April 14, 2022

Hello Nune,

April is National Volunteer Month!

On April 16, Santa Maria is helping to organize Pay It Forward Price Hill, a community-wide day of service to unify Price Hill through volunteerism and provide a helping hand to neighborhood nonprofits. The nonprofits include Price Hill Will, Imago, The Salvation Army Westside, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, Transformations CDC, and Community Matters.

To volunteer, sign up here>> bit.ly/PayItForwardPH

Santa Maria is hosting our second health fair of the year on April 23, 2022 at the Price Hill Recreation Center, 939 Hawthorne Ave. in East Price Hill from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It takes many wonderful volunteers to put our health fairs into action!

And be sure to check out the story below from our Volunteer Coordinator, Lucienne Driehaus about the amazing impact our volunteers had last year and what Santa Maria is doing for National Volunteer Week, April 17-23, 2022.

Sincerely,

H.A. Musser, Jr.

President and CEO

Santa Maria Community Services, Inc.

by Lucienne Driehaus,

Volunteer Coordinator

In 2021, we had over 250 volunteers that helped us fulfill our mission to help the families we serve reach their educational, financial and health goals.

These generous people are from every walk of life, young students and more mature adults. They work in groups or on their own. They serve on our board and committees to make sure Santa Maria is doing what we promised in Price Hill. They help us maintain our properties, they tutor GED students, they work with youth, they distribute food to our community members, they work with our women’s group, they help bundle diapers for distribution, they make sure our health fairs are successful and on and on.

Pictured above (on the left) is Salma Fleifil, who said, "Volunteering at the Joe William’s Family Center is always a highlight of my week! The positive environment inspires a lot of good, and I am continuously amazed by the creativity it brings out. It is as much of a place where youth can have fun as it is a place where they can learn life skills that will help them in the future."

Board member and Santa Maria volunteer, Ted Mitchel (pictured above), said, "I enjoy working with Santa Maria's outstanding staff in any way I can help. I am especially impressed with how Santa Maria has changed its focus as the needs of the families of Price Hill have changed over the years and the way it partners with other agencies to make sure that the best service is provided to the community."

You will hear from volunteers like Salma and Ted and many others during National Volunteer Week, April 17-23, 2022. We will be sharing their inspiration for volunteering on our social media channels. Be sure you’re following @SantaMariaCincy on your favorite social media network. 

Finally, I want to give a special thanks to the following partners who provided volunteers last year:

• Badin High School
• Bick’s Driving School/Glenway Ave.
• Colerain High School
• Elder High School
• Elementz
• Fifth Third Bank
• Franciscan Ministries
• Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Mercy McAuley High School
• Miami University
• Mount Notre Dame High School
• Mount Saint Joseph University
• Northern Kentucky University
• Notre Dame Academy
• ProBono Partnership of Ohio
• Procter & Gamble Hispanic Network
• Seton High School
• St. Ursula High School
• St. Vincent de Paul
• Sunrise Treatment Center
• Tallawanda Middle School
• University of Cincinnati
• Ursuline High School
• Walnut Hills High School
• West Claremont High School
• West Side Athletic Club
• West Side Referral Organization
• Xavier University

We couldn’t do what we do without these amazing people!

Santa Maria established a Family Center in Lower Price Hill in 1987 to provide youth a safe place to go after school to have fun and hang out with friends in a supportive atmosphere. In 2016, the center moved into the former Boys and Girls Club location at 2312 Glenway Avenue, and became the Joe Williams Family Center (JWFC). For the past decade, before and after the move, there has been one constant – volunteer, Terry Walls.

Terry has spent most of his life in Lower Price Hill and loves being able to give back to the community. He performs a plethora of tasks for the Youth Development Program at Santa Maria Community Services (SMCS), including regularly taking the trash and recycling bins in and out, sweeping up leaves, pulling weeds, and shoveling snow.

Terry does all of this even after a car accident in the 1980s made him a paraplegic. Even though he cannot feel his legs, he has learned how to get around using crutches. Once he was able to that, he said, he could start doing everything. That includes helping with maintenance inside and outside the JWFC, painting and trim work, and assisting in completely remodeling the Center’s kitchen.

“Terry’s strengths include his positive attitude, giving spirit, perseverance, and strong work-ethic,” said Jessica Polzin, Santa Maria Youth Development Program Coordinator. Everyone at JWFC is fond of Terry and appreciates his efforts, she said. Terry is just as fond of Santa Maria staff. “I work around a bunch of great people here at the Family Center. There is nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for them,” he said.

“Terry is always displaying the idea that it’s better to give than to receive,” Jessica said. “He is a constant reminder for me that kindness is the overarching way to connect with others.” Danny Burridge, Youth Development Program Director at JWFC, echoes Jessica’s admiration. Terry has a lot of energy and enthusiasm, he said. “He’s always trying to chat, engage, and help out in whatever ways he can.”

The JWFC staff hopes Terry will continue to volunteer and make their days brighter. Danny said, “Terry is an integral part of the Lower Price Hill neighborhood and of our programming here at the Joe Williams Family Center. We are lucky to have him here to support us with everything from helping out with handyman jobs, to keeping an eye on the Center on weekends, and bringing a smile to our faces on rough days.”

Terry hopes to one day be able to purchase buildings and lots in Lower Price Hill and help restore the area that he holds dear in his heart. He would also love to obtain a 30-foot box truck to start a mobile business someday. In the meantime, you will be able to find Terry at the JWFC where he plans to continue his service to the Lower Price Hill community.

Terry with Santa Maria's Youth Development Program Director, Danny Burridge, and Fifth Third volunteers, Stefanie Crosby and Steven Acosta, who is also a Santa Maria Board Member.

Thank You to Our 2022 Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor:

Corporate Sponsor:

Impact Sponsors:

Supporting Sponsors:

Community Sponsors:

Having trouble? Click Here to View as a Webpage

Was this email forwarded from a friend? Subscribe by Clicking Here