July proved a very busy successful month for spreading the word about The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) statewide with nine Capacity Building events completed.
The 90-minute free, no obligation informational meetings had the following schedule in July:
* July 1: Miami County at The First Place Christian Center
* July 14: Jefferson County at Jefferson Behavioral Health System's satellite office, Beacon House
* July 15: Mercer County at the Mercer County Council on Aging
* July 20: Stark County at Trillium Family Solutions, Inc.
* July 21: Hardin County at The Fame Center
* July 22: Columbiana County at The Way Station
* July 27: Washington County at Marietta Holiday Inn
* July 28: Noble County at Lori's Family Restaurant
* July 29: Monroe County at Swiss Hills Vocational School
All of The Ohio Benefit Bank events were coordinated through partnership among four AmeriCorps*VISTAs stationed with The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) in different regions of Ohio, individual nonprofits serving as existing OBB sites in 36 Ohio counties and the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio.
Each AmeriCorps*VISTA is responsible for developing an attendance list in conjunction with partnering site, securing a time and location as well as catered meal for his or her assigned counties for Capacity Building events. The events are designed to promote The Ohio Benefit Bank, specifically what it does to help alleviate poverty and financial hardship for individual families as well as putting more money into the local economy.
The Dollar General Market is one of only a few stores carrying everday goods and groceries
in the most rural and isolated parts of Tuscarawas County, which limits what families can purchase. It also means that low-income households are paying more for goods and services than they otherwise would. The store has Amish and regular customers from the area. Photo Credit: Jessica J. Burchard
Therefore, the invitation list centers on local nonprofit leaders such as United Ways and Community Action Commissions/Programs; area politicians such as village councils and town mayors; colleges and universities whose students might utilize the OBB for service learning or assisting students going through hardships.
The VISTAs also touched base with government agencies like county branches of the Department of Job and Family Services (JFS), health departments and police departments. In particular, the relationship with the JFS is important for expanding The Ohio Benefit Bank because of the E-Gateway Program, which quickly sends completed OBB forms to someone at each JFS office to be processed.
This logo is from the www.odjfs.png and is a clip art found via a www.google.com search. It is connected with www.richlandcountychildrenservices.org.
Although the local Departments of Job and Family Services have suffered layoffs in staffing, many OBB events did feature attendance by at least one staff member. The JFS offices also made a point of having representation from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program whenever possible.
The eclectic mix of invitees to each of the county's events means that the PowerPoint presentation delivered by a trained member of The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks hits many important topics.
One surprising statistic that is sometimes addressed at the meetings is the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds that for every $5 spent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program a total of $9.20 of economic activity is generated as grocery stores are able to hire more people and purchase more goods to sell.
For more information about this statistic, visit: http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/FoodCouncil/docs/OFPC%20Final%20June%2030%202009.pdf.
The Web site is a PDF of a researched short-term recommendations by the Ohio Food Policy Advisory Council from August 2009. Among the 32 members was Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks, as well as Beth Kowalczyk, with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Besides imparting knowledge about The Ohio Benefit Bank to those in attendance, the HealthPath Foundation has made it possible for the current OBB site partnering with the VISTAs in each county to maintain and/or expand their program by donating $2,500 at the end of each event.
Theresa Wukusick, executive director of the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio, and Michele Lucas, community services director of HARCATUS Tri-County CAO, Inc. in New Philadelphia, Ohio, embrace after Lucas (left) receives the $2,500 grant check from Wukusick. Photo Credit: Jessica J. Burchard
Theresa Wukusick, executive director of the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio, frequently presents the check to the nonprofit's representative after a brief explanation of what HealthPath's objectives area -- oral health and domestic violence prevention. Wukusick also utilizes the Health Institute of Ohio's information to show how HealthPath's objectives prove relevant to each county, specifically in terms of dental care for children and family abuse.
Theresa Wukusick, executive director of the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio, shows off some collateral materials for the "Do You Know Someone Who. . . " campaign while explaining what the HealthPath Foundation does to a group in Monroe County. Photo Credit: Jessica J. Burchard.
In the following posts, each AmeriCorps*VISTA -- Rich Field, Sara Mraz, Albany Woods and Jessica Burchard will share some of his/her experiences of coodinating, attending and doing follow-up for the OBB/HealthPath partnership events.
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