2013 PROGRAMS AND PROGRAMS ACCOMPLISHMENTS 95 Years 95 Brightening Lives St. Stephen's Community House St. Stephen’s Community House 1500 E. 17th Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43219 614-294-6347 www.saintstephensch.org Hon. Michelle M. Mills President/CEO From our house to yours….. “One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help them find self-confidence and inner healing.” ― Jean Vanier, Community and Growth Officers: Edward Leonard, Chair Joseph Miller, Past Chair Shawna Davis, Vice Chair James Ervin, Treasurer Clarence E. Simmons, Secretary Antoinette Mongillo, Member At-Large Mark Huddy, Vicar of Catholic Charities & Social Concerns Members: Grady Campbell Justin McAllister Dr. James Caridi Stephanie Meredith Msgr. John Cody Genevieve Reiner Mills Reid Curtis Cathy Mock Raymond D’Angelo Catherine Morris Angela Davis Beth NeCamp William Dawes Sharon Pope Kris Dawley Pat Reynolds Stephanie Demers Tim Rieder Steven Fields Rachel Sanders Mark Fluharty Linda Sebok Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston Antonio Smith Troy Glover Eric Steinhoff Susan Haack Ernie Sullivan Scott Hanna Michael Sullivan James Herlihy Cheryl Snyder Joe Isbell Paul Washington Mike Kelley Steven Williams Kevin Kinross There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction---Winston Churchill How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have been of these. - George Washington Carver A Letter from the President & CEO There are positive signs that St Stephen’s continues to brighten lives in Columbus! In 2014, St. Stephen’s received recognition from the Council on Accreditation (COA), launched Project AquaStar, and opened the Ohio Health Food and Nutrition Center. Our COA accreditation verifies that St. Stephen’s has met the standards of quality set forth by the accrediting body. By meeting these standards St. Stephen’s has and will continue to make a difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. In June of this year, St. Stephen’s displayed their commitment to addressing the food insecurities in Greater Linden. Our agency continues to serve in a leading Role in shaping the Linden community landscape through the development of Project AquaStar! Project AquaStar will benefit our families and community through farm raised tilapia and gardening and have opportunities for volunteering and tours. St. Stephen’s Is committed to improving our community through our services, education which address the health, well-being and educational needs of the families we serve. The Ohio Health Food and Nutrition center provides the platform to provide food for hungry families and educate those same families on the benefits of making healthy choices. While support and funding will always be necessary, we are committed to targeting our stewardship towards the Greatest need areas: increasing access to food, infant mortality, and support for seniors and will continue to support projects that address the importance of advancing self-sufficiency and improved Health. I want to thank you for your continued support of St. Stephen’s Community House. There are a number ways you can support our mission. You can attend fundraising Events that raise money for our programs and services, volunteer your time, or make a donation. We are hopeful that together, we can find solutions to improve and “BrighteN” lives! We are committed to assisting the resident of the Greater Linden area! The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little. Franklin D. Roosevelt COMMUNITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES The Community and Emergency Services Program is critical to the individual well-being of those served by St. Stephen's Community House. The program goals are to decrease the anxiety families/individuals experience in times of crisis, and support their needs with food, clothing, utility assistance, prescriptions, and rent; as well as, provide wrap around referral support, to ensure families/individuals needs are met. In line with our strategic goals and with the support of OhioHealth, the law firm of Bailey Cavileri and a host of generous donors, St. Stephen's Community House renovated and enlarged its choice food pantry into the OhioHealth Food and Nutrition Center. Operating a customer-focused model, our customers select their foods, assisted by personal shoppers who help them identify healthy, educated, choices for their family. St. Stephen’s continues to build community and fosters community engagement by allowing senior citizens enrolled in programming and OhioHealth Food and Nutrition customers to support the agency through volunteering in the OhioHealth Food and Nutrition Center. These special volunteers love the feeling of reciprocity. The Central Ohio Labor Council, as well as a coalition of schools, organizations, businesses, civic groups, government, and over 1200 volunteers, partner with St. Stephen's Community House to deploy the Christmas Cares/Unions Shares Program, making the Christmas holiday brighter for those in need with a generous supply of food for the holidays. In 2013, 4,236 households received emergency food and over 3,500 individuals/ families received food during the Christmas Holiday. An additional 157 households received assistance with crisis intervention material assistance. We assist residents to maximize their potential….. The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation. -- Pearl S. Buck Youth Services Research and evaluation studies confirm what we know to be true; children and youth who participate in after school programs reap a host of positive benefits in a number of interrelated outcome areas; academic, social-emotional, prevention, and health and wellness. The Youth Services Department of St. Stephen's Community House provides comprehensive programming to at-risk youth ages five to eighteen years of age and their families. We provide nationally accredited, high quality programs that effectively leverage partnerships with a variety of stakeholders. Our commitment to our youth is such that our after school programming is hands-on and project-based in experiential learning. The skills garnered by our programs are essential for youth to succeed in and contribute to the 21st Century global economy and world. St. Stephen’s honors its mission tenet of education through: After-School Programs Hosted at St. Stephen's Community House, Hamilton STEM Academy and Windsor STEM K-6 Academy, the programs focuses on academic enhancement as well as age appropriate activities. During the 2012-2013 school year, 173 youth were served; 98% of youth participants passed to the next grade level; 92% youth participants demonstrated 94% school attendance (district standard); and, 79% of youth demonstrated reading levels at or above grade levels & 80.5% demonstrated math levels at or above grade level. Tutoring The Tutoring Program focuses on providing the resources and support that enable youth to achieve academic success; facilitated in small group settings with volunteers acting as tutors as well as positive role models for youth. During the 2012-2013 school year, 54 youth participated in the program and 84.4% of youth demonstrated an increase in literacy scores. Learn to Succeed Employment Program Collaborating with the Columbus Urban League, youth ages 14-18 years were provided with work essential readiness skills, paid work internships and case management services for six weeks during the summer months. In 2013, 457 youth were served; placed into 96 various worksites, with a retention rate of 90.5%. Worksite supervisors documented 97% of youth would be recommended for re-hire. Project L.I.N.K. (Learning Innovative New Knowledge) Project L.I.N.K. was created to address the under representation of blacks in S.T.E.M. fields and the underachievement of black students in K-12. With our accredited programs and corporate partners, we cultivate our youth towards pursuing S.T.E.M. degrees, by providing a summer youth camp for 200 youth ages 5-13 years in collaboration with Battelle, American Electric Power, Franklin County Department of Jobs and Family Services and Honda. The camp focused on introducing youth to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) principles through hands-on, engaging activities. In 2013, over 200 youth participated in the project; 78% of youth demonstrated an increase in knowledge of STEM concepts as demonstrated on pre & post-test scores. Several of the participants remarked, “I indeed have the intelligence to pursue a career in engineering, agriculture or mathematics.” Pathways to Central Ohio Engineering (PCOE) In July 2013, the Alpha Minority Youth Engineering Program Board requested St. Stephens Community House partner and create a more sustainable, community focused youth engineering program that will build upon all of the good that was started by the Alpha Minority Youth Engineering Program in the City of Columbus. As such, Pathways to Central Ohio Engineering was created and committed to providing a youth focused engineering program, challenging high school juniors and seniors with innovative activities aligned with the different aspects of engineering as well as an understanding of engineering principles. Starting in September 2013, 16 youth have been enrolled in the PCOE program. PCOE graduates are attending Columbus State, Wright State, Central State, Tuskegee University and The Ohio State University in the fall. We build community, self-sufficiency and individual well-being Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and be our comfort when we occasionally falter. --Brad Henry Family Services Family to Family The Family-to-Family Program provides support services, focusing on keeping families together as well as helping them become strong and healthy.