Oakley

Sometimes overshadowed by its trendy neighbor, Hyde Park, Oakley's eclectic residents know they've got a great thing going in a neighborhood that definitely holds its own. Oakley's Madison Road main drag features a wide variety of shops and restaurants anchored by the recently revamped Oakley Square. Don't miss Dewey's Pizza, Oakley Cycles, King Arthur's Court toy store and the Blue Manatee Bookstore, which features one of the best collections of children's literature in the city. You'll know you're in Oakley when you see the marquee for the 77 year old 20th Century Theatre, which hosts live music and special events. And just across the street is the home of Cincinnati's 'other' old school ice cream dynasty: Alglamesis Brothers Ice Cream Parlor and Candy Shoppe, which has been around since 1913.

Library teaches teens finance basics

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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July 9, 2013

Graduating high school students of the class of 2014 will be the first group in Ohio that is required to learn financial literacy. “So many teens were graduating high school without basic knowledge of financial literacy, like avoiding high-interest credit cards—scams that are so present on college campuses,” says Jennifer Korn, TeenSpot manager at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. “And there have been a number of studies that say students who don’t have the basic knowledge are likely to end up in serious debt as very young adults and are unable to get ahead and unable to save money as they go into adulthood.” To fill that void and to encourage more teens to be conscious of their finances, the library is offering a series of workshops for teens between the ages of 12 and 18. The workshops will teach the students how to create a budget and open a savings account. Thanks to a grant from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation, PLCHC is one of just 14 public libraries nationwide to offer the workshop. “I think a majority of teens across the board don’t have a very good understanding of the importance of saving or of budgeting your money, so maybe they get an allowance or have a job or babysit, but it’s mostly for entertainment purposes,” Korn says. “But there’s not a lot of consideration for the future and the long term—that if you start saving your money now and that money starts to build, then in 15 or 20 years, you can be in a much better position than if you would not have started saving.” Korn says all the activities in the series are teen-focused and engaging, so students might be given a sample scenario where they have a set amount of money and want to go to the movies, but also need to consider the fact that their best friend’s birthday is coming up. “Anything that reinforces what they’re doing in an interactive or a social way,” Korn says. “The hope is that once they graduate high school and enter their postsecondary education or the real world, they feel confident, can handle their money and are savvy consumers and savvy savers.” Do Good: • Learn about the financial literacy workshops, and sign up to attend. • Keep up with teen programs at the library, and attend an upcoming event. • Like the PLCHC on Facebook. By Brittany York Brittany York is a professor of English composition at the University of Cincinnati. She also edits the For Good section of SoapboxMedia.

Cincinnati Children’s Home leads health care integration efforts

By Newsroom

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Education + Learning

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June 18, 2013

The Children’s Home of Cincinnati is taking the steps needed to become a national leader in health care integration. “There are more examples of policies that say we need to do health care integration than there are of actual examples of organizations that have done this and done this well, which tells you The Children’s Home is pretty cutting-edge,” says Barbara Terry, vice president of health care integration at The Children’s Home. Terry, who says she is passionate about health from a holistic standpoint, has 35 years of experience and recently joined The Children’s Home to help the organization introduce physical health care to its already existing mental health care programs. But she says she is not the only one responsible for the idea of health care integration. “They’ve certainly been reading the tea leaves and saying, ‘We should think about systems—plural—in this community,’” Terry says. “So you think about mental health, education and human services as systems. We really need to figure out how we integrate systems so that vulnerable children get the care they need—the right care at the right place at the right time—and that becomes huge.” For Terry, education and prevention are key. “We know that individuals who face challenges in the mental health arena—typically as they get older—they have tremendous chronic health problems,” says Terry, who attributes the issue to a difficulty in navigating an array of disconnected systems. To address that issue, Terry envisions a system that recognizes that the mind and body cannot be separated. And while the idea might begin with The Children’s Home, she says the effort needs to span across the community. “This isn’t just The Children’s Home—it’s about children and adolescents in our larger community,” Terry says. “They’ve been willing to invest in me and invest in this approach, but my vision would be that we need to work with the community. We need to help share successes with the community so that we can say, ‘How can this spread?’ I don’t want the work to be insular. We have to appreciate community here.” Do Good: • Get involved by contributing items on The Children's Home's wishlist. • Volunteer with The Children's Home. • Assist The Children's Home by donating or supporting a classroom. 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.

Engaging diverse communities at Kennedy Heights Arts Center

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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June 11, 2013

Ellen Muse-Lindeman, who has served as executive director of the Kennedy Heights Arts Center since 2008, says the work she does to help build community through the arts is the essence of why she loves the neighborhood in which she works and where she’s chosen to raise her family. Muse-Lindeman, who moved to Cincinnati in the ‘90s and now lives in Pleasant Ridge, lives within walking distance of the arts center and says she values her diverse and active neighbors. “The folks are really involved,” Muse-Lindeman says. And that’s evident through the center’s origin story. It was founded by residents who came together to save the historic Kennedy Mansion from demolition. They not only succeeded, but they turned it into an engaging enterprise for the community and others to enjoy. “That kind of spirit is the foundation of the arts center and still is a big part of what it’s about in terms of bringing people together,” Muse-Lindeman says. “Arts and culture build a stronger community and make a neighborhood a better place to live.” Each year, the KHAC engages the public in a variety of ways from exhibitions, classes, camps and even an annual artist-in-residence program. “We are really looking to not only present a wide range of media and different subject matter through our galleries, and to feature both regional artists and artists from outside of the region,” Muse-Lindeman says. “But in particular, we have a goal of presenting exhibits that create dialogue and that build connections between artists and communities.” The center’s current exhibition, Visible Voices, merges visual art with poetry. “We’ll be successful in this exhibit if we engage people in terms of not only experiencing the artwork, but also in connecting with one another,” Muse-Lindeman says. “That’s ultimately what we’re aiming to do, and to also really nurture that relationship between artists and their community and to provide opportunities to work and to encourage that ongoing collaboration.” Do Good: • View the current exhibition, Visible Voices, and attend an artist talk or poetry reading. • Donate to the Kennedy Heights Arts Center. • Volunteer at the center. 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.

CincyMusic Spotlight hits airwaves

By Sean M. Peters

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Talent

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June 11, 2013

The show’s format provides a much-needed outlet for local musicians.

Metro blazes new trails with green efforts

By Caitlin Koenig

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General

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May 21, 2013

Metro has been "going green" for more than 25 years, but partnerships with progressive organizations have helped it broaden sustainability efforts.

Lydia’s House set to open in 2014

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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May 21, 2013

Between January and March of this year, Lydia’s House went from a dream to reality. Organizers and volunteers secured donations from enough individuals to purchase a Norwood home, which will serve as a refuge for women and their children beginning in early 2014. “In our community, there are many people who don’t have opportunities for stable, transitional housing to get on their feet,” says Calista Smith, Lydia’s House board member. “There are often homeless shelters that max out. It’s a day-by-day or week-by-week situation as to how long you can stay in either friends’ homes or shelters, but this will be something they have access to for six to 18 months.“ Though Lydia’s House reached its goal of purchasing a home, Smith says $60,000 worth of funding is still needed, as the home is in need of renovation. Once the goal is met, however, four women and their children will be able to move in to the home, where they will begin working toward gaining job skills, saving for long-term housing and growing in a supportive and loving environment. Though Lydia’s House is still in its early stages of planning, Smith says the goal is that women will be able to “grow together in wholeness with their children.” In order for that to happen, community members will come together to repair the home, paint, provide lawn care and perhaps even donate to adopt a room, but Smith says her hope is that individuals move beyond the notion that financial contributions alone can change lives. “We really believe that this is an exercise in extended community, in that we need people to be connected—not only, ‘Okay, here’s some money to help someone,’ but really feeling that we have a shared vision of the world,” Smith says. “This is a continued effort for the Norwood community to have a vision of something to engage in that brings the whole community together while uplifting four women at a time—four families at a time.” Do Good: • Sign up to volunteer with demolition. • Read about Lydia's House's pressing needs or consider donating. • Like Lydia's House 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.

GO Cincinnati engages community, serves nonprofits

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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May 14, 2013

About seven years ago, Crossroads began a transformation that positioned it as more than just a church. Its vision was to focus on ways in which it could serve others—in not just the community, but across the world. Crossroads’ work with GO South Africa was making an impact in the lives of those battling poverty and HIV/AIDS, but at the same time, volunteers began to think about their roles in their own community. Modeled after GO South Africa, a team of volunteers initiated GO Cincinnati. It's an outreach activity that started out with about 1,200 volunteers who completed 65 projects throughout Greater Cincinnati in a single day for nonprofits. “People really connected with the idea of serving their city, and on the front line serving those in need,” says Kelley Kruyer, director of Cincinnati ReachOut projects and leader of GO Cincinnati. “They’re doing the hard work every single day, so we thought it would be cool to thank them for the work they do in our community.” This year, 7,000 volunteers will combine forces on May 18 to complete 400 projects that range from painting and landscaping to putting up drywall and serving meals. According to Kruyer, the best parts of GO Cincinnati are the long-term relationships Crossroads has formed over the years with the organizations it serves. “We know their buildings, their properties, their needs, and we know how to best help them, so sometimes we put together a multi-year plan, and it gives them the peace of mind and helps them to budget so they don’t have to spend money on things that we’re happy to help with,” Kruyer says. “It’s just a really special day.” Kruyer, who grew up in Northern Kentucky, left her hometown in the ‘80s. During that 10-year period of her life, she says she wondered what she was doing because everyone and everything she loved was here. She says that's the kind of passion for the city that drives Crossroads to engage and reach out. “We love our city—and by Cincinnati, we mean all of it—from Burlington to Middletown to Amelia to Cleves—the whole Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area,” Kruyer says. "We’re just totally committed to making it one of the best places in the country to live.” Do Good: • Find a nonprofit that interests you and lend a helping hand. • Assist Crossroads in its volunteer efforts throughout the year. • Like Crossroads 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.

Retrocentric creates pin-up army

By Newsroom & Sean M. Peters

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Entrepreneurship

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May 14, 2013

Lovers of WWII-era Americana should bop to this news: Retrocentric is a boutique that celebrates the glamorous pin-up styles of yesteryear.

Video Bikes in the City

By Caroline Bozzi, Elese Daniel, Hunter Moore, Madison Schmidt

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Environment + Sustainability

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May 7, 2013

May is Bike Month, so what better way to celebrate than to share stories about local cyclists and why traveling on two wheels is their preferred method of travel? Video by Caroline Bozzi, Elese Daniel, Hunter Moore and Madison Schmidt of the University of Cincinnati.

My Soapbox: Jason Langdon, Cincinnati Mini-Maker Faire

By Elissa Yancey

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Arts + Culture

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May 7, 2013

Louisville had a fire-breathing pony. New York had 3-D printers and makerbots galore. Cincinnati Maker Faire Founder Jason Langdon looks forward to seeing what the local science, DIY and art community has to offer in the city's first all-ages, all-genres celebration of maker culture this October in Washington Park.