Cincinnati: The Queen City’s crown shines again
With dueling nicknames of The Queen City for its beauty and Porkopolis for its hog-packing history, Cincinnati cannot be pigeonholed. Read the full story here.
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Executive Service Corps volunteer learns new lessons
For Fred Heyse, a local volunteer who has donated more than 400 hours this year to Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati, volunteering isn’t a way for him to “give back,” he says. It’s a way for him to simply do his part. “In a community, we’re all in it together, and somebody’s got to do the work,” Heyse says. “If we always have the mindset to let somebody else do it, we’re not going to get as much done as we should. So we all have a responsibility to chip in and do a little bit.” Heyse, 70, has volunteered with nonprofits since 1995, and he says he began because he didn’t do enough of it when he was younger, when life seemed to revolve around his work and family. “My priorities were skewed,” Heyse says. “So, I’m doing a lot of it now—it’s to make up and give my share.” Though Heyse has volunteered with countless nonprofits in the community, he says two of the more notable experiences came from the work he did for organizations he never even knew existed prior to his involvement: a resident camp for Jewish children and the Marva Collins Preparatory School. “You don’t hear a lot about the nonprofits in our day-to-day activities that are really doing a lot of good things out there unless they’re really big,” Heyse says. “But there are a lot more of them out there, and ESCC finds them, and I get put to work on them.” ESCC volunteers work primarily in the field of business management, so Heyse, whose background is in information systems, helped the two organizations develop marketing strategies to reach more individuals. Heyse said the Marva Collins Preparatory School, for example, hadn’t had the opportunity to compile results of where their students were going after graduation, so he did the data analysis to show parents that the school was successful. “It’s a school for troubled and underprivileged kids, and I never even knew they were effectively running boarding schools,” Heyse says. “But they made productive kids in society, and it was a good way of making sure no kid got lost. Many of them went on to excellent colleges, and so they’re not just surviving in society, but they’re really thriving—they’re very successful kids.” It’s these types of success stories that Heyse says are important to share and to foster as a neighbor and community member. “At 70, I’m still learning and still growing—I not only get the thanks and appreciation from them, but I learn more about how things work and how people work, and so I’m still learning myself,” Heyse says. “That is a big part of my life. I don’t want to just sit around and stagnantly grow old. I’m able to contribute, and I’m also able to keep learning.” Do Good: • Call 211 or visit the United Way's website to examine your interests and strengths, then choose an organization to volunteer for. • If you are interested in business management and have business skills, volunteer through ESCC. • Donate to ESCC to help the organization assist other nonprofits in need. 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.
A day in the life of a Cincinnati Rollergirl
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to live a day in the life of a Cincinnati Rollergirl, you’ll have your chance, should you bid on that prize and win the auction item at The Cure Starts Now Foundation’s sixth annual Once in a Lifetime Gala & Auction. Christina Kuhnhein, also known as “Ruthless Chris,” has been skating with the Rollergirls for two years, and she says the winner of the auction will experience first-hand how seriously the skaters take their sport. “We’re confident, very focused," Kuhnhein says. "Everyone has their own thing in the locker room—some are quiet and listening to their playlist that’s going to pump them up, and some are very excited and yelling and trying to pump everybody else up. But it’s a very serious environment—we want to win. Our coach usually gives us a pretty good pep talk beforehand, and we just go over what we’ve been doing in practice—our strategy—remaining in control and confident and calm.” The auction winner will sit in on pregame and halftime locker room sessions, in addition to receiving a private practice session, VIP tickets to the final home game of the season, a two-and-a-half hour standard practice session with the Girls, and what Kuhnhein says the team refers to as “lots of swag”—T-shirts and other gear. Rumor has it there will even be a gift certificate for a tattoo included in the package. “Rollergirls have this reputation of having all these piercings and tattoos, and it’s such a tough sport,” Kuhnhein says. “And I will say that I’ve never seen so many tattoos since I’ve started hanging in this circle, but honestly, it’s just something fun.” Kuhnhein says she remembers watching RollerJam back in the '90s. There was a “lot of fast skating and theatrics,” but the sport is much different now because “people aren’t as concerned with how they look.” “It used to be about outfits and trying to show off, but now it’s much more athletic—it’s teams that are very serious about strategy, working together and really killing the other team," she says. While Kuhnhein says she loves the aggressiveness and the stress relief she gets from skating, she’s just as passionate about giving back. “It is an honor to go out and help other charities in our city, and helping local businesses—we have a lot of fans that have certain charities that are close to their hearts, and we try to help in any way we can,” Kuhnhein says. “We’re doing at least one if not two or three charity events a month.” The Once in a Lifetime Gala is circus-themed and features live performers from the Cincinnati Circus, in addition to special guest and daredevil Nik Wallenda. The event takes place May 4 and helps fund pediatric brain cancer research. Do Good: • Support The Cure Starts Now Foundation by purchasing a ticket to the Once in a Lifetime Gala & Auction. • Check out and bid on available auction items. • Like the Cincinnati Rollergirls on Facebook, and follow The Cure Starts Now Foundation on Twitter. 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.
UC College of Law faculty teach in, fund scholarships
When the Office of Admissions expressed concerns about declining enrollment within the University of Cincinnati College of Law, faculty members decided to take a proactive approach. “The thought was that because we’re small, it wouldn’t really take that much to make a difference in the composition of our class,” says professor Marjorie Aaron. Professor Christopher Bryant invited faculty members to talk about their concerns, and after a few meetings, the group proposed creating new scholarships that would be funded by faculty contributions. In order to raise funds, faculty would also host a teach-in, where local law professionals could receive continuing legal education, and in the process, ease the burden of financial debt for current and prospective students. More than $50,000 has been raised since the creation of the College of Law Faculty Scholarship Fund—with $10,000 raised in a single day at the March teach-in. “We went in with the focus to use what we do and what we like to do to help them, but there were a lot of unanticipated benefits, and maybe the most significant is that it really built a foundation for an ongoing relationship between the law school and what the needs are from the firms downtown,” Bryant says. “That was already happening, but I think we kind of institutionalized that in a way that gives real promise for the future. The mission of the university is to be a resource for the community—and there’s appetite for that.” And the verage student loan debt for UC Law’s 2012 graduates was about $84,140 per person, according to UC Law’s financial aid website. Student representatives were able to speak about the burden of loans at the teach-in. Aaron says their words echoed issues common in legal education today. “If you had a dream to work in public interest, it becomes much harder to do that when you have an enormous debt burden,” she says. “So they did talk about that fact, but also the idea that no one wants to make a foolish financial move when they’re starting out.” Since faculty members want their students to be able to pursue their passions, they’ve contributed $40,000 on their own to assist with funding. “We’re a really tiny faculty—we don’t have 30 people,” Aaron says. “But we really know our students and we care about our students, and that was true before the debt issue and it’s even more true now. And the fact that we were able to raise as much money as we did and generate the willingness to volunteer is a testament to how strongly we feel about supporting our students.” Do Good: • Support UC Law. • Volunteer your time and knowledge. • Like the University of Cincinnati College of Law 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.
ReSource launches new programs to serve nonprofits
ReSource redistributed products to assist 330 local charities last year, and it has the potential to be able to reach even more organizations this year through its two new programs, which the nonprofit will unveil at its May 15 Launch Party in Sharonville. For more than 20 years, ReSource has collected surplus donations from corporations, and then made items like office furniture and personal care products available to nonprofits for pennies on the dollar. “We’re the connector to the nonprofit organizations,” says Development Director Martha Steier. She says ReSource’s ability to bring businesses together has broadened her ability to make an impact in the community. Steier says the organization’s mission is to help build stronger nonprofits, so ReSource provides warehouse space for member organizations to come shop for what they need. “So much we have here with a little creativity and a little open-mindedness can be put together for reuse,” Steier says. In addition to offering needed items for low-cost purchase, ReSource will now offer items for rental with its Event Décor Rentals program. “We’ve had—for about five or six years—a fall fundraiser, as many nonprofits do, and we have a decorations committee who is responsible for decorating tables and making invitations,” Steier says. “And we’ve had several board members that do these same events for other nonprofits, and everyone borrows from everybody else, or they go and buy things and end up storing them in their basements.” Rather than buying things and getting limited use from them, ReSource had the idea to get donations for décor, store the items in the warehouse space and then make them available for rental. This allows nonprofits to save money, which they can instead put toward serving the community, Steier says. In addition to the Event Décor Rentals program, ReSource will launch its room makeover program, which already has two clients: the YWCA Clermont County women’s shelter and the Lower Price Hill Community School. ReSource has several architects on its board with the skill and talent to show rather than tell community members the benefits of the nonprofit. With an all-volunteer design team, ReSource will create specifications to transform rooms within area nonprofits so that they are more useable and conducive to serving the organization’s mission. For example, ReSource will replace ripped carpet and make the YWCA’s living room more inviting for women and children. The organization will also renovate a 50-year-old annex within the LPHCS so that it can serve as a classroom for individuals enrolled in the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College’s Bridge program. “It’s sometimes hard to explain our story,” Steier says. “We really want to be able to show everyone what nonprofits can do with the corporate donations.” Do Good: • Attend ReSource's Launch Party at its Sharonville warehouse space. • Contribute to ReSource by donating. • Become a member nonprofit if you would like to shop at ReSource for needed items. 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.
Santa Maria promotes healthy living, helps clients navigate healthcare system
Santa Maria Community Services’ Health and Wellness Program has served as a vital resource for uninsured and underinsured Price Hill residents and Cincinnati community members since 2001. About 30 percent of the organization’s clients are Spanish-speaking individuals who are new to the country and need assistance when it comes to navigating the healthcare system. “We have a pocket here,” says Laura Brinson, director of the wellness program. “Some of the Spanish speakers come from very rural pockets of Central American countries—Guatemala is a big one in this part of town. And a lot of the clients we serve need that extra helping hand to get access to needed medical services.” Brinson says clients are particularly grateful that there are individuals who are willing to help them—so much so that at the organization’s most recent health fair this month, two clients wanted to give back because of the services Santa Maria had provided them in the past. So they and their reggae band played for participants. Santa Maria provides two health fairs a year with free screenings and health-related information, but Brinson says the nonprofit tries to go above and beyond the typical format for a health fair. “We collect results for each person at the health fair, and then instead of sending them on their way and giving them a flier because their cholesterol may be high, we follow up with each and every one of the clients to make sure they understood their results and also help them get into a medical home,” Brinson says. “They might not have a primary care physician to go talk to about their results, so we follow up and help them enroll in a clinic, we provide education, answer questions—we try to work with them throughout the year and make sure they get the help they need to help improve their outcomes.” In addition to offering health fairs and providing general assistance with finding doctors and understanding transportation routes to clinics and pharmacies, the wellness program provides translators who can explain medical information to clients and help individuals fill out financial aid forms for treatment. They even offer cooking classes that emphasize healthy options. “Good health is essential to all things in life," Brinson says. "You can’t be a productive worker at your job if you’re not healthy—you can’t be a parent to the best of your ability if you’re not healthy yourself. So many people lack access to proper care, and I’m passionate about making sure they get the services they need so they’re able to take better control of their lives, their health and feel better so they can be more proactive and productive members of their society.” Do Good: • Take your family to Carnival the Day Away at Washington Park on May 11. All proceeds benefit Santa Maria Community Services. • Support the Wellness Program's efforts by registering to attend the Bienestar Recognition Luncheon. • Support Santa Maria by donating money or items to the organization. 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.
Children, Inc. merges with VISIONS, extends reach to Ohio
The best communities have a lot of people who get involved, according to Rick Hulefeld, founder and executive director of Children, Inc. Children, Inc., a Northern Kentucky based nonprofit, aims to ensure that young people are successful both in school and in life. And a primary way in which the organization succeeds in doing that is by developing partnerships with schools and other community-based nonprofits in order to maximize resources to help as many as possible. Its most recent partnership is with Cincinnati’s VISIONS Community Services, which sought out Children, Inc., as a partner for a merge. With the merger comes a new division of Children, Inc., which will now operate in both Kentucky and Ohio. As a result of the merger, Children Inc. will continue its programs, which include everything from before- and after-school care to service learning initiatives in schools, while building its programming by incorporating VISIONS’ multi-generational approach. “They had something unique,” Hulefeld says. “They had a certified family counselor on staff who would meet on a regular basis to help—that’s a model that needs to be carefully expanded and taken to the next level. But we want to do something VISIONS has already been doing, and then bring a lot more resources to it.” One way of doing that, Hulefeld says, is to partner with other organizations that have similar goals. “There are organizations who really want to help families to become self-sufficient,” Hulefeld says. “Sometimes, little things get in the way of big dreams.” If organizations could partner to provide families with funds for bus fare to get to job training, and if they could also enroll their children in the center, Hulefeld says the children would ultimately do better in school “because they won’t always be at the mercy of the next financial crisis.” “We can’t live in communities where just a few people do everything,” he says. And it’s this motto that makes its way into the service learning initiatives that Children Inc. sets up in local schools so that students can learn by doing, while also giving back and making a difference during the process. Recently, the organization set up a project for a group of first grade students who were learning about the effects of the sun. “If you get too much of it, it’s bad,” Hulefeld says, so Children’s Inc. provided the school with funds to purchase bracelets that would change color based on how much sunlight the wearer was getting. The students then sold the bracelets and made $843, which they gave to Shriners Hospital for Children to help provide funds for burn victims. “What you really want to teach kids is that you can make a difference—and not some day—you can make it now,” Hulefeld says. “We all know that we cannot by ourselves do what the community needs us to do. None of us can do this by ourselves, but we can get together with other people and figure out, ‘How do we do what we’re doing better?’” Do Good: • Like Children, Inc. on Facebook. • If you are a teacher interested in a service learning program, contact Children, Inc. for free assistance. • Contribute by making a donation to Children, Inc. 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.
Video Young Heirlooms: Traveling Band
'Traveling Band' is a track from the first studio album by Cincinnati-based Young Heirlooms. Video courtesy Young Heirlooms.
Tom+Chee hopes to expand brand on ‘Shark Tank’
On National Grilled Cheese Day, April 12, Tom+Chee founders Corey Ward and Trew Quackenbush announced to the public that they will be appearing on ABC’s Shark Tank. The show features entrepreneurs who pitch their ideas to famous and successful business leaders for investment opportunities. Ward and Quackenbush started Tom+Chee with their wives, Jenny and Jenn, in 2009 when they served grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup to ice skaters at Fountain Square. A year later, they opened their first restaurant on Court Street; they opened a Tom+Chee at Newport on the Levee in 2011, and one on Walnut Street in 2012. They’ve also recently opened two locations in Louisville—a third is under construction—but they want to expand their brand beyond the Tri-State area. On the show, Ward and Quackenbush will pitch Tom+Chee to Mark Cuban, media and sports, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks; Barbara Corcoran, real estate; Daymond John, fashion; Kevin O’Leary, educational software; and Robert Herjavec, technology. Their goal is to secure investment and take Tom+Chee global. Tom+Chee has already been featured in an episode of Travel Channel’s Man v. Food Nation and two episodes of Amazing Eats, and its grilled cheese donut was named one of the Best Sandwiches in America by the TODAY show. It was also featured on CBS’s The Chew. Look for Ward and Quackenbush on Shark Tank May 17 at 9 p.m. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter
Food trucks to vend in OTR sites, including Washington Park
The Mobile Food Vending Program began as a pilot program in 2010, with food truck zones at Fifth and Race streets, Court Street and Sawyer Point. Since its inception, MFVP has expanded to Fountain Square, the University area, and most recently, Washington Park and Over-the-Rhine. Last Wednesday, City Council passed MFVP into law. In 30 days, there will be new breakfast and lunchtime food truck zones at Washington Park for three trucks, a nighttime zone in OTR at 12th and Clay streets for two trucks, plus a streamlined application and easier payment options for vendors. “This is great news for food trucks,” says Emily Frank, president of the Cincinnati Mobile Food Truck Association and owner/operator of C’est Cheese food truck. “It shows that City Council supports food trucks and wants to see them around for many years to come.” Frank says CMFTA targeted OTR for two reasons. The organization has a great working relationship with 3CDC, and they want to help promote Washington Park as a lunch spot. Bistro tables and chairs will be set out so customers don’t have to sit on the ground. Food trucks have wanted to vend in OTR at night for several years, but haven’t been able to. The Night Owl Market sets up in a parking lot some weekends, but food trucks were looking for other places to park to reach a wider customer base. “There’s a great late-night scene in OTR, and we’re thrilled to now be able to provide more fast, casual food options for everyone,” Frank says. Changes were also made to the application and payment options for food trucks. First, the $25 application fee was removed. Second, the $1,000 permit fee that once had to be paid in full, can now either be paid in full or be split into two payments of $600. The new option does end cost more, but it allows for flexibility for truck owners, who can now purchase only six months for $600. CMFTA is excited about their new vending opportunities, and later this year, they plan to tackle other areas of downtown, such as the Contemporary Arts Center, the Taft Theatre and the Duke Energy Convention Center, Frank says. On May 17, there will be a press event at lunchtime in Washington Park to kick off the new food truck zones. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter
Executive Service Corps volunteer learns new lessons
For Fred Heyse, a local volunteer who has donated more than 400 hours this year to Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati, volunteering isn’t a way for him to “give back,” he says. It’s a way for him to simply do his part. “In a community, we’re all in it together, and somebody’s got to do the work,” Heyse says. “If we always have the mindset to let somebody else do it, we’re not going to get as much done as we should. So we all have a responsibility to chip in and do a little bit.” Heyse, 70, has volunteered with nonprofits since 1995, and he says he began because he didn’t do enough of it when he was younger, when life seemed to revolve around his work and family. “My priorities were skewed,” Heyse says. “So, I’m doing a lot of it now—it’s to make up and give my share.” Though Heyse has volunteered with countless nonprofits in the community, he says two of the more notable experiences came from the work he did for organizations he never even knew existed prior to his involvement: a resident camp for Jewish children and the Marva Collins Preparatory School. “You don’t hear a lot about the nonprofits in our day-to-day activities that are really doing a lot of good things out there unless they’re really big,” Heyse says. “But there are a lot more of them out there, and ESCC finds them, and I get put to work on them.” ESCC volunteers work primarily in the field of business management, so Heyse, whose background is in information systems, helped the two organizations develop marketing strategies to reach more individuals. Heyse said the Marva Collins Preparatory School, for example, hadn’t had the opportunity to compile results of where their students were going after graduation, so he did the data analysis to show parents that the school was successful. “It’s a school for troubled and underprivileged kids, and I never even knew they were effectively running boarding schools,” Heyse says. “But they made productive kids in society, and it was a good way of making sure no kid got lost. Many of them went on to excellent colleges, and so they’re not just surviving in society, but they’re really thriving—they’re very successful kids.” It’s these types of success stories that Heyse says are important to share and to foster as a neighbor and community member. “At 70, I’m still learning and still growing—I not only get the thanks and appreciation from them, but I learn more about how things work and how people work, and so I’m still learning myself,” Heyse says. “That is a big part of my life. I don’t want to just sit around and stagnantly grow old. I’m able to contribute, and I’m also able to keep learning.” Do Good: • Call 211 or visit the United Way's website to examine your interests and strengths, then choose an organization to volunteer for. • If you are interested in business management and have business skills, volunteer through ESCC. • Donate to ESCC to help the organization assist other nonprofits in need. 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.
A day in the life of a Cincinnati Rollergirl
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to live a day in the life of a Cincinnati Rollergirl, you’ll have your chance, should you bid on that prize and win the auction item at The Cure Starts Now Foundation’s sixth annual Once in a Lifetime Gala & Auction. Christina Kuhnhein, also known as “Ruthless Chris,” has been skating with the Rollergirls for two years, and she says the winner of the auction will experience first-hand how seriously the skaters take their sport. “We’re confident, very focused," Kuhnhein says. "Everyone has their own thing in the locker room—some are quiet and listening to their playlist that’s going to pump them up, and some are very excited and yelling and trying to pump everybody else up. But it’s a very serious environment—we want to win. Our coach usually gives us a pretty good pep talk beforehand, and we just go over what we’ve been doing in practice—our strategy—remaining in control and confident and calm.” The auction winner will sit in on pregame and halftime locker room sessions, in addition to receiving a private practice session, VIP tickets to the final home game of the season, a two-and-a-half hour standard practice session with the Girls, and what Kuhnhein says the team refers to as “lots of swag”—T-shirts and other gear. Rumor has it there will even be a gift certificate for a tattoo included in the package. “Rollergirls have this reputation of having all these piercings and tattoos, and it’s such a tough sport,” Kuhnhein says. “And I will say that I’ve never seen so many tattoos since I’ve started hanging in this circle, but honestly, it’s just something fun.” Kuhnhein says she remembers watching RollerJam back in the '90s. There was a “lot of fast skating and theatrics,” but the sport is much different now because “people aren’t as concerned with how they look.” “It used to be about outfits and trying to show off, but now it’s much more athletic—it’s teams that are very serious about strategy, working together and really killing the other team," she says. While Kuhnhein says she loves the aggressiveness and the stress relief she gets from skating, she’s just as passionate about giving back. “It is an honor to go out and help other charities in our city, and helping local businesses—we have a lot of fans that have certain charities that are close to their hearts, and we try to help in any way we can,” Kuhnhein says. “We’re doing at least one if not two or three charity events a month.” The Once in a Lifetime Gala is circus-themed and features live performers from the Cincinnati Circus, in addition to special guest and daredevil Nik Wallenda. The event takes place May 4 and helps fund pediatric brain cancer research. Do Good: • Support The Cure Starts Now Foundation by purchasing a ticket to the Once in a Lifetime Gala & Auction. • Check out and bid on available auction items. • Like the Cincinnati Rollergirls on Facebook, and follow The Cure Starts Now Foundation on Twitter. 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.
UC College of Law faculty teach in, fund scholarships
When the Office of Admissions expressed concerns about declining enrollment within the University of Cincinnati College of Law, faculty members decided to take a proactive approach. “The thought was that because we’re small, it wouldn’t really take that much to make a difference in the composition of our class,” says professor Marjorie Aaron. Professor Christopher Bryant invited faculty members to talk about their concerns, and after a few meetings, the group proposed creating new scholarships that would be funded by faculty contributions. In order to raise funds, faculty would also host a teach-in, where local law professionals could receive continuing legal education, and in the process, ease the burden of financial debt for current and prospective students. More than $50,000 has been raised since the creation of the College of Law Faculty Scholarship Fund—with $10,000 raised in a single day at the March teach-in. “We went in with the focus to use what we do and what we like to do to help them, but there were a lot of unanticipated benefits, and maybe the most significant is that it really built a foundation for an ongoing relationship between the law school and what the needs are from the firms downtown,” Bryant says. “That was already happening, but I think we kind of institutionalized that in a way that gives real promise for the future. The mission of the university is to be a resource for the community—and there’s appetite for that.” And the verage student loan debt for UC Law’s 2012 graduates was about $84,140 per person, according to UC Law’s financial aid website. Student representatives were able to speak about the burden of loans at the teach-in. Aaron says their words echoed issues common in legal education today. “If you had a dream to work in public interest, it becomes much harder to do that when you have an enormous debt burden,” she says. “So they did talk about that fact, but also the idea that no one wants to make a foolish financial move when they’re starting out.” Since faculty members want their students to be able to pursue their passions, they’ve contributed $40,000 on their own to assist with funding. “We’re a really tiny faculty—we don’t have 30 people,” Aaron says. “But we really know our students and we care about our students, and that was true before the debt issue and it’s even more true now. And the fact that we were able to raise as much money as we did and generate the willingness to volunteer is a testament to how strongly we feel about supporting our students.” Do Good: • Support UC Law. • Volunteer your time and knowledge. • Like the University of Cincinnati College of Law 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.
ReSource launches new programs to serve nonprofits
ReSource redistributed products to assist 330 local charities last year, and it has the potential to be able to reach even more organizations this year through its two new programs, which the nonprofit will unveil at its May 15 Launch Party in Sharonville. For more than 20 years, ReSource has collected surplus donations from corporations, and then made items like office furniture and personal care products available to nonprofits for pennies on the dollar. “We’re the connector to the nonprofit organizations,” says Development Director Martha Steier. She says ReSource’s ability to bring businesses together has broadened her ability to make an impact in the community. Steier says the organization’s mission is to help build stronger nonprofits, so ReSource provides warehouse space for member organizations to come shop for what they need. “So much we have here with a little creativity and a little open-mindedness can be put together for reuse,” Steier says. In addition to offering needed items for low-cost purchase, ReSource will now offer items for rental with its Event Décor Rentals program. “We’ve had—for about five or six years—a fall fundraiser, as many nonprofits do, and we have a decorations committee who is responsible for decorating tables and making invitations,” Steier says. “And we’ve had several board members that do these same events for other nonprofits, and everyone borrows from everybody else, or they go and buy things and end up storing them in their basements.” Rather than buying things and getting limited use from them, ReSource had the idea to get donations for décor, store the items in the warehouse space and then make them available for rental. This allows nonprofits to save money, which they can instead put toward serving the community, Steier says. In addition to the Event Décor Rentals program, ReSource will launch its room makeover program, which already has two clients: the YWCA Clermont County women’s shelter and the Lower Price Hill Community School. ReSource has several architects on its board with the skill and talent to show rather than tell community members the benefits of the nonprofit. With an all-volunteer design team, ReSource will create specifications to transform rooms within area nonprofits so that they are more useable and conducive to serving the organization’s mission. For example, ReSource will replace ripped carpet and make the YWCA’s living room more inviting for women and children. The organization will also renovate a 50-year-old annex within the LPHCS so that it can serve as a classroom for individuals enrolled in the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College’s Bridge program. “It’s sometimes hard to explain our story,” Steier says. “We really want to be able to show everyone what nonprofits can do with the corporate donations.” Do Good: • Attend ReSource's Launch Party at its Sharonville warehouse space. • Contribute to ReSource by donating. • Become a member nonprofit if you would like to shop at ReSource for needed items. 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.
Santa Maria promotes healthy living, helps clients navigate healthcare system
Santa Maria Community Services’ Health and Wellness Program has served as a vital resource for uninsured and underinsured Price Hill residents and Cincinnati community members since 2001. About 30 percent of the organization’s clients are Spanish-speaking individuals who are new to the country and need assistance when it comes to navigating the healthcare system. “We have a pocket here,” says Laura Brinson, director of the wellness program. “Some of the Spanish speakers come from very rural pockets of Central American countries—Guatemala is a big one in this part of town. And a lot of the clients we serve need that extra helping hand to get access to needed medical services.” Brinson says clients are particularly grateful that there are individuals who are willing to help them—so much so that at the organization’s most recent health fair this month, two clients wanted to give back because of the services Santa Maria had provided them in the past. So they and their reggae band played for participants. Santa Maria provides two health fairs a year with free screenings and health-related information, but Brinson says the nonprofit tries to go above and beyond the typical format for a health fair. “We collect results for each person at the health fair, and then instead of sending them on their way and giving them a flier because their cholesterol may be high, we follow up with each and every one of the clients to make sure they understood their results and also help them get into a medical home,” Brinson says. “They might not have a primary care physician to go talk to about their results, so we follow up and help them enroll in a clinic, we provide education, answer questions—we try to work with them throughout the year and make sure they get the help they need to help improve their outcomes.” In addition to offering health fairs and providing general assistance with finding doctors and understanding transportation routes to clinics and pharmacies, the wellness program provides translators who can explain medical information to clients and help individuals fill out financial aid forms for treatment. They even offer cooking classes that emphasize healthy options. “Good health is essential to all things in life," Brinson says. "You can’t be a productive worker at your job if you’re not healthy—you can’t be a parent to the best of your ability if you’re not healthy yourself. So many people lack access to proper care, and I’m passionate about making sure they get the services they need so they’re able to take better control of their lives, their health and feel better so they can be more proactive and productive members of their society.” Do Good: • Take your family to Carnival the Day Away at Washington Park on May 11. All proceeds benefit Santa Maria Community Services. • Support the Wellness Program's efforts by registering to attend the Bienestar Recognition Luncheon. • Support Santa Maria by donating money or items to the organization. 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.
Children, Inc. merges with VISIONS, extends reach to Ohio
The best communities have a lot of people who get involved, according to Rick Hulefeld, founder and executive director of Children, Inc. Children, Inc., a Northern Kentucky based nonprofit, aims to ensure that young people are successful both in school and in life. And a primary way in which the organization succeeds in doing that is by developing partnerships with schools and other community-based nonprofits in order to maximize resources to help as many as possible. Its most recent partnership is with Cincinnati’s VISIONS Community Services, which sought out Children, Inc., as a partner for a merge. With the merger comes a new division of Children, Inc., which will now operate in both Kentucky and Ohio. As a result of the merger, Children Inc. will continue its programs, which include everything from before- and after-school care to service learning initiatives in schools, while building its programming by incorporating VISIONS’ multi-generational approach. “They had something unique,” Hulefeld says. “They had a certified family counselor on staff who would meet on a regular basis to help—that’s a model that needs to be carefully expanded and taken to the next level. But we want to do something VISIONS has already been doing, and then bring a lot more resources to it.” One way of doing that, Hulefeld says, is to partner with other organizations that have similar goals. “There are organizations who really want to help families to become self-sufficient,” Hulefeld says. “Sometimes, little things get in the way of big dreams.” If organizations could partner to provide families with funds for bus fare to get to job training, and if they could also enroll their children in the center, Hulefeld says the children would ultimately do better in school “because they won’t always be at the mercy of the next financial crisis.” “We can’t live in communities where just a few people do everything,” he says. And it’s this motto that makes its way into the service learning initiatives that Children Inc. sets up in local schools so that students can learn by doing, while also giving back and making a difference during the process. Recently, the organization set up a project for a group of first grade students who were learning about the effects of the sun. “If you get too much of it, it’s bad,” Hulefeld says, so Children’s Inc. provided the school with funds to purchase bracelets that would change color based on how much sunlight the wearer was getting. The students then sold the bracelets and made $843, which they gave to Shriners Hospital for Children to help provide funds for burn victims. “What you really want to teach kids is that you can make a difference—and not some day—you can make it now,” Hulefeld says. “We all know that we cannot by ourselves do what the community needs us to do. None of us can do this by ourselves, but we can get together with other people and figure out, ‘How do we do what we’re doing better?’” Do Good: • Like Children, Inc. on Facebook. • If you are a teacher interested in a service learning program, contact Children, Inc. for free assistance. • Contribute by making a donation to Children, Inc. 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.
Video Young Heirlooms: Traveling Band
'Traveling Band' is a track from the first studio album by Cincinnati-based Young Heirlooms. Video courtesy Young Heirlooms.
Tom+Chee hopes to expand brand on ‘Shark Tank’
On National Grilled Cheese Day, April 12, Tom+Chee founders Corey Ward and Trew Quackenbush announced to the public that they will be appearing on ABC’s Shark Tank. The show features entrepreneurs who pitch their ideas to famous and successful business leaders for investment opportunities. Ward and Quackenbush started Tom+Chee with their wives, Jenny and Jenn, in 2009 when they served grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup to ice skaters at Fountain Square. A year later, they opened their first restaurant on Court Street; they opened a Tom+Chee at Newport on the Levee in 2011, and one on Walnut Street in 2012. They’ve also recently opened two locations in Louisville—a third is under construction—but they want to expand their brand beyond the Tri-State area. On the show, Ward and Quackenbush will pitch Tom+Chee to Mark Cuban, media and sports, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks; Barbara Corcoran, real estate; Daymond John, fashion; Kevin O’Leary, educational software; and Robert Herjavec, technology. Their goal is to secure investment and take Tom+Chee global. Tom+Chee has already been featured in an episode of Travel Channel’s Man v. Food Nation and two episodes of Amazing Eats, and its grilled cheese donut was named one of the Best Sandwiches in America by the TODAY show. It was also featured on CBS’s The Chew. Look for Ward and Quackenbush on Shark Tank May 17 at 9 p.m. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter
Food trucks to vend in OTR sites, including Washington Park
The Mobile Food Vending Program began as a pilot program in 2010, with food truck zones at Fifth and Race streets, Court Street and Sawyer Point. Since its inception, MFVP has expanded to Fountain Square, the University area, and most recently, Washington Park and Over-the-Rhine. Last Wednesday, City Council passed MFVP into law. In 30 days, there will be new breakfast and lunchtime food truck zones at Washington Park for three trucks, a nighttime zone in OTR at 12th and Clay streets for two trucks, plus a streamlined application and easier payment options for vendors. “This is great news for food trucks,” says Emily Frank, president of the Cincinnati Mobile Food Truck Association and owner/operator of C’est Cheese food truck. “It shows that City Council supports food trucks and wants to see them around for many years to come.” Frank says CMFTA targeted OTR for two reasons. The organization has a great working relationship with 3CDC, and they want to help promote Washington Park as a lunch spot. Bistro tables and chairs will be set out so customers don’t have to sit on the ground. Food trucks have wanted to vend in OTR at night for several years, but haven’t been able to. The Night Owl Market sets up in a parking lot some weekends, but food trucks were looking for other places to park to reach a wider customer base. “There’s a great late-night scene in OTR, and we’re thrilled to now be able to provide more fast, casual food options for everyone,” Frank says. Changes were also made to the application and payment options for food trucks. First, the $25 application fee was removed. Second, the $1,000 permit fee that once had to be paid in full, can now either be paid in full or be split into two payments of $600. The new option does end cost more, but it allows for flexibility for truck owners, who can now purchase only six months for $600. CMFTA is excited about their new vending opportunities, and later this year, they plan to tackle other areas of downtown, such as the Contemporary Arts Center, the Taft Theatre and the Duke Energy Convention Center, Frank says. On May 17, there will be a press event at lunchtime in Washington Park to kick off the new food truck zones. By Caitlin Koenig Follow Caitlin on Twitter
