Making a life by what you give

You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give. As Director of Development for Ohio State University Extension, this notion is in the forefront of my mind daily as I match philanthropic passions with Extension initiatives. In my work, I foster conversations with individuals and organizations with a desire to impact the future through their contributions to Extension. Carrying out this mission since coming to OSU last June, I have found my work to support the “Give to CD” Campaign to be very rewarding.

But for Ohio StateMy thoughts and opinions about CD were formed at an early age; growing up with parents actively engaged in their community in Perry County (my mother a school administrator and father a community development practitioner). When I think about Community Development, “self-help” and “collaboration” come to mind. In the past and still today, community members cooperate in building schools, churches, parks and other community institutions. They believe that working together is necessary to make community improvements. Then and now, folks invest in their own community to improve infrastructure, address gaps in services and meet local needs. And since its earliest beginnings, OSU Extension has been a key component of these community partnerships.

In the future, the success of our Ohio communities can and will coincide with the investments made in Extension by a variety of partners willing and able to give of their time, money, assets, expertise and other resources. Specifically in Extension CD, we look to gifts that help to offset the costs of professional development and recognition for our employees and retirees. Thanks to foresight by CD professionals a number of years ago, Extension CD endowment and support funds are in place to accept donations for this purpose.

If you are interested in learning more about our development initiatives, please feel free to contact me (winnenberg.8@osu.edu or 614-247-7606) or visit the CD Web page to learn more about the “Give to CD” Campaign.

(Submitted by Emily Winnenberg, Director of Development for Ohio State University Extension, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

Discovering your community’s shared vision

So you missed the last meeting, only to later learn that the “Downtown Committee” decided to name you to head up the city’s initiative to revitalize the downtown. Even better, a (insert any chain store here) recently announced their desire to build a new store on the main street, razing two older buildings.

˜ How do you proceed in the face of these development pressures?
˜ What are your and fellow residents’ future dreams for the downtown?
˜ Does this new development fit?

Fortunately for you, the city just finished a visioning process which engaged residents in discovering the shared, long-term hopes for their community. Your committee will use this vision to help guide development and revitalization in your downtown.

So, what is community visioning?

Sustainable Development 2015-02-19 - West Carrollton Facilitator

West Carrollton, Ohio – Volunteer Facilitator – Gathering input during Vision Session.

It is a bottom up process based on the belief that residents have a role in articulating their shared vision for their community. It informs the community decisions and the actions of community leaders and officials. Following these key principles can help insure that the visioning process will effectively discover what residents hope for the future:

Be inclusive: make sure to solicit input from a broad range of community voices, sectors and interests

Reduce barriers to participation: go to where people gather, and piggyback on top of other events and meetings to reach more and varied residents, finding shared hopes for the future

Multiply efforts: train volunteer facilitators to conduct vision sessions as a way of extending your reach and providing access to many more residents

Think long term: push residents past everyday issues/conflicts to consider what they want their community to be for future generations

Act multi-dimensional: be sure to reach out to representatives of the community’s economic, environmental and social sectors and seek common threads that link together all three sectors

Sustainable Development 2015-02-19 - Kent Acorn Alley

Kent, Ohio – Downtown, Acorn Alley – Places to gather. Locally owned small business. Arts and culture.

Over the past 15 years, OSU Extension’s Sustainable Initiatives has helped 11 communities (including cities, counties, townships and villages) throughout Ohio discover their residents’ shared vision. This process has often been the first stage in a comprehensive community planning process. Communities have found that their planning goals, when guided by a shared community vision, are more quickly and successfully achieved.

For further information about community visioning and sustainable planning, visit the OSU Extension Community Development Sustainable Development website.

(Submitted by Myra Moss, Associate Professor and Extension Educator, Heart of Ohio EERA)

More healthful foods through Cuyahoga County’s “Double Value Produce Perks” program

Accessible and affordable healthful foods are a critical first step in good nutrition. To help make locally produced foods available to underserved communities in Cuyahoga County, a “Double Value Produce Perks” (Produce Perks) initiative was developed by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition. The coalition, initiated by OSU Extension and Case Western Reserve University, sponsored a program that offered incentive dollars to customers that used an Ohio Direction Card to purchase food.

Produce Perks Tokens

Photo credit: Amy Thompson

Last year, this program involved 18 farmers’ markets and two farm stands throughout Cuyahoga County and it worked like this:

A customer wishing to use their food assistance benefits could swipe their Ohio Direction Card at a central terminal, located at any of the 20 participating locations’ information booths, and ask to withdraw a desired amount. The market or farm stand would then provide tokens for the transaction in addition to Produce Perks that could be spent on fruits and vegetables. The incentive was a dollar-for-dollar match on every dollar spent (up to $10) using an Ohio Direction Card.

Program highlights from 2014 show promise for continued expansion into 2015. For example:

  • The Double Value Produce Perks EBT Incentive program grew to 20 farmers’ markets and farm stands.
  • One hundred eighty women and their families redeemed $3,920 in vouchers, enabling them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • EBT sales surpassed 2013 totals, reaching over $39,000.
  • Additionally, Produce Perks brought 260 new food assistance customers to farmers’ markets for the first time.
  • A new aspect of Produce Perks, the Produce Prescription program, was expanded to connect mothers and pregnant women to local farmers’ markets.

For more information on this program or to learn more about initiating a local food policy coalition, please contact Nico Boyd or go to cccfoodpolicy.org/.

 

(Submitted by Nico Boyd, Program Coordinator, Cuyahoga County & Western Reserve EERA)

2014 Highlights . . . a sampling of our efforts

2014 CD HighlightsExtension’s Community Development programs aim to engage people in strengthening their organizations, communities and ultimately social, economic, civic and environmental conditions to improve the quality of life in Ohio. A sampling of these efforts is captured in the recently published 2014 Highlights.

We hope these highlights help you better understand how Extension-CD professionals partner to strengthen lives and communities through research-based educational programming and encourage you to contact us if you are aware of additional opportunities to partner or have specific questions about the efforts described.

Extension Community Development . . .

  • Brings people, organizations and communities together to accomplish their goals
  • Helps identify assets, capabilities, needs, resources and solutions
  • Partners in the delivery of research-based programs and services to organizations and communities

What do you get when you partner with Extension CD?

  • Skilled and engaged leaders
  • Transformation, sustainability and livability
  • Greater vitality and more defined sense of purpose

(Submitted by Greg Davis, Professor and Assistant Director, OSU Extension – Community Development)

Helping to preserve diversity in Weinland Park

Weinland Park (pop. approx. 4800) is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city of Columbus. Its residents are of various ethnic, cultural, racial, socio-economic, religious and educational backgrounds. As it transforms, however, from a neighborhood of last resort (one formerly plagued by drugs, gangs, substandard housing, low performing schools and high poverty) to a mixed income neighborhood of choice (where people want to live, work, worship or attend school), a key concern is the displacement of residents and gentrification.

Weinland Park Group

Photos: weinlandparkcivic.org

To address these concerns, Extension plays an integral role in helping to preserve diversity in the neighborhood by:

  • Offering free HUD-certified home-buyer education workshops, including individual counseling
  • Serving on the Weinland Park Collaborative, a group of community, civic, corporate, collegiate and church partners working together to revitalize the neighborhood
  • Offering free Financial Literacy training and counseling to area residents
  • Connecting residents to financial resources needed to obtain, maintain and retain their homes
  • Providing supportive services to homeowners and renters in the neighborhood
  • Assisting in the formation of Block Clubs, thereby giving residents a voice in the development of their community

As the demographics continue to change, Extension continues to respond to community needs by adapting new tools and methods to promote the diversity of the neighborhood. The goal is to create a sustainable community where all residents have opportunities to work and live together in a way that improves outcomes for all.

(Submitted by Susan Colbert, Program Director, Franklin County Expansion and Engagement)