Credit: James Onysko
Since 1988, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless has aspired to “break the cycle of homelessness in Northeast Ohio.” “We organize and empower homeless and at-risk men, women, and children through public education, advocacy, and the creation of nurturing environments,” reads the description on the organization’s website.

As part of the Lakewood Alive Front Porch Concert Series, the local world music ensemble Drumplay [pictured] and special guest Ray McNiece will play a fundraiser for the organization and specifically for the Cleveland Street Chronicle (formerly Homeless Grapevine), to which the late Daniel Thompson, a regular Drumplay collaborator, contributed poems and for which he raised awareness and funds to sustain the paper.

Admission to the concert, which takes place at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Lakewood Public Library, is free; all CD sales and donations will go to NEOCH.

This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2018.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.