Philanthropy – volunteers and nonprofits

Adopt A Book Has Given These Teens Passion

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How time has flown!  It was in December of 2011 when Hannah and Alexander (Alex) Laman – with help from their mom, Angela – were eight-year-olds inspired to share their love of reading with children who were less fortunate. They began collecting books from neighbors, community groups, classmates, and family and next thing I learned Adopt A Book, Inc. was registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Now those young kids are teenagers and their organization continues to grow. As of April, 2019, Adopt A Book has collected and Alex and Hannah Laman were 8 when they started the Cincinnati nonprofit, Adopt A Book. They share how this philanthropy has impacted their lives.donated close to 160,000 books. Schools, shelters, and health clinics/hospitals such as Hamilton County HeadStart programs and Healthsource of Ohio health clinic are among some of our most common recipients. Many of the kids who get those books have never been to a library, don’t have access to a library, or have never owned a book of their own.

I thought it’s be a great time to reach out to the Lehman’s to get an update on their work and their passion.

Lisa: You were in the 3rd grade when you began Adopt-A-Book. Where did the idea and inspiration come from?

(Hannah) – Alex and I had heard of schools who were less fortunate and didn’t have access to books or libraries. We had grown up reading and going to the library so we wanted to help other kids share our love of reading.

Lisa: What motivates you to keep working at it, as you are both now teenagers?

(Alex) – We are motivated by the idea that even the smallest thing can make a difference, and we want to continue spreading our love of literacy and learning any way that we can.

Lisa: What has Adopt A Book taught you about philanthropy and giving back?

(Hannah) – It has taught me that giving back is something that you’re never too old to do, and no matter what you’re doing you are still making a difference. It has humbled me as a person and made me much more grateful for all that I have.

Lisa: Do you now see yourself being a lifelong philanthropist? What does that mean to you?

(Alex) – Yes, I don’t think I will ever want to stop giving back to my community. That means putting others before myself, and doing anything that I can to help the community. Sharing the gift of literacy is such an important thing to do, and there will always be a new generation of kids to give it to.

Lisa: What is your favorite book?

(Hannah) – Alex and I have loved to read for almost our entire lives. I am very interested in realistic fiction and horror novels while Alex enjoys nonfiction and historical fiction.

Lisa: Are you involved with any other extracurricular activities at school? And how do you manage your time?

(Angela) – Hannah is a part of the drum line and percussion section in concert band, and she is also involved in student council. Alex runs cross country in the fall, is a part of the academic team in the winter, and is involved in the science bowl and science olympiad teams.

So Much PETential Cincinnati Dog Training by Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, CPBC

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Finding FURever Homes For Dejected Dogs Is Katie’s Heart

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Katie Goodpaster is one of those people whose heart is beyond measure when it comes to dogs. In fact, we had to reschedule our first get together because she had gotten an emergency call from Kentucky about a dog in dire need of immediate medical attention and she had to get it to a veterinarian right away. How fortunate that dog is to have guardian angel like Katie looking after him, and doing all she can to give him a better, fulfilled life.

Katie Goodpaster, a volunteer coordinator for the HART in Cincinnati Animal Rescue, shares her passion for dogsKatie first got involved with the HART of Cincinnati Animal Rescue in 2009, and has since grown her role into a full-time volunteer position as the coordinator for the dog side of the organization. She does this while also attending to her own three dogs and the numerous fosters that have come to stay with them over the years.

HART is an all-volunteer, foster-home based nonprofit, that typically finds forever homes for some 500 to 600 dogs and puppies each year. (By the way, they are always looking for new foster parents. If you are interested, please reach out to HART).

Let’s learn more about Katie.

Lisa:  It is obvious your passion runs deep for this work. Where does that come from?
Katie: Ever since a little kid, I loved animals. It’s funny because we were not a big animal family so I have no idea where that I came from. I think I was probably adopted.

Lisa: I’d love to hear about your first dog.
Katie: When I was 14 we got a golden retriever. I got my very first dog when I was 25 and living in an apartment. Wags was a white shepherd and she was THE best dog. Her owners had ditched her at the vet’s office because they had gotten a puppy and she did not get along with it. As soon as I met her, I fell in love.

Wags was so laid back. I was told I couldn’t have her around other dogs of off-leash because she had horrible recall. Within two months, I had her around other dogs and she did fantastic, no matter the age. She also did have fantastic recall, never chewed anything, and had no accidents in the house. She always wanted to cuddle, and was always there as a quiet presence. Somehow Wags knew if I was upset. She was my traveling companion who would listen to me when I had a bad day at work.

Lisa:  And now you have 3 dogs.
Katie:  I do. Next to Wags, Maverick (my shepherd/mastiff mix) is one of my best dogs. I also have a shih tzu/yorkie mix named Princess and a ten year old jack russell/rat Terrier named Roo. Maverick has taught me so much about patience. He lets our foster puppies lay all over him. They all gravitate toward him, going to him when they are scared. Princess is very loving and bouncy, and wants to constantly lick something. She loves everyone. Roo is great with people but she is getting kind of old and grouchy and wants her space. She is always curled up at my back in bed.

Lisa: What is the most rewarding part of being part of HART?
Katie: Often you get a dog that comes in that is timid, shy, scared and has no idea of what is going on. All he wants to do is cower and hide behind a table, behind Maverick.  As you spend more time with him, and he begins to trust, he blossoms into this fantastic dog that is social, friendly, enjoying life, outside playing and running, and taking treats. Then you adopt him into a home that will love him….that is what this is all about. The most rewarding part of my volunteer work is finding a dejected dog, and watching it learn to trust and blossom, and go to a forever home.

Lisa:  Please share one of your important life lessons.
Katie: When I was 17, my mom was killed in an auto accident and it taught me that life is indeed short. You are never guaranteed to have a tomorrow or even the next couple of minutes, and so we need to do your best to live every day like it is your last one. Do what makes you happy. Eat the foods you want. Stop worrying about the diet or what size you need to fit into, and live life like there is no tomorrow.

So Much PETential Cincinnati Dog Training by Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, CPBC

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Sweet Cheeks Is Megan’s Calling

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Pregnant with her second child, feeling blessed with the path her life had taken her to that point, Megan Fischer was sitting at her work cubicle when she took a quick break to check her Facebook feed. It was that split moment that changed her passion and career forever.

Megan Fischer talks about why she created her Greater Cincinnati nonprofit organization, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, for families in poverty.A random article had caught her attention. It spoke of one of the least talked about obstacles in the path out of poverty for families…the desperate need for diapers. Such a staple for young parents, Megan – like so many of us – just assumed diapers were covered by government assistance…but they aren’t. And, without diapers, kids can’t go to day care which means mom and dad can’t go to work. Kids are not ready for preschool. They are not developing to their fullest potential.

“I was cloth diapering my son and pregnant with my daughter at the time,” Megan remembered. “I couldn’t imagine what those parents must be experiencing, and I know the poverty rate in Cincinnati is astronomical.  What do you do? How do you feel worth as a parent if you can’t provide that basic need for your child? I just sat there and cried.”

She researched diaper banks in our region, only to find none. And then, the soon-to-be mother of two tried to push the topic out of her mind. She was busy enough with her family, a full-time job, part-time jobs, and volunteer work. She was successful at that for about a year.

“Finally, I realized there was not already a diaper bank in Greater Cincinnati because it was supposed to be me,” she said.

Megan had no idea how to go about starting a nonprofit so she went to the Secretary of State website and read about it. She enlisted her friend, Mike, to help with her logo, social media and tagline (among other things). Several other friends stepped up too. And soon the group was launched.

Sweet Cheeks officially incorporated in October, 2015. By April, 2016, their first diapers were out the door. And, in 2017, Megan left her full-time job to be a full-time director of the new nonprofit. These days Sweet Cheeks is distributing some 100,000 diapers through 34 partner agencies.

“Without us, people would keep a diaper for several days, cut out the middle, stuff a diaper with paper towels, or even let their baby go without. And we are only meeting about 13% of the need in Greater Cincinnati. We have a wait list of 36 agencies who need our diapers. We need to continue to grow…and we are,” Megan said.

When I asked Megan about her greatest satisfaction from this work, she told me, “We are helping people and meeting a need that wasn’t met before. And we are able to use diapers as an incentive for other social programs. Just having diapers may not change a life but those diapers are tied to services at other nonprofits that can teach people to be great parents, give them confidence, get them out of poverty. Sometimes our diapers may be the only reason those parents keep coming back to that social service agency. I didn’t have a nonprofit background before this so it is very challenging but I love the strategies behind growing Sweet Cheeks.”

If you’d like to help, Sweet Cheeks is in need of more than 200 hours of volunteer time weekly to get things out the door. They also are always in need of diapers and monetary donations. Because of their buying power, they can purchase two to three times the amount you and I can for the money, so monetary donations are more important. Please reach out to them if you’d like to get involved.

So Much PETential Cincinnati Dog Training by Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, CPBC

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During Rhonda Moore’s Tenure, Pro Seniors Is Nationally Recognized

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After dedicating the past 17 years at the helm of a team of educators and fighters for the rights and quality of life for seniors, Rhonda Moore is preparing for her next chapter – a well deserved retirement. During her tenure, Pro Seniors has grown to become a nationally recognized advocate for older Ohians; and I thought, I couldn’t let her leave without a tribute and thank you to her for tireless leadership.

Rhonda has been honored by the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation with the 2015 Denis J. Murphy Award for her outstanding leadership and As Rhonda Moore prepares for retirement as executive director, read how Pro Seniors, a Cincinnati nonprofit, has grown to better protect the rights of seniors. advocacy for Ohio’s seniors and by the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio with the 2017 Outstanding Professional in Aging Award.

If you are not familiar with Pro Seniors, you should be because all of us at some point in our lives will be impacted by their work. The nonprofit is dedicated to empowering and protecting older people through the myriad of legal issues that come up as we age. It gives free legal advice to anyone 60 or over, and its ombudsman program offers client-focused advocacy to protect the rights of those in long-term term care facilities.

Rhonda and her team have been instrumental in starting and expanding numerous services. In 2001, she partnered with Elder Law of Michigan to offer the Pension Rights Program, which now has two attorneys dedicated to pension rights and to date, has recovered over $49,000,000 in retirement benefits.  In 2014, the Pro Seniors’ hotline was recognized by the Center for Elder Rights Advocacy as the most efficient hotline in the country, and continues as one of the most productive, handling 6,503 clients for just $41.19 a call.  In 2002, Rhonda secured another federal grant to fund Senior Medicare Patrol, a statewide program that teaches seniors how to avoid Medicare fraud and identity theft.

She is a passionate and tireless leader who makes things happen through collaboration and determination.. She brought top leaders in Ohio aging organizations and legal aids to together to collectively strengthen legal services for older adults.  And, during her tenure, Pro Seniors pursued justice in two federal class actions that improved the financial security of Ohio veterans and low-income seniors.

With so many accomplishments, one in particular that makes her smile is the creation of the organization’s annual Seniors who Rock Awards event that highlights three or four honorees each year.. “That came about from seeing the prevalence of how ageism is depicted in the media, usually pretty negative. We wanted to put a spotlight on the good that seniors contribute to society and how many are still very vibrant and active,” Rhonda told me.

“I’ve been very privileged to be a part of Pro Seniors for the last eighteen years and play a role in securing access to justice for Ohio seniors.  My role is a supporting role, however, and it’s really the fine advocates on Pro Seniors’ staff who carry out our mission.  Our lawyers – as well as our ombudsman, SMP advocates and administrative staff – really do change lives,” she said. “Our economy has gone through tough times, We lost a lot of funding while seniors have more needs. I’m proud that we were able to keep our services in place and build other sources of revenue to serve them. We’ve added programs. Done thoughtfully and focused on protecting seniors’ legal rights. We’ve expanded our services and maintained.”

Before joining ProSeniors, Rhonda’s career included 14 years in private practice, first at Frost & Jacobs and then at Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP, concentrating in the areas of estate planning and estate administration.

Christine Buttress, who worked with Moore at Graydon Head and has been a long-time board member at Pro Seniors, spoke about her colleague, “I know Moore as a person of the highest integrity and commitment to her values. She is an established leader in the aging network in Southwestern Ohio and contributes daily to helping seniors resolve their legal and long-term care issues.”

So Much PETential Cincinnati Dog Training by Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, CPBC

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Shay Has A Heart For Animal Underdogs

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Shay Baysore, volunteer social media coordinator for My Furry Valentine, will tell you, she has always been drawn to the underdog, those human and non-human animals who are often overlooked, stigmatized, and expected to fail. She has always believed in their capacity to give, receive, contribute and achieve.

“A soul is a soul,” she told me.

And every soul is deserving of love.

Shay Baysore, social media coordinator for My Furry Valentine in Cincinnati, talks about why she is passionate about dog and cat adoption.That has been Shay’s lifelong passion, ingrained in her as a young child from her father, her role model. A big man with an intimidating presence, he had soft spot when it came to animals. Some of Shay’s earliest memories are of their taking in strays including any injured animal walking by like a three-legged raccoon and abandoned bunny babies.

These days Shay and her husband share their home with five dogs and three cats – all of whom are either seniors or have some sort of difference/disability. Among them are Embry, adopted from My Furry Valentine, who has had to have surgery to narrow her eyelids and has chronic dry eye; Lyo, their Pug who has partial back leg paralysis; and Kylo (pictured with Shay), their puppy mill rescue who is missing a jaw.

With so many pets and so many different issues that require time, patience, and love; being a non-human mom could almost be Shay’s full time job…but it isn’t. She has a busy career as director of digital marketing for Lasik Plus; and donates over 10 hours of her time each week to attract people to My Furry Valentine through social media. She even finds extra time to give to the Clermont Animal Care Humane Society.

If you will be one of the hundreds of people who attend this year’s mega adoption event, you may see Shay and her husband with cameras and their phones, capturing moments for Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Before the doors open, Shay also spends a lot of time reading and getting to know animal tags. Then, as she is talking to attendees, she can help match them with their forever new companion.

“I am always tired when My Furry Valentine is over, but it is SO worth it,” Shay said.

About My Furry Valentine:

Where:  Sharonville Convention Center
When: 
Saturday, February 9th 2019
Early Bird* Hours: 10:00am-Noon
General Admission Hours: 12:00pm-6:00pm

Sunday, February 10th 2019
General Admission Hours: 12:00pm-6:00pm

Main Event Admission:
General Admission Tickets $5 (Children under 5 are free)
*Early Bird Tickets $25 (Children 5 and older only $5 with paying adult)

For more detailed information on My Furry Valentine, including participating dog and cat rescue organization and pets up for adoption, please visit their website.

 

So Much PETential Cincinnati Dog Training by Lisa Desatnik, CPDT-KA, CPBC

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