Norwood

Norwood is surrounded on all sides by Cincinnati and has grown beyond its early industrial roots to become an ideal neighborhood for young professionals to purchase their first homes. Adjacent to neighboring Xavier University in Evanston and Hyde Park to the east, Norwood's revamped older homes and tree-lined streets are complemented by beloved family-owned restaurants like Sorrento's and Quatman Cafe and countless small corner taverns to dive in for a drink. Norwood is also home to Alloy Development Co., which is a marketplace where organizations, businesses and communities can find the resources they need to grow.

Thinking outside the box: Home bakery turns Gail Yisreal into cake boss

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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February 19, 2013

Going on maternity leave changed Gail Yisreal’s life in more ways than having a new baby to take care of. When she returned to work, Yisreal says she learned her position was no longer there, so she began to look for a different job. As wife and mother to a blended family of nine children, she might bake up to 11 birthday cakes in a year. But she hadn’t considered turning her knack for kneading dough into earning dough until she baked a wedding cake for a couple from her family’s place of worship. Not only did they like the cake, they suggested she start selling them. Listening to her fans, Yisreal founded A “Mother’s Touch” Cakes with the nurturing tagline, “Making fresh homemade cakes when you don’t have the time.” Celebrating her two-year anniversary as a registered business in August 2012, A “Mother’s Touch” features signature and custom made flavors of fresh, savory gourmet, organic and vegan cakes and cupcakes that are good—and good for you. “I didn’t know anything about decorating, so I took a class to learn more decorating skills," Yisreal says. "And I was shocked to find out that 95 percent of the cakes you buy are box cakes—because everybody wants the decoration. I started doing some research about the trans-fats and artificial ingredients, and I vowed that everything I baked would always be natural and from scratch.” After working as a waitress for two years and in management at Starbucks for six years, Yisreal developed a love for coffee. She jokes that most ex-Starbucks managers feel they know enough about coffee to create their own line, which she actually did for A “Mother’s Touch.” Having tried organic coffees with weak flavor profiles, she researched and found Dean’s Beans, a fair-trade pioneer that allowed her to design her own custom blends. Her signature A “Mother’s Touch” blend is made with Mexican and Indonesian beans and pairs with her carrot cake as an after-dinner coffee. “I’m really proud of my coffee and the fact that it really was custom blended for what I wanted to complement my desserts,” Yisreal says. And, true to her mission to serve natural, sustainable goods, she says that her blends are 100 percent organic, fair-trade certified and are shade grown. Being on the scene without a storefront hasn’t stopped Yisreal. Instead, she’s building her brand as the “cupcake lady” who networks everywhere and invites people to taste samples of her creations. Yisreal also tapped into hidden markets by hosting deals through social media. “I did a Living Social promotion last year, which was huge,” Yisreal says. “That first day, I think I got 1,500 hits on my website, and probably about 85 deals, which I thought was really good for people who didn’t know who I was.” And even though she sells more cakes today, the ease of transporting cupcakes built her clientele. “When I first came out, because of my financial situation, literally, cupcakes were paying my rent,” she says. After she and her husband separated, she remembers what it was like to go from making an annual salary of $60,000 to less than $20,000 a year. But she doesn’t do it all alone. “I have three almost-teenage girls; 12, soon to be 15 and 17, so they are my preppers,” Yisreal explains. “It’s hilarious because we’ll be in the kitchen and everybody has their big bonnets on, and they’re scraping carrots, mashing fruit, lining the liners. I have a girlfriend who I’ll sometimes sub-contract out to do deliveries. And if it’s a huge event—like for the Autism Foundation, I had to knock out 40 dozen cupcakes—I have two sisters, and at the time I had just split up with my husband so we were in literally an 800-square-foot apartment. The kitchen was all of maybe 150-square-feet, we put out six-foot tables and we were like an assembly line! It was hilarious, but we got it done. It was like an I Love Lucy episode!” By Mildred Fallen

Playing to Win: A Night with A.G. Lafley, Feb. 7

By Soapbox Media

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Architecture + Design

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February 5, 2013

Join Soapbox and Joseph-Beth Booksellers as we welcome former Procter & Gamble Chairman and CEO, A.G. Lafley, to launch his new book, "Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works," on Thursday, Feb. 7.

ESCC helps nonprofits maximize output

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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January 15, 2013

In 1995, a small group of retired business executives came together with the intent of giving back to their community by investing their time and talents in work that would assist nonprofits. Now, nearly 18 years later, Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati is the recipient of an $85,000 award that will help more than 130 volunteers provide low-cost, high-quality strategic thinking, planning, training and coaching to other nonprofits in need. The recent funding will help the ESCC implement its Community Benefit Business Model, which, according to Andy McCreanor, executive director and CEO of the organization, is a model that has essentially always existed within the nonprofit, but has now been refined and strengthened. The model helps nonprofits maximize results so that they may receive additional funding to better fulfill their missions, which ultimately works to improve the communities they serve. “It enables investors to get more out of the nonprofits that they’re investing in, and secondly, it helps the nonprofits because we’re affordable," says McCreanor. "We’re merely a vehicle so that the community gets the benefit that they’re trying to get." The ESCC has worked on long-term projects with more than 500 nonprofits in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana since 1995, including most recently the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. ESCC also offers a 10-month program at its Nonprofit Leadership Institute each year; and at its culmination in June, more than 100 nonprofit leaders from Cincinnati will have graduated. McCreanor says that because of the recent economic downturn, nonprofits have suffered and organizations are reevaluating and assessing their goals and missions. “We’re here to help,” he says. “If you’re struggling out there, it really doesn’t cost anything to talk about what you’re dealing with, and if in fact there is a way for us to help, it’s going to be done at a very low cost, so it’s kind of the best of all worlds.” Do Good: • Sign up to attend classes at the Nonprofit Leadership Institute. • Volunteer your business skills and experience to serve other nonprofits. • Reach out to the ESCC if you are a nonprofit that could benefit from its services. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Shield gives back to those who give daily

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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January 8, 2013

The Shield started in September 2000 during a crisis. A Cincinnati police officer was killed in the line of duty, and his family, which was from out of town, couldn't afford to fly in on short notice. Tom Streicher, who was Cincinnati’s police chief at the time, knew something had to be done; he offered up his credit card to ensure the officer’s family was where they were needed—by the fallen officer’s side. “It was a leadership issue,” says Satch Coletta, a retired officer and trustee for the nonprofit that was soon to launch. “What are the odds, should something happen? Something should be there.” In that moment of need, police chiefs came together to make contributions and began to fund a new nonprofit. The organization has continued to operate ever since, thanks to community donations, and in large part, to the willingness of officers who take payroll deductions to contribute. The organization’s board, which is composed of 10 officers—current and retired—works entirely on a volunteer basis. They meet monthly during lunch breaks to fulfill The Shield’s mission: to assist the families of officers killed or critically injured in the line of duty. Policing is a dangerous job, and according to Coletta, “It’s not a matter of if we’re going to pay money out, it’s a matter of when and how much.” The funds are available to families immediately—prior to workers’ compensation or life insurance, says Coletta. “If it happens at one in the afternoon, at 1:01 p.m., there’s a benefit committee that’s ready to spring into action to aid an officer or his family.” Coletta knows the circumstances surrounding the loss of an officer all too well. In 1978, Officer John Bechtol, next-door neighbor and friend whom Coletta trained with, died after a vehicle struck his police cruiser. There was no immediate support available for the family . “Back then, policemen, not that they make a great fortune now, made even less; and to be able to set funeral arrangements and getting people in and situated—things along that line…” were very difficult, he says. The funds are not just meant for funeral arrangements and families’ transportation, however. “Say he would have survived the crash,” Coletta says, “he would have been in very serious condition, say in ICU for a long time. You would expect the spouse to be there in ICU. If their job doesn’t pay, The Shield would entertain paying the spouse’s wages because they’re already down one. We don’t want them to suffer additionally.” In times of need, Coletta says people always want to help, but the organization’s goal is to create an emergency fund that can create interest, so that there is enough money available to families, prior to the moment when the unthinkable occurs. “The family knows what’s needed, and we work on the things to try to aid them,” Coletta says. “But it’s one of those things where at the time, that’s one less thing they have to worry about.” Do Good: • Provide corporate or community support by donating to The Shield. • Contact The Shield about volunteer opportunities and upcoming events. • Connect with The Shield and share the organization's page on Facebook. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English Composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

GLAD House expands, moves to O’Bryonville

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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January 8, 2013

As GLAD House celebrates its 15th year of dedication and success in February, they will also be moving to a facility in O’Bryonville that is larger, on a bus line and situated next to Owl’s Nest Park. The idea for GLAD House, which stands for “Giving Life A Dream,” began in 1993. After five years of careful planning, Beatrice Lampkin, founder of the nonprofit, with the help of church members, other nonprofits and an expert committee of psychiatrists, social workers and educators, opened its doors to children and families who were struggling with addiction and related issues in their homes. Lampkin, who spent years on the campus of Cincinniat Children’s Hospital and Medical Center as director of hematology and oncology, had seen pervasive drug use in the area around the hospital. That prompted her to do something meaningful in an effort to “make an impact in breaking the cycle of addiction.” “As far as substance abuse, a lot of the programs are for treatment, but the children were totally ill bystanders,” Lampkin says. “And you have the children living in the conditions of a home impacted by addictions, and they’d have to fend for themselves.” So Lampkin developed a program—the GLAD Champs—to provide support to children, particularly between the ages of 5 and 12. As an after-school program, children receive transportation to the GLAD House; they’re given a snack, in addition to dinner; and they receive treatment from licensed therapists to help them cope with their situation and prevent drug use in the future. “We don’t just toss them out after a period of time,” says Lampkin, in reference to children who have met individual therapy goals or who are older than 12. “We promote them to the GLAD Hands Club, where they come back to us less frequently; and these children come back until they’re 18 years of age, so that’s a long period of time that we’re following them.” It is both necessary and beneficial, according to Lampkin, “because if you just treat them for a matter of say, six months for them to meet their individual goals, they lose what they have learned because they go back and live in the same area; but with continued support and reinforcement until they graduate from high school, they have a much better chance of becoming very successful in their lives.” And participants have become successful. The GLAD House works with approximately 115 children every year, some starting as young as 5 years of age. To date, 29 of those youth have graduated from high school—23 of them entered college and the other six secured employment. “So it works,” Lampkin says. “And we are very proud.” GLAD House also provides support to other family members. From classes on understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to curriculums celebrating families, the nonprofit supports family unity and wellbeing. With the organization’s continued growth and success, Lampkin says the new facility is ideal. “It’s going to be wonderful, and we’re very happy because certainly our program has been very successful for the children and their parents, and we want to continue, and we want to expand.” Do Good: • Make a charitable donation to GLAD House. • Volunteer to help children with homework, to cook, to garden, to shop for supplies or to help in the office. • Donate school supplies or recreational materials for GLAD House activities. By Brittany York Brittany is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati and a teacher at the Regional Institute of Torah and Secular Studies.

Ignite connects philanthropists, benefactors

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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January 8, 2013

Susan Ingmire is frank about the type of philanthropists she works with. “The vast majority would not be a good fit.” As president of Ignite Philanthropy Advisors, a “niche player,” Ingmire works with individuals and organizations who need help giving money away. Some have inherited money and want to do a good job giving it away charitably. Others want help identifying their priorities, then mapping out a strategy that allows them to give according to certain goals, such as promoting education or supporting the arts. “It’s sometimes hard for people to say no when asked to give. If you have a strategy, then you can say we give in the areas of arts, education or health care. It’s how people learn to say no, or we say it for them,” Ingmire says. She teaches these investors to decide what to give and to whom, and even how to research organizations that pique their interest. The firm mainly works on a retainer basis with Cincinnati-area clients giving away at least $25,000-$50,000 a year and up, with her smallest foundation gifting about $100,000 annually. Most business comes through referrals, especially from local attorneys and accountants. They provide advice, demystify the giving process and even offer administrative support, such as preparing agendas for foundation board meetings, writing checks and processing mail. Ingmire started in the field as a serial volunteer, working as a foundation volunteer, mentor and with arts and housing programs. She also spent a decade with Fifth Third Bank’s trust department. And her idea of doing “less than I used to” means staying involved with the YWCA, Social Venture Partners Cincinnati, United Way and her church. And after spending so much time in the trenches, she embraces the joy in helping others support nonprofits. “When we can call up somebody and say, you’re getting $30,000 and here’s why, it’s a real joy.” By Robin Donovan

Ignite connects philanthropists, benefactors

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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January 8, 2013

PWC helps homeowners in the Tri-State area with several services

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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December 18, 2012

Since its start in 1975, nonprofit construction company People Working Cooperatively has provided more than 250,000 emergency, energy conservation and modification services to homeowners with an average income of about $13,000 per year. PWC’s clients face daily challenges when it comes to homeownership because of aging, illness, disability, job loss or other circumstances. “Our mission is to keep lower income homeowners safe and in their homes,” says Jock Pitts, president of PWC. On a daily basis, PWC’s more than 140 licensed and trained professionals perform about 50 repairs. That adds up to about 14,000 services annually. On top of that, 6,804 volunteers donated a total of 30,351 hours last year. In 2011, these services and volunteer hours benefited 7,647 households in 20 counties in Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Ohio and Western Indiana. Clients can reach PWC 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Employees answer calls around the clock and attempt to fix emergency situations. “If a client has a flood caused by a leaky pipe at midnight, a plumber can’t come out right away,” says Pitts. “So we will ask if the client can get to the water shut-off valve, which will hopefully stop the flooding until we can get a plumber out there in the morning.” In 2011, PWC started a new initiative, Whole Home. It’s a modification service that is available to homeowners who aren’t necessarily lower income, but still need help. Like PWC’s other services, Whole Home allows homeowners to “age in place,” says Pitts. There are five aging specialists on staff at PWC who assess homeowners’ needs and provide services at competitive prices. When Whole Home makes a profit, the money goes back into the services PWC provides for lower income homeowners. If you or someone you know is in need of home modifications, stop by PWC’s Aging in Place showroom in Dent. Each year, PWC hosts several events to raise money and service clients. The Repair Affair is the annual spring volunteer event that provides home repairs and modifications to homeowners. The Prepare Affair, held in the fall, gets clients’ homes ready for winter. In November, the event reached had a record number of volunteers that serviced a record number of homes (more than 3,000 volunteers and more than 1,100 homes). PWC’s other big event is Oscar Night America, which is held in February on the same night as the Golden Globes. This year’s fundraiser is on Feb. 24, and the theme is “Salute to the King” — with the king being Elvis. The fundraiser is held to bring people into PWC’s world and raise money for the client there might not be funds for, says Pitts. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased on PWC’s website. A recent study by the Economics Center at the University of Cincinnati and The Cadmus Group, Inc., shows that PWC is not only improving the lives of its clients, but is strengthening the community as well. According to the Cadmus Report, PWC increases the overall health of its clients by about 44 percent. Out of the 14,000 people served by PWC in 2011, about one-third were children. Kids who live in homes services by PWC are doing better in school because they don’t have to move as much. Because of this, they are able to stay in the same school and keep the same friends. Finally, the value of a home serviced by PWC increases by 6.5 to 10.5 percent over a 10-year period. PWC is the only organization like it in the country. And even though PWC serves a small portion of the overall population, it, and its partners and event sponsors, are making a difference. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter

Breaking the cycle of bad eating, one banana at a time

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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December 11, 2012

The Nutrition Council of Greater Cincinnati is working to break the cycle of unhealthy eating habits, one banana, one yogurt parfait and one recipe at a time. And, they are doing it one family at a time. The Council, in its 35th year, just wrapped up its latest series of "What’s Cooking?" classes for parents and caregivers of kids in Camp Washington and Winton Hills. The classes, offered each fall and spring, are a four-part series that meet for about an hour after the school day ends at schools with Head Start programs. They are designed to show parents how to make quick, affordable and healthy meals for their families. Each week is themed, and participants receive take-home tools like measuring spoons and grocery cards. Parents also get multiple recipes that encourage cooking at home, rather than relying on packaged and processed foods. The classes and the Council’s work come at a time when the nation—and Cincinnati—is getting fatter. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, one in four Cincinnati Public School kindergarten students is overweight (13.9 percent) or obese (11.7 percent). “I think what strikes me is that things I am aware of and take for granted, not everyone does,’’ says Tracy Wilking, the nonprofit’s special project manager, who worked at the Winton Hills location this fall. In 2011, nearly 100 families participated in the cooking sessions. And of those, according to the Council’s web site: • 85 percent reported they changed one action to improve a targeted health behavior.• 67 percent of families increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables.• 67 percent said they decreased their child’s sweetened beverage intake. Wilking says it is not uncommon to hear parents share how the instruction really does change cooking habits, from eating as a family to introducing fresh fruits and vegetables at meals. One recent participant told one of the Council workers that she had completely changed how her family was eating. The Council targets very young children, before habits are established and before they start kindergarten. Wilking says many parents may not have been taught how to eat healthy, and the earlier the Council and others can share information with parents, the more likely the cycle of poor food choices can be broken. In addition to the cooking series, the Council also visited 38 Early Childhood Education classrooms in the Cincinnati area over 17 days to teach parents and their kids how to make healthy snacks. Recently, they made fruit and yogurt parfaits. “A little education really can go a long way,’’ says Wilking. “This work is reaching individuals and those with the power to reach someone else.” Do Good: • Make a donation • Volunteer your time or skills. • Like the Council on Facebook.• Follow the Council's news on Twitter. By Chris GravesChris Graves, assistant vice president of digital and social media at the Powers Agency, is using several of the Council’s recipes at home with her two teens.

Cities where startups are thriving

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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December 4, 2012

It's not exactly the tech-savvy California coast, but Cincinnati is starting to make a name for itself in entrepreneurial circles. The city has made a major turnaround in recent years. Read the full story here.