Cincinnati nonprofit organization
Stand Up To Cancer With Your Fifth Third MasterCard
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now.
In May 2009, SU2C launched its first five scientific Dream Teams. Today, ten teams of some of the brightest scientists are hard at work, driven by the same principles that laid the foundation of the Stand Up To Cancer model: collaboration, innovation, acceleration, targeted therapy, and translational research. Leaders from across disciplines, institutions, and specialties are competing against cancer instead of each other, as research moves from bench to bedside to benefit patients more quickly. Each team in its own way is changing the face of cancer research and pushing the dream of ending cancer closer to reality.
And now through the end of December, Fifth Third is making a $0.01 donation up to $400,000 to the cause for every qualifying purchase made using any Fifth Third MasterCard.
On #GivingTuesday, Donate To Dress For Success
On Tuesday, December 3, 2013 people across the country will consciously perform acts of kindness. And nonprofits with a huge range of services have signed up to encourage those acts. It is all part of a movement called #GivingTuesday.
What is #GivingTuesday?
Well, it is a simple concept really. Organizers are simply asking that people of all ages and backgrounds, individually or as a group, come together to give something more. Then share how you are giving.
It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Be a part of a national celebration of our great tradition of generosity.
Locally, Dress for Success is one organization getting involved.
Part of #GivingTuesday, #GivingShoesDay encourages women to donate their professional shoes to Dress for Success Cincinnati. The local nonprofit is asking people to bring their new or gently used shoes to the Dress for Success Cincinnati Donation Center at 208 McFarland (near 4th and Elm) in downtown Cincinnati between 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. The person who donates the most shoes on #GivingShoesDay will have the chance to win a complimentary pair of limited holiday edition Palace heels from Fergie Footwear.
“Dress for Success Cincinnati gives interview appropriate clothing to disadvantaged women and having the right shoes is key to building self-confidence and a great first impression,” said Julie Smith-Morrow, CEO of Dress for Success Cincinnati. “We rely on the generosity of our community to provide the shoes, clothing and accessories needed for all of our women. GivingShoesDay is a great opportunity for the community to give back during this festive time of year.”
For more information on Dress for Success Cincinnati and #GivingShoesDay go to www.dfscincy.org.
Join Me At Bark Out Against Battering This Weekend
This Saturday, bring your favorite pooch with you to Washington Park (across the street from Music Hall) for the 4th Annual 
Bark Out Against Battering Pet Fest, for some fun trick-or-treating (just for the dogs) and other activities. I’ll be there with a booth so if you come, please stop by and say hello!
The event runs from 11 am until 2 pm and is a partnership between the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati, Women Helping Women, Washington Park, and 3CDC. There will be a pet parade, pet photo booth, animal adoptions and a costume contest.
Funds raised by the event will help support the Domestic Violence Shelter’s efforts to work with the SPCA in removing the worry women have, by assisting in providing protective shelter for pets during the women’s stay in shelter. That’s a great cause.
For more information about the YWCA, other Domestic Violence Awareness Month events, and ways to help abused animals please visit: www.ywcacincinnati.org , www.womenhelpingwomen.org , www.spcacincinnati.org
A note about dogs and costumes: If you dress your dog in an outfit, please make sure your dog is comfortable. Your dog 
will communicate that with his body. Some signs of a happy dog are: a relaxed body; fast, vigorous tail wag; loose lips or even open mouth with loose tongue; rhythmic panting. There are many creative ways you and your dog can look great for Halloween and have fun together!
Wearing costumes can be very stressful to many dogs and a stressed dog can be more likely to become reactive. If you try to put clothing on your dog, watch your dog’s body language. Some signs that your dog is not comfortable include: his tail may be down, his body may be tight, he may have a tense mouth, you will see the whites on the sides of his eyes, his ears may be back, he may yawn or lick his chops. Please click here and here for more body language signs.
If your dog is showing any signs of stress with a costume, an alternate option is to try a simple bandanna or Halloween themed collar instead.
The Children’s Home Of Cincinnati Gets New Fitness Equipment
There are so many reasons why kids need to be active. Among the benefits are physical and mental exercise, practicing positive social skills, and a sense of accomplishment and fun.
Now, just as The Children’s Home of Cincinnati is becoming more involved with integrated healthcare efforts, it has opened a brand new fitness equipment park for the children in its care. It was funded by a grant from The National Recreation Foundation. The park was assembled by students from The Children’s Home Ready Set Work! program and staff from the Facilities team. It has a variety of equipment including pull up bars, step ups, rowing machines, chin ups, leg presses and more.
“Our new park will allow our students and staff to focus on physical health and well-being in addition to mental health. Students will even be able to see their progression and set goals for themselves through their own personal fitness tracker,” Kenna Goodrich, PR and special events coordinator for The Children’s Home of Cincinnati told me.
Founded in 1864, The Children’s Home is a Cincinnati nonprofit organization with more than 20 programs and services to guide young people and their families facing social, behavioral and learning challenges toward successful functioning in their homes, schools and communities. Over 6,600 children and their families were served last fiscal year.
Who will be using the new fitness equipment? Kenna told me, “Students, ages 13 and up, and staff will all be able to use the equipment. This includes students from The Children’s Home Upper School and Partial Hospitalization programs specifically. The Upper School and Partial Hospitalization are two of our on campus programs. They will get to use the park during gym class. Many of the children we serve suffer from trauma and are therefore experiencing different types of learning, social and behavioral vulnerabilities.”
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.
