Donation
People Working Cooperatively & Home Depot Repair Homes For Veterans
There are heroes all around us. Willa is one of them. At 80, she can look back at her life with great pride. In 1951, Willa was one of the few trailblazing African American women to enter the military and she valiantly served three tours of duty as a medic both stateside and abroad in the Women’s Army Corps.
Passing by her house – the place that has been the center of her life since returning to civilian living – one would never know what greatness resided within. Today, like so many other military veterans, she has permanent health and mobility issues….and a home in need of repair.
People Working Cooperatively (PWC) and The Home Depot Foundation have joined forces to make an impact. Yesterday, after an announcement of a $155,000 donation by Home Depot to PWC, over 225 local store associates set off to repair and renovate the homes of 15 local veterans – including Willa – who wouldn’t be able to afford those expenses on their own.
For The Home Depot Foundation, this is part of its second annual ‘Celebration of Service Campaign’ where employees across the country repair 100 homes. For PWC, the Campaign marks a new attention focus on the needs of veterans.
“When I joined PWC as an employee, I looked at our waiting list for mobility modifications. There were 58 veterans on the list. I wanted to come up with funding to remove their names,” said Ron Heinlein, a former Home Depot district manager who became PWC’s director of corporate and community partnerships.
And, if you know Ron, the way I do, you know he can get it done. The $155,000 check from Home Depot will cover the renovation costs for those 58 names but the list just keeps growing.
So, with a huge kick-off planned, PWC will have a new ‘Ramp It Up For Veterans Campaign’ running September 11 through Veteran’s Day (November 11), 2012. Donors will be able to text a number and contribute $10 toward PWC’s important work.
If you would like to donate it advance, please visit the PWC website at this link.
United Way Of Greater Cincinnati Kicked Off Campaign
Today, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati and its individual and company supporters, kicked off an important workplace fund raising campaign – with a lofty goal of raising $61 million by its end, October 26. Cincinnati’s Ft. Square was packed with volunteers who will be working to make that goal a reality.
“It’s a stretch,” campaign Chairman David Joyce, CEO of GE Aviation, told the Cincinnati Business Courier’s Lucy May. “We’re going to need everyone to really commit.”
Reaching the goal will allow the United Way to fund so many nonprofits doing vital work to strengthen lives and communities. The United Way has ‘Bold Goals’ in education, income and health that by 2020, at least 45 percent of adults will have an associate’s degree or higher; at least 85 percent of youth will graduate from high school prepared for life, college and career; and that at least 90 percent of the labor force will be gainfully employed. For more information on the goals, please click here.
The fundraising campaign is a partnership of United Way and the Cincinnati Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. The United Way of Greater Cincinnati region includes Hamilton, Clermont, Brown and Butler counties and the Middletown area in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky; and Dearborn and Ohio counties in Indiana.
Ft Mitchell Community Supports Family Of Michelle Mockbee
This year’s annual Ft. Mitchell 4th of July parade will be a somber one, as the community reels from the loss of one of its own. In reaction to the recent death of Michelle Mockbee, Remke bigg’s has transformed its annual cook out into a fundraiser to benefit the family Michelle left behind when she was murdered at her workplace in late May.
Michelle leaves behind a husband and two young daughters. These funds will be used to help with care and education of the children.
“When something as tragic as this happens within our community, it’s important that we all rally to support those who have been affected,” Remke bigg’s community relations director Connie Flynn said. “Remke bigg’s understands the importance of spearheading this fundraiser and we look forward to celebrating the 4th of July and collecting for a great cause at the same time.”
Remke bigg’s will be holding their annual grill out at 2501 Dixie Highway in Ft. Mitchell. Festivities begin at 11:30AM. Remke bigg’s will be serving up the traditional hot dogs, chips and drinks.
Voices of Giving Awards Honored Those Who Give Back
It’s so neat to see people whose lives were touched in a meaningful way, and who, when times got better never forgot and choose to give back.
Brian Brinkmoeller is one of those examples. He was a struggling single father to three curious and active girls who had a love for learning. On his own he wouldn’t have been able to afford the tuition for the Cathedral Child Development Center, a program of Children, Inc., but the organization was committed helping them no matter the circumstances. Now a successful business owner, Brian has remained steadfast to giving back to the agency that helped his family. In addition to serving on its board, he established the Monica Hughes Children’s Fund at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to support families like his own. The Fund commemorates a young teacher at the Cathedral Center who died suddenly at age 32, and the very teacher who treated Brian and his girls as her own.
“Brian’s thoughtful gift will keep giving, ensuring that Children, Inc. will always be able to serve kids regardless of their family’s financial situation,” said Jordan Huizenga, director of development for Children, Inc.
Brian and 23 other warm hearted philanthropists in our area were honored recently by the Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council with Voices of Giving Awards. This was the fourth year that I’ve helped them with the post even publicity and it is so inspiring to hear their stories.
The 14th annual Voices of Giving Awards were presented by PNC and were hosted by Local12 News Anchor John Lomax at CET. The program included featured speaker Lee Carter, co-chair of the 2012 World Choir Games United States, and a performance by the Cincinnati Girl Choir directed by Dr. Eva Floyd. The 2012 event was co-chaired by Mary Alice Koch (PNC Bank) and Chandra Mathews-Smith. Committee members included Sue Ellen Stuebing (CET), Carol Stevie (CISE), Tracy Monroe (Ronald McDonald House), Michelle Mancini (American Cancer Society), Telly McGaha (Redwood), Susan Kulick (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center), Karen Kruer (NKU Foundation), Misty Griesinger (Association Connection), Jim Friedman (The Jewish Federation), Lori Asmus (Episcopal Retirement Homes), and Sally Alspaugh (Xavier University).
“Greater Cincinnati nonprofits making measurable impact in the communities where we live and work rely on generous donors to help them sustain their mission. Our Voices of Giving Awards is our way of saying ‘thanks’ to our philanthropists for being purposeful in helping to ensure the longevity of causes important to them,” said Lori Asmus, Voices of Giving committee member.
The Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council is a professional association for people whose work includes developing, marketing, and administering charitable planned gifts for non-profit institutions and a variety of other legal and financial settings.
2012 Voices of Giving honorees
To view all of the photos from the event, please click here.
(Note: photo is of Cindy and Brian Brinkmoeller with Jordan Huizenga in the back)
Cincinnati Camp For Homeless Kids Needs Your Help
It is so difficult to imagine young children already knowing what it is like to be homeless, but sadly there are so many in our area. Faces without Places is a wonderful nonprofit organization that keeps such young victims of poverty connected to education. It offers them hope and laughter.
And this week, it will be offering them the experience of summer camp. Two buses will be transporting kid (ages 5 to 12) from shelters, motels and neighborhoods to an inviting place where they will work on their reading and math skills, learn about team work and character values, and leave a more enriched child with optimism for the new school year.
What a beautiful gift to give to an impressionable young mind!
Faces Without Places needs your help. In the past it has partnered with other organizations to offer this opportunity. This is the first summer for its very own Yellow Bus camp and it needs supplies. Below is a list. If you can help, please contact Beth Griffith-Niemann, MA, at 513-389-0805 or 513-389-3583.
• Deep Freeze
• Refrigerators
• Microwaves
• New swim suits for boys and girls (one pieces or modest tankinis) aged 5-12
• New flip flops for boys and girls aged 5-12
• New beach towels
• individually wrapped snacks
• juice boxes
• Cheerios cereal
• copy paper
• construction paper
• crayons
• markers
• pencils
• electric pencil sharpeners
• staplers & staples
• Epson 125 ink (black, cyan, magenta, & yellow)
• packing tape
• extension cords
• surge protectors
• New or gently used outdoor recreation equipment (basket balls, soccer balls, jump ropes, hula hoops, etc.)
• New or gently used board games
• Sunscreen
• Box fans
• Tissues
• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Paper plates
• Disposable cups
• Plastic silverware
• Large bottles of hand sanitizer
• New or gently used books for students aged 5-12
• Gift cards to Target and Wal-Mart to purchase clothing and swim suits
• Gift certificates to Kroger or Sam’s Club to purchase perishable goods
