Cincinnati nonprofit organization
More Than 3,500 Volunteers Participated In Prepare Affair
This past weekend, November 12, over 3,500 volunteers gave of their time to rake leaves, clean gutters and more for 1000 older homeowners in need. It was all part of People Working Cooperatively’s 24th annual Prepare Affair. The Event was presented by The Home Depot and sponsored by the City of Cincinnati, Hubert and Toyota; supported by Ingredient Masters, Scripps Howard Foundation, UBS, Viox Services, The Vectren Company, WCPO-TV and the First Bank of Richmond.
What a wonderful project to help people maintain their independence in their homes.
Urban Kids Learn Life Skills At YMCA Camp Ernst
When you talk about organizations working together to strengthen young lives, this is a great example. This summer the Housing Authority of Covington partnered with YMCA Camp Ernst to offer urban kids an opportunity to grow in truly amazing ways. In doing PR work for the YMCA, I got to see it firsthand.
For 7 weeks, children in Covington public housing learned new skills, gained confidence, got to know kids from completely different backgrounds, strengthened their academics, and of course participated all of the fun activities offered at YMCA Camp Ernst.
The program was for 25 children between the ages of 6-13 and included an intensive therapeutic group experience with educational specialists, mentors, community leaders and peers in a safe, supportive environment.
Each camp day began with academics focusing on reading and math skills because statistically urban kids fall behind in the summer time. There were also five paid high-school juniors and seniors to provide one-on-one mentoring.
The story got picked up by the Associated Press. To see the story from USA Today, click here. YMCA Camp Ernst – Housing Authority of Covington AP story
To read the article from the Kentucky Enquirer, please click here. YMCA Camp Ernst – Housing Authority of Covington Kentucky Enquirer story
40 Cincinnati Students Received Project GRAD Scholarships
It’s so great to see organizations, volunteers and professionals all putting their energy together to help young people dream and realize personal success.
Project GRAD is a nonprofit partner of Cincinnati Public Schools whose goal it is to help students succeed in the classroom and in life. More than 2000 students have strengthened their academic skills, their relationships with parents and their self confidence as a result the organization’s programs.
And recently, forty 2011 graduates of Western Hills University High School were honored by Project GRAD with Rising Star Scholarships totaling $134,000. Scholarship recipients had a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average, completed the college recommended academic requirements and participated in two Project GRAD Summer Institutes.
Congratulations to them for all of their accomplishments…and thank you to organizations like Project GRAD for encouraging them to be their best.
People Working Cooperatively Volunteers Help Most Vulnerable
Such a great project. Repair Affair is People Working Cooperatively’s (PWC) annual spring volunteer event, providing home repairs and modifications that enable low-income, elderly and residents with disabilities to remain safely in their homes. For a day individuals, businesses and community groups help a PWC client (with supervision from a trained professional) with home repairs that would otherwise be unaffordable.
Our community is so giving that this year 800 people signed up to help 135 PWC clients. In fact an extra day had to be added to accommodate everybody’s generosity.
Repair Affair was developed by People Working Cooperatively in 1983 as a free outreach program to help homeowners who are often the most vulnerable to keep their homes safe and habitable. Presented by Home Depot and sponsored by the City of Cincinnati, the event was held across the Tri-State in greater Cincinnati, northern Kentucky and Indiana.
Would you like to help? PWC also has a fall event called Prepare Affair where volunteers will help people with services from raking leaves to cleaning gutters and other small winter preparation tasks.
A Young Man’s Legacy Is Creating Lifelong Summer Memories For Kids
Working with the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, I am so fortunate to be continually inspired by the actions of those with whom I work and get to know. Lois Fischer is the office manager of the Clippard Family YMCA. She is someone with a huge heart and a passion for kids.
You can imagine the devastation for her – and her family – about five years ago when they tragically lost Andrew far too soon. Still in high school, Andrew loved life. He loved to learn and to share, to explore and to experience. All of those things he did through camp…
And so, through camp, Lois and her family want to carry on Andrew’s legacy. They created Andrew’s Kids Scholarship Fund to give kids in their area whose families otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it, those life changing moments at YMCA Camp Ernst. This year with the help of the YMCA, family and friends, they raised enough to provide 14 children with scholarships. I was there on the night that Lois handed on the certificates.
Below is a group photo (of those who could be there) and a video I created about it.
