THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WEST CHESTER/LIBERTY

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty (CF) saw a need in our community and led the initial efforts to establish a Boys & Girls Club to benefit the youth of the area. In 2013, using the CF as the fiscal agent, the drivers of the club’s initiative applied for a portion of a grant established by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to expand the footprint of Boys & Girls Clubs in the state. The West Chester/Liberty Club received a $750,000 grant to “open and build” a Club.

In June, 2014, the Club opened in a leased facility on Smith Road in West Chester. Membership was at capacity within three months. Thus began the search for a place to build a permanent home.  

From the beginning, Dr. Karen Mantia, superintendent of Lakota Schools, was a steadfast supporter of the initiative. She indicated that a club would complete the cycle of education for our children and that it was just what our families needed. The school board concurred.  Negotiation and community input began.

After $5.5 million of the $6.5 million project was raised or pledged, the board accepted the PNC Bank financing package secured by the Club’s board affirming the lease agreement on May 26, 2016. Lakota will demolish the old Union School and the site will be used for the new Club that will bring children back to where so many of Lakota’s students were educated. 

This is collaboration at its best: the project benefits our children and their families now and will for generations to come. 

KINDERVELT

Kindervelt is an organization of neighborhood or other common-interest groups joined by a central, city-wide board of trustees. It is the largest auxiliary of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and is recognized as one of the Greater Cincinnati’s outstanding volunteer organizations. It’s motto is “having fun while raising funds” for Cincinnati Children’s.

Kindervelt #50 of Indian Hill is comprised of 50 residents of the village. Last year, the chapter raised more than $125,000; City-wide, the organization raised $506,000.

For the past four years, Kindervelt chapters have been raising much-needed money to support breakthrough care provided through the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute/Neurodevelopmental Educational Clinic. This clinic works to serve the needs of children suffering from complex heart problems, particularly those at risk of neurodevelopmental complications. 

This year, Kindervelt will switch gears and support the division of Mental Health. For the next four years, the group’s main focus will be the addition of several rooms in the Main Campus Emergency Room, which will be used exclusively for mental health patients. This will be a separate area where children requiring psychiatric services will be able to receive a more thorough assessment than what is possible in a standard emergency room. 

This will not only benefit those patients with mental health needs, but it will also provide emergency room availability for all other cases. Children’s mental health is a prominent issue in society today. Kindervelt will be contributing to an extremely important aspect in the well being of children everywhere.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CLUBS OF GREATER CINCINNATI

Outdoor Adventure Clubs of Greater Cincinnati (OACGC) is a 501(c)3 Ohio-based nonprofit dedicated to connecting urban high school students with nature and the outdoors through positive, engaging recreation, education and conservation activities at no cost to the participants. Each year the organization provides outdoor recreational activities for 2,500 area high school students throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. 

Every Saturday during the school year, OACGC takes an average of 75 students into nature for a different activity that include hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, fishing, climbing, skiing, snowboarding and more. Indoor adventures are also available, including rock climbing, basketball, volleyball, Zumba and yoga. The monthly activities are a great way for students to connect with nature and improve their interpersonal skills in a stress-free environment. 

The various activities help students develop positive relationships with adults and peers in a safe environment for physical recreation, unstructured play, exploring new interests and enhancing positive behavior. In addition, students strengthen their academic, social and life skills. 

As the organization continues to grow, OACGC is looking for donations and volunteers to continue to help the organization thrive.

THE DRAGONFLY FOUNDATION

The Dragonfly Foundation’s programs and services provide emotional support and quality of life enhancements for young cancer and bone marrow transplant patients and their families. 

For children and young adults who have not had the opportunity to live their life to the fullest, we must be even more dedicated to providing smiles, caring distractions and quality of life enhancements as they face the challenges of their illness, their extended hospitalizations, and long-term recovery.