Mesila Cleveland

A disproportionately large number of people in Cleveland are trapped in the vicious cycle of debt and poverty. This cycle is perpetuated when individuals borrow from banks and free loan funds or appeal for charitable assistance in order to meet their financial obligations. Mesila believes that in many cases, loans and charitable grants are stopgap measures that increase dependency. The only effective way to combat the widespread problems of debt and poverty is to give people the tools to become self-sufficient. And that is exactly what Mesila is doing.
 

Mesila Cleveland Philosophy
Education
• Holding public seminars on the topic of household budgeting
• Developing collateral materials for distribution
• Creating learning tools for use in the classroom
• Teaching newlyweds how to run efficient and financially stable households

Counseling
• Pairing clients with trained counselors who provide hands-on guidance and support
• Implementing the Mesila 3-step plan: Awareness, Change and Maintenance

Guiding Principles
• We help people help themselves.
• We believe in people’s ability to change.
• We do not give up, for we believe that where there is a will, there is a way.
• We uphold uncompromising standards of integrity, transparency and accountability.
• We strive for absolute professionalism and give preference to quality over quantity.
• We help people regardless of affiliation or background.
• We believe that every person can be helped, provided they are willing.
• We do not attempt to influence people’s ideological beliefs and value systems.
• We prefer not to lend or give money to help people solve their financial problems.
• We work to identify and correct all of the factors that caused or contributed to financial difficulties.
• We promote financial management principles and attitudes that are universally relevant, while avoiding specific tips and suggestions.
 

The Family Counseling Program
During the counseling process, clients are guided by their counselors to live with a budget and run their finances in an orderly, sensible fashion. Our goal is to help people achieve financial stability so that they can cope with financial challenges successfully and with dignity. No matter how dire a family's financial situation is, there is always something that can be done to help - whether it is adding sources of income, trimming unnecessary expenditures, negotiating with creditors, or simply teaching the family the basics of budgeting.
 

Call Eli Mandel at 216.378.3431 for more information.