Founded in 2022 by Lauren Johnson, Friends of The Village has a strong desire to assist in empowering others, which fuels our passion for creating programs and initiatives that open pathways for residents to access resources and enhance skills. We believe quality of life is improved at a personal level, which in turn, strengthens the entire community and benefits society. We are actively working to achieve these goals throughout the Lee-Seville neighborhood, of course, with a specific focus in the area still referred to as Miles Heights, and affectionately known to its residents as "The Village". 

In 2024, we hosted over 5,000 people via numerous community engagement events and outreach initiatives, largely stemming from the formation of our private online group, which serves as a platform for the voices of over 400 fully involved citizen stakeholders to collaborate and to be heard. We are actively building on the momentum of this organic grass roots movement to propel our Cleveland neighborhood and its residents forward into a future of self-empowerment  and economic prosperity.