Recent News Articles
Clemmons Award Nominations Now Open
1/11/2013
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award. The award is given annually in honor of the late founder of SELF, which has served all of Butler County since 1996. As a Butler County Commissioner, Mrs. Clemmons understood the challenges faced by disadvantaged families and those who serve them. The award given in her memory honors community members who have, primarily through voluntary efforts, provided significant support and service to the low-income people of Butler County.
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Clemmons Award Nominations Now Open
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families is now accepting nominations for the 2013 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award.
The award is given annually in honor of the late founder of SELF, which has served all of Butler County since 1996. As a Butler County Commissioner, Mrs. Clemmons understood the challenges faced by disadvantaged families and those who serve them. The award given in her memory honors community members who have, primarily through voluntary efforts, provided significant support and service to the low-income people of Butler County.
“Janet was an amazing lady who always went above and beyond,” said SELF’s Executive Director Jeffrey Diver. “This award honors people who remind us of Janet’s grace, courage and compassion.”
The 2013 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award will be presented at SELF’s Annual Awards Dinner, April 13, 2013. Nominations should include:
· Nominee’s full name, address, phone, email, organizational affiliation (if applicable) and title;
· Nominator’s full name, address, phone, email, organizational affiliation (if applicable) and title;
· A list of committees, organizations and/or boards, if any, the nominee is actively involved with and how he/she is supporting them;
· Highlights of how the nominee goes above and beyond in helping low-income individuals and families in Butler County.
A nomination form and instructions are available at
www.selfhelps.org and at all SELF offices. Nominations should not exceed three pages and are due no later than February 1, 2013.
Completed nominations should be sent to Beth Race, Community Relations Director, SELF, P.O. Box 1322, Hamilton, Ohio 45012 or brace@selfhelps.org.
All nominees will be honored at the April 13 event and the winner will be selected by a committee of community members including members of SELF’s Board of Directors. For more information, contact Beth Race at 513-820-5009 or
brace@selfhelps.org.
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Ascendum and SELF Partner to Bring JOBS NOW! to Butler County
11/21/2012
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) is launching a new employment and education program, called JOBS NOW!, to help low-income residents find a job or acquire better paying work.SELF is partnering with the Vora Group and Ascendum, a global information technology (IT) solutions firm, to bring in private sector experts to teach this 6-week workshop.
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Ascendum and SELF Partner to Bring JOBS NOW! to Butler County
New Employment Program Brings Private-sector Expertise to Get People Back to Work
Hamilton, OH- Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) is launching a new employment and education program, called JOBS NOW!, to help low-income residents find a job or acquire better paying work.
SELF is partnering with the Vora Group and Ascendum, a global information technology (IT) solutions firm, to bring in private sector experts to teach this 6-week workshop. Topics include: workplace communication, work appropriate attire, time management practices and personal finance. Ascendum will also teach technology topics including Microsoft applications training, job search engines, e-mail etiquette and social media. This is combined with six weeks of weekly one-on-one job coaching and enhanced incentives that will help SELF clients get jobs, keep jobs and build assets for self-sufficiency.
“We’re excited to partner with SELF to connect trained employees with companies who are looking for a skilled workforce,” offers Mahendra Vora, CEO of Ascendum and managing director of the Vora Group of companies. “The investment in Vora Technology Park was intended to bring more jobs back to Hamilton.” Vora aligns with the SELF mission to connect those who want to work with open jobs in the private sector. “This program helps employers who can’t fill open slots and allows SELF clients get back to work to support their families and become more self-sufficient. It’s a true win-win for the entire community.”
“In this still difficult economy, our goal is to get our clients in jobs that will support their families, so that they can escape poverty permanently,” explained SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver. “We’ve gone through many bold changes, so we can get more people back to work more quickly. ”
SELF is providing transportation to the JOBS NOW! workshops, which will be held at Vora Technology Park on Knightsbridge Road in Hamilton, as well as breakfast and other gift card incentives to motivate participants and encourage success. Workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to interview with companies at a job fair with companies who have open positions on December 18. When clients complete the 6-week workshop series, they will then start one-on-one job coaching with a support specialist who will make connections to other social services and provide job search services, additional education trainings and interview clothing. Once clients complete the full 12-week program, they will be eligible to receive a laptop computer to continue their job search or complete work at home.
Ascendum is a Cincinnati-based, global company that works with small, medium, and large firms to help them use technology to solve business challenges. Ascendum's approach is built on the success of using the right combination of strategy, people, processes, technology, and infrastructure for each client situation, to meet specific business needs/challenges and deliver expected results.
For more information on how to enroll in the JOBS NOW! program for the January 2013 session, contact SELF at 513-868-9300.
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Ohio CDC Assoc. Names SELF’s Hamilton Group Workcamps 2012 Project of the Year
10/11/2012
The Ohio CDC Association awarded Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) Hamilton Group Workcamps the 2012 Ohio Project of the Year at the Association’s annual conference. The two-day gathering in Cleveland convened more than 300 community development leaders from around Ohio. SELF’s Hamilton Group Workcamps Home Repair Project was recognized for its collaboration and recruitment of hundreds of volunteers to complete home repairs for 75 very low-income homeowners who lacked the financial or physical ability to work on their own homes.
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Ohio CDC Assoc. Names SELF’s Hamilton Group Workcamps 2012 Project of the Year
CLEVELAND – The Ohio CDC Association awarded Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) Hamilton Group Workcamps the 2012 Ohio Project of the Year at the Association’s annual conference. The two-day gathering in Cleveland convened more than 300 community development leaders from around Ohio.
SELF’s Hamilton Group Workcamps Home Repair Project was recognized for its collaboration and recruitment of hundreds of volunteers to complete home repairs for 75 very low-income homeowners who lacked the financial or physical ability to work on their own homes. Many of the homes in Butler County had dangerous situations such as collapsing porches, roof leaks with crumbling ceilings, rotting stairs and missing handrails. Homeowners were senior citizens, people with disabilities or low-income families with young children. Eighteen owners had major building code violations with the City of Hamilton. All work was done by volunteers at no cost to the homeowner.
More than 80 sponsors, partners and donors collaborated on the effort. SELF convened a coalition of Hamilton-area organizations and city government agencies to select the homes, make hospitality plans and raise local funds. The project led to strong bonds between volunteers and clients as they worked together to make obvious safety and aesthetic improvements, said John Post, housing coordinator for SELF.
“The unprecedented collaboration of residents and local groups working on a common cause had a profound and visible impact,” Post said. “These large projects inspire a chain reaction – communities pitch in to help and able-bodied neighbors are motivated to make improvements to their homes, causing a sense of pride in the community.”
“On behalf of the awards committee and our members, we congratulate the 2012 winners for outstanding work in their communities,” said Nate Coffman, executive director of the Ohio CDC Association. “Their dedication and hard work inspires us all to step up our revitalization efforts.”
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The Ohio CDC Association is a statewide membership organization of Community Development Corporations that engages in capacity building, advocacy and public policy development that fosters socially and economically healthy communities. For more information on the Ohio CDC Association, visit www.ohiocdc.org.
SELF Summer Crisis Program Sets Utility Assistance Record
9/21/2012
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) experienced a record-breaking 250% increase in the numbers of families seeking 2012 Summer Crisis Program utility assistance. SELF helped 1,627 households pay their electric bills this summer and distributed 276 air conditioners and fans from June 1-September 18.
SELF continues to enroll clients in the PIPP Plus program until the Winter HEAP utility assistance enrollments begin on October 18. PIPP Plus offers Ohio residents an extended payment opportunity that requires regulated gas and electric companies to accept payments based on a percentage of the household income.
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SELF Summer Crisis Program Sets Utility Assistance Record
PIPP Plus Available until Winter HEAP Assistance Appointments Start Oct. 18
Butler County, Ohio-Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) experienced a record-breaking 250% increase in the numbers of families seeking 2012 Summer Crisis Program utility assistance. SELF helped 1,627 households pay their electric bills this summer and distributed 276 air conditioners and fans from June 1-September 18.
SELF continues to enroll clients in the PIPP Plus program until the Winter HEAP utility assistance enrollments begin on October 18. PIPP Plus offers Ohio residents an extended payment opportunity that requires regulated gas and electric companies to accept payments based on a percentage of the household income.
Under PIPP Plus, customers who heat with gas and electric pay 12 percent of monthly household income. If customers heat with electricity, they pay 10 percent of monthly household income. If customers heat with fuel oil, they pay 6 percent of monthly household income. This program is available for families with a total household income which is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. PIPP Plus installment must be paid every month in full and on time.
“SELF clients who have enrolled in PIPP Plus have been able to get their payments down to a manageable level by paying the same amount each month,” said Athena Maly, SELF’s Home Energy Assistance Program Coordinator. “They are able to be more self-sufficient and better manage their household budgets.”
For each on-time and full monthly payment, PIPP Plus customers will see a credit on their bills for their current balances and a credit toward their accumulated arrearages, so the program helps customers eliminate old utility debt and avoid new utility debt.
For more information on PIPP Plus or Winter HEAP, call 513-868-9300. Appointments for Winter HEAP are strongly encouraged. For a list of what to bring to your appointment, visit www.selfhelps.org.
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Record Breaking Heat Brings Record Requests
8/16/2012
This summer’s record-breaking temperatures has caused record-breaking demand from low-income Butler County families who need help staying cool. Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) is the local operator of the statewide Summer Crisis Program. From June 1 to August 16 of this year, 1295 families have received assistance compared with 652 families for the entire summer last year.
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Record Breaking Heat Brings Record Requests
For Summer Crisis Program Assistance
BUTLER COUNTY, OH-This summer’s record-breaking temperatures has caused record-breaking demand from low-income Butler County families who need help staying cool. Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) is the local operator of the statewide Summer Crisis Program. From June 1 to August 16 of this year, 1295 families have received assistance compared with 652 families for the entire summer last year.
“The combination of an unseasonably hot summer and ongoing economic conditions has put many families in crisis,” said Athena Maly, SELF’s Home Energy Assistance Program Coordinator.
Qualifying residents can receive a one-time payment of up to $250 toward their electric bill and/or receipt of a fan or air conditioning unit. Income is the number one criteria for eligibility. Anyone applying for assistance must be living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($46,100 for a family of four). Households that meet the income criteria then must also have at least one of the following:
· A household member 60 years old or older; OR
· A household member with a medical condition that would benefit from services as stated by a doctor’s note; OR
· A disconnection notice.
SELF will continue to schedule appointments through August 31, 2012. Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be made by calling 513-868-9300 or 888-432-7022 for a list of what to bring to your appointment, visit
www.selfhelps.org.
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SELF IDA Program Named 'Exemplary'
5/24/2012
SELF's Individual Development Account program was named an Exemplary Practice in a statewide study of Community Action Agencies and the impact they have on their local economies.
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Supports to Encourage Low-income Families has helped dozens of Butler County residents improve their personal net worth by teaching them to save.
SELF’s Individual Development Account program was cited as an exemplary practice in a study commissioned by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies and conducted by Ohio University to illustrate Community Action’s impact on local community economic development. OACAA released the report in honor of National Community Action Month.
The report found that in 2010, more than $208 million was invested in community economic development projects by CAAs, 94 percent of those funds or $196 million of which was spent on services designed to improve Ohio’s employment outlook.
“OU’s research study proved the significant contribution CAAs make to community economic development by promoting individual wealth and initiating projects that create jobs, build industry and develop community infrastructure,” said Phil Cole, executive director of OACAA. “Their research found that CAA’s invest nearly 40 percent of their federal funding towards community economic development programs, creating 386 different economic development initiatives throughout the state.”
SELF’s IDA program helps enhance local wealth by helping individuals obtain income-generating assets. Since 2006, the program has helped 16 people buy homes and 14 businesses launch. Another 7 saved for higher education. The total value of the assets is $1,174,323. The program matches savings after clients reach a goal and complete required financial classes.
Summer Crisis Program Expands, Begins Early
5/17/2012
SELF will begin scheduling appointments May 18 for help with summer electric bills. The program runs from June 1 to August 31 and has newly expanded criteria.
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Low-income Ohioans can start getting help keeping cool earlier this summer, announced Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF), and appointments can be made starting tomorrow.
As Butler County’s Community Action Agency, SELF is the local operator of the statewide Summer Crisis Program. The Ohio Department of Development is launching the program June 1 – a month earlier than in past years – and expanding eligibility for help.
Qualifying residents can receive up to $250 toward their electric bill or an air conditioning unit.
“In the past, residents had to be over 60 or have a medical condition to receive help,” said Athena Maly, SELF’s Home Energy Assistance Program Coordinator. “Now, anyone with a disconnect notice can receive $250 toward their bill as long as they qualify by their household income.”
Income is the number one criteria for eligibility. Anyone applying for assistance must be living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($46,100 for a family of four). Households that meet the income criteria then must also have at least one of the following:
· A household member 60 years old or older; OR
· A household member with a medical condition that would benefit from services as stated by a doctor’s note; OR
· A disconnection notice.
Maly anticipates the expanded eligibility will mean more interest in the program. Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be made by calling 513-868-9300 or 888-432-7022. Appointments will be held Monday through Friday at SELF’s Hamilton office; on Tuesdays and Thursdays at SELF’s new Middletown office at 930 Ninth Ave. and on Wednesdays at the Oxford Family Resource Center.
SELF will begin scheduling appointments Friday May 18.
Walk-ins will be taken at the Hamilton office only and walk-ins are not guaranteed to be seen.
For a list of what to bring to your appointment, visit www.selfhelps.org or call 513-868-9300 or 888-432-7022.
The program ends August 31, Maly said.
Hamilton Attorney Wins Janet Clemmons Award
4/6/2012
Stephen Bernat was honored with SELF's 2012 Janet Clemmons Award at the 16th Annual Awards Dinner.
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Hamilton Attorney Wins Janet Clemmons Award
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families (SELF) presented its 2012 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award to Hamilton Attorney Stephen Bernat. Bernat received the award from Honorary Co-Chairs The Honorable William Coley, Senator for Ohio’s fourth district, and his wife Carolyn.
Bernat, who lives in Liberty Township, was recognized for his service to the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio. He was nominated by the manager of the Project, Ginny Whitman.
Bernat is an attorney with McCaslin Imbus & McCaslin who has practiced in Hamilton since 2002. He is a graduate of Ohio University and the Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.
“He has provided essential legal services to many residents of Butler County in situations in which they would not otherwise have received legal help,” said nominator Ginny Whitman, who manages the Volunteer Lawyers Project. “Stephen is the one attorney I can count on to help someone in an emergency or with a peculiar or difficult situation.”
Bernat said he regularly has four or five pro bono cases open on matters ranging from setting up guardianships to complex lawsuits. He finds the cases to be among the most rewarding of his career.
“I feel like there are a lot of people out there who need help,” he said. “When you help somebody out who is in a jam, they really appreciate it. I think I make a decent living and this is my way to give back.”
The Volunteer Lawyers Project serves low-income residents in seven counties in southwest Ohio, including Butler County. Since 2007, Stephen has provided legal assistance at no charge to 41 individuals and families. He has helped with a wide variety of issues including auto accident suits, consumer suits, guardianships and estates. His work has provided essential legal services to many residents of Butler County in situations where they otherwise would not have received legal help.
The award was presented at SELF’s 16th Annual Awards Dinner and Auction. It is given annually in memory of Janet Clemmons who helped to found SELF in 1995. Six people were nominated this year.
“This is a powerful group of nominees,” said Jeffrey Diver, Executive Director of SELF. “The depth of service in our community continues to impress me. Butler County is rich with resources for people who need help and hope.”
The other nominees were also recognized. Celeste Didlick Davis of 3R Development in Middletown received the Resilient Courage Award for her service to the disenfranchised. Dr. Lester Dornon received the Humanitarian Award for his work as a volunteer physician at Hope House when he is not overseas on medical mission trips. Nicky McCullough received the Children’s Champion Award for her work as the volunteer activities director with Field of Hope in Hamilton. James Ramsey and William Sedwick were recognized with the Building Hope Award for their volunteering with People Working Cooperatively and SELF’s Group Workcamps Home Repair Initiatives.
During the evening, SELF also recognized The City of Middletown as its Outstanding Partner of the Year for collaboration on the Group Workcamps home repair project held there in 2011. Faith Community United Methodist Church in West Chester was recognized as the Agency Angel.
Three clients were also honored for their success: Lauri Fueston, Helen George and Jonathan Spindler. Employees Kim Patterson and Maria Sexton were recognized for extraordinary efforts in 2011
For more information on all award winners, please visit www.selfhelps.org.
SELF Partners with Middletown Fashion Bug
2/24/2012
SELF is partnering with the Middletown Fashion Bug store to provide interview quality clothing to clients who are job hunting.
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SELF partners with Middletown Fashion Bug Store
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families (SELF) and the Middletown Fashion Bug have formed a partnership to provide interview quality clothing to enrolled SELF clients who are working toward self-sufficiency.
SELF provides individualized assistance to low-income families and individuals to help them lift themselves out of poverty. The employment and education programs often lead to job interviews and many clients lack appropriate clothing.
“Some of our clients have had to work through multiple issues which has prevented them from being able to purchase interview quality clothing,” said Program Director Shannon Gardner. “We are looking forward to being able to use this new resource to help meet that need.”
Clients must be enrolled and active in SELF’s self-sufficiency programs and be referred to the Middletown Fashion Bug by SELF. A store employee will help them shop for appropriate clothing within pre-arranged funding limits and at a time that works best for the client.
“We do this for fire victims and other groups,” said Store Manager Christy Florence. “We’re excited to help the community this way.”
Florence manages Fashion Bug Store #2556 at 415 S. Breiel Blvd., Middletown, Ohio 45044.
Six Nominated for Janet Clemmons Award
2/21/2012
The Janet Clemmons Award is given to a community member who has served tirelessly. The nominees are: Stephen Bernat, Hamilton attorney active in the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati. Celeste Didlick-Davis, a former SELF client now operating the nonprofit 3R Development in Middletown. Dr. Lester Dornon, a Middletown physician who has volunteered at Hope House between mission trips to Nepal. Nicky McCullough, Activities Director for Field of Hope and a volunteer for the Red Cross and Hamilton Community Council. James Ramsey, a Proctor & Gamble retiree who has been active with People Working Cooperatively, including assisting with SELF's Group Workcamps and home repair projects. William Sedwick, another P&G retiree who has been active with People Working Cooperatively and Group Workcamps.
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Six Nominated for Janet Clemmons Award
The six nominees for the 2012 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award have helped children, seniors, women and men. They have advocated, prescribed, constructed and empowered.
“This is a powerful group of nominees,” said Jeffrey Diver, Executive Director of Supports to Encourage Low-income Families which presents the award annually in memory of its founder. “The depth of service in our community continues to impress me. Butler County is rich with resources for people who need help and hope.”
The award will be presented at SELF’s 16th Annual Awards Dinner and Auction, Saturday March 24 at Receptions in Fairfield beginning at 6 p.m. The Award is given annually in memory of Janet Clemmons who helped to found SELF in 1995. The winner is someone who has gone above and beyond in their service to the community, primarily through volunteer activities.
The nominees are: Stephen Bernat, a Hamilton attorney with the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati; Celeste Didlick-Davis CEO of 3R Development in Middletown; Dr. Lester Dornon, a Middletown physician who volunteers at Hope House between overseas mission trips; Nicky McCullough, volunteer activities director with Field of Hope in Hamilton; and James Ramsey and William Sedwick, Proctor & Gamble retirees working with People Working Cooperatively and SELF’s Group Workcamps initiative.
Bernat is an attorney with McCaslin Imbus & McCaslin who has practiced in Hamilton since 2002. He is a graduate of Ohio University and the Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.
“He has provided essential legal services to many residents of Butler County in situations in which they would not otherwise have received legal help,” said nominator Ginny Whitman, who manages the Volunteer Lawyers Project. “Stephen is the one attorney I can count on to help someone in an emergency or with a peculiar or difficult situation.”
Bernat said he regularly has four or five pro bono cases open on matters ranging from setting up guardianships to complex lawsuits. He finds the cases to be among the most rewarding of his career.
“I feel like there are a lot of people out there who need help,” he said. “When you help somebody out who is in a jam, they really appreciate it. I think I make a decent living and this is my way to give back.”
Didlick-Davis started 3R Development to serve the disenfranchised. 3R offers programs for youth and families on topics ranging from standardized test preparation to addiction recovery. Several programs are available for ex-offenders or children of incarcerated persons. Didlick-Davis is an attorney, licensed minister and doctoral student and spends a great deal of her own resources to conduct the activities of 3R.
“She lends a hand and her educational, organizational and administrative expertise to any one in need, especially individuals and families who are marginalized and significantly impacted by poverty,” said nominator Cecelia Thompson with the City of Middletown.
“She never receives a call for help without trying to list and at least refer people to the correct source of assistance,” added nominator Sherry Holdbrook. “She is an encourager and works daily and tirelessly to help anyone in need.”
Didlick-Davis says she is passionate about helping people and restoring her community.
“People are messy,” she said. “We need to get the services started where they are, not where we’d like them to be.”
Didlick-Davis is also a former client of SELF’s Individual Development Account program. She originally was saving toward the launch of 3R but used her savings to purchase her mother’s home after questionable activity by the landlord. 3R was founded with donations instead.
“You don’t have to move to live in a better community,” she said. “You can make the community you live in better.”
Dr. Dornon grew up in Japan, the son of missionaries who instilled in him the importance of helping others. After Dr. Dornon finished medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago and completed residency in Peoria, Illinois, he began looking for a way to serve the underserved in the United States. He found a greater need overseas in Third World Nepal.
In 1990, with his wife and two toddlers, Dr. Dornon relocated to Tansen, Nepal. For 12 years he treated infectious diseases, injuries, malnutrition, AIDS and pregnancy-related conditions. Then the family (now including a third child) returned to his wife’s hometown, Middletown, Ohio, so Rachel, Luke and Hannah could prepare for high school and college. Previous visits to his wife’s hometown had resulted in a relationship with Hope House that in 2002 became a regular part of Dr. Dornon’s life.
“He takes calls from people at the shelters who need extra help and has worked hard to be a help and encouragement to people and families who are unable to get medical care or advice in other ways,” Deborah Dornon wrote in nominating her husband.
Work at Hope House is almost as varied as his work was in Nepal, Dr. Dornon said. For the past ten years, he’s done everything from simply refill prescriptions to encouraging treatment plans for the mentally ill.
"Every Monday, after working all day at his family practice, he came to the mission to see residents, staying until all patients were seen," said Mitchell Foster, Ph.D., Executive Director of Hope House. "There were times he helped as many as 14 patients in one night. We so appreciate his willingness to donate his time and services to keep our residents healthy."
Dr. Dornon has also worked with SHALOM (Serving the Homeless with Alternate Lodging of Middletown) and several other programs of churches and non-profits from Middletown to Waynesville.
“I always grew up being concerned for people that didn’t have the things they needed and I was interested in helping them,” he said. “Money doesn’t have eternal significance. It’s a tool to accomplish the things that are more important. Helping others is a legacy that was given to me by my parents to pass on to the next generation and to share with other people that we meet along the way.”
The Dornons are returning to Nepal for another three year mission. They were scheduled to leave Middletown on Feb. 24. For more information on their work there, visit www.advancinghope.org.
Nicky McCullough is an STNA at Wellington Manor and a fixture in Hamilton’s second ward providing youth activities at Field of Hope. She is working toward a teaching degree at Miami Hamilton so she can open her own child care center.
“On any given day, you can see Nicky walking down the street with a group of children surrounding her ages 5 to 15,” said nominator Christine Birhanzl, the 2011 Janet Clemmons Award Winner.
For McCullough, working with youths in the second ward was a natural offshoot of caring for her own children and running from basketball to track to choir. Birhanzl met her when McCullough lost her son DeMarcus Thomas in a fire.
“During this time of crisis for Nicky, she maintained an optimistic outlook and pulled the energy from within to turn this horrific accident into a legacy for DeMarcus,” Birhanzl said. “She has strength beyond my imagination.”
Fire safety is among the many activities McCullough has organized for the youths. She also takes them swimming, to museums and much more. She receives donations, but often makes up the difference in costs from her own pocket.
“We have to keep them busy, expand their horizons and give them something to look forward to,” she said. “I just love being with the kids.”
Ramsey and Sedwick have worked together on many projects including SELF’s Group Workcamps and home repair initiatives through People Working Cooperatively. That’s how they came to the attention of nominator John Post, SELF’s Housing Coordinator.
Ramsey worked for P&G for 30 years as a chemical engineer. Sedwick worked nearby in the same research and development department and logged 35 years before both men retired about 10 years ago. They were together when they bumped into a mutual friend who told them about the Prepare Affair, operated by People Working Cooperatively to help elderly homeowners prepare for winter. They jumped in and have been working on other people’s homes ever since.
“It keeps our minds sharp,” Ramsey said of working in older homes. “You always have to come up with creative solutions to a wide variety of problems.”
In addition to assisting SELF with Group Workcamps and regularly volunteering at PWC, the two men have worked together organizing 10, week-long trips to the gulf area since it was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. This spring they will visit Joplin, Missouri to assist with post-tornado rebuilding. They also work with Swan House, a women’s shelter in Cincinnati, and their respective churches.
“We’ve found that everywhere we’ve gone, the people really need the work done and are very appreciative,” Sedwick said. ‘It’s very rewarding for us.”
Post commended both men for their selflessness and commitment to those in need.
“There work adds hope and aid to those who want to stay in their homes,” he said. “It enables them to live in a safer and warmer environment, and helps them maintain their dignity, independence and pride.”
The winner of the 2012 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award will be chosen by a committee of volunteers (not SELF staff) working to plan the 16th Annual Awards Dinner and Auction. The winner will be announced during the event on March 24. Tickets for the dinner are $50 each. Tickets for the dinner and a Patron Reception, beginning at 5 p.m. and featuring an appearance by B105’s Chris Carr and Company as well as a tasting of local wines by Hanover Winery, are $80 each.
All events are at Receptions Conference Center, 5975 Boymel Drive, Fairfield, Ohio. The event will also feature live dance performances and both live and silent auctions. The event is sponsored by Duke Energy, St. Gregory Group, Cincinnati Bell and others. Sponsorships are still being accepted.
Home Repair Program Wins Awards
2/20/2012
SELF's Home Repair Program has grown from week-long Group Workcamps Projects to a year-round program to help low-income homeowners maintain their biggest assets at no cost to them. The program has recently received two awards.
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Home Repair Program Wins Awards
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families (SELF) collected a Best Practices Award from The Ohio State University February 2 for its improvements to the Group Workcamps Home Repair Project held last summer in Middletown. The program was also recognized by The Chamber of Commerce for Community Service to Middletown.
SELF received the Best Practice Award for the 2011 camp because significant improvements were made over the 2010 camp held in Hamilton. Co-sponsoring the Group Workcamps Project brings hundreds of youths from around the country into the community to perform home repairs for low-income people. Many of the homeowners are elderly and/or disabled. All lack the physical and/or financial means to make the repairs themselves.
Best Practices are awarded by The John Glenn School of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University and the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies.
The camp itself was three times larger than the first camp but most of the improvements involved cultivating a close working relationship with the City of Middletown.
“The city helped us a great deal with identifying homes and areas with the greatest need,” said Housing Coordinator John Post. “We were able to remove more than 30 homes from the city’s code violation list keeping low-income people from being cited into court.”
The city also waived permit fees and assisted with trash and debris removal, Post said. In all, 56 homes were repaired during the camp week.
SELF also improved processes internally that allowed work to continue after the campers had left. Using local volunteers, another 25 homes were repaired before the end of the year.
“We continue to work on 3 to 4 homes every month and our relationship with the City of Middletown continues to be mutually beneficial,” Post said. “We look forward to implementing those improvements in the City of Hamilton at the 2012 camp.”
SELF previously received a Best Practice Award for the 2010 Hamilton Camp. The 2010 camp was also recognized by the City of Hamilton Vision Commission. The 2011 camp was also recognized by The Chamber of Commerce of Middletown, Monroe and Trenton in January.
“The reviewers were impressed with the agency and organizational changes made that reflected continuous improvement strategies and agency best practices,” wrote Cindy Holodnak, Associate Director of Outreach and Engagement for the Glenn School. “The fact that what began as a week-long program in home repairs became a full-fledged year-round program speaks to the sustainability of the enterprise.”
Group Workcamps returns to the City of Hamilton July 15 through 21. There are many opportunities to help before, during and after the camp. If you would like to volunteer, contact Vanessa Jackson, Community Relations Associate, at 513-820-5017 or vjackson@selfhelps.org. If your home is in need of repairs, contact Post to see if you qualify. Post can be reached at 513-520-5024 or jpost@selfhelps.org.
Home Repair Project Returning to Hamilton This Summer
1/12/2012
SELF will cosponsor its third Group Workcamps event this July in Hamilton to provide free home repairs to low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners.
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Youths from across the country will converge on the City of Hamilton this summer to transform low-income neighborhoods by conducting free home repairs for low-income homeowners.
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families will cosponsor a Group Workcamps Home Repair experience July 15 through 21. Individuals and organizations are needed for this high-impact event.
Anyone interested in assisting with site selection, volunteer coordination, welcoming campers, hands-on home repair or other tasks should attend a kick off meeting at SELF’s Headquarters at 1790 S. Erie Hwy., Wednesday, Jan 18 at 2 p.m.
This will be the third Group Workcamps project co-sponsored by SELF. The event was first held in Hamilton in July 2010 and again in Middletown in July 2011. To date, more than 130 homes have been repaired. All work is free to the homeowners who lack both the physical and financial means to make the repairs themselves.
Nominations Now Open for Janet Clemmons Award
1/4/2012
SELF is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award
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Clemmons Award Nominations Now Open
Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award.
The Award is given annually in honor of the late founder of SELF, which has served all of Butler County since 1995. As a Butler County Commissioner, Mrs. Clemmons understood the challenges faced by disadvantaged families and those who serve them. The award given in her memory honors community members who have, primarily through voluntary efforts, provided significant support and service to the low-income people of Butler County.
“Janet was an amazing lady who always went above and beyond,” said SELF’s Executive Director Jeffrey Diver. “This award honors people who remind us of Janet’s grace, courage and compassion.”
The 2012 Janet Clemmons Community Service Award will be presented at SELF’s Annual Awards Dinner, March 24, 2012. Nominations should include:
· Nominee’s full name, address, phone, email, organizational affiliation and title;
· Nominator’s full name, address, phone, email, organizational affiliation and title;
· A list of any and all committees, organizations or boards the nominee is supporting and how they are supporting them;
· Highlights of how the nominee goes above and beyond in helping low-income individuals and families in Butler County.
A nomination form and instructions are available by clicking here and at all SELF offices. Nominations should not exceed three pages and are due no later than February 3, 2012.
Completed nominations should be sent to Sharon Bengel, Community Relations Director, SELF, P.O. Box 1322, Hamilton, Ohio 45012 or snaragon@selfhelps.org.
All nominees will be honored at the March 24 event and the winner will be selected by a committee of community members including members of SELF’s Board of Trustees. For more information, contact Mrs. Bengel at 513-820-5009 or snaragon@selfhelps.org.
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Microenterprise Program Receives Grant Support
12/20/2011
SELF's newest program, Microenterprise, has received two grants this month just as it graduated its second class. Click "details" to read more.
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Microenterprise Program Receives Grant Support
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) has received $55,000 to support its newest program in partnership with two other Butler County nonprofits.
The Butler County Microenterprise/Microloan Program is a partnership of SELF, BizTech Center and Neighborhood Housing Services. It provides an intensive education in launching and operating a business to qualified potential entrepreneurs. SELF has received a $40,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development to operate the program in 2012. Additionally, the Hamilton Community Foundation has granted SELF $15,000 to establish a pool of loan funds for the program.
“We’re very excited for the low-income individuals who will benefit from these grants in helping them to accomplish their dreams of entrepreneurship,” said Jeffrey Diver, Executive Director of SELF.
Each partner contributed funds to launch the program in September and 15 people have completed the rigorous business education program which culminates in a comprehensive business plan. Once business plans are completed and approved by the instructor, the entrepreneur can apply for a loan.
SELF conducts intake and case management for the program. BizTech provides the business instruction and Neighborhood Housing Services will originate and service the loans.
For more information on this program, contact Rhonda Hamilton at 513-820-5022. For photos of recent graduates, please visit our Facebook page.
Middletown Veterinarian Adopts Low Income Families' Pets
12/10/2011
All About PetCare in Middletown has donated services and supplies for the pets of the low-income families in SELF's Adopt-A-Family holiday program.
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Middletown Veterinary Clinic
Adopts Pets for the Holidays
Hard working Butler County families have faced difficult choices regarding some members of their families. As they struggle to feed themselves, they often find caring for their family pets even more difficult.
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families works with clients who are striving toward self-sufficiency and actively working to move themselves out of poverty. SELF’s Adopt-a-Family program offers organizations and individuals the opportunity to create priceless holiday memories for the children and adults in these families.
For the first time, SELF is partnering with a local veterinarian to include family pets in the Adopt-A-Family program. All about PetCare, 3410 Tytus Avenue, Middletown, agreed to adopt 40 pets after reading about the program in the local newspaper.
“Pets are very much a part of the family,” SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver said. “In the past, many of our families have had to give up their pets during difficult economic times, adding greater hardship to the rest of the family, especially the children.”
“When we asked about the pets of the families that SELF helps, we were moved by their stories and decided to help them all,” said Matt Heller, DVM, owner of All about PetCare. “We think it’s great to help families that are trying to help themselves. And we hope the community will join us in supporting these families also.”
For this holiday season, All about PetCare is adopting 19 dogs, 16 cats, 1 rabbit, 2 parakeets, and 2 geckos. The pets’ owners will receive items ranging from certificates for spaying and neutering to pet food and toys. All of the owners are in one of SELF’s programs that help with employment, education and asset building and actively working toward self-sufficiency.
The clinic is also launching a pet food and supply drive for 2012 for all families enrolled in SELF’s self-sufficiency programs.
“We’re hopeful the community will drop off donations for the pets that can help these families well into the New Year,” Dr. Heller said.
Donations may be dropped off at All about PetCare from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, please call SELF at 513-820-5017 or All about PetCare at 513-424-1626.
Pictured above: Six-year-old Suzie Spicer and her dog Shelby (a Jack Russell terrier and Chihuahua mix) are pictured receiving gift supplies from Veterinary Technician Brittany Warren and Dr. Laura Arington, DVM.
SELF Appreciates Donors, Volunteers
10/18/2011
SELF held its annual Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Reception in September. Two outstanding volunteers were honored with the "SELFless" Award.
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SELF honors volunteer contributions
Two retirees have made huge contributions to improving the lives of low-income residents in Butler County by volunteering for Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families.
Lou Hampton of Fairfield and Doug Hall of West Chester were recognized for their SELFless Contributions at the Community Action Agency’s annual Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Event at the end of September. (Click here for Photos)
“In just four months, these two gentlemen have racked up nearly 300 hours helping make repairs to homes of low-income and elderly residents in Hamilton and Middletown,” said SELF’s Executive Director Jeffrey Diver. “They’ve done everything from paint walls to pour concrete and they have made a very substantial difference in the community.”
The two men began working with SELF during the July 2011 Group Workcamps event in Middletown which brought 400 youths from across the country to the area to do home repairs.
“The campers were phenomenal,” Diver said. “There just is more need than they were able to meet in a week.”
Hampton and Hall have been the lead volunteers continuing the efforts begun by the campers. Housing Coordinator John Post has organized the efforts which, to date, have impacted 117 households in the county.
“This effort has just been tremendous and every time I think I’ve seen the most successful or impactful moment, another one comes along,” Post said.
Hampton is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army who served two tours in Vietnam. After more than a decade serving his country, he worked in the auto industry and security and is now retired. A native of Fairfield, he is a music and animal lover and one of his hobbies is starting projects around the house. He loves to work with his hands and also supports community theater throughout Butler County. He is also a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and he says he has learned to take life one day at a time.
Hall is a native of Long Island and retired from IBM in Cincinnati. He currently lives in West Chester. In retirement, he has forged a second career as a tax preparer and volunteer. He has been a driver for the Red Cross who honored him as Volunteer of the Year. He is also a very proud grandfather.
The two men have committed to volunteering every Tuesday and Saturday for the rest of 2011.
More volunteers are needed to complete several projects before winter. If you would like to help, contact Post at 513-820-5024.
HEAP Scheduling Begins Oct. 18
10/3/2011
SELF successfully wrapped its Summer Crisis Program and is preparing to meet local residents' needs this winter. We will begin scheduling appointments October 18.
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Summer Crisis Program Closes but
Winter Is On the Way
Winter HEAP Scheduling Starts October 18
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) has closed its 2011 Summer Crisis Program successfully and is gearing up for the winter months.
As part of the Summer Crisis Program, SELF helped 652 households pay their electric bills this summer thanks to federal funding. The program is for Butler County residents 60 and older or others with a documented medical need for air conditioning.
SELF continues to enroll clients in the PIPP Plus program until the Winter Crisis Program begins Nov. 1. Home Energy Assistance Program Coordinator Athena Maly said many customers have been successful on Ohio’s new Percentage of Income Payment Plan or PIPP Plus, which is available only to customers of regulated utility companies, such as Duke Energy. The City of Hamilton is a non-regulated municipal utility provider.
“People who have enrolled in PIPP Plus have been able to get their payments down to a manageable level,” Maly said. “They are able to be more self-sufficient.”
PIPP Plus offers Ohio residents an opportunity to earn credit toward arrearages by making regular, on-time payments. Customers pay 6 percent of their monthly income or $10 a month, whichever is greater, to both electric and gas utilities. Customers in all-electric homes pay 10 percent or $10 whichever is greater.
“For each on-time and full monthly payment, PIPP Plus customers see a credit on their bills for their current balances and a credit toward their accumulated arrearages,” Maly said. “PIPP Plus helps customers eliminate old utility debt and avoid new utility debt.”
To be eligible for PIPP Plus, customers must have a household income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line and be a customer of a regulated gas or electric company.
SELF will begin scheduling appointments for winter HEAP on October 18. Appointments are strongly encouraged.
“We expect a lot of people will need assistance this year and that means we can’t guarantee walk-ins will be seen,” Maly said. “We really encourage people to call us as soon as they receive a disconnect notice.”
Winter HEAP typically runs from Nov. 1 through March 31.
Typically, customers must bring the following documents to their appointments:
· Current utility or bulk fuel bill, bulk fuel users must have 10 days’ supply or less and the bill must be in the household member’s name
· Disconnect notice
· Social Security Cards (or legal documentation) for all household members
· Proof of all household income for last 13 weeks or 12 months
· Picture I.D.
· And, if living in the City of Hamilton, an arrangement form and receipt that copayment was made.
For more information, call 513-868-9300 or 1-888-432-7000 toll free from Middletown beginning October 18.
SELF Partners with Quaker Chemical to Help Middletown Residents Get Ahead
9/23/2011
The Quaker Chemical Foundation has awarded a $2,500 grant in support of the Getting Ahead program operated by SELF on behalf of the Butler County Bridges Out of Poverty Coalition
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SELF Partners with Quaker Chemical
to Help Middletown Residents ‘Get Ahead’
Middletown residents will have unique opportunities to change their lives thanks to The Quaker Chemical Foundation’s support of the Getting Ahead program operated by Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) on behalf of the Butler County Bridges Out of Poverty Coalition
SELF received a $2,500 grant from The Quaker Chemical Foundation to cover costs for its Getting Ahead Program for Middletown residents. Getting Ahead is an 18-week program based on the work of renowned poverty advocate Ruby Payne. Payne’s “Bridges Out of Poverty” program focuses on the cultural differences and hidden rules that often keep people trapped in a cycle of poverty. Payne’s colleague, Philip DeVol, wrote the class text: “Getting Ahead in a Just Getting By World.”
“We focus on deliberate steps toward goals – daily, weekly and monthly goals,” said Program Facilitator Kimberly Benge. “We look at resources and how to maximize them and we look at obstacles and how to eliminate or minimize them.”
“Getting Ahead in a just Gettin' by World” is a curriculum that assists individuals living in poverty to evaluate their lives, develop, and sustain the life skills necessary to survive and flourish in society. The goal of Getting Ahead is for individuals in poverty to develop a series of mental models to examine their own pasts and create new futures.
The grant from The Quaker Chemical Foundation will help cover the costs of the class which include materials, free child care for participants, snacks and transportation for those who need it.
Quaker Chemical, headquartered in Conshohocken, Penn., has a state-of-the art manufacturing facility at 3431 Yankee Road in Middletown, where it produces a variety of specialty process chemicals for the metalworking, steel and aluminum industries.
“Quaker Chemical is a global leader in its industries, and as such we believe we have a responsibility to be a good corporate citizen in our local communities. We are pleased to be able to support SELF through our Foundation’s annual grant program,” said Jan Waldauer, communications and community relations manager for Quaker Chemical.
The Quaker Chemical Foundation grant will be used for Middletown residents only; however, other funding sources allow SELF to open the class to all of Butler County. The next Getting Ahead class begins Nov. 8 and there are openings. Contact Benge at 513-785-3690 for information.
Quaker Chemical has also supported SELF by volunteering with the Group Workcamps Program held in Middletown last July.
“Great corporate partners and funders like Quaker Chemical go a long way toward combating poverty in Butler County,” said SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver. “We are extremely grateful that they support our mission.”
SELF Executive Director Honored
9/23/2011
SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver was named a Community Health Center Hero by the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers.
Diver was recognized for his work on the board of Primary Health Solutions which developed and improved the community health center system in Butler County.
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SELF Executive Director Honored
SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver was named a Community Health Center Hero by the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers.
Diver was recognized for his work on the board of Primary Health Solutions which developed and improved the community health center system in Butler County. Diver has served on the board since 2002 and was its president in 2007-2008. He is now a non-voiting, ex-officio member.
Diver was nominated for the recognition by Roger Boyes.
"Jeffrey Diver has been an inspiration and a role model because of his continuing commitment to the community and his unyielding drive to make sure those in need receive the highest quality primary care available," Boyes said.
Primary Health Solutions now operates The Bever Pavillion in Hamilton, the Hamilton West Center and the Middletown Community Health and Dental Center.
Project 2 Empower Now Enrolling
9/21/2011
SELF is now enrolling clients in Project 2 Empower, an employment and education program, provides individual attention to clients facing a variety of issues.
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Project 2 Empower Can Help
SELF's fundamental reason for being is to remove the barriers that prevent people from being self-sufficient. Project 2 Empower, an employment and education program, provides individual attention to clients facing a variety of issues.
Gaining or improving employment is required as one of the four goals listed on Individual Service Plans set up by P2E clients. After setting up their plan, clients meet weekly with a support specialist who provides guidance, encouragement and support as they work toward their goals.
"Anyone can help someone get a job," said Program Director Shannon Gardner. "Project 2 Empower helps clients find their own way to a better life."
When setbacks occur, such as unexpected car repairs or other expenses, SELF can provide help that keeps P2E clients on track. Working with partners throughout Butler County, SELF provides the following:
- job search assistance
- resume preparation
- interview quality clothing
- education
- budgeting
- short-term transportation
SELF is now enrolling clients in Project 2 Empower. We have offices in Hamilton, Middletown, Oxford and West Chester. Call 513-868-9300 or 888-432-7022 to find out if P2E is right for you.
SELF Relocates West Chester Office
9/16/2011
West Chester Office Relocates
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SELF Relocates West Chester Office
Supports to Encourage Low-income Families, Butler County’s Community Action Agency, is relocating its West Chester office on September 20 to better serve clients in the area. The new location will be in the same building as an existing county Head Start center.
“We have been extremely fortunate to have space donated to us since January 2004 by West Chester Presbyterian Church,” said SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver. “The additional space and proximity to Head Start will enable us to better serve Head Start parents and others in West Chester who need a helping hand.”
SELF’s new office will be inside the Union Day School at 8735 Cincinnati-Dayton Road. The building is owned by the Butler County Educational Service Center and also occupied by Talbert House as well as Head Start.
The office will continue to provide SELF’s Project 2 Empower Program, a unique employment and education program designed to help men and women overcome barriers that prevent them from being self-sufficient. Sustained employment is the major aspect of the program, Diver said.
“The new job skills learned, goals achieved and resources accessed are all pieces of the self-sufficiency puzzle that fit together to create overall success,” Diver said. “Anyone can help someone get a job. Project 2 Empower is not just providing services; it’s also the providing big doses of encouragement.”
Project 2 Empower is funded in part by the Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty and the Liz Claiborne Foundation as well as the Butler County United Way and the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. As Butler County's community action agency, Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) exists to enhance the quality of life for county residents by impacting the causes of poverty and empowering individuals to achieve, sustain, and advocate self-sufficiency.
For more information on Project 2 Empower or other SELF programs, contact us at 513-868-9300 or visit www.selfhelps.org.
Making a Difference in Middletown
7/22/2011
SELF brought Group Workcamps into Middletown July 10 through 15 to complete repair work on 60 homes. The results were inspirational.
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Supports to Encourage Low-income Families brought Group Workcamps back to Butler County to make repairs on 60 homes in Middletown. Last year, SELF and Group Workcamps made a similar effort for homes in Hamilton.
“These young people are absolutely amazing,” said Jeff Diver, Executive Director of SELF. “They worked so hard and gave much more than was expected of them. I know the residents truly appreciate them.”
Group Workcamps is a nonprofit based in Colorado. The camps bring together youth groups from across the country to a work site with a cosponsor such as SELF. Once in Middletown, the 356 campers from 11 states were mixed up into crews and assigned to homes.
At the end of the week, they had racked up more than 1,100 hours of community service, built three wheelchair ramps and several porches, and become expert painters. The camp provides the young people with opportunities to learn new skills and gain confidence.
Ben Lugar, 15, of Midland, Michigan, used a plane to level the boards of Johanna Burton’s new side porch. Lugar was being taught by Stephen Schoonover of Waynesboro, Penn., a machine builder by trade currently restoring his own home.
Burton was thrilled with the improvements to her home, originally built by the Vanderveer family and located on the street named for them.
“I never really used that door before, but it’s going to be used now,” she said.
On Woodlawn Drive, Judy Spencer was expecting a new porch floor, but when crew members removed the rotting floor boards, they found the damage extended to the joists as well. So, they rebuilt them too.
“This house is 100 years old,” Spencer said, “and I have a feeling the house will crumble but this porch never will.”
The crew members signed the last board on the porch before screwing it into place, adding the theme scripture for the camp week: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 5:15)
Throughout the week, the campers met for devotions at the beginning of each day and to report “God sightings” at the end. At lunchtime, they shared devotions with each other and, often, with their residents. One of those lunchtime discussions led to a donation over and above the work they were in town to complete.
Jeff York of Sixth Avenue saw the crew working on his neighbor Karen Moore’s home and he asked them for help for his toddlers. York had purchased a used air conditioner for $50 and when it broke the repairman wanted $75. He called churches and other nonprofit groups across Middletown only to be declined. With a heat index of 116 degrees the first week of camp and his children playing in the bathtub to keep cool, he desperately asked Hiliary Michalak’s crew for help.
The kids, 8-month-old Julia and 17-month-old Justin, stole the hearts of the Michalak’s crew and the crew working across the street.
“My crew was pretty determined to help them,” Michalak, of Midland, Michigan, said.
That night, back with the groups they had traveled with, the crew members started collecting money – spending money the students had brought with them.
“They gave us $5s, $10s, $20s, $50s – people were very generous,” said 19-year-old Trent Hulett from Buffalo, Minn.
York was pleasantly surprised.
“The next day they’re knocking on my door,” said the man who became a Christian in 2007. “I know now that if I do have to struggle, it’s going to be temporary.”
The donation brought the neighbors together as well. That was the first time Moore had met York. She too was impressed with the young people.
“There was so much energy, it was contagious,” she said. “I didn’t know how I was going to get this (painting of the house and porch) done. It looks like a different house. It inspires me to get my trees trimmed and fix the rest up.”
That’s exactly what Diver and the rest of SELF were hoping for.
“We brought Group Workcamps in to help remind the community that they are a community,” Diver said. “People in need were helped but the overall boost to the community is just priceless.”
Diver also thanked many community volunteers who helped with supplies for the campers and the work, with bringing cool snacks to the students and other various donations.
SELF will cosponsor another Group Workcamps in Hamilton next July.
SUPPORTS TO ENCOURAGE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES 
