Ohio Valley Goodwill’s CARE Program Focused on Community Involvement and Participation!
Ohio Valley Goodwill’s award-winning Center for Advocacy, Recreation and Education program, [known as “CARE”], has a long history of community involvement. When the doors opened for the launch of the CARE program in the fall of 2004, it was based on a foundation element of community participation. CARE is designed to provide recreational, social, and personal development options. One of the key ways that the CARE program helps to promote individual social development is through involvement in a variety of weekly community outing options. The community outings are selected by the program participants and include a host of activities; both recreational as well as philanthropic in nature. Individuals choose the community activities that match their interests. A typical week in the CARE program can include outings to the local cinema, book store, Ronald McDonald House, Meals on Wheels, Heritage Village Museum, Bluebird Bakery and Bethesda Hospital- just to cite a few of the many possibilities.
L to R: Elizabeth Steele, Jordan Goss and Frank Reinhardt.
CARE offers quality of life enhancement activities for individuals served. The program seeks to accommodate the specific needs, preferences, and strengths of each participant. A variety of options are available ranging from community-based recreational activities, self-determination opportunities and volunteer experiences. “In the CARE program, our hope is always to support the individuals we serve to be able to access their community in ways that are personally meaningful to them,” said Lois Kramer, CARE Program Supervisor. “Our program participants tell us what activities they have interest in- whether it’s for fun or in giving back- and we try our very best to make those options available to them.”
Ohio Valley Goodwill’s corporate headquarters is located very close to Princeton High School and the CARE team loves to visit football practice as the new school year prepares to get underway. This year, CARE participants even made posters to cheer on the high school football players. The visit to Princeton is just one of a variety of community participation opportunities that take place weekly as part of the CARE program.
L to R: Elizabeth Steele, Barb Chiodi, Kristine Agoston and Frank Reinhardt
Goodwill’s CARE program is the proud recipient of the “Award of Excellence,” from Hamilton Developmental Disabilities Services; one of the organization’s major referral partners. To find out more about the Center for Advocacy, Education and Recreation (CARE) program at Ohio Valley Goodwill, please visit www.cincinnatigoodwill.org/services.
