UNITE Central Ohio - Fall 2017

Fall 2017

UNITE Central Ohio

Q&A with

our new CEO

LISA S. COURTICE CHAMPION of CHILDREN:

The Importance of Social Fabric

UNITED WAY’S NEW GOAL:

HELPING 350,000 PEOPLE

BUILDING VIBRANT

NEIGHBORHOODS

Ken Williams and Allen Carrel helped to bring their neighbors together and transform their Ganthers Place neighborhood. Read their remarkable story.

First Thoughts: An interview with United Way’s new CEO

Lisa S. Courtice, Ph.D.

On April 3rd, Lisa Courtice began her tenure as president and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio. Lisa is a Ph.D. psychologist with over twenty-five years of experience working in nonprofit leadership having served for over ten years as the CEO, Co-CEO and clinical director of agencies directly providing services to those living in poverty in Ohio. For the last thirteen years she has served as executive vice president and leader of community research and grants management of The Columbus Foundation, the seventh largest community foundation in the country.

UNITE Central Ohio sat down with Lisa to hear her thoughts on her first months as our new leader.

UNITE: What is the role and importance of United Way in our community?

Lisa: I believe our United Way is a very strong

organization that has a unique platform, unlike any other platform really, for convening and bringing people together to solve community problems. And for me it’s unique in that it really represents the democratization of philanthropy. Contributors are giving at every level and they’re from all different walks of life. So that’s very different than private foundation or community foundation giving. It’s inspiring to me to think that we can aggregate the investments of a $20 gift as well as a million dollar gift and work together to fight poverty.

UNITE: You have led a lot of work in the past in our neighborhoods. United Way also has a long history of working with neighborhoods and we are now focusing on the priority neighborhoods of South Linden and the South Side. Share some of your thoughts on the importance of our neighborhoods and empowering residents to create positive change.

2

Lisa: Place-based grants have changed the way

Columbus organizes its work and its impact like never before, at least in my lifetime in Columbus.

We really think of our community and neighborhoods differently than we use to, and we are organizing our interventions to help people in poverty around neighborhoods. Twenty years ago we might have said we are going to work with children under age 3 because they need intervention. Well now we say we are going to look at neighborhoods that have the greatest number of children under age 3. This organizing principle has served our community well, and of course the South Side and South Linden are two areas of great need so I’m really pleased these were selected before I came onboard, because I have worked in those neighborhoods. From my experience what has worked best, and is certainly a guiding principle for United Way, is that we work along with the residents of neighborhoods. The last thing we want to do is tell a neighborhood who they should be or what they should become. Rather, we join with them and learn from them about how we can support their efforts to make their community stronger.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To hear the entire interview with Lisa subscribe to our podcast Three Six Zero on iTunes, Soundcloud -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------or wherever you get your podcasts.

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ALLEN CARREL AND KEN WILLIAMS:

HAND RAISERS AND GAME CHANGERS ON THE SOUTH SIDE When Allen and Ken moved into and founded the Ganthers Place neighborhood in 2003, the 30-block area on the South Side was awash in crime, litter, rats, dilapidated housing and overgrown lots. But the two men saw potential and neighbors who cared, so they rolled up their sleeves and went to work. They began by picking up litter, getting to know their neighbors, forming a block watch and creating community gathering places.

While Allen and Ken were well equipped with energy and passion, their ambitious vision for Ganthers Place required resources they didn’t have. They began searching for community partners, which led them to the Neighborhood Partnership Grants program—a collaborative sponsorship of United Way of Central Ohio, The Columbus Foundation, the City of Columbus and PNC. The grants they received through the program over the years have helped them add a community vegetable garden, murals, and a musical stage for outdoor concerts, and host countless events that have instilled pride and brought neighbors together.

At times, their efforts elicited suspicion, fear and even retaliation. When a young boy from down the block twice stole the very first tree Allen planted, Allen confronted the youth. The boy’s mother said her son just wanted a tree to make his own yard and house look nice. Hearing that, Allen bought a second tree and helped the boy plant it at his house. Today, that young boy is a wonderful husband and father, as well as a proud homeowner in Ganthers Place.

Under the leadership of the two men, Ganthers Place has been transformed into a peaceful, picturesque oasis where crime is down, home prices are up and engaged neighbors look out for one another. “We are community,” says Ken.

Strengthening Families – Strengthening Neighborhoods

One of the many ways United Way helps empower resident leaders is through the Neighborhood Best Practices Conference where residents can learn and share successful strategies for improving the places where they live. This year’s conference features community leader and former The Ohio State University and NFL wide receiver Roy Hall and Deborah Johnson, chairwoman and co-founder of The Jay Richardson Foundation, which helps youth set target objectives and achieve life-long aspirations by strengthening their network of support.

Saturday, October 7, 2017 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Downtown High School

364 S. Fourth St., Columbus, OH 43215 To register, call Sharon Ware: 614.241.3071 Sharon.Ware@uwcentralohio.org

United Way’s Goal for 2017:

HELPING 350,000 PEOPLE United Way is focused on helping people.

And what better way to emphasize that than to set a goal that is all about people? So, we are setting a new goal for 2017: 350,000 central Ohioans will have access to resources to meet their basic needs and the opportunity to be on a path toward a more stable, sustainable life. This concrete goal is an important way for United Way to demonstrate just how many lives our generous donors and dedicated volunteers are able to improve.

We are making great progress already, and the results below show just how many people we are helping and where they live in our community.

Helping 350,000 people is an ambitious goal, and we will work to bring all of our partners, donors and volunteers together to fully achieve it. Join us and we will make 2017 the year 350,000 people received help and hope through the work of United Way and our many dedicated partners.

Exceeding Targets

In the first four months of 2017 the number of unduplicated people served by our funded partners, in our people-centered services approach, exceeded our projections by 50% for a total of 78,061.

+50%

78,061 PEOPLE SERVED

JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL

Care Coordination

Care coordinators from our funded partners help families get the resources and opportunities they need to thrive in crucial areas like employment, health and housing. So far in 2017, 2,110 people have been given intensive help by care coordinators.

Investing Where Poverty Lives

We concentrate our investments to help people in the most need, which means areas of concentrated poverty are high priorities. This map shows where poverty lives in our community and how many people United Way and its funded partners are serving in those areas.

Colors reflect the percent of population under 200% of Federal Poverty Level Less people under threshold

Franklin County average

More people under threshold

Sizes reflect the number of people served by UWCO Funded Partners 0

4

2,000

4,000

6,000

2,110 PEOPLE

helped by care coordinators

DONOR PROFILE: DONNA AND LARRY JAMES photo courtesy of Shellee Fisher Photography

To say that Donna and Larry James are two of the most generous and engaged leaders in central Ohio does not begin to tell the story of what they mean to our community. For decades they have been actively involved in identifying the most effective ways to move us forward then rolling up their sleeves and making them happen. Donna is the founder and past chair of the Center for Healthy Families, a nonprofit focused on transforming the lives of pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Larry spearheaded the effort to restore the Lincoln Theater, which became an important anchor for the Near East Side neighborhood that is now experiencing revitalization. Those are just two key accomplishments in a long and varied list.

Their professional accomplishments are just as impressive. Larry is a partner at Crabbe, Brown & James LLP and one of the most prominent attorneys in Columbus. Donna is Managing Director at Lardon & Associates LLC and brings her decades of business expertise to her service on the boards of major corporations like L Brands Inc.

generation of black leaders by partnering with The Academy for Leadership and Governance to form The African American Leadership Academy.

The academy is designed to expand the number of African American leaders in central Ohio who excel in their professions and engage in community service.

Donna serves as the Executive Director of the academy.

One constant throughout their years of service has been generous support and leadership of United Way. The Jameses were part of the small group of local African American leaders who became charter members of Key Club, which soon grew into one of the premier African American giving groups in the country. Key Club just celebrated 20 years of investing in United Way’s mission of fighting poverty – raising a total of more than $16 million. Larry has said of Key Club, “It has no competition – there is not another comparable organization in the country.”

In addition to their membership in Key Club, Larry and Donna are members of The Alexis de Tocqueville Society, a giving group of United Way’s most generous donors.

This year they are serving as co-chairs of the giving group.

The Jameses were also instrumental in helping Key Club take on the mission of preparing the next

HOOP DREAMS

Clark Kellogg made his name on the basketball court at The Ohio State University, with the NBA, and as a television analyst. Now he is bringing his star power to bear as the Honorary Campaign Chair for United Way of Central Ohio. Clark, who lives in Westerville, will be deeply involved throughout the campaign year helping to mobilize support for United Way’s work to fight poverty in our community.

Stay tuned for more details on his appearances.

Welcome to the United Way family, Clark!

Donna sums up the couple’s perspective: “We have been supporting the work of United Way for so many years because we know that our investments and service are helping effectively fight poverty and make lives better. It’s that simple.”

To learn more about The Tocqueville Society contact Betsy McCabe – betsy.mccabe@uwcentralohio.org 614.227.2734.

BUILDING VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS: A DISCUSSION WITH RYAN EDWARDS Ryan Edwards leads United Way’s work in helping revitalize neighborhoods. That makes him a very busy man.

Since the beginning of 2017 United Way has focused its revitalization efforts on the priority neighborhoods of South Linden and the South Side. Ryan talked to UNITE about this crucial work.

UNITE: Why is our neighborhood work so important to United Way and our community?

Ryan: United Way of Central Ohio has been

committed to doing work in neighborhoods for many years. What that means is that we were committed to making grants to safe, decent, affordable housing and neighborhood safety initiatives. We certainly looked across our investment portfolio beyond those two areas, to needs like education and workforce development that build pathways out of poverty.

As we move forward, we want to take a deeper look at how United Way can impact neighborhoods. We really want to think about how we can bring value beyond our grant-making capacity in housing and safety. We know where there are concentrations of poverty in our community, and we believe that we can positively move the needle on poverty by addressing it in place.

UNITE: How did you select the priority neighborhoods

that would receive concentrated investment and attention?

Ryan: We did an assessment of the neighborhoods

and looked at poverty indicators. We also looked at some of the other factors like if there were existing champions and anchor partners. We believe that to be successful in our work, we need to be able to leverage partnership activities and investment from other folks.

At the end of the assessment, we identified South Linden and the South Side as the places we can make the greatest difference.

UNITE: Give us some specifics neighborhood work is expanding.

on

how

the

Ryan: We really wanted to think about how we

can catalyze activity in poverty reduction beyond grant-making. So, as we developed our new model,

6

we’ve broken down our neighborhood partnerships work into three different things: engagement, alignment and investment.

When we talk about engagement work, really what we’re talking about is working more authentically and equitably with the people who live in neighborhoods.

We are making sure that residents who live in the places that we serve are included in the authorship and the production of the solutions that United Way invests in.

We see a big part of our role as not just investing in individual organizations, but bringing people together to align efforts and identify shared goals. Then we can identify how each organization can contribute to the overall solution we’re trying to address.

UNITE: Share an example of the kind of work that has been effective in the past and can be expanded in the future.

Ryan: A great example is our Neighborhood

Leadership Academy, which helps residents gain the skills they need to be effective leaders. We launched the academy six years ago and it is helping to build capacity at the grassroots leadership level. It’s an eight-month program where residents learn things like how to hold an effective meeting, how to work with city hall, how to advocate for something that you want to see happen in your own neighborhood.

Everything we learn from engaging with residents gives us additional firepower at the table when we’re talking to community partners. We’re not just guessing at what neighborhoods need, we know what neighborhoods need because it’s being informed by the people who live in them. That’s something that United Way can bring to the table when we’re talking to larger institutions or organizations about how we can improve neighborhoods.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------There’s much more of Ryan’s interview on our podcast Three Six Zero. You can subscribe on iTunes, Soundcloud -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------or wherever you get your podcasts.

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2017 Champion of Children Report: Strengthening Social Fabric

2017 CHAMPION OF CHILDREN REPORT:

Columbus is one of the worst places to be born poor. Children born near the bottom fifth of the income ladder only have a 5% chance of making it to the top fifth by the time they are 30. To change this stark statistic we have to clearly understand the challenges and opportunities that face our children living in poverty. And each year the Champion of Children Report does just that.

Strengthening Social Fabric

Previous reports documented the role neighborhoods play in facilitating the success of children.

Well-functioning “opportunity quality schools nearby Columbus is one of the worst places structures” to be bornlikeand the level to and which thesehealthcare networksfacilities are willing provideborn essential for positive and are benefit entire communities.

We poor. Children nearsupports the bottom fifth ofchild the development to help us out what noted political scientist income ladder only have 5% chance of making it Robert calls capital. “norms also detailed howachildhood trauma and stress can bePutnam corrosive and,social over time, canThese turn toxic and to the top fifth by the time they are 30.

To change of reciprocity” can emerge in numerous forms— dramatically influence physical, mental, and emotional development. this stark statistic we have to clearly understand the flows of information, bonding networks to connect challenges and opportunities children share similarities, bridging This year, we examinethat the face socialour fabric presentthose in ourwho communities.

What is social fabricnetworks and why living in poverty. And each year the Champion of to form networks across diverse groups and even is it so important? Science is unequivocal, we need each other. Our lives are constellations of reChildren Report does just that. collective action.

For children to thrive they need supportive and secure families; for families to thrive they need supportive and secure neighborhoods.

However, not networks arefor created equal and, Previous reportsFordocumented the lationships. children to thrive they role need supportive and all secure families; families to thrive, neighborhoods play in facilitating the success of similar to other areas of well-being, place matters. they need supportive and secure neighborhoods. Taken together, the collection of values within children. Well-functioning “opportunity structures” That’s where social fabric comes in. Social fabric the social networks and relationships we associate with, and the level to which these networks are like quality schools and nearby health care encompasses the concept of social capital and to essential help us outsupports is what noted political scientist Robert Putnam calls social explicitly names authenticity andcapital. equity These as key facilitieswilling provide for positive “norms of reciprocity” can emerge in numerous forms—flows of information, bonding networks report child development and benefit entire communities. elements of relationship building. In the connect those who share similarities, bridging to formfabric networks across diverse we networks look at social in the context of the We also to detailed how childhood trauma and stress groups, andand, evenover collective can be corrosive time, action. can turn toxic challenges of poverty and isolation that afflict and dramatically influence physical, mental and many in our communities, especially our children.

Wesimilar also highlight groups and organizations emotional development.

However, not all networks are created equal and to otherseveral areas of well-being, place matters. working together to weave a strong That’s where social fabric comes in. Social fabric encompasses the concept of social social capitalfabric. and This year, we examine the social fabric present in our These examples offer a powerful antidote to the explicitly names authenticity and equity as key elements of relationship-building. In the report communities.

What is social fabric and why is it so harms emotional material that marginalization we look at social fabric in the context of the challenges of povertyand and isolation afflict many important? Science is unequivocal, we need each can afflict. in lives our communities, especially our children. We also highlight several groups and organizations other. Our are constellations of relationships. working together to weave strong social For children to thrive they need asupportive andfabric. These examples offer a powerful antidote to the harms emotional and material can afflict. secure families; for families to thrive,marginalization they need supportive and secure neighborhoods. Taken Learn more about the importance of together, the collection of values within the social social fabric. Download the full report at: networks and relationships we associate with, liveunitedcentralohio.org/champion-of-children

UNITE Central Ohio

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 99 Columbus, OH

Fall 2017

United Way of Central Ohio

360 South Third Street, Columbus, OH 43215 614.227.2700 liveunitedcentralohio.org Editor: Kermit Whitfield, AVP, Communications Design: Andy Rubey, Rubey Studio

Board of Trustees Lisa Ingram Chair

Craig Marshall

Immediate Past Chair

Donald E. Brown Treasurer

Virginia Nunes Gutierrez

THE FEEDS

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Secretary

Trudy Bartley Barbara Benham Duane Casares Dan Crane

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Dr. J. Daniel “Dan” Good The Reverend Monsignor Joseph M. Hendricks Lana Hillebrand Shawn Holt Chad Jester Adam Lewin Steve Markovich, MD Elizabeth Blount McCormick Fred Ransier

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Tom Rieland Glen Skeen Elise Spriggs Robert Tannous Mo Wright, M.P.A. Karin Wurapa, MD, MPH

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Staff Lisa S. Courtice, Ph.D., CAP President & CEO

Jerry Dannemiller

Senior Vice President Marketing & Communications

Angel Harris

Senior Vice President Resource Development & Chief Development Officer

Cheryl Nelson

Senior Vice President Finance & Chief Financial Officer

Michael Wilkos

Senior Vice President Community Impact

United Way of Central Ohio

@UWCO

UWCO

United Way of Central Ohio