The P&G Fund of Greater Cincinnati donates $60,000

Faces without Places is extremely grateful that The P&G Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has chosen to help our summer program this year. The Foundation has issued a $60,000 grant to help us provide children experiencing homelessness the best summer ever.

Because of this grant, we are able to provide education and enrichment activities children experiencing homelessness so they have a summer they will never forget. We are fortunate and thankful that The P&G Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has chose to make a difference in the lives of the children we serve. Without their support, the summer program would not be the great success we know it will be for the 15^th year in a row. Their support means so much to us at Faces without Places and not to mention, the children.

We cannot express our gratitude enough to The P&G Fund of  The Greater Cincinnati Foundation and we are excited for another year of our summer program!

Summer 2012 Volunteering and Sponsorships

Faces without Places & Project Connect are hosting the 15^th annual summer program providing

academic and life-enriching activities for children ages 5 to 12 experiencing homelessness.

The theme for this year is “Healthy You, Healthy Me, Healthy’s What We’re Gonna Do!” 

2012 SUMMER SPONSORSHIP/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

ATHLETIC SOCKS AND SHOES

Total needed: $1,600.00

Sponsor a brand new pair of athletic shoes and socks from Payless Shoes for approximately 140 children and youth experiencing homelessness so they can “Move it” in appropriate footwear. 

SWIM SUITS AND POOL GEAR

Total needed: $3,500

Part of healthy living is exercise, help provide swim suits, beach towels and flip flops for approximately 140 children and youth experiencing homelessness for a fit and fun summer.

EXERCISING THE MIND

Total needed: $4,000

Help us provide educational tools for success for children and youth experiencing homelessness.

HEALTHY EATING

Total needed: $5,000

Students are provided breakfast, lunch and snacks daily. For many of students these may be the only meals they receive each day, and therefore it is very important that meals are nutritional and well prepared.  Help us provide meals, snacks, or make a contribution towards our $5,000 food budget.

Community Lunches

Bring and serve lunch to the children on a Wednesday.

June 13; 20; 27; July 10; 18; 25; Brunch Thursday, August 2nd

A great volunteer opportunity for your company!

Packed Lunches

Provide lunch for a classroom (30) or the whole camp (90) for campers to take on field trips and for activities

June 14; 19; 21; 26; 28; July 3; 5; 10; 12; 17; 19; 24; 26

Fresh Produce, Healthy Snacks, Bottled Water or Juice Boxes

Provide funds or inkind donations to support the children’s healthy eating habits.

LET’S MOVE CINCINNATI STYLE

5 Minutes in the morning—get the heart pumping!

Select a kid appropriate song with a beat, design a workout to match that song then lead our children in their 9:00 am Movin’ It time.

Week 1 June 11-15; Week 2 June 18-22, Week 3 June 25-29, Week 4 July 2-6, Week 5 July 9-12, Week 6 July 16-19, Week 7 July 23-27, Week 8 July 30-Aug 1

Join us any morning for a light workout!

HEALTH FAIR

It’s the kids’ last day reporting to our 2011 location and the most special because of the amount of family and community supporters attending.

Find out how you can help – healthy snack stations, activities for the children (bouncing house, balloon artists, etc)

For more information contact:

Beth Griffith-Niemann beth@faceswithoutplaces.org  or (513) 389-0805

Faces without Places is a 501c3 and donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

www.faceswithoutplaces.org

Movin It!

This year's summer theme is Building a Healthy Community: Starting With Me, My Neighborhood, My Nation. Each morning the children arrive at camp ready to "Move It Cincinnati Style!"

Marthe leads them in exercise--a new song and routine each week.

Also on Fridays we've begun inviting special guests. Last Friday (7/2/10), CPS Superintendent Mary Ronan, principals, central office staff, and our local fire department joined us for a great work out to the Jackson 5. Afterwards they joined the kids for breakfast and Ms. Ronan spoke to them about the importance of summer camp, healthy bodies and minds.

Astronaut Mike Foreman visited on Friday, June 25th and the children were really interested in his training and experiences in space. His message was never give up on your dreams.

These guests have provided wonderful support to the healthy messages we've been providing all summer, including Movin It, recording our minutes for a service project, nutrition enrichment, personal development, and healthy snacks.

Keep your eye out for our last, and very public, Movin It in the Mornin on Thursday, July 22, 9am. We'll be on Fountain Square and everyone will be at our mercy. You should come!

Important Life Lessons at Summer Camp

Today I sat in on some of the enrichment classes for the 8-9 and 10-12 year olds in camp. Each Monday afternoon the boys and girls are split up and each of the four groups gets a lesson tailored just for them. The 8-9 year old boys were talking about TRUST with the Amend Program. When I stopped in to the Amend 10-12 year old boys' room they were telling stories of revenge. One young man talked about soaking his sister in the shower with a milk, chocolate syrup, hot sauce combo. It was agreed that it was a serious waste of food. Aside from this laugh, the boys talked about ways to react in difficult situations.

The Girl Scouts of Western Ohio is all about promoting girl power and raising self esteem. The 8-9 year old girls were talking about leadership and discovery,  playing a follow the leader game with chiefs and detectives. The 10-12 year olds were building a 'compliment pyramid,' focusing on the qualities that make them good from the inside, rather than the outside. They focused on being a good friend, rather than the nice shoes one girl was wearing. 

All were important lessons for children who are extremely impressionable, and sometimes lacking good role models in their everyday life. Good reminders for me too ;)

   

Community Lunch

Summer Program started this week and today was the first Community Lunch for the kids. They loved it! Each Wednesday a group comes to camp with a delicious lunch they've prepared, they serve it and then enjoy the meal with the children. Today, The Gathering, a church in Over The Rhine provided a delicious taco lunch for the kids. We were so happy, because just two weeks ago we were still looking for someone to take on this lunch. Our friend Ed Green organized his church and they came in today and took charge!

Tacos, rice, bean and corn salsa, apple slices and a cookie--the kids loved it and it fits right in with our theme of healthy choices this summer. The kids are Movin It Cincinnati Style with exercises to music upon arrival and they're recording every minute moved during the camp.


This is the 13th year for our summer camp. Two buses pick up children from 12 bus stops at homeless shelters and motels in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. After 'Movin It', they get breakfast, cycle through reading, math and cultural studies sessions, get lunch and an afternoon filled with trips to the pool, enrichment, and mini field trips. Once a week they go on a major field trip. Yesterday they Rode the Ducks, were treated to Burger King and the Shrek 4 movie. Talk about 'happy campers!'

We look forward to more visits from our community, along with many new experiences for our campers!

Thanks to the wonderful volunteers from The Gathering!