Lisa Desatnik
CISE Fund Kicks-Off Fundraising Campaign For Cincinnati Kids
In Cincinnati’s urban core, there are 1,650 youth attending eight Catholic elementary schools supported by the Catholic Inner-City Schools Education Fund (CISE). Ninety five percent of those students live below the poverty level and seventy-five percent are not Catholic.
Generous donors and volunteers make that all possible.
As supporters gathered recently to kick-off CISE’s 2013 Fundraising Campaign, they joined together with a large goal in mind. CISE must raise $2.5 million annually to provide the needed support to eight Catholic urban elementary schools in Cincinnati.
University of Cincinnati Men’s Basketball Coach Mick Cronin had this to say to CISE’s Young Executives volunteers: “We are all busy, but you can’t make a difference if you walk by and look the other way. By helping raise funds to keep the CISE schools open, there is no question you are making a difference and changing the lives of the children in these schools.”
The CISE Young Executives are a dedicated team of young business leaders, led by Co-Chairs Eric Schuermann and Matt Champa, who call on local businesses, individuals and foundations to raise funds and awareness for CISE. Since their inception in 1999, they have raised over $8.5 million to benefit the CISE schools and their students.
University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono was the keynote speaker at the CISE main kick-off event where 
Jennifer Drennan was honored as with the CISE Distinguished Educator Award. Drennan, a pre-school teacher at Holy Family, shared why her job matters, “My students know that I love and care about each one of them and will treat them with respect. In turn, they learn to treat others with kindness and consideration.”
The schools supported by CISE are St. Boniface in Northside, Corryville Catholic, St. Francis Seraph in Over-the-Rhine, St. Francis de Sales in East Walnut Hills, Holy Family in Price Hill, St. Joseph in the West End, St. Lawrence in Price Hill and Resurrection in Price Hill.
To learn more about CISE and how you can help, please visit www.CISEfund.org.
PARACHUTE CASA Is Voice And Advocate For Abused Kids
They were born with pure innocence and a big world to explore. Without choice they are neglected and abused, sometimes brutally. Their trust shattered by those who should be their greatest protectors.
I’m talking about the hundreds, possibly even thousands of young children who – by no fault of their own – are placed into the juvenile court system in our region alone. The national statistics are staggering.
No child should ever have to endure such unthinkable experiences. National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (CASA) volunteers are their voice and their advocates. They are adults who care, giving young people hope in a world that has failed them.
In Butler County, nonprofit Parachute CASA has helped more than 1,600 abused, neglected or abandoned children find safe and permanent homes by recruiting, training and supervising 434 community members to serve Butler County Juvenile Court as Court Appointed Special Advocate Volunteers. CASA volunteers have attended 5,223 court hearings to speak up for the best interest of local abused and neglected children.
PARACHUTE volunteers are trained to investigate a child’s circumstances by interviewing any and all parties relating to the child, i.e. parents, relatives, school personnel, case workers, attorneys, medical people, the child; and thereby provide information to the court to expedite safe, stable and permanent placement. The PARACHUTE volunteer assigned to the child plays a very critical and unique role: the volunteer becomes the child’s voice in court, speaking exclusively for the best interests of the child. The volunteer’s goal is a safe, permanent, loving home for that child in the shortest possible time.
Chris Schultz, executive director of PARACHUTE CASA, told me they have about 80 volunteers currently working with about 200 children. However there are about 500 kids in need of a volunteer so the need for volunteers and funding is great!
You can help by giving of your time. You can also help to support their work by participating in their upcoming 5K Walk/Run at the Voice of America Park in West Chester. Pre-registration cost is $25 (if registered by October 5) and $28 if registering after that including day of. It all begins at 9:00 am on October 12.
For more information and to register, please visit the PARACHUTE CASA website or call them at Telephone: (513) 867-5010.
Watch Peace One Day – LIVE, here – September 21, 2013
September 21, 2013 is Peace One Day, the loudest call for peace the world has ever seen with a 24 hour broadcast. Children’s International Summer Village is a partner organization. I am an alumni of CISIV, having participated in interchange when I was 11 and 12 years old; and was later involved in AFS during my high school. This is a wonderful and very important effort. Please check back on September 21 to view the broadcast. There will be actors, musicians, and opinion makers from around the globe.
Cincinnati Youth Collaborative To Honor Diplomas & Dreams
On October 10, the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative (CYC) will pay homage to young examples of perseverance and achievements, and the important role of caring adults in their lives, at its 10th annual Dream Makers Celebration: “Diplomas & Dreams” fundraiser.
Chloe Nared
Chloe Nared, a senior at Finneytown High School, and Shannon Chambers, a senior at Aiken College and Career, will each be receiving a $1,000 scholarship from the Cincinnati Bar Association Young Lawyers section. Against huge obstacles they have pushed their boundaries and found their own success.
Unlike so many of her classmates, Chloe didn’t know about stability growing up. With a mother who was unable to provide for her and a father who could not raise her, the little girl acted out – but only as a cry for help. She skipped school, got suspended, had poor grades and was influenced by negative peer pressure.
It was when her aunt saw Chloe’s potential, gained full guardianship and moved the young girl to Finneytown that Chloe’s life turned around. In a short time, the troubled teen has already learned what it is like to be on the A-Honor Roll.
In CCA, she has been the key source of motivating and connecting her peers. In her classroom, she has worked closely with speakers and helped organize career development meetings. On her school’s campus, she has played a key role in organizing social awareness projects and events. When one of her classmates lost her mother, Chloe took it upon herself to hold a collection.
And as for school, that suspended trouble maker is now a top student and has interned in an occupational therapy office, a career path she is now determined to see in her future.
Shannon Chambers
Shannon took it upon himself to ask if he could live with a friend’s family so that he could make it to school on time; and now this young man of wisdom and integrity is third in his class with a 4.017 GPA. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the National Society for Black Engineers, and the leadership team of the Science Club; an officer of Men, Organized, Respectful and Educated; and captain of the wrestling, football and track teams. And, whenever he can, he gives back through community service.
Without any other mode of transportation, he walked from Finneytown to Western Hills so that he could turn in his essay to become a GE Scholars Program finalist (and he was accepted!). Shannon also won a $5,000 Straight A Scholarship from the Anthony Munoz Foundation.
His classmates look up to him as an inspiration and role model. It is easy to see why.
The CYC Dream Makers Celebration: “Diplomas & Dreams” will be held at The Phoenix, 812 Race Street. The keynote speaker will be Jimmy Wayne – a musician and entertainer who is a passionate advocate for vulnerable youth.
It will benefit CYC mentoring, college readiness and success, dropout prevention and career preparation services for students in Cincinnati Public Schools and four other public school districts.
For more information, please contact Jackie Estes at jestes@cycyouth.or or call 513.363.5253. Visit www.cycyouth.org to purchase your Celebration tickets.
Kindness Keeps Coming Back
