February 2016
2015 in Review:  A Year For Which We're REALLY GRATEFUL 
As we look back on the highlights of 2015 and Franklinton Rising's first full year of operation, we're reminded of how faithful God has been to this ministry in Franklinton.  We are incredibly grateful for people like you who have provided the support, encouragement and resources that launched this effort to break the cycle of generational poverty in Franklinton.
 
We started small - only six trainees.  Four remain with the program, and have completed a 65 hour "core" introductory building trades curriculum and participated in a weekly class focused on Christian-based life skills. Our trainees have also participated in hands-on, on-the-job training as we renovate two of the four houses owned by Franklinton Rising.
 
In 2015 we've had the opportunity to partner with organizations who have faithfully demonstrated their tremendous commitment to our work in Franklinton, including:
  • Contractors such as  The Waterworks,  Custom Air,  Muth & Company Roofing,  Mooney & Moses and  The Building Hope have agreed to teach our trainees and help with the construction effort as we work to rehab our vacant houses.
  • ABC Construction Institute has supplied training curriculum and trainers to teach the core trades instruction.
  • Ohio Power Tools, in partnership with  Milwaukee Tools, awarded a wonderful set of tools to each of our trainees that completed the core training program.
  • Strait & Lamp Group has offered generous discounts on building materials and helped us to negotiate discounts on other materials.
  • Franklinton Preparatory Academy - this charter high school has helped to raise awareness for Franklinton Rising, and generously provided training space for our classroom instruction.
  • Ministries such as Central Ohio Youth for Christ, The Refuge, and Lower Lights Ministries, among others, have become great collaborators and supporters of our trainees and this program.
We ended 2015 by launching a crowdfunding campaign that kick started our 2016 fundraising. The campaign began with a celebration event at 400 W. Rich Street in the offices of Uprising Capital that hosted more than 150 people for food, drinks, and great conversations. To-date the campaign has raised nearly $8,000...!
"Without the leadership, insight and sacrifice of our Board, and the generous support of our donors, none of this would have been possible."  
- Tom Heffner, President of Franklinton Rising
Lennox Industries Makes a Big Commitment to Franklinton
During December, Franklinton Rising received an incredibly generous Christmas gift - a commitment from Lennox Industries to donate new Lennox heating and air conditioning equipment for all of our project houses. Lennox will also provide specialty training classes for any of our qualified trainees.
 
We're very happy for the partnership we have with Lennox, and incredibly grateful for their generous donation. Thank you Lennox!
 
Every dollar we receive in discounted or donated materials is a dollar we don't have to raise from individuals, companies and foundations. It's very difficult for a faith-based organization to receive government funding. We rely on people like you, and wonderful companies like Lennox, to support our mission in Franklinton, one of the poorest of all Central Ohio neighborhoods.
 
If you work for a company that might be able to help with building supplies or skilled contractor services, or know someone who might be able to help, please contact our executive director Tom Heffner.
We've Got CLASS... Actually We Have Two of Them!

Franklinton Rising achieved a big milestone this month by launching our second class of trainees. 
 
You'll remember that our first class of 6 trainees launched last July, and 4 are still active in the program. Our new class of 8 trainees consists of both men and women.  These trainees come from several high schools in the area including Briggs, West, Franklinton Preparatory Academy, Flex, and one home schooled. 
 
For the next 16 weeks these trainees will attend classroom training on safety, hand and power tools, construction drawings and math, materials, communications, and basic employment skills. We expect they'll begin working in our project houses in April or May.
Check Out our Progress on the First Two Project Houses
Our trainees and partner-contractors have been making great progress on our first two project houses.
 
We have replaced the fire damaged roof structure and roof on "the brick house" at 97-99 Chicago Avenue. Now the house can "dry out" from its previous rain and weather damage for the next few months, before we begin extensive interior repairs and renovations.
We are about halfway through renovating "the white house" at 83-85 Chicago Avenue. The entire inside has been torn down to the framing (our trainees hauled out enough demolition debris to fill 10 huge construction dumpsters). We poured new concrete footers and re-leveled the main load-bearing interior wall between the two rental units, replaced a lot of water-damaged and rotted framing at rear of the house, and installed a new roof. We also replaced the front porch - which has been a nice symbol of revitalization for our neighbors - showing them that good things are happening in their Chicago Avenue neighborhood.
 
In the next few weeks we'll have the house weather-tight - wrapped in Tyvek with new windows and doors. In the next few months we'll be installing siding, new electrical, plumbing, the HVAC systems from Lennox, drywall, flooring, cabinets, etc. 
 
For all practical purposes, when we're done this will be a brand new house.

Amazingly, we already have renters identified for both sides of the house when it's finished and available in late April or early May!
WOW!  
The FRONT PAGE of The Columbus Dispatch!

On January 14th, Franklinton Rising and our trainees were featured in a wonderful front page article in The Columbus Dispatch, and a fantastic video featured as the Top Video on Dispatch.com.

Click here to see the article and video.  
 
Then on January 25th, Franklinton Rising was featured AGAIN, in another wonderful Dispatch article here.

We are so grateful to Rita Price, Mary Ann Plageman, Courtney Hergesheimer and Chris Russel for their great work highlighting Franklinton Rising and the work we're doing for the people, and the neighborhood, of Franklinton.
2016 is off to a Great Start!
 
You already read about the articles in The Columbus Dispatch, our second class of trainees, and our plans to bring this abandoned old house back to life, and get people living in it again.
 
As funding becomes available, this year we'll hire a full-time staffer to lead classroom and on-the job trades training, manage suppliers and contractors, and coordinate our rapidly expanding Volunteer opportunities.
 
We're working hard to build a fund that allows us to acquire additional properties now, because we're already seeing some speculative acquisitions happening in this neighborhood. We need to buy the right houses, now, so we'll have the right training grounds for future classes of trainees.
 
While we've been blessed to have accomplished these things in 2015 and look forward to additional growth in 2016, we can't lose sight of Franklinton Rising being God's ministry to men and women. We must focus on being faithful, in seeking His direction and trusting in the abundant grace and resources that He will provide to break generational cycles of spiritual and economic poverty.
 
In 2016 we will continue to pray for Christ's direction and discipline, to complete what we've begun, and to "be a light in the darkness" for Christ in the Franklinton community.
 
We look forward to the journey, and to the opportunities God will open up for Franklinton Rising. We're excited about our new training classes, developing new community relationships and partnerships, and most importantly to encourage spiritual growth and a solid work ethics among our trainees.