Cleveland, OH
Free clinic appreciation month
CLEVELAND — There are more than half a million people in Ohio who do not have health insurance.
Ohio has 59 free and charitable clinics and pharmacies that provide essential care for the uninsured. They’re supported by the Charitable Healthcare Network, and this month, CHN is celebrating the care they provide to patients in 86 of the state’s 88 counties.
Salaam Clinic is one of several clinics in Cleveland. They see hundreds of patients a year. Shafeeq Sabir is one of those patients.
“The opportunity is there for me to see a doctor, a physician, without having to worry about a cost factor,” said Sabir.
Sabir has insurance but said he has a copay, and he’s on a fixed income. Salaam Clinic takes in uninsured, underinsured and those who cannot afford care.
“Sometimes I can’t afford the copay, so I would prefer to come here for an exam before I go and see my primary physician,” said Sabir.
Salaam Clinic is part of the Charitable Healthcare Network. The network is celebrating Free Clinic Appreciation Month this December.
The network is Ohio’s statewide system that supports free and charitable clinics. Jason Koma is CHN’s Executive Director. He said the network’s 59 clinics provide high-quality health care to those who need it.
“We are the backbone of the safety net of health care in the state of Ohio,” said Koma.
More than 60,000 patients were seen at one of the network’s facilities from Jan. to Sept. 2025. In 2024, the clinics saw nearly 80,000 patients.
The network’s clinics offer a wide range of services including primary care, specialty, dental, vision, behavioral health, social services, pharmacy, education, prescriptions, tests and insurance enrollment. In 2024, CHN’s clinics provided $224 million worth of services to patients all over the state. The network is supported by funds from the Ohio Department of Health and the state budget.
The Ohio Department of Health said this in a statement.
“Free clinics are an integral part of the healthcare system in Ohio, which is why the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) financially supports healthcare services to patients who lack the funds or insurance coverage to pay for vital health services.
ODH support comes through the Uninsured Care Fund, a general revenue fund line item used to support free and charitable clinics providing medical and dental care at free or reduced costs to uninsured and underinsured Ohioans. These funds pay for primary healthcare services to any uninsured person who gets healthcare services at a free clinic in Ohio.”
Every fiscal year, CHN gets $1.75 million to support the individual clinics around the state.
Salaam Clinic receives funding from several sources, including CHN. Dr. Syed Shoaib Shah is the CEO of the Salaam Clinic.
“Year over year it takes about $230,000 to run the clinic,” said Shah. “We have a part time nurse practitioner on staff as well as an administrative assistant and then includes all the supplies, all that lets us run all the mobile clinics, all the pop-up clinics that we do around the city.”
However, the clinic doesn’t always get the full amount, and the clinic is looking at other options, including private donations.
“Without the Charitable Healthcare Network in our clinics, these folks would have nowhere else to go,” said Koma. “Probably ending up in the emergency room and getting sicker and sicker and sicker.”
According to UnitedHealthcare, the average emergency room visit costs $1700, but the cost depends on the services and care provided. Shah said clinics can be the first stop to getting healthy.
“We make sure every patient leaves with a roadmap and they know where they’re going, what they’re doing, and they have the referrals and check,” said Shah.
Shah said clinics like his are saving lives. He said that even though they are seeing more patients and expect to see even more patients; he wants the community to know the clinic is here for them.
“Hospitals are closing their outpatient centers because they can’t afford the care that they’re giving to the uninsured population,” said Shah.
In 2024, Salaam Clinic saw around 700 patients. This year, the number doubled to nearly 1400 patients seen. With rising healthcare costs, Shah said the number will continue to rise, but they are happy to serve the community.
“We expect to see more patients that are underinsured and uninsured, but they cannot afford care,” said Shah.
Sabir said he’s grateful for Salaam Clinic and he tells everyone he knows about the clinic.
“An opportunity of this service and that really has just gives me a better feeling consciously in my thinking and in my health, and I just feel much, much better about my life,” said Sabir.
To become a patient of Salaam Clinic, first call them at (216) 243-7924. From there, the staff will recommend next steps and provide resources. If you would like to visit the clinic, appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.
Saleem Clinic in Midtown, at 7401 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103, is open on Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Their Solon location at Chagrin Valley Islamic Center at 6909 Liberty Rd. is open every last Friday of the month, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. They also do pop-up and mobile clinics.
Salaam Clinic has a multilingual staff who speak French, Arabic, Swahili, South Asian languages, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi.
Salaam Clinic, along with the other clinics in the network, are nonprofit clinics with paid and volunteer employees.
The clinics accept monetary donations, and for every dollar donated to the Charitable Healthcare Network, it provides $13 worth of healthcare.
We’re closing out another year as a species here, and it’s one last chance to send a thought to someone before we start the new calendar. Today’s cards all come from around 1910 (give or take a year or two) and, as with our recent Christmas card offerings, we did hold back a few that were definitely from the New-Year’s-time of their year, but maybe not quite as jolly in the sentiment. We do have a lot of embossed cards, which are personal faves, here in the archives.
Card Front: A very wintery-looking bell tower where the numbers on the clock have been replaced with “Happy New Year” and (potentially) a Freemason’s symbol in the center. A holly branch is over the top of the picture, and the border is gold and lightly embossed.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Marie
New Year Greetings (ca 1907)Postmark: DEC 23 1907 5PMCard Front: A girl crouched down next to and looking at another girl standing on a fancy chair, looking at herself in the mirror (reflecting on the previous year?)
Card Back:
Written Text:
Dear Friend, I wish you and Mother and Sister a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Shall give a friend of ours a letter of introduction. Mrs. E Simmons
A Happy New Year (ca 1900s)Postmark: (Not Mailed / Likely Hand Delivered)Card Front: “A Happy New Year” in stylized text across the top, some holly with an inset of an older photo postcard over it with the text “CLEVELAND,O. Public Square” written on the inset card.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Dear Mamma, May all the good things come to you in the New Year just coming. Gay.
Wishing You a Happy New Year (ca 1908)Postmark: DEC 31 1908 1PMCard Front: A depiction of the handoff of old year to new, from Father Time to baby New Year. The text “Wishing you a happy New Year” is written in gold cursive at the top, and a giant block with “January 1” is in the bottom center so that there can be no confusion.
Card Back:
Written Text:
A Happy New Year to all. From Lydia.
To Wish You a Happy New Year (ca 1908)Postmark: DEC 26 1910 11PMCard Front: A holiday-styled book, opened to the middle with ribbon to mark the page, with a painting of a house by some water in the winter on the left, and “To Wish you a Happy New Year” written on the right page; some holly underneath on the right.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Dear Agnes, we received the postals, and certainly were delighted to hear from you all. I often spoke about you, but did not know your address. Wishing you a Happy New Year and hoping to hear from you often. I remain your friend, Julia
A Happy New Year (ca 1909)Postmark: DEC 30 1909 2:30PMCard Front: a border of lumpy snow, with the text “A Happy New Year” written in icy/snowy-style lettering across the top, with a mill near a creek in the winter.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Happy New Year to you and all the folks. Pearl
Pearl says it best here: Happy New Year to you and everyone out there. May 2026 bring us all the good news fit to report on the rest of the site, we’ll still be here in the Archives looking for new concepts!
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Police First District Detective Bureau is investigating a shooting that left a 24-year-old man hospitalized Friday evening.
According to the Cleveland Police, at around 10:20 p.m., officers responded to the 4100 block of Brookside Boulevard for reports of a man shot.
When officers arrived, they found a 24-year-old man with a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. Cleveland EMS arrived shortly after and took him to a local hospital.
Police told 19 News that there are no arrests at this time and the shooting remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers NBA matchup.
There are nine games of NBA action tipping off across today’s Saturday slate. Tipping off at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Houston Rockets will host the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This marks the second matchup between these two cross-conference opponents this season. The Rockets picked up a 114-104 victory back on November 19th, with this matchup taking place in Cleveland. Tonight’s game will take place in Houston, with the Rockets looking to build off their momentum from their Christmas Day victory over the Lakers.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Rockets enter as 3.5-point favorites and hold -175 Moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cavaliers hold +145 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 233.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Saturday night matchup.
Rockets vs. Cavaliers prediction, preview
The Houston Rockets are off to an 18-10 start to the season and sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. Their 119-96 win over the Lakers on Christmas Day was a lift in momentum after they had dropped four of their previous five games. Houston is 16-12 against the spread this season and the over is 17-10-1 on the year.
Kevin Durant headlines the scoring production with 25.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Alperen Sengun has taken an impressive leap forward in his development this season, averaging 22.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists. Sengun is listed as questionable for the matchup with calf soreness. Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason have each shown encouraging strides in their development. Dorian Finney-Smith also made his return to the court in the previous game and will serve as a veteran presence in the Rockets’ rotation. While there seems to be some growing optimism that he could return before the season is over, Fred VanVleet remains sidelined with the torn ACL he suffered in the summer.
As a team, Houston is scoring 120.5 points per game, which ranks third in the NBA. The Rockets are producing the second-best offensive rating, rank fourth in field goal percentage, second in three-point percentage, and pull in the most rebounds per game. Defensively, opponents are scoring 112.1 points per game against them. This also marks the third-best rate, although they rank 11th in defensive rating, 11th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage. Houston plays at the second-slowest pace in the league.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hold a 17-15 record on the season, which slots them at seventh place in the Eastern Conference. They suffered a 126-124 loss to the Knicks on Christmas in which Cleveland led for 74% of the matchup but blew a 17-point lead. Cleveland is an NBA-worst 10-22 against the spread this season and the over/under is 16-16 in matchups they have played this year.
Donovan Mitchell headlines the production for the Cavaliers, averaging 30.7 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game. Evan Mobley pitches in 18.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while Jarrett Allen adds 13.6 points and 7.6 boards of his own. Darius Garland has battled injury issues this year, but is listed as probable and expected to play his 17th game of the season. The two-time All-Star is posting averages of 17.3 points and 7.1 assists when he has been on the floor. Jaylon Tyson has shown some encouraging growth in his development, while Dean Wade, Lonzo Ball, Sam Merrill, and Craig Porter Jr. round out most of their notable rotation. Larry Nance Jr. and Max Strus remain sidelined with their respective injuries.
Cleveland is scoring 120.2 points per game, which ranks seventh in the NBA. The Cavaliers rank ninth in offensive rating, 19th in field goal percentage, 21st in three-point percentage, ninth in assists per game, and seventh in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring 117.8 points per game against the Cavaliers, which ranks 21st in the league. Cleveland ranks 16th in defensive rating, 14th in opponent field goal percentage, 26th in opponent three-point percentage, and 20th in opponent rebounds allowed.
Rockets vs. Cavaliers pick, best bet
Panic mode is beginning to kick in surrounding the Cavaliers. Coming off a season in which they led the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record last year, Cleveland has not looked nearly as dangerous and nearly matched last year’s losses already. Most concerningly, Garland and Mitchell’s skillsets have not complimented each other, and Cleveland has regularly been dominated on the boards despite leaning on a double big lineup with Mobley and Allen at a regular rate.
This will be especially problematic against this Rockets team, who attack the glass with ferocity and will have the athletic advantage. The Rockets out-rebounded the Cavaliers 51-39 in the first matchup, and Houston leads the NBA with an average of 48.7 boards per game.
There is a level of toughness the Rockets possess that the Cavaliers will struggle to match. Houston also has a more defined identity, while Cleveland seems to still be attempting to find its own. Donovan Mitchell has put forth some heroic stat lines, but too often, he has failed to get the necessary help around him.
You can critique some of Houston’s crunch-time offense, but this is not an issue that should be expected in this matchup. I am backing the Rockets to put this game away early and push the margin of victory well beyond the 3.5-point spread. The Cavaliers are posting an NBA-worst 10-22 record against the spread this season, including failing to cover in six of their last eight.
While the final score finished 114-104 in the first matchup, Houston led by as many as 22 points in the second half. A late push by Cleveland made the score closer than the game really was. I am backing the Rockets to cover the 3.5-spread, but give some consideration to some alternate spreads such as Rockets -7.5 at +150 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rockets are the more talented, tougher, and more polished team. Expect them to have full control of this matchup and produce a convincing victory tonight.
Best Bet: Rockets -3.5 (-115)
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