People Working Cooperatively
Cincinnati Area Donors Honored
It has been such a privilege to be working with the Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council for the 7th year in promoting some of our region’s incredibly generous philanthropists through the Voices of Giving Awards. This year the organization honored donors on behalf of 25 nonprofit organizations whose important work is supported 
by their decision to give a planned gift (and much more in heart and time). Those Greater Cincinnati philanthropists are strengthening local neighborhoods, families and individual lives through their actions.
“Our Voices of Giving honorees have such diverse interests, often with deep rooted passion from personal experiences. They represent the true spirit of philanthropy and their gifts will touch thousands of lives directly and indirectly in our region, for generations to come. Their donations will help these important causes that are close to their hearts to be sustainable for future generations,” said Voices of Giving Co-Chair Molly Talbot, VP of Advancement at St. Ursula Academy.
Several hundred guests attended the Awards Event that was held at CET and emceed by Local 12’s John Lomax.
2016 Honorees included: (please note that honorees from two organizations asked to be left out of publicity and are not listed) Carson Smith (honored posthumously) on behalf of the American Cancer Society; Fran Cohen on behalf of CET – Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation; Joe and Sandy Dominiak on behalf of The Children’s Home of Cincinnati; Thomas Ernst Huenefeld on behalf of Cincinnati Museum Center; Digi France Schueler on behalf of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Mary Rose J. Zink on behalf of Cincinnati Public Radio; Mace Justice on behalf of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; Dr. Steve and Diane Dumbauld on behalf of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden; Patricia Armstrong on behalf of the CISE Foundation; Doug Spitler on behalf of Episcopal Retirement Services; Richard Hildbold (honored posthumously) on behalf of the Freestore Foodbank; Jerome and Suzanne Teller on behalf of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute and Isaac M. Wise Temple; Val Schube on behalf of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Rick and Julie Kantor on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati; Rev. Dr. Joseph and Blanch Graham on behalf of Life Enriching Communities Foundation – Twin Towers; Donald L. Neyer on behalf of Life Enriching Communities Foundation – Twin Lakes; Lawrence Klosterkemper on behalf of Mount St. Joseph University and Roger Bacon High School; Jerry W. Warner, Ph.D. on behalf of Northern Kentucky University; Bill and Helene Sedwick on behalf of People Working Cooperatively; Margaret ‘Tuck’ Fraser (honored posthumously) on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati; Ursulines of Cincinnati on behalf of Saint Ursula Academy; Lisa O’Brien on behalf of United Way of Greater Cincinnati; and Dan and Julie Murphy on behalf of Xavier University.
Please click the link to read the honorees’ brief bios: 2016 Voices of Giving honoree bios
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.
People Working Cooperative Volunteers Helped Area Seniors
It’s that time of year again when thousands come together to help others in need with fall home repairs and clean up.
People Working Cooperatively’s Prepare Affair was Saturday Nov. 15 where 3,000 volunteers helped 1,000 senior clients by raking leaves and cleaning gutters and other small repair tasks. It was the 27th annual event with many heart-warming stories. The oldest client served was 105 – the youngest volunteer was 3. Many volunteers adopt the same clients year after year, making them part of their family.
“This has become a family tradition for us,” said volunteer Valerie Robinson, who brought her 80-year-old father. Bill to rake leaves. “We really enjoy giving back.”
PWC serves Greater Cincinnati seniors and underserved 365 days a year with professional home repairs, modifications, weatherization and other services to keep the homeowner safe in 
their homes where they want to be. To learn more or make a donation, visit www.pwchomerepairs.org.
Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council Honors Philanthropists
I have so enjoyed working with the committee of the Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council for more than five years in sharing the news of their Voices of Giving Awards. It is a wonderful effort to say thanks to those who have made lasting contributions to causes close to their hearts.
honoree Terry Bruck with Michelle Johnson representing the Cancer Support Community Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky photo credit/Paula Norton
In this year’s 16th annual Voices of Giving Awards presented by PNC Bank, 26 Greater Cincinnati philanthropists were recognized for their selfless generosity and foresight in contributing a bequest or planned gift to their favorite charitable organization. Also honored were two advisors whose pivotal role in cultivating those gifts is helping sustain valuable causes.
“It is our great honor to celebrate so many truly inspirational individuals in our community. Our Voices of Giving Awards honorees have such diverse passions; however, what they have in common is their selfless generosity and foresight. Their bequests and planned gifts are ensuring the sustainability of many very important causes in our community,” said Michelle Mancini, co-chair for the event.
Philanthropist honorees included: Terry Bruck on behalf of the Cancer Support Community Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky; William and Susan Friedlander on behalf of the Cincinnati Ballet; Rosemary and Frank Bloom on behalf of the Cincinnati Museum Center; Marvin Kolodzik on behalf of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra & the University of Cincinnati Foundation; T. Brian Brockhoff on behalf of the Catholic Inner-City Schools Education Foundation; Dan Meyer on behalf of Episcopal Retirement Homes: Susan Mustian on behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Robert Brant on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati; Herb Reller and Bessie Wessel (both honored posthumously) on behalf of Life Enriching Communities – Twin Towers; Jack Wild on behalf of Life Enriching Communities – Twin Lakes; Roger Grein on behalf of Magnified Giving; Gary and Joyce Sallquist on behalf of Miami Valley Christian Academy; Dr. James M. Garvey, Jr. on behalf of People Working Cooperatively; Gary and Joan Thompson (Joan was honored posthumously) on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati; Robert and Rhea Glassmeyer (honored posthumously) on behalf of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur; James J. and Anne McGraw, Jr. on behalf of The Athenaeum of Ohio; Dorothy Meader Martin Kersten (honored posthumously) on behalf of The Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation (CET); and Fred Grove and Nancy Neff on behalf of Xavier University.
honoree Scott Boster and Michelle Mancini, representing the American Cancer Society photo credit/Paula Norton
Advisors who were honored were Scott Boster on behalf of the American Cancer Society; and Jan Frankel on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.
To read short backgrounds on each of the honorees,
please click the link below:
2014 Voices of Giving Honorees
To see the entire photo album from the event,
please click here.
The 2014 event was co-chaired by Lori Asmus and Michelle Mancini. Committee members included Sally Alspaugh, Diana Collins, Carol Derkson, Bruce Favret, Jim Friedman, Misty Griesinger, Bill Hitch, Mary Alice Koch, Telly McGaha, Tracy Monroe, Carol Stevie, Sue Ellen Stuebing, Dan Virzi, and Molly Talbot.
The Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council is a professional association for people whose work includes developing, marketing, and administering charitable planned giftsfor non-profit institutions and a variety of other legal and financial settings.
Cincinnati Repair Affair Is This Weekend
It’s that time of year again. Hundreds of eager volunteers transform into handy-men and women across our Greater Cincinnati region to help homeowners who don’t have the income to pay contractors for necessary and wanted repairs.
The event is called Repair Affair. It is Cincinnati nonprofit People Working Cooperatively’s annual spring volunteer event, providing home repairs and modifications that enable seniors and those with disabilities to remain safely in their homes. Individuals, businesses and community groups can volunteer for a day (in some cases, more than one day) to help a client with various home repair needs, ranging from the simple – fixing handrails and installing grab bars; to the more extensive – home modifications for the disabled, ramps, drywall, etc.
Repair Affair was developed by People Working Cooperatively in 1983 as a free outreach program to help very low-income elderly and disabled homeowners with the home repairs they need to keep their homes safe and habitable. Low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners are often the most vulnerable residents in a community. When they physically or financially lose the ability to care for their homes, their quality of life can diminish.
What kinds of repairs are performed during Repair Affair?
Repairs range in complexity from one home to the next, but may include the following:
- Plumbing: vanities, faucets, laundry tubs, drain traps, fluid masters, toilets
- Carpentry: ramps, handrails, grab bars
- Safety Repairs: smoke detectors, locks
- Structural Work: gutter replacement, drywall, concrete
- Electrical Work
- Miscellaneous Household Chores: cleaning gutters, washing windows, yard work
You can still register to volunteer. Go to www.pwchomerepairs.org or call Aaron Grant at 513-351-7921 to learn more.
People Working Cooperatively Raising Money For Veterans
In her 98 years, Anna has seen great sacrifice. She has also seen great heroism. During World War II, the woman who now lives in a modest home in Bond Hill was known as a trailblazer. She was a member of one of two units of African American Army nurses in Atlantic City serving amputees returning from the European Theater.
“It was interesting work,” she said. “Some of the men were so sad that they couldn’t go back into action. They wanted to fight. They felt that they had failed because they were wounded.”
Those are memories Anna will never forget. Today, as her own health is waning, she is cared after by her 57 year old daughter. Still, with her mobility an issue, getting around isn’t as easy as it once was. And home repair bills can be costly.
People Working Cooperatively, a Cincinnati nonprofit that provides professional home repairs and modifications to low income older adults and homeowners with disabilities in the Greater Cincinnati area, has fixed a like in Anna’s ceiling. PWC also installed a ramp and handrails, new flooring and other work.
Running through November 11, People Working Cooperatively’s Ramp It Up for Veterans’ campaign is trying to raise $500,000 to assist the 400 plus veterans in the Cincinnati area on its waiting list for critical home repairs. You can text-to-donate a $10 donation by texting the letters PWC to 80888 or give online at www.pwchomerepairs.org.
