one of the highlights. More than 1,200 people joined us in person, and through additional distribution with community partners to reach families unable to attend, more than 1,500 individuals were supported. Together, we distributed more than 6,000 essential items, including backpacks, school supplies, winter jackets and kits, hygiene products, feminine care items, and more.

And our work doesn’t stop there. There is so much happening at Smart Development and even more ahead!

📬 Check out our latest Community Impact Update to see what we’ve been up to and where we’re headed next- Click below!

Thank you to our staff, volunteers, funders, partners, donors, and community members who make this work possible. Together, we’re building stronger pathways to stability and opportunity for families throughout our community.

Smart Development 2026: A Summer of Impact Day of Dignity brought more than 1,200 people together—but it’s only one part of what your support is making possible.

📅 SAVE THE DATE: PALESTINE CULTURE FEST 🇵🇸

Join us on Sunday, September 20, 2026 for a vibrant celebration of Palestinian culture, heritage, art, food, music, and community at North Olmsted Park!

Palestine Culture Fest will bring our community together for an afternoon featuring:

🎨 Palestinian art
🧵 Tatreez
💃 Dabke
🥁 Tabla
🍽️ Traditional Palestinian food
📚 A cultural resistance teach-in
❤️ And more opportunities to celebrate and experience Palestinian culture, heritage, and history.

In the face of ongoing attempts to erase Palestinian history, identity, and culture, celebrating Palestinian culture is an act of resistance. This festival is an opportunity to honor the generations who have carried Palestinian traditions forward and to celebrate the resilience, creativity, and sumud of our people.

This event is hosted in collaboration with the Cleveland Palestine Advocacy Community, Palestinian Youth Movement, and Smart Development, with funding support from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

📅 Sunday, September 20, 2026
📍 North Olmsted Park
28114 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted, OH

More details are coming soon. For now, SAVE THE DATE, share with your family and friends, and get ready to celebrate, honor, and come together in resilience and sumud for Palestine! 🇵🇸❤️

🌟 WHAT AN AMAZING DAY OF DIGNITY 2026!

Our hearts are full after an incredible Day of Dignity! Smart Development was honored to once again partner with Islamic Relief USA to bring this annual day of service, dignity, and community to Northeast Ohio.

More than 1,100 community members were served, with families receiving essential items completely FREE! We distributed 1,000+ of EACH of the following:

🎒 Backpacks
✏️ School supply kits
🩷 Feminine hygiene kits
🪥 Hygiene kits
🧤 Winter kits
🧥 Winter jackets
🥪 halal meal from Hanini Subs

And the impact went even further as additional items continued making their way into the community through volunteers and community partners!

A day of this size truly takes a village. We are incredibly thankful to Islamic Relief USA for selecting us to host Day of Dignity and making it possible by continuing to invest in the dignity and well-being of families in our community.

We also want to give a HUGE thank you to all of the incredible organizations that joined us and provided resources, information, services, and support to attendees:

🤝 Cuyahoga County Welcome Center
🤝 Cleveland Public Library
🤝 College Now
🤝 MJ Morgan
🤝 Asian Services In Action - ASIA
🤝 Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
🤝 Cleveland Clinic
🤝 Cleveland Ibn Sina Clinic
🤝 City of Cleveland Community Relations
🤝 Nurse-Family Partnership

A special thank you to Imani’s Faith for donating additional items for women and to Tradehome Shoes for donating socks to distribute to our families. Every donation helped us reach even more people with items they could use and take home that day.

Most importantly, THANK YOU to our phenomenal volunteers! From setting up and moving hundreds of boxes to greeting families, interpreting, keeping tables stocked, distributing items, managing lines, and cleaning up—you showed up with patience, kindness, energy, and the best spirits. This event could not have happened without you.

We’re so thankful to Ward 11 Councilwoman Nikki Hudson and Council Member Tanmay Shah for coming by and being apart of this day, talking to attendees, volunteers, and jumping in to distribute items! We are so thankful for your leadership!

Day of Dignity is about so much more than giving away supplies. It is about bringing people together, connecting families to resources, and making sure our neighbors know they are valued, welcomed, and supported.

Alhamdulillah for an incredible day and an incredible community. 💙 We cannot wait to do it again!

🎉 DAY OF DIGNITY 2026 — WE’RE ALMOST READY! 🎉

We’re setting up and getting everything ready for our BIG DAY tomorrow! Here’s a little sneak peek 👀 of some of the items waiting for our community!

📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
📍 Cuyahoga County Welcome Center
4261 Fulton Pkwy, Cleveland, OH 44144

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Islamic Relief USA and our community partners, we have thousands of FREE items ready to distribute, including:

🎒 Backpacks & school supplies
🧥 Winter coats
🧤 Winter care kits
🪥 Hygiene kits
🩷 Feminine hygiene products
➕ And many more essential items!

❤️ IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

We are anticipating a VERY large turnout tomorrow. Please be patient and kind with our staff, volunteers, and one another while waiting in line. We have enough free items for everyone! There is no need to rush or push. Please be mindful of others and help us keep the line safe and organized.

👧🏽👦🏻 Children MUST be present with their family to receive items designated for them.

🎒 If children are not present, an adult may receive a maximum of TWO school backpacks with school supplies.

We cannot wait to welcome everyone tomorrow! Take a look at this SNEAK PEEK of what we’ve been preparing! 👀🎒🧥🧸



🎉 يوم الكرامة 2026 — أوشكنا على الانتهاء من الاستعدادات! 🎉

نقوم الآن بالتجهيز والتحضير ليومنا الكبير غداً! وإليكم نظرة سريعة 👀 على بعض المستلزمات التي قمنا بتجهيزها لأفراد مجتمعنا!

📅 السبت، 22 أغسطس 2026
⏰ من الساعة 12:00 ظهراً حتى 2:30 بعد الظهر
📍 مركز الترحيب بمقاطعة كاياهوغا
4261 Fulton Pkwy, Cleveland, OH 44144

بفضل الدعم السخي من Islamic Relief USA وشركائنا في المجتمع، لدينا آلاف المستلزمات المجانية الجاهزة للتوزيع، ومنها:

🎒 حقائب مدرسية ومستلزمات دراسية
🧥 معاطف شتوية
🧤 مستلزمات للعناية في فصل الشتاء
🪥 مستلزمات النظافة الشخصية
🩷 مستلزمات النظافة النسائية
🧸 ألعاب للأطفال
➕ والعديد من المستلزمات الأساسية الأخرى!

❤️ تذكيرات مهمة:

نتوقع حضور عدد كبير جداً من العائلات غداً، لذلك نرجو من الجميع التحلي بالصبر والتعاون مع موظفينا والمتطوعين ومع بعضكم البعض أثناء الانتظار في الطابور. لدينا ما يكفي من المستلزمات المجانية للجميع! لا داعي للاستعجال أو التدافع. نرجو احترام الآخرين ومساعدتنا في الحفاظ على طابور آمن ومنظم.

👧🏽👦🏻 يجب أن يكون الأطفال حاضرين مع عائلاتهم للحصول على المستلزمات المخصصة لهم.

🎒 في حال عدم حضور الأطفال، يمكن للشخص البالغ الحصول على حقيبتين مدرسيتين كحد أقصى مع المستلزمات الدراسية.

نتطلع لرؤيتكم واستقبالكم جميعاً غداً! ❤️

شاهدوا هذه النظرة السريعة 👀 على بعض ما قمنا بتجهيزه لكم! 🎒🧥🧸

🩺💙 FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS AT DAY OF DIGNITY!

We are excited to welcome two incredible healthcare partners to Smart Development’s Day of Dignity this Saturday, August 22!

🩺 Cleveland Ibn Sina Clinic will be providing FREE on-site health screenings during the event, helping community members check in on their health and connect with accessible care.

🎗️ Cleveland Clinic will also be on-site helping individuals register for FREE cancer screenings, including lung, colon/colorectal, prostate, and other cancer screenings, as well as mammograms!

Preventive care and early detection can save lives, and we are incredibly grateful to Cleveland Ibn Sina Clinic and Cleveland Clinic for partnering with us to bring these important health resources directly to our community. ❤️

📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM–2:30 PM, or while supplies last
📍 Cuyahoga County Welcome Center
4261 Fulton Pkwy, Cleveland, OH 44144

Join us for Day of Dignity to receive essential items, connect with community resources, and take advantage of these FREE health opportunities!

ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

🩺💙 فحوصات وخدمات صحية مجانية في يوم الكرامة!

يسعدنا أن نرحب بشريكين مميزين في مجال الرعاية الصحية خلال فعالية يوم الكرامة التي تنظمها Smart Development يوم السبت 22 أغسطس!

🩺 ستقدم عيادة كليفلاند ابن سينا (Cleveland Ibn Sina Clinic) فحوصات صحية مجانية في موقع الفعالية، لمساعدة أفراد المجتمع على الاطمئنان على صحتهم والاستفادة من خدمات الرعاية الصحية.

🎗️ كما سيتواجد فريق Cleveland Clinic لمساعدة الأفراد على التسجيل لإجراء فحوصات مجانية للكشف عن السرطان، بما في ذلك سرطان الرئة، وسرطان القولون والمستقيم، وسرطان البروستاتا، وغيرها من الفحوصات، بالإضافة إلى تصوير الثدي (الماموغرام)!

الفحوصات الوقائية والكشف المبكر يمكن أن ينقذا الأرواح، ونحن ممتنون جدًا لعيادة كليفلاند ابن سينا وCleveland Clinic على شراكتهما معنا والمساعدة في توفير هذه الخدمات الصحية المهمة مباشرةً لأفراد مجتمعنا. ❤️

📅 السبت 22 أغسطس 2026
⏰ من الساعة 12:00 ظهرًا حتى 2:30 ظهرًا، أو حتى نفاد الكمية
📍 Cuyahoga County Welcome Center
4261 Fulton Pkwy, Cleveland, OH 44144

انضموا إلينا في يوم الكرامة للحصول على المستلزمات الأساسية، والتواصل مع الجهات المجتمعية، والاستفادة من هذه الخدمات الصحية المجانية!

A huge thank you to our incredible community partner, Tradehome Shoes Westlake, OH for supporting Smart Development’s Day of Dignity 2026 through their generous sock donation! 🧦💙

What makes this partnership even more special is how Tradehome Shoes gets its customers directly involved in giving back. Through their Century sock Give Back Program, for every pair of Century-branded socks purchased, another pair is donated to a local community cause.

Right now, that cause is Day of Dignity! ❤️

Customers at the Westlake store can actually take the pair being donated and send it down the donation chute into the Day of Dignity collection bin, making giving back a fun and meaningful part of their shopping experience. The Tradehome Shoes team has also been spreading the word to customers and encouraging the community to help fill the bin with as many socks as possible!

We are so grateful to Tradehome Shoes – Westlake, their team, and every customer who purchased Century socks and helped contribute a pair to our families. Partnerships like this show how local businesses and community members can come together in simple but powerful ways to make a difference.

Thank you for choosing Day of Dignity and for investing in our community! 🧦🤝💙

📣 REMINDER: DAY OF DIGNITY 2026 IS THIS SATURDAY!

Smart Development is excited to welcome our community to Day of Dignity 2026: End of Summer Giving Day! 💙

📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
📍 Cuyahoga County Welcome Center

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Islamic Relief USA and our community partners, we will be distributing thousands of FREE essential items to families, including:

🎒 Nearly 1,000 backpacks
✏️ Nearly 1,200 school supply kits
🧤 Nearly 1,200 winter care kits
🪥 Nearly 1,200 hygiene kits
🩷 650+ feminine hygiene kits
🧥 1,400+ winter coats
🧸 750+ toys
➕ Additional essential items while supplies last!

But Day of Dignity is about more than distribution. Families will also be able to connect directly with community partners offering employment opportunities, healthcare services, education resources, public benefits assistance, workforce support, and more.

🤝 Confirmed partners include Cuyahoga Job and Family Services, MJ Morgan Group, College Now Greater Cleveland, Neighborhood Family Practice, and others!

This event is FREE and OPEN TO ALL. No registration is required.

Please share with your family, friends, neighbors, and anyone who could benefit. We look forward to welcoming our community this Saturday! 💙

*FREE FRESH PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION!*

in partnership with West Cleveland Muslim Association (WCMA) and Smart Development, we are excited to offer free fresh produce to our community!

🗓 Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
📍 Location: 1255 Columbia Road, Westlake, OH 44145
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
🪪 Please bring a photo ID
📝 On-site registration

📩 To volunteer: email [email protected]

Let’s work together to support healthy homes and a healthier community!

In the spirit of community and compassion, this event is open to everyone from any community!