Ohio Hunt for Hope 2017

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Organized by several of our friends and Mitva's coworkers, the Hunt for Hope is a yearly scavenger hunt benefiting the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Network Foundation.

The Hunt for Hope here in Central Ohio is in honor Lori Gill Grennan, DO who passed away in 2013 due to Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC).  I had the honor of meeting and participating in Dr. Grennan's care several times during her battle with IBC.  She was a fighter and champion in every sense of the word.

If you are interesting in donating or participating and/or volunteering in 2018, please check out the Hunt for Hope website.

 

 

Southern Poverty Law Center

The events of last weekend and the subsequent political and social fallout set me thinking.  What on earth is happening to us?  Why are we doing these terrible things to each other?  

Charlottesville

The answers are multiple and varied, but seem to come back to the general concept that fear and ignorance breed hate and contempt.

I have had my own experiences with racism, both subtle and overt.  One of my goals in life is to keep my kids from being exposed to this kind of hatred during their lifetimes.  I'm sure others feel the same... so what to do?  Where can our money go to have a positive effect?

It turns out the folks at the Southern Poverty Law Center have been fighting the good fight for longer than I have been alive.  We have made a financial contribution to the SPLC and arge going to start looking for activities here in Columbus for our family to take part in.  I encourage everyone to do the same.

This is our country, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or anything else.  Our differences are what make us stronger.

The Reddy Family Scholarship

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This is something I have wanted to do for a long time.  I am fortunate in many, many ways.  Specifically, with regard to education and academic achievement, my parents had high expectations.  Doing well in school, going to college and on to graduate education was never really discussed.  It was an expectation.  My parents and interested teachers helped keep me motivated and get me prepared to make the move to college.  Fortunately, I was able to earn enough scholarship money that I didn't need much financial help from my family for my undergraduate education.

Other kids aren't so fortunate for many reasons.  They may not have the financial resources to fall back on that I did.  They may be the first person in their family to go to college.  They may be from a minority background.  Or... They may be all three.  Kids in this situation face multiple challenges as shown in different studies.

National Center for Education Statistics

US Department of Education

Hechinger Report

So... We're pleased to announce The Reddy Family Scholarship.  It is available for minority students of achievement and financial need graduating from Poplar Bluff High School.  The scholarship is for $3500 for the first year of college, split between semesters (or trimesters).  We are very excited to help be a part of a student's college dream and maybe help lower at least one barrier to future achievement.

Applications are available at this LINK or at the PBHS Counselors Office.  If there are any questions or issues, please contact Barb Green with the R1 School District at 573-785-7751.

Mid-Ohio Foodbank

Our first family project was to help the Mid-Ohio Foodbank Backpack program with providing food for kids who may go hungry during spring break.

Many children around central Ohio and across the country depend meals provided by their schools for essential daily nutrition.  Unfortunately, on the weekend as well as during school breaks, these children may go hungry.  The Mid-Ohio Foodbank aims to fill in the gaps with its Backpack Program.

Several of our friends have been contributing food and monetary donations for years, which is how Mitva found out about the program.  She got a list of preferred donations for backpacks from the Foodbank and took the boys shopping with her to collect items.

We filled the bags together and the next day Dev and I dropped off the backpacks at the Foodbank in Grove City.  We are also making a financial donation, but we thought it would be important to do something the kids could take part in as well.

Mit's Tips--

  • Sam's Club/Costco is a good place for bulk purchases of the nonperishable food.
  • Family Dollar Store and other discount type markets are great places to pick up some other items (we included soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes).
  • You don't have to provide individual bags, but she happened find some at the dollar store.

The FoodBank takes donations of both food and money.  With local schools' Spring Break weeks approaching, the BackPack Program is a great way to help out and teach your kids a little about hunger in America.

These issues will grow more important in the near future with pending cuts to aid associated with free lunch and free breakfast programs for public schools.