Cincinnati nonprofit
United Pet Fund Helps Those Who Help Animals – You Can Too!
All I have to do is look into those deep, beautiful eyes of our Sam – and so many other great dogs who I have worked with or gotten to know – and you can’t help but have a huge appreciation for the dedicated staff and volunteers who run our 
area dog and cat shelters. They have a very important job to do. Thousands of animals have their fate in these people’s hands and hearts to find them a forever home. And so many families have come to know that beautiful, unconditional love given off from an animal they adopted.
Introducing United Pet Fund
There is a somewhat new nonprofit, the United Pet Fund, whose sole purpose is to help those incredibly valuable animal care and service organizations to be sustainable. It is called United Pet Fund and it is founded by a Blue Ash veterinarian, Dr. Zeke Zekoff.
United Pet Fund has provided scholarship funds for volunteers of these organizations to attend continuing education conferences; handyman service for assistance with repair and maintenance of shelters; pet health days in under-served areas; emergency funds when needed for unexpected predicaments; and has provided nonprofit leadership management and trainings to shelters and rescue groups.
In an email from Dr. Zekoff, he shared: “We are working on becoming a national resource and support organization for the smaller ‘mom-and-pop’ ACSOs. Our goal will be to become a Nonprofit ACSO-member Services Organization that will provide basic business services needed by all nonprofits to become successful. Eventually, with the advantage that comes with large number of members, we hope to offer access to discounted business services for our members, including, but not limited to products and services that are needed by all nonprofit animal service and care organizations: Legal and Accounting, Insurance, Public Relations, IT services, Credit/Financing Services, Pet Products (including food and health supplies), Webinar-based training in Nonprofit leadership and management skills, as well as Animal Behavior and Health needs. The list can go on, but we have place to start. With all these in one location, with a central organization that understands the needs of the smaller ACSOs, the animals served by these organizations will be the ones in the end that benefit.”
Kyle’s New Hope Animal Rescue Saves Lives
Located in Sharonville, Kyle’s New Hope Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of animals who have run out of options. Dogs and cats that are injured, abused, abandoned and neglected will be provided veterinary care and surgery to be rehabilitated and adopted into loving homes. All animals will receive up to date vaccinations, be spayed or neutered and microchipped… all in an effort to reduce the amount of unnecessary euthanasia in shelters and hospitals. I am very familiar with Kyle’s New Hope because I have volunteered for them. Their love for the animals who have come into their lives is truly heartfelt.
You Can Help
Tomorrow & Friday (August 22 & 23, 2013), United Pet Fund and Kyle’s New Hope Animal Rescue are partnering with two back-to-back fundraisers.
Wags to Riches Casino Royale is tomorrow night from 6 pm to 10:30 pm at the Manor House located at 7440 S Mason-Montgomery Rd. in Mason. It is a fun night of dinner, Casino Games hosted by Black Diamond Casino Events with prizes, an animal caricaturist-bring your pet’s photo and more.
On Friday from Noon until 6:30 pm at the Bel-Wood Country Club in Morrow will be the Golf Classic with lunch, a cookout and great prizes. For cost and registration information, please visit this link: http://www.unitedpetfund.org/upfc_home.php
You can also call Towne Square Animal Clinic / Kyle’s Veterinary Hospital at 513-520-7571 or 513-793-1875 for information.
Cincinnati Community ToolBank Celebrates Anniversary
I got an email yesterday from Kat Pepmeyer, executive director of the Cincinnati Community ToolBank. She was 
announcing the one year anniversary of her organization.
It is hard to believe it has been a year since I first met Kat and heard about the ‘plans’ to fulfill a great need. The Cincinnati ToolBank stewards and lends an inventory of high quality tools including carpentry, construction, custodial, landscaping gear and more. For just three cents on the dollar of their retail value, charitable organizations can borrow tools and equipment from the ToolBank for a week.
Since its inception, the ToolBank has equipped more than 20,000 volunteers with tools to complete over 1,000 Greater Cincinnati projects. Wow!
The anniversary celebration is later this afternoon at 2001 Central Ave in Cincinnati (45214) from 4 to 7 pm.
To learn more, volunteer or join as a member agency, call 513-246-0015 or visit www.Cincinnati.toolbank.org.
Donate Children’s Books To Adopt a Book
Great for Hannah and Alex (and mom) Laman!
They at it again…spending their summer finding awesome literature that they can give to organizations for other kids who 
don’t own books of their own. This time they are partnering with Cincinnati area Eddie Bauer stores (in Kenwood, Rookwood and Crestview Hills, Kentucky).
By the way, if you are not familiar with them, the Laman’s have a Cincinnati area nonprofit called Adopt a Book, and through it they have collected and donated thousands of books so that others can learn about the fun in reading too. I wrote about them in an earlier post. Here is a link to that story.
If you stop by a local Eddie Bauer store before August 18, please be sure to bring a new or gently used children’s book. Donors will receive a 50% off coupon on one regular priced item. Limit one per customer per day. Excludes First Ascent and branded items. Please visit store for additional details.
GRAD Cincinnati Surpasses $1 Million in Scholarship Awards
“Look where you want to be, envision it and achieve it,” encouraged guest speaker Curtis Mimes to the 32 2013 GRAD Scholars at the annual Scholars Reception at Cincinnati State. Only a year ago, Curtis was sitting in their place as a 2012 GRAD Scholar at Taft. In the fall, he will be a Sophomore at University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering.
At the event, GRAD Cincinnati awarded $105,500 in scholarships to seniors from the 2013 graduating classes at Western Hills University High School (WHUHS) and Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School (Taft). This class of Scholars joins over 270 other students who have been awarded the GRAD Cincinnati Scholarship since 2006. In the past eight years,
photo credit: Kim Dye
GRAD Cincinnati has awarded over $1 million in scholarships and helped identify millions of dollars in additional resources to help students afford college and achieve their dreams. This year alone, GRAD has helped our Scholars identify more than $604,000 in financial aid, scholarships and grants.
Thirty Scholars plan to go on to college in the fall and two prepare to enter the military with future plans of attending college. WHUHS student speaker, DaNesha Bell, told her fellow scholarship recipients to always remember who inspired them to persist through their high school career. Bell reached graduation day because of the hard work and tenacity she put into her education, but she is thankful for all the help she received along the way from her teachers and the GRAD staff.
GRAD Cincinnati Board member, Cheryl Nunez, gave best wishes to the 2013 scholarship recipients telling them to “remember that college is a journey, but you will always find your way back home to GRAD.” By awarding the students these scholarships, GRAD Cincinnati is supporting these students’ futures. Before awarding the students their scholarships, the Board shouted, “We’re investing in you!”
To be eligible to receive the GRAD Cincinnati scholarship, throughout their high school careers, students must have maintained a 93% attendance rate, achieved a minimum 2.5 grade point average, participated in two GRAD Cincinnati Summer Institute programs, and graduate in four years.
Submitted by Laura Reece
Finneytown Middle School Students Raise Money For Homeless
Twelve Finneytown Middle School students are going to be hooping it up for the Homeless Project at Talbert House’s Parkway Center this coming weekend. Beginning Friday at 4 pm, they’ll play three-on-three basketball games for 24 hours straight. They’re raising money by getting sponsors.
Lucas Gould, an Indian Hill High School student, began the Hoops for the Homeless Project to raise money for an outdoor recreation area and basketball court. Together with help from legend Oscar Robertson they raised more than $45,000. While the basketball court is finished, more money is needed to pay for it.
“It’s great to see young people creating projects to help others,” Talbert House Development Director Tracy Wells told the Enquirer. “It’s truly inspiring to work with teenagers who are spending their time improving the lives of the homeless when they could be doing other activities. We hope this will lead them to more involvement in their communities.”
