OACAA Briefing: The latest news from OACAA and Ohio's CAAs

August 2024

Photo: Cincy CAA Director of Child Care Partnerships and author of "I Love School!" Marie Carter reads her book about her Head Start experience to students. See "Association Updates" for more.

ASSOCIATION UPDATES & RESOURCES

Former Head Start Student Becomes Dedicated Community Action Staff, Pens "I Love School" as a "Thank you Note to Head Start"

Lifelong learner Marie Janelle Carter made a career out of living and teaching the transformative power of early childhood education while wondering if sharing her story would inspire others to follow in her footsteps; her debut children’s book made that wish a reality.

Marie’s passion for learning was instilled in her at a young age, strengthened by the Head Start Program in Cincinnati, Ohio, that she attended in 1968. Though she did not know the program was Head Start at the time, thinking of it only as “school,” Marie flourished, especially during the painting sessions, which quickly became her favorite school activity. >>> READ STORY

2023 OACAA Annual Report Released

Last month, we released our 2023 Annual Report at our annual summer conference. We are proud to report that, in 2023, the Ohio Community Action Network served over 500,000 Ohioans, supported by 13,000 volunteers and nearly 10,000 staff!

The report features the inspiring impact of several Ohio Community Actions. Check it out to learn how our network drives individual and community-level change! Thank you to all who submitted stories for this report.

>>> VIEW THE REPORT

NOFO: AmeriCorps Seniors' RSVP Grant Application Open

AmeriCorps Seniors recently released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for organizations to engage adults ages 55 and older in tackling the community’s most pressing needs through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). This is an open competition across all states and territories.

AmeriCorps is prioritizing investment in the most critical issues of our time — public health, climate and the environment, civic bridgebuilding, reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals, education, and economic opportunity — within AmeriCorps’ Focus Areas and will increase its efforts to ensure AmeriCorps volunteers reflect the communities where they serve. >>> VIEW NOFO

NETWORK NEWS & SUCCESSES

More than 5,800 renters in Butler County got help to stay in their homes

(Story Source: Journal-News; Photo Source: Nick Graham)

The pandemic wreaked havoc with many lives, but thanks to a major cash infusion, Butler County was able to help 5,849 families keep a roof over their heads and the lights on with $32.7 million in COVID-19 pandemic grants from federal and state governments.

The Butler County commissioners partnered with Supports to Encourage Low-income Families to manage the federal pandemic rent and utility assistance program. SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver told the Journal-News they awarded $21.1 million to 3,131 needy households — SELF received 10% of the money to manage the program — in federal funds.

Tommie Horton, who grew up in Hamilton, told the Journal-News she was living out of her car before she found help through the program. She said SELF paid for seven or eight months of her rent at the Extended Stay hotel in Fairfield. >>> READ STORY

IMPACT Community Action CEO selected for Fifth Third Empowering Community Leaders Cohort

(Story and Photo Source: Fifth Third Bank)

Fifth Third recently announced its second cohort of its Empowering Community Leaders career development growth program, aimed at fostering the next generation of nonprofit leaders in the communities the Bank serves. Grove Park Foundation’s Gavin McGuire and Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s Nancy Flake Johnson will represent Atlanta.

“When nonprofit organizations have the resources they need to succeed, the benefits become exponential,” said Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer Kala Gibson. “It means more effective programs that better serve the community, which leads to greater success, more demand, and the ability to hire and onboard more new employees.”

>>> LEARN MORE

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