Mid-Ohio Region PCA, in keeping with its bylaws andits non-profit organization tax status, has an established, systematic charitable contribution program that donates an average of about $20,000/yr to various charities. While there are countless worthwhile charities that seekfunding, one of the criteria for selecting charities to receivedonations from Mid-Ohio Region is "significant or widespreadsupport among MORPCA membership."
Mid-Ohio Region members are invited to submit the names of charities that they would like to have the charity committee consider for recommendations for funding. The committeeplans to interview charities during the month of September.
Charitable Contribution Request Form
Send completed forms to:
Marsha Hayden
7392 Preston Rd. NE
Newark, Ohio 43055
(740) 745-2034
davidhayden@alltel.net
MORPCA Charitable Highlight - Urban Concern
Mission The mission of Urban Concern is to work with individuals in the inner city to break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness. They are committed to raising up leaders who will play an active role in restoring their own community. Their vision is to see indigenous spiritual leaders serving a transformed South Linden community. Indigenous spiritual leaders are people who are growing Christian servants, stable and secure with Biblical self-images, interdependent & racially reconciled, educated and trained for a vocation, having a strong work ethic and able to give to God's work. A transformed community is one where people are involved in the development of their community, with Biblical family structures & value systems, adequately housed, clothed & fed, and in a healthy & safe environment that is thriving without assistance.
History
In 1988, an interdenominational church, Xenos Christian Fellowship, commissioned one of its members, Jim Swearingen, to start a social service ministry that would focus on meeting the spiritual and physical needs of those outside of the church. Swearingen consulted with Ron Sider, President of Evangelicals for Social Action, who suggested Xenos team up with an inner city church. Swearingen attended training workshops and became a member of the fledgling CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) in Chicago. During the summer of 1990, Xenos & Rhema Christian Center started a Bible study in the Windsor Terrace Housing Project (now known as Rosewind). The Bible study grew from 17 children in 1989 to more than 200 children who now attend each Monday evening. After conducting an assessment of community needs, Xenos started an After School Program in December of 1990. In April of 1991, Xenos formed Urban Concern as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation to model how suburban churches can work in the inner city. Today, Urban Concern has more than 700 volunteers, seven programs, 22 staff, three events, and reaches more than 250 families per year in the South Linden community. The Christian Community Development Association elected Jim Swearingen to their board in November of 1994. Today, the CCDA has more than 2,000 members and is becoming a powerful movement in the struggle to save America’s inner cities through Christian social action.
Current Programs & Activities Current Programs provided by Urban Concern include the South Linden Bible Study, After School Program, Summer Enrichment Program, Summer Camps, Teen Program, One-on-One Program, and Word in the 'Hood. The Educational & Vocational Development Department includes Harambee Christian School and Kids on Track Programs.
MORPCA Support The Mid-Ohio Region Porsche Club of America has supported Urban Concern every year since the beginning of our charitable giving program in 1997. Jim Graham, one of our founding members and past president, encourages our continued support of this worthy charitable organization. He and Jim Swearingen have attended MORPCA board meetings to report on the continuing work of Urban Concern in the central Ohio area. The information contained in this article has been excerpted from Urban Concern web documents and is copyrighted by Xenos Christian Fellowship. For more information please see the Xenos WEB site http://www.xenos.org/ministries/urbanconcern/uc.htm.
MORPCA Charitable Highlight - CCI
About CCI
Canine Companions for Independence is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.
Background
Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence pioneered the concept of training dogs to assist people with disabilities. The achievements of these first service dogs and the increased independence they brought to their human partners, came at a time in America’s history when people with disabilities were charting new courses for their lives. Instead of being taken care of, they wanted opportunities to take charge of their lives. For hundreds of men, women and children since then, Canine Companions for Independence has opened the door to just such opportunities People with physical or developmental disabilities who can demonstrate that a Canine Companion will enhance their independence or their quality of life are eligible to apply. Also eligible are professionals working for organizations that provide physical or mental health care to clients who could benefit from interaction with a facility dog.
Services Provided
Canine Companions for Independence provides assistance dogs to those people with developmental or physical disabilities who can demonstrate that a Canine Companion will enhance their independence or quality of life. CCI dogs are provided at virtually no cost to the graduates. All the expenses of breeding, raising, and training a Canine Companion is funded through private donations.
Types of Assistance Teams
Service Teams — Adults and adolescents with physical disabilities who work with a Canine Companion to extend their abilities and utilize the dog to perform physical tasks such as pulling a wheelchair and retrieving dropped items.
Skilled Companion Teams — Three part team comprised of child or adult with physical, developmental or emotional disabilities, a primary caretaker, and a Canine Companion who helps with physical tasks and creates a bond of companionship, affection and love.
Facility Teams — Adults who work as rehabilitation professionals, caregivers or educators and utilize a Canine Companion to improve the mental, physical or emotional health of those in their care.
Hearing Teams — Adults who are hard of hearing or deaf who use a Canine Companion to alert them to everyday sounds such as doorbells, alarm clocks and smoke alarms.
MORPCA Participation CCI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is funded by private contributions and receives no government funding. CCI graduates pay only a $100 Team Training registration fee that is reimbursed in supplies. There is no charge for the dog. MORPCA is fortunate to have the North Central Regional Training Center located within our Club Region in Delaware, Ohio. In 1999, 2000 and 2001 MORPCA contributed a total of $6,000 towards the efforts of Canine Companions to assist central Ohio citizens. For more information about Canine Companions for Independence please call toll free at 1.800.572.2275. The information contained in this article has been excerpted from the Canine Companions web documents and is copyrighted by Canine Companions. For more information please visit their website at http://www.caninecompanions.org.
