Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Last week I celebrated my 22nd birthday and I was overwhelmed with gratitude to celebrate another year of my life in Columbus. The more I experience this city, the more I love it. In my humble opinion, there is no better place to be 22 than in Columbus, Ohio. Last weekend I enjoyed the Columbus Arts Festival with my coworkers, hit Easton with some friends, and took a stroll through the Short North on Sunday afternoon. My weekend exuded Columbus.

The Per Scholas group (minus a few members) at the Columbus Arts Festival.

It’s good to be in Columbus at any age, not only because of all the city offers to its people, but because of all that its people can offer the city.  There are ample opportunities to help others. Even during my short time at Per Scholas, I’ve seen need in our community. There are 145,000 Central Ohioans without a high school diploma (New Skills at Work). About 13% of people living in Columbus lack basic reading, writing, and mathematic skills (Columbus Literacy Council). 42,100 people in the area are out of work and looking for a job (New Skills at Work). There is plenty of work to be done in our fair city, and through this fellowship I think I’ve met just the people for the job. The folks I have the privilege of serving with this summer are the cream of the crop and they are going to change the world. In fact, they already are. Last week I shared lunch with a few fellows and I got to hear how their passion for service has completely changed the trajectory of their lives.  To my fellow fellows and anyone else reading this, I would say this: don’t let your hearts be hardened by experience or your actions be dulled by cynicism. In the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” We love this city. Let us never tire of trying to make it better.

View from the Columbus Arts Festival last weekend.

Halfway through week 3! *wipes brow*

One of the kind of different things that happen in an arts organization is that you are always open weekends, so your Thursdays become your actual “hump” days. This week has definitely been no less exciting in the beginning than any other.

There are a great deal of things happening at any one time at the PC. This week is our last week of our current NOWISM: Abstraction Today before we put up our summer exhibition, This Just In: New Acquisitions. It is a crazy time for our small organization, as last summer, we were closed to the public. This is our first open summer season and our first ever summer show. This is creating some interesting logistics/questions/policies that we have never needed to deal with before. Again, I am truly amazed by the flexibility and talent of thinking on their feet that the Pizzuti Collection staff possesses. So it’s a little crazy around here, but things are always moving!

This week, I am trying to get everything into place for our Junior Docents, from the Boys and Girls Club Summer Work program, to begin next week (yay!). I’m also hoping to hear soon about when tours will begin for the BGCC Summer Program. I can’t wait to get these kids (and young adults) here! It is my favorite thing when students walk into the PC for the first time. I love to watch the looks on their faces the first time that they experience this exciting art in person. It is one thing to look at a painting in a book, but to see it in person, to walk up so that your nose is an inch away from the canvas, to see where the artist had their hands on the work, see the brushstrokes, lines, fingerprints left in clay…it is an entirely new take on an object. It can be magical. It can be breathtaking. Sometimes, its even an out of body experience. You can completely lose yourself in a painting. I’ve lost an hour before in the galleries, just awestruck that another human being was able to create such beauty. This is why we need art. There is no other way to duplicate these feelings. And everyone should be able to experience them. I am so thrilled to be able to provide access to the kids from the Boys and Girls Clubs to experience these works of art. It very well could change their lives… Or at least provide a fun afternoon away from their everyday lives. Who knows?

Til Next Time!

JC

Our Cause Defines Us. A power phrase for sure, right? At the YMCAs of Central Ohio, it is definitely more than just a phrase. It represents the constant everyday work that goes into strengthening the surrounding community. Regardless of demographic, the YMCA provides the opportunity for everyone to learn, thrive, and grow in the community. Personal and social change happens at the YMCA because everyone comes together to fight for the cause of strengthening communities. This past week I had hands on experience with “Our Cause Defines Us”.

After two weeks of observation and prep work, I was finally ready to start my Kids’ Time Programming! At the Gahanna Branch YMCA and the North Branch YMCA, we did a two hour program all based around health. For the program, the first hour we colored a health education picture, made ants on a log, and played high-intesity games. This program was the first program as apart of a 8 week summer series for kids here at the Gahanna and North Branch YMCAs. In looking forward to the next 8 weeks, I have definitely found things that will work well and opportunities for improvement!

I am working specifically with kids that are ages 6-12. When working with this age group, I observed that it is best to keep activities in one room and have a fairly structured environment. Perhaps the most important thing that I found, was that kids of this age group really want to talk with you. A two way conversation was so important to the success of this program last night. Talking with the kids while we colored pictures and made snacks was a great time to have conversation about health. The biggest obstacle that I found during this time was when we switched from our room to the gym. Not all of the kids were able to participate in all of the activities, so I was unable to collect a lot of quality data. Next week, I will be keeping all of the activities in the same spot to ensure that each kid gets the opportunity to do all of the activities if they so choose.

It was great being able to provide an environment for kids to learn, thrive, and grow. I am so excited to get more hands on experience, and truly understand how “Our Cause Defines Us”!

Living Beautifully,
Erika Nigh

This week I mostly worked on my own.  I dug through a lot of numbers, made some general graphs, and finally decided to do an in-depth cost analysis of Disney World flights as my starting point.  I have to individually go through a lot of the data, so it will take awhile.  Disney World makes up around 50% of our wishes every year so an in-depth analysis is worth the amount of time it will take.  I had to refresh myself on a lot of math, such a adjusting for inflation and standard deviation.

The best part of my week was when the CEO asked to chat with me for a few minutes.  It was serendipity because I was planning on going to him to talk a bit about some lobbying MAW started doing recently.  They want to start a state fund that goes towards wish granting agencies in Ohio.  I had a feeling our CEO was behind it because I know he has a background in politics.  After taking non-profit classes and learning how important it is for non-profits to not only serve, but also advocate, I have been thinking about how Make A Wish could incorporate advocacy into its cause.  This fund is a great start.  Our CEO, Doug Kelly, told me a little bit about how MAW was lobbying and the bill they’re lobbying for.  We transitioned to talking about my aspirations in the non-profit field and Doug gave me a lot of great advice.  He suggested I get my hands dirty and do some work that involves mobilizing people and doing advocacy work.  We then discussed my project a little and I updated him, then agreed to check-in every once in awhile.  I look forward to more interesting conversations with Doug and seeing if the bill that includes the wish granting fund is passed.

I hope I get to sit down and talk to some of my other co-workers throughout the summer to learn about their backgrounds and work experience.  Recently, we celebrated one of our employees reaching 10 years with MAW.  It was really inspiring and heart-warming to listen to everyone’s praise for his hard work.  It certainly takes passion for the cause to stay with one organization for ten years.

“What are you going to do with a degree in Communications?”

This is a question that haunts every college student when they pass up their opportunity to become a lawyer or a doctor in order to fulfill their life long dream of becoming a… well… people person.  I struggle to find the correct term to describe what our course work eventually leads us to become because the life of a Communications Major is one without a specific backbone or structure.  We do not have a single occupation at the end of our road with defined financial stability, and that scares a lot of people while even drawing a few laughs. We learn how to talk to strangers, how to study the body language of people around us, and how to effectively communicate a message to a specific audience.  These learning points, although useful every single day of our lives, do not seem to impress those who are outside of our learning environment.

I have always believed that one day I would find a perfect job that allowed me to take what I have learned in the classroom and apply it to a professional work environment.  Somehow this “perfect job” would validate the years of eye rolling and smirks one receives when stating aloud that they are, in fact, a dreaded “Communications Major”.

Alas, at twenty-one years young, I believe I found this wonderful job I have been searching for all these years.  This is a job that combines my ability to communicate with my passion for filmmaking.  At Habitat for Humanity MidOhio I can now honestly say I am a part of something bigger than any one person.  I have found myself diving head first into a world where hard-work meets love and selflessness.  I finally get paid to make a difference while enjoying myself at the same time.

This past Saturday I packed up my video equipment and headed to the Southside of Columbus where I stumbled upon an early morning crowd full of dedicated volunteers.  The sun was relentless and the clouds were sparse, yet here I was surrounded by 50+ individuals who were prepared to devote the entire day to working free of charge to make this neighborhood a better place.  This event know as “Rock The Block” is designed to send Habitat volunteers into the heart of low-income neighborhoods to mow lawns, plant flowers, and clean up the streets.  Their meeting place before the hard work began was the lot on which a brand new house will be built in the coming months for the Thomas Family.  The Thomas Family themselves were in attendance as they put in hours of sweat equity, which is one of the many requirements and expectations that all new homeowners must live up to when receiving a new Habitat for Humanity house.

As I followed this large group around the neighborhood with my camera I quickly realized how incredible this Non-Profit is.  They have truly given me a meaningful reason to pursue a career in filmmaking.  I talked with amazing people all day and was able to document their hard work.

My favorite movies have always been either scripted or documented true stories.  There is something about a true story that leaves you inspired and optimistic about the world ypu live in.  I feel so honored to be telling the true story of my amazing coworkers and the incredible people that they choose to guide.

For all those people who do not think there are no careers for Communications Majors, I beg you to look around you and realize our benefit to society.  We can tell stories, we can change lives, and we can make the world a better place.  I look forward to sharing these stories with you in hopes that you take something away from each chapter.

As of last week, my wonderful boss Tammy has had me working on a surprisingly fascinating project. I’ve been asked to comb through almost a hundred of our old grant proposals, breaking each one down into a spreadsheet with categories like what project was proposed and how much funding we asked for. The interesting thing is that all of the grants I’m looking at are ones that ECDI did not receive. Tammy hopes that by analyzing the commonalities between these grants, ECDI will get a better idea of which grant proposals are most successful, which we could improve upon and which ones we maybe shouldn’t apply for in the future. While it feels kind of wrong looking though the past failures of an organization I only recently started working for, I’ve also learned an important lesson:

Some days you just don’t win the grant game, no matter how hard you try.  Although a few of the denied proposals were obviously thrown together haphazardly at the last possible minute, the vast majority of the ones I’ve read so far are thoughtful and well done. Someone really poured their heart and soul into these proposals, but for whatever reason they didn’t make the cut. Often, it seems like regardless of how closely the proposal matches the request instructions and prompts, there may be something else that the grant givers are looking for that ECDI can’t provide. For me, this realization is both terrifying and comforting. I’m the type of person who enjoys having a good deal of control over the outcomes of any given situation, and the idea that I could follow a prompt perfectly and still have a slim shot of getting a grant is a bit unnerving. On the other hand, it’s kind of nice knowing that not everything is in my control, especially since I’m still very new to this line of work. As I move forward, hopefully succeeding with some grants but almost definitely losing some others, I think I’ll choose to be honored by the fact that so many ECDI grant writers with years more experience than me have regularly encounter the same setbacks and lived to write another day.

Fast-paced — that’s how I would describe my first full week at Clean Fuels Ohio. From day 1, it was a learn-as-you-go type of environment and seemingly everybody in the office, no matter how long they have been here, is still learning every day.

Such is the nature of working with alternative energy. My supervisor told me on the first day that “nobody gets their start in this field knowing everything about it, we all had to learn just like you.”

*breaths sigh of relief*

Knowing that everybody at the office had my back and would happily answer any technical questions I had made all the difference in giving me enough confidence to step in and contribute to the organization immediately. Sure, there was a learning curve, but knowing that I could rely on the team for assistance made me comfortable and ready to work. The people in the office and involved with the organization are friendly, easy-going, and they make work enjoyable — the people truly do make all the difference.

Several introductory projects later, I now feel like a useful member of this team. The organization has a very important mission — promoting the use of non-petroleum fuel sources — and I feel like the work we do has an impact on the economy and the environment. Already, Clean Fuels Ohio has had a major role in transitioning companies and municipalities over to reliable and cost-efficient alternative fuel sources. The City of Columbus, perhaps our most high-profile client, is working towards having bus and maintenance vehicle fleets that are 100% clean energy by 2020. Clean Fuels Ohio is always planning and hosting events all around the state, encouraging individuals and companies to make the investment of time and resources.

While there is still a LONG way to go, especially in Ohio, I feel that the work I do here at Clean Fuels Ohio truly does make a difference. Each small business or big city that we help transition to a better fuel source is one step closer to protecting our energy security, financial well-being, and most importantly, this beautiful planet we call home.

– Matt Shomo

The legendary Ohio State coach lives on through the football powerhouse he built on the Banks of the Olentangy River and through his timeless words of wisdom. Ostensibly every Ohio resident with any sort of sports compass is familiar with Coach Hayes and his call to “pay it forward.” One phrase that the university has adopted as a part of its identity, and Nike has adorned over-priced memorabilia with is Woody’s declaration that winning is a communal action. No athlete is capable of winning alone, without teammates, coaches, trainers, a support group, among others; additionally, the type of people one chooses to associate with is paramount in determining the level of success they will achieve. Similarly, organizations are dependent on the people they choose to employ, do business with, take on as clients, and so forth, in their efforts to sustain an impact. A nonprofit is only as effective as its people will allow it to be. Having a vision, a meticulous strategic plan, and adequate funding is essentially meaningless without having the right individuals in place.

Coach Hayes

As I reflect on my first two weeks at the Vineyard Community Center, Coach Hayes’ adage continuously reverberates in my mind. This organization has, knowingly or otherwise, embodied his lesson. I was able to spend more time with my co-workers this past week, both in the office as well as informally over lunch outside of our cubicles. The more familiar I am getting with the office and my peers, the more I appreciate that I have the opportunity to join their team for the summer. Last week I experienced their congeniality and genuine kindness, this week I learned just how serious my coworkers are. Many of them have graduate and professional degrees. Many have traveled the world, not just as tourists, but as community members. In one particular case, one of the Directors in the center moved to Tanzania with his wife and three children for three years to help create an apparatus to deliver clean water to the poorest and least privileged areas of the Eastern African nation. He helped thousands gain access to clean water, a scarce amenity in the forgotten rural villages of Tanzania. That is just one incredible story among the ocean of experiences that seemingly every one of my coworkers has contributed to. They are working in the nonprofit field, and specifically for Vineyard, because they seriously yearn to engender a positive impact on their community; most of the standard motivations for taking on a job, such as pay, convenience, prestige and so on, hold very little clout, if any, within the scope of our office.

I am encouraged, not just to continue working and ameliorating our community with Vineyard, but to ultimately select a profession that is more of a way of life for me, as opposed to the mental and social exercises I engage in from nine to five everyday. Moreover, I am motivated to surround myself with the right people in all of my future endeavors, in order to attain the most success possible, and of course, to win.

-Abdulrahman Alwattar

This week was a productive and fun week! I led my first two outreach events on Wednesday and Friday and also visited OSU Star House on Thursday.

The first outreach visit I led was having a booth at a Resource Fair hosted by Homeport Columbus at Framingham Village. At Homeport their mission is to develop stable and affordable communities throughout central Ohio. Homeport provides economic literacy outreach and connects individuals to community organizations and financial groups committed to helping people finance homes. Homeport focuses on neighborhood revitalization, such as renovating and rebuilding homes, and community development, such as increasing financial literacy. Our booth was with other vendors that provided financial advice to community individuals. We played games with the kids at the event and handed out about 50 goodie bags with toothbrushes, toothpaste, a 2 minute brushing timer, and information about our clinic. We also talked to several parents about our clinic services.

Me, Judah, and Natisha at the oral health education activity table!

OSU Star House is an amazing organization that provides food, a place to drop-in, and other resources for homeless youth in central Ohio. Their mission is “Integrating research and community service, Star House provides youth experiencing homelessness with a safe respite from the streets and connects them to a chance for a productive life.” We brought our usual outreach games and activities and the youth really liked talking with us about the games and about oral health in general. It was a really meaningful experience for me personally to connect with the youth and hear their stories. We even tried a new game where each person took a latex glove and covered it in chocolate frosting. Next, they would try to brush off the chocolate frosting while keeping his or her fingers together. Then, some chocolate would be seen, still stuck between the fingers, so they would have to floss out the rest of the chocolate. The activity showed the importance of flossing your teeth, even with excellent brushing technique!

I also had a lot of fun at the outreach visit to Westerville Area Resource Ministries (WARM) at Ridgewood Park in Westerville today. WARM provided over 100 free lunches, as well as bags of food for the weekend, for families in Westerville. They also set up a carnival event, with two bounce houses, carnival games, and prizes! I met one of our new outreach volunteers, Megan, who will be helping out with many outreach events this summer! We had fun playing our activities with the kids!

The bounce houses and some carnival games at the WARM Ridgewood event!

Our table at the WARM Ridgewood Event!

Overall, this was a fantastic week! Leading these two events was a great experience in keeping organized and leadership, but fortunately everything went smoothly and it was a ton of fun! I’m looking forward to a great week next week!