FROM OUR PRESIDENT:
WE DID IT! WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REACH OUR GOAL OF GIVING AWAY 10,100 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO STUDENTS IN FRANKLIN, FAIRFIELD, FAYETTE, KNOX, MADISON, AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES. WE ALSO PROVIDED SUPPLIES TO TEACHERS AT FOUR COLUMBUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ONE WORTHINGTON SCHOOL, AND ONE SCHOOL IN LICKING COUNTY IN AN EFFORT TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT TEACHERS SO OFTEN GIVE OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS TO INSURE THE SUCCESS OF THEIR STUDENTS.
BUT, WE DIDN'T REACH OUR GOAL ALONE. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE DONORS FOR MAKING ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE INCLUDING THE MONTEI FOUNDATION. AND, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TREMENDOUS IN-KIND DONORS - NSG GROUP, SHOEMAKER INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS, NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND COLUMBUS CONNECTION. WE ALSO WANT EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO OUR NEW PARTNER, ALVIS, WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY WITH 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR THOSE RE-ENTERING SOCIETY AS WELL AS FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS. ALVIS GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED ALL OF THE LABOR NECESSARY FOR US TO BE READY TO GREET OUR 195 VOLUNTEERS WHO FILLED ALL 10,100 BACKPACKS WITHIN FIVE HOURS ON A VERY HOT SATURDAY IN AUGUST. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THOSE ENERGETIC VOLUNTEERS, BUT THE CLIENTS FROM ALVIS SAVED OUR BACKS DURING OUR PREP AND DISTRIBUTION WEEKS; THEY ARE THE BEST.
AND FINALLY, WE WANT TO THANK OUR 52 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WHO DISSEMINATE ALL OF OUR BACKPACKS INTO THE COMMUNITY ON OUR BEHALF. THEY MAKE IT POSSIBLE THAT THE STUDENTS WHO NEED OUR BACKPACKS ACTUALLY RECEIVE THEM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
EASING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES BY OFFERING FREE BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO STUDENTS, GRADES K – 12, IS OUR MISSION AND WE DO THIS IN THE NAME OF OUR ORGANIZATION’S NAMESAKES, TOM FENNESSY AND MIKE HARDEN. BOTH MADE AN EFFORT AS COLUMNISTS FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO NEEDED A BIT OF A HELPING HAND. WE ARE SO VERY PROUD FOR THE LAST 21 YEARS TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY OF BOTH OF THESE MEN WHO WERE ALSO OUTSTANDING JOURNALISTS.
WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US AGAIN NEXT YEAR!
SINCERELY,
TERRI S. LEIST, PRESIDENT
WE DID IT! WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REACH OUR GOAL OF GIVING AWAY 10,100 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO STUDENTS IN FRANKLIN, FAIRFIELD, FAYETTE, KNOX, MADISON, AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES. WE ALSO PROVIDED SUPPLIES TO TEACHERS AT FOUR COLUMBUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ONE WORTHINGTON SCHOOL, AND ONE SCHOOL IN LICKING COUNTY IN AN EFFORT TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT TEACHERS SO OFTEN GIVE OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS TO INSURE THE SUCCESS OF THEIR STUDENTS.
BUT, WE DIDN'T REACH OUR GOAL ALONE. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF OUR INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE DONORS FOR MAKING ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE INCLUDING THE MONTEI FOUNDATION. AND, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TREMENDOUS IN-KIND DONORS - NSG GROUP, SHOEMAKER INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS, NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND COLUMBUS CONNECTION. WE ALSO WANT EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO OUR NEW PARTNER, ALVIS, WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY WITH 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR THOSE RE-ENTERING SOCIETY AS WELL AS FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS. ALVIS GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED ALL OF THE LABOR NECESSARY FOR US TO BE READY TO GREET OUR 195 VOLUNTEERS WHO FILLED ALL 10,100 BACKPACKS WITHIN FIVE HOURS ON A VERY HOT SATURDAY IN AUGUST. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THOSE ENERGETIC VOLUNTEERS, BUT THE CLIENTS FROM ALVIS SAVED OUR BACKS DURING OUR PREP AND DISTRIBUTION WEEKS; THEY ARE THE BEST.
AND FINALLY, WE WANT TO THANK OUR 52 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WHO DISSEMINATE ALL OF OUR BACKPACKS INTO THE COMMUNITY ON OUR BEHALF. THEY MAKE IT POSSIBLE THAT THE STUDENTS WHO NEED OUR BACKPACKS ACTUALLY RECEIVE THEM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
EASING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES BY OFFERING FREE BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO STUDENTS, GRADES K – 12, IS OUR MISSION AND WE DO THIS IN THE NAME OF OUR ORGANIZATION’S NAMESAKES, TOM FENNESSY AND MIKE HARDEN. BOTH MADE AN EFFORT AS COLUMNISTS FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO NEEDED A BIT OF A HELPING HAND. WE ARE SO VERY PROUD FOR THE LAST 21 YEARS TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY OF BOTH OF THESE MEN WHO WERE ALSO OUTSTANDING JOURNALISTS.
WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US AGAIN NEXT YEAR!
SINCERELY,
TERRI S. LEIST, PRESIDENT
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Tom Fennesy/Mike Harden Back-to-school Project
Supplying equality to cenTral Ohio children.
PURPOSE
The Tom Fennessy/Mike Harden Back-to-School Project (TF/MH BTSP) was initially created to insure kids living in homeless shelters had school supplies. It was named in recognition of two Columbus Dispatch columnists who knew firsthand what it means to struggle. At its inception in 1998, the organization was able to donate over 365 backpacks filled with necessary supplies. In 2017, the project filled 9,300 backpacks with basic supplies for students from low-income families, grades K – 12, without regard to race, religion, or gender. This was achieved in conjunction with 50 social service agencies, churches and schools who help disseminate the backpacks to those most in need throughout Central Ohio, through the generosity of numerous loyal contributors, and because the organization remains solely comprised of volunteers meaning the administrative costs are less than one percent of the total budget. Thus, over the past 20 years, the TF/MH BTSP has distributed over 140,000 backpacks to students who otherwise might not have been able to start off their school year with the necessary materials they needed.
The Tom Fennessy/Mike Harden Back-to-School Project (TF/MH BTSP) was initially created to insure kids living in homeless shelters had school supplies. It was named in recognition of two Columbus Dispatch columnists who knew firsthand what it means to struggle. At its inception in 1998, the organization was able to donate over 365 backpacks filled with necessary supplies. In 2017, the project filled 9,300 backpacks with basic supplies for students from low-income families, grades K – 12, without regard to race, religion, or gender. This was achieved in conjunction with 50 social service agencies, churches and schools who help disseminate the backpacks to those most in need throughout Central Ohio, through the generosity of numerous loyal contributors, and because the organization remains solely comprised of volunteers meaning the administrative costs are less than one percent of the total budget. Thus, over the past 20 years, the TF/MH BTSP has distributed over 140,000 backpacks to students who otherwise might not have been able to start off their school year with the necessary materials they needed.
