Cleveland Browns football player Jack Conklin; Natalie A. Leek, Providence House President & CEO; Anthony Trem, Cleveland Browns Athletic Trainer; Joe Thomas, former Cleveland Browns Offensive Tackle and Honorary Event Chair; Greg Rush, Senior Vice President, CFO, Cleveland Browns and Chair, Providence House Board of Directors.

Ken and Mary Pat Boyle with Ann and Joseph Dreher

More than 500 people packed the City View Lounge at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 13, for the 27th Annual “Deck the House” event benefiting the children and families of Providence House.
This festive event helped to raise $273,450, in support of Providence House’s mission of keeping children safe and families together, supporting families through crisis, and strengthening communities.
Founded in 1981, Providence House was a safe haven for children whose families were experiencing crisis. It has evolved into a multi-generational family preservation program that embraces the entire family. It has served 14,000 children and families in its 41-year
history.
Providence House keeps children safe by offering free, voluntary (non-custodial) 24/7 emergency shelter to children newborn through age 12

Marimargaret Lucarelli Ries, Jean Vovos, and Marianne Stockett

when their families are experiencing a crisis, and providing for their physical, emotional, developmental, and educational needs. It supports families by connecting them to resources, cultivating nurturing practices, and offering individualized parent education, counseling, case management, and trauma services to help families through crisis and support long-term family stability. Concurrently, it strengthens communities by advocating for underserved families. Providence House collaboratively partners with more than 130 public and private service providers to link families to community support, treatment, and therapies. For more information, visit provhouse.org.
Joe Thomas, former Cleveland Browns Offensive Tackle, and his wife Annie served as Honorary Event Chairs. Newlywed Andrea Vecchio Lentz was Celebrity Emcee. Jack Conklin, current Cleveland Browns Offensive Tackle, received the Ed Block Courage Award. Recipients are community role models who symbolize professionalism, strength, and dedication. With this honor, he’ll serve as an ambassador of courage for victims of abuse, violence, and neglect.
The North Coast Men’s Chorus entertained guests with holiday songs. The group began singing 35 years ago, and has grown into the largest LGBTQ+ arts organization in Northeast Ohio with 100 members. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREA C. TURNER