You know we help women and children; you know our programs are successful. But you're still unsure about why to give or you're confused about what will happen with your donation? We hope this clarifies how much your contribution matters to us. Thank you!
1. How does my contribution help?
Every contribution and we mean that every contribution of any dollar amount helps. Our early childhood education program is the best in the city; the Anna Louise Inn is safe and affordable; and women in Off the StreetsSM are gaining the self-esteem and life skills they need in their recovery from prostitution. This kind of change and growth doesn't happen without funding. We work hard to help our clients and our results show that our programs work: 84% of our children are assessed ready for kindergarten; 67% of the residents at the Anna Louise Inn who are at risk of losing housing receive case management services; and 84% of the women have not had a prostitution conviction one year after entering Off the StreetsSM. Funding helps these miracles happen.
2. Didn't you just ask me for money?
We sent out our annual appeal in 2012 in August and a reminder in November. We are sending out the 2013 appeal a little earlier. We hope that doesn't cause too much confusion. The fall is a busy time for us with Style & Steps for OTS, the fashion show to benefit Off the StreetsSM, on Wednesday, November 13th and Voices from the HeartSM on February 14, 2014.
3. Didn't you just reach an agreement with Western & Southern for $4 million?
We did sell the Anna Louise Inn for $4 million, but that money is going to pay for legal fees and related costs from three years of legal battles. It is also going into building a brand new Anna Louise Inn. Our needs haven't changed. We still need to transport children to school so they can get ready for kindergarten; we still need to subsidize 58% of the rent at the Anna Louise Inn because our residents make less than $11,170 a year; and we still need to help women out of prostitution in Hamilton County.
4. How do I know my money is being used wisely?
We have been operating for almost 200 years because we are good stewards of donor gifts. We know that every penny people and foundations give us is a token of trust and we take that seriously. We have a Standards of Excellence certification from the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations and we post our annual report on our website so you can see how the funds helps the clients we serve.
If you have other questions, please contact Brittany Ballard at 768-6931. We appreciate your support!