- United Way of Central Ohio

LIVING UNITED
2013, ISSUE IV
Central Ohio Unites to Fight Poverty
Unprecedented Local Media Effort Mobilizes Our Community
to Help People Build Pathways out of Poverty
On Thursday, October 10, Unite to Fight Poverty
was launched. It is an unprecedented collaboration
of local media and businesses to raise awareness
about poverty in central Ohio and to inspire action.
Television, print, radio, outdoor advertising and online
communications featured stories of how United Way is
helping people build pathways out of poverty.
“The support we received from local media and
businesses for the Unite to Fight Poverty effort
was phenomenal,” said Dan Bradley, Chair of the
Communications Cabinet for United Way and Vice
President and General Manager of NBC 4.
From 4:30 a.m. through 11:30 p.m. on October 10, the
four major local television stations’ newscasts shared
inspiring stories of our neighbors and friends who
are overcoming poverty with the help of United Waysupported programs. From 7-7:30 p.m., the stations
broadcast a special half-hour television event, while
regularly scheduled shows continued, all commercial
breaks presented stories along with information on
the scope of the poverty issue in our community. This
broadcast reached more than 197,000 households.
• The AFL / CIO posted web banners on their
websites featuring the United Way partnership
• Atlas Butler is featuring Unite to Fight Poverty
on the digital board at its headquarters along
Interstate 71
• Columbia Gas included United Way inserts in the
410,000 customer bills for September
• Columbus Blue Jackets players are featured in
Unite to Fight Poverty messages
• MediaSource produced a Unite to Fight Poverty
public service announcement
• White Castle is including United Way information
in take out sacks
For the first time ever, anchors Colleen Marshall
and Cabot Rea from NBC 4; Yolanda Harris and Bob
Kendrick from ABC 6 / Fox 28; and Kristyn Hartman and
Jerry Revish from 10TV came together to create a joint
message inviting everyone to join them in Uniting to
Fight Poverty that aired on all of the stations to begin
and end the event. WOSU generously provided the
facilities where the joint message was produced.
In addition to media support, many of United Way’s
corporate and organized labor partners participated:
The October 10 event built tremendous momentum
and awareness and the Unite to Fight Poverty effort
is continuing throughout the year as media partners
continue to tell the stories of real people building
pathways out of poverty.
Unite to Fight Poverty
Media and Corporate Partners
Television
• WCMH NBC 4
• WSYX ABC 6 / WTTE Fox 28
• WBNS 10TV
• WOSU TV
Radio
• CD 102.5
• Clear Channel Radio
• Columbus Radio Group
• North American
Broadcasting Company
• RadioOhio
• Radio One
• Wilks Broadcasting
Print
• Columbus Alive!
• Business First
• Capital Style
• Columbus CEO
• The Columbus Dispatch
• Columbus Monthly
• Columbus Parent
• The Columbus Post
• Outlook Columbus
• (614) Magazine
Outdoor
• CBS Outdoor
• Clear Channel Outdoor
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Online Extra:
Watch the Unite to Fight Poverty stories that aired on local television at
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------liveunitedcentralohio.org/unite-to-fight-poverty and share your favorite on Facebook.
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Corporate / Labor
• AFL-CIO
• Atlas Butler
• Columbia Gas
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Donatos
• MediaSource
• White Castle
President’s Update
I hope you were watching one of our
local television stations on October
10 at 7 p.m. because you witnessed
history in the making. For the first time
ever, all four local commercial stations
came together for the Unite to Fight
Poverty event that raised awareness
about poverty in our community and
how United Way is helping people
build pathways out of poverty. This
unprecedented “roadblock” was the
centerpiece of a much larger effort that included major media across
central Ohio. It was led by our Communications Cabinet Chair Dan
Bradley, Vice President and General Manager of WCMH NBC 4 and his
team of volunteers: Jean Nemeti of The Columbus Dispatch, Brian
Dytko of Clear Channel Radio and Rick Dabrowski of CBS Outdoor.
I can’t thank these dedicated volunteers enough for leading what was
the biggest media event in United Way of Central Ohio’s history. This
is one more way your United Way is a national leader and one more big
way we are mobilizing our community to fight poverty.
Sincerely,
Janet E. Jackson
President and CEO
United Way of Central Ohio
Franklin County Kids Launches
Thanks to a generous grant of $454,675 by the Franklin County
Commissioners, United Way is partnering with the South-Western City
School District to launch Franklin County Kids: Ready, Set, Learn. This
program will expand the work pioneered by the first-in-the-nation
Columbus Kids effort.
Now in its fourth year, Columbus Kids has been successful in connecting
with almost 11,500 children ages 2 ½ through 4 who will attend
Columbus City Schools. The program conducts Learning Checkups every
six months to identify developmental delays. When issues are found, a
child is either referred for services or provided early learning materials
that their parents can use to increase important school-readiness skills.
Franklin County Kids will use the same successful approach, providing
feedback to parents regarding key developmental milestones and insight
on how they can become even more effective as their child’s first teacher.
Columbus Kids works with more than 250 community partners, so all
children can participate, whether they are attending an early learning
center, an in-home care provider, or are cared for at home. The program
has achieved concrete results with more than 79% of all participating
children improving or maintaining the scores from their first Learning
Checkup to their most recent. Even more notable, of the children
identified as needing a referral for more intensive services, 74.1%
showed improvement on a subsequent Learning Checkup.
United Way is actively reaching out to partners in the South-Western City
School District to build a network of support for this crucial work which
will help children succeed in kindergarten and beyond.
$51.8 Million Goal Set for 2013
United Way of Central Ohio announced the 2013 goal of $51.8 million. It is more than $600,000, or 1.25%, higher than the 2012 campaign’s
final result of $51.2 million.
The goal was presented to the United Way of Central Ohio Board of
Trustees by 2013 Campaign Co-Chairs, Anne and Jack Partridge. Jack
Partridge is President of Columbia Gas of Ohio and Chief Regulatory
Officer of the NiSource Gas Distribution Companies and a United Way
board member. The 2013 Labor Co-Chair is Glen Skeen, Secretary Treasurer of the Communications Workers of America Local 4320.
“The level of poverty in our community is simply unacceptable,” said
Jack Partridge. “When we reach our campaign goal we will be able
to invest more in the effective United Way-supported programs in
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education, income, health and home that provide people with pathways
out of poverty to stable, productive lives.”
“Anne and Jack are passionate about fighting poverty,” said Deanna
Stewart, Senior Vice President, Institutional Advancement, at United
Way. “Under their leadership we are confident we can build awareness
and mobilize our caring community to come together and support United
Way.”
“Most people don’t realize the level of need that exists in central Ohio,”
said Anne Partridge. “When we tell them 1 in 5 families with children
in central Ohio lives in poverty, they are amazed and inspired to help.”
The 2013 campaign ends on March 31, 2014. Results will be announced
at the Celebration of Excellence on May 7, 2014.
LIVING UNITED
In Depth: Empowering Neighborhood Leaders
An important strategy of United Way’s Home Impact Area is empowering neighborhood leaders to strengthen the communities where they live.
We take many effective approaches to implementing this strategy, including providing leadership classes and training, bringing leaders
together to share best practices and providing grants to neighborhood grassroots organizations.
Neighborhood Partnership Grants
The Neighborhood Partnership Grants program is designed to provide resources to neighborhood
organizations and resident groups creating positive impact in low- and moderate-income areas
of Franklin County. Funded projects are selected on a competitive basis and are designed to
increase resident involvement. Projects support capacity building at the neighborhood level,
engage diverse stakeholder groups, and showcase local talent. The program is supported by The
Columbus Foundation, United Way, Bob Evans, and PNC.
Allen Carrel, Betty Saunders and Ken Williams
The 2013 NPG program awarded 61 grants totaling $209,425. In total, the program has allocated received a grant to help transform a vacant lot in
more than $1.7 million since 2007 to over 350 neighborhood organizations.
Ganther’s Place into a thriving community garden.
Neighborhood Best Practices Conference
250 people attended the sold-out 4th annual Neighborhood Best Practices Conference on October
5. Attendees participated in sessions focused on innovations for creative communities using
holistic approaches to community building. The conference, which is hosted by the City of
Columbus Community Relations Commission and United Way, has become an important learning
event for local neighborhood leaders.
Ian Beniston, Deputy Director at Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, delivered
the keynote speech on efforts to fight blight in Youngstown’s Idora Neighborhood, highlighting
best practices that can be replicated in central Ohio.
At the conference, grants of $250 each were awarded to five neighborhood groups to support
their ongoing programs. Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman spoke of the important role
that strong schools play in creating and maintaining strong neighborhoods. And long time
community leader Peggy Murphy was awarded the Dan Charles Award, celebrating visionary
leadership in strengthening communities.
Columbus Community Relations Commission’s
Napoleon Bell and United Way’s Ryan Edwards
with community leader Peggy Murphy.
Neighborhood Leadership Academy
The second class of the Neighborhood
Leadership Academy was inducted on October
10. The academy is an in-depth eight-month
program which aims to give leaders the tools
and information they need to effectively lead
improvement efforts in their communities.
The focus of the Academy is on advocacy,
communication skills, effective collaboration,
and consensus building, and places great
emphasis on community assets. It is made Front row (from left) Dale Pyles, Tress Augustine, Robin Watson, Brittany Browne, Becky Walcott,
possible by grants from Fifth Third Bank and Anne Heidrich, Muriel Ziglar. Back row (from left) Jason Morton, Teresa Ghee, Aaron Hopkins,
Kim Campbell, Nicholas Stanich, Candy Carr, Daniel Hansen, Jim Alavi, Brandyn McElroy, Funmi
The Grote Foundation (Donatos).
Oladejo-lawal, Kristian Rose Anderson
LIVEUNITEDCENTRALOHIO.ORG3
The Columbus Volunteer Challenge Builds a Legacy
of Service, Mobilizes More Than 6,000 Volunteers
Central Ohio’s Premier Volunteering Event Includes United Way’s 22nd Annual Community Care Day
The Columbus Volunteer Challenge mobilized more than 6,000
volunteers to work on more than 300 projects over five days of service.
The city-wide volunteer event focused on lifting up and highlighting
the importance of service to others. Led in partnership by the City of
Columbus and United Way of Central Ohio, the 2013 Columbus Volunteer
Challenge united the efforts of more than 70 partner organizations to
improve lives and strengthen our community.
“We wanted to make the Columbus Volunteer Challenge a lasting
legacy of service from our bicentennial year,” said Columbus Mayor
Michael B. Coleman. “And thanks to the more than 6,000 volunteers
who have stepped up to the challenge in 2013, that legacy is going
strong.”
“The Columbus Volunteer Challenge is a great example of the caring
power of our community,” said Dawn Tyler Lee, Senior Vice President of
Community Impact at United Way. “The work accomplished over these
five days of volunteering will strengthen our schools and neighborhoods
and make a concrete improvement in the lives of thousands of people
in central Ohio.”
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A wide variety of volunteer projects took place which will have both
immediate and long-term benefits to our community, including:
• Community garden building and maintenance
• Training volunteers to become youth mentors
• Teaching English to non-native students
• Clean up and painting of local nonprofit and school facilities
• Litter pick up through the City of Columbus’ “Pick It Up” program
• Stocking food pantries
• Assembling baby supply kits, personal care kits for local adults in
need, and school supplies
• Assembling care packages for military personnel serving overseas
The key partners that came together to plan and organize the Challenge
were: HandsOn Central Ohio, Keep Columbus Beautiful, Columbus City
Schools, The Ohio State University, and MediaSource.
United Way of Central Ohio’s 22nd Community Care Day is generously
sponsored by longtime United Way supporters Kroger and Bob Evans.
-----------------------------------------------------------Online Extra:
-----------------------------------------------------------Read volunteer stories at columbusvolunteerchallenge.org
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LIVING UNITED
LIVEUNITEDCENTRALOHIO.ORG5
LEADERSHIP GIVING
United Way of Central Ohio’s Leadership Giving groups offer the opportunity for donors to learn more about how their contributions are
helping improve lives in central Ohio, develop meaningful service projects and network with other community and business leaders.
YLG Celebrates 21 Years of Giving
More than 100 YLG members and their guests
gathered at the newly-opened Pizzuti Collection on
September 19 to celebrate the 21st anniversary of
the giving group and kick off the 2013 campaign.
In 2012, YLG’s generous members raised more
than $2 million.
Jessica Monfort, a longtime YLG member and
former Co-Chair, was honored with The Robert
S. Crane Jr. Young Philanthropist Award for her
outstanding service and generosity.
Ann Pizzuti and Jessica Monfort
Marketta Thomas and Peggy Simmons
Diane McCloy, Anne Partridge
and Mary Partridge
Oyauma Garrison and YLG Co-Chair
Molly Glaser
YLG Co-Chairs Steve Driver and Molly Glaser were
also recognized for their leadership of the group.
PRIDE Council Appreciation EvenT
On October 13, more than 100 PRIDE Council members and their guests gathered at Barcelona for the
third annual Appreciation Event. PRIDE Council Co-Chairs Steve Cooney, Brian Dozer, Matt Hall, Sue
White and Kevin Tyler were recognized for their leadership as was Nationwide Financial for sponsoring
the event. Janet Jackson presented Chief Kim Jacobs with the PRIDE Impact Award which recognizes
significant impact in the LGBT community and central Ohio, and contributions to United Way of Central
Ohio’s mission through leadership and community involvement.
Chief Kim Jacobs and Janet Jackson
Tom Grote and Kevin Tyler
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Dan Alipio, Bo Chao, Tammy Stahler
and Roderick Liptrot
Mike Maly, Joe Davy, Anne Casto, Sue White
LIVING UNITED
COMMUNITY
BUILDER
Key Club, Tocqueville Society and Cinquefoil Fellowship Partner with
Champion of Children for Exclusive Discussions by Education Experts
Key Club
On October 8, Key Club and Champion of
Children donors and their guests gathered for
an enlightening panel discussion entitled “The
Silent Epidemic: The educational needs and
challenges of young African American males.”
The in-depth discussion explored current
challenges and served as a call to action for
the audience to become personally involved
in helping young African American males by
providing positive role models and mentoring.
The discussion was moderated by Todd Tuney,
Executive Director, City Year Columbus.
Panelists included Sharon Davies, Executive
Director, The Kirwan Institute for the Study of
Race and Ethnicity; Colon T. Lewis, Principal,
Gahanna Middle School West, Former Principal,
South High School, and Dr. James Moore III,
Associate Provost, Director of the Todd Anthony
Bell National Resource Center on the African
American Male. Columbus Mayor Michael B.
Coleman shared opening remark.
Kevin Boyce, Adam Troy and Scott Reeves
Carla Williams-Scott, Mysheika Williams
Roberts, Anthony Landis, Terri Williams
Ifeduba and Tasha Booker
Dr. James Moore III, Sharon Davies, Todd Tuney,
and Colon T. Lewis
T.J. Miller, Qiana Williams and
Hannah Powell-Tuney
Tocqueville Society and Cinquefoil Fellowship
On September 23, Tocqueville Society,
Cinquefoil Fellowship, and Champion of
Children donors participated in an exclusive
conversation between nationally renowned
psychiatrist and author Bruce D. Perry,
MD, PhD, Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma
Academy, and Judge Algenon L. Marbley,
U.S. District Judge, Southern District of
Ohio, Eastern Division and Co-Chair of the
Columbus Education Commission. The theme
of the thought-provoking conversation was
“Our Children’s Brains: The Lasting Effects
of Love, Loss and Neglect.” A key point
of discussion was the fact that positive
human interaction is critical to the healthy
development of young brains. Roughly 85%
of core brain structures that provide the
foundation for complex feeling, thinking and
behaving are “organized” by age three.
Drs. Steve and Pat Gabbe, Dr. Bruce Perry,
Anne Partridge, Judge Algenon L. Marbley
Lolita Augenstein, Janelle Simmons
and Ed Cohn
Julie Buzard, Mary Lou Langenhop
and Jane Whyde
Barbara Siemer and
Ann Pizzuti
Eydie Garlikov and
Linda Kass
LIVEUNITEDCENTRALOHIO.ORG7
360 South Third Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-5485
give at LiveUnitedCentralOhio.org
LIVING UNITED
2014 Champion of Children Signature Event
to Feature Author Paul Tough
February 11, 2014 at The Southern Theatre
The 2014 Champion of Children Signature
Event will feature Paul Tough, author of the
best selling book How Children Succeed: Grit,
Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. In the book, Tough examines
the effects of adverse childhood experiences on child development,
learning and behavior and highlights key character traits that must
be developed to help children overcome challenges and succeed.
Tough identifies parents as “the antidote to toxic stress” and asserts
that parent engagement is one of the most crucial elements needed to
obtain educational success. Paul Tough’s first book, published in 2008,
was Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and
America which examined Geoffrey Canada’s focus on providing holistic
support to children in poverty.
Tough is a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine, where he
has written extensively about education, parenting, poverty, and politics,
including cover stories on character education, the achievement gap,
and the Obama administration’s poverty policies. His writing has also
appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, GQ, Esquire, and Geist, and on the
op-ed page of The New York Times.
Tickets to the Signature Event will go on sale to the public beginning
December 2. For more information, go to liveunitedcentralohio.org/
champion-of-children. If you are interested in a corporate or individual
sponsorship please contact Elizabeth Trotman at 614.227.8705 or
elizabeth.trotman@uwcentralohio.org.