How One Resident is Investing in Clark-Fulton
The intersection of Fulton Avenue and St. Rocco is a familiar, well-traveled corner of the Clark-Fulton neighborhood. With Little Footsteps Bilingual Child Enrichment Center, St. Rocco Parish, and Frederick Douglass High School nearby, the bus stop is familiar to many residents. But a damaged bench, overgrown weeds, and scattered trash had left the space neglected. Maria Agosto, who has spent most of her life in the neighborhood, decided to do something about it.
Her roots in Clark-Fulton date back to her grandfather, who came to Cleveland in the 1960s. He lived on Clark Avenue and owned three buildings along the street. Maria grew up with family members living within a few miles of each other throughout the neighborhood. Today, she works as the Communications Specialist for Councilwoman Jasmin Santana’s office, where she talks with residents every day about what they need and what they hope to see in the neighborhood she still calls home. She helps connect them with resources and also helps residents navigate housing challenges. “I’m trying to get people to reinvest in themselves. Trying to revive that in them,” Maria says.
Through her work with Councilwoman Santana and her connection with Building Hope in the City, Maria has found more ways to get neighbors involved in improving their community. One of those is Rally CLE, BHITC’s initiative that provides small grants and planning support to put residents’ own improvement ideas into action. For years, Maria has encouraged people to apply. This year, she put forward an idea of her own: fixing up the bus stop. On September 12, she teamed up with volunteers from Bridge City Church, a congregation right in the neighborhood, to restore the space. They repaired the bench, put a lid on the trash can, fixed broken bricks along the walkway, and restored two Little Free Libraries.
Rally CLE is a one-day event, but it’s part of a much bigger picture. At the bus stop, the work continues long after the volunteers go home. Maria regularly stops to fill the Little Free Libraries, along with several residents. One was painted by local artist Christa Freehands, and the other by Kubra Alhilali, who is an Iraqi American painter. There’s also an old metal newspaper stand that has been unused for quite some time. It’s being turned into a tiny art gallery, with a new piece from a local artist each month. “I’ve really enjoyed bringing formal artists into community projects,” Maria says.
Maria chose a small space for the Rally project on purpose. She wants projects to be manageable enough that people can continue caring for them after the initial work is done. “With smaller spaces, you can keep the weeds trimmed, pick up the trash, and make sure it looks nice,” she explains. “It’s enough work for one person without being overwhelming or burning you out.”
That same approach shapes the way Maria works with residents through Councilwoman Santana’s office. She appreciates that the councilwoman helps her connect directly with the people who can help solve a problem, rather than letting residents get lost in the bureaucracy of city systems. “Jasmin says, ‘This is who you need to talk to,’ and then plugs me right in,” Maria says. “In the end, that’s what gets residents the solutions they need.”
For Maria, the work is personal. Even as a kid, she knew that her neighborhood had challenges. But she also sees plenty of reasons to believe in its future. “There’s still a lot of families, kids, and older folks here,” she says. “It’s affordable, and that’s a big deal.” Maria sees the strengths of the neighborhood, especially for single-parent families, and wants to support them early on. “If we can reach them, teach them, and be a part of their lives, we all win.”
Rally CLE is about more than neighborhood improvement projects. It’s about neighbors recognizing their ability to shape their community and taking steps to make it a better place to call home. Isaiah 58:12 offers a fitting picture of this work, describing those who rebuild as “Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
For Maria, that work looks like showing up, finding a place to start, and helping her neighbors see that their community is worth investing in. BHITC is grateful to come alongside leaders like Maria who keep showing up for their neighbors, and to volunteers from Bridge City Church for helping bring this project to life.
Rally CLE 2026 was made possible thanks to the generosity of Credit First National Association and MetroHealth. We are deeply grateful for their continued dedication to strengthening and renewing our community.
