Joseph House serves newcomers being resettled in the Cleveland area and local residents who are in need. We provide essential items including weather appropriate clothing to newcomers being assisted by Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services (MRS).  The other two resettlement agencies in Greater Cleveland — US Together and U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) — also bring newcomer clients to the Joseph House Clothing Bank.

In addition to the newcomer community, we also provide services to our neighbors in Cleveland. At Joseph House, no one is turned away. The St. Clair/Superior neighborhood where we are located continues to struggle, like so many inner-city communities. Approximately 79% of residents are African American, 13% are White, and 5% are Hispanic. The poverty rate in this neighborhood is about 50%.  In recent years, more than 25 different social service and community assistance programs have referred clients to the Joseph House Clothing Bank, including various schools and parishes, The Centers for Families and Children, University Hospitals Rainbow Connects Program, and the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Patient Navigator Program. In 2025, the Joseph House Clothing Bank served over 3,000 people in need.