|
What's Happening ...
Newsletter Archive
PIP Success Story
 |
Quentin started with Power
Inspires Progress in June 2006 and helped us move in to the new
restaurant. He took another job, which didn't provide enough hours, and
returned to PIP to complete the program. Like all trainees, Quentin did
all the jobs in the business but he especially favored supervising and
training and balancing the cash receipts.
In late March, 2007, Quentin
went to work for Avon part time while he held his position here and
going to school at ITT– Tech for computer skills. The position at
Avon ended and in May 2007 he secured a part time position at Office
Depot as a Sales Consultant. |
|
In June Quentin graduated from PIP and left us to
devote more hours to his Office Depot position, maintaining a second
part time job with FedEx. In December 2008, after much hard
work and dedication, Quentin was offered a full time
position and was promoted to Department Manager, in charge of all the
cashiers in the store. Quentin is one of the youngest and most quickly
promoted managers in the chain. Quentin continues to attend ITT– Tech,
maintaining a B average. He is also a devoted dad to his two little
girls. Quentin extends an invitation to all to stop in to see him at the
Ridge Ave Office Depot.
Way To Go Quentin! |
 |
|
|
|
2007 Activities &
Accomplishments
|
Our first full year on Vine Street showed tremendous
growth in both our restaurant and catering businesses.
Venice on Vine restaurant was open 248 days of the year averaging
$164 day in sales. Volunteer Kenny Steinkept us in homemade sausage for our
hoagies and pizzas, and we added cookies, tea, lemonade and calzones to the
basic menu. We’re becoming known in our growing and changing Over-the-Rhine
community as a clean and friendly place to meet and eat, and were awarded
“Business of the Year” by the OTR Chamber of Commerce. School groups often
cap off OTR service trips with pizza parties in the restaurant.
Catering also grew tremendously with $95,825 in sales averaging 28 jobs
a month, working seven days a week. Catering is not only a money maker and a
work opportunity for our staff; it’s also a way we partner with community
organizations. We feed a number of regular weekly customers as well as
parties, fundraisers and workshops. The trainees enjoy the opportunity to
visit new places and speak to other groups. Dennis Braje and Mary
Welsh continue as weekly volunteer cooks, and we also had the benefit of Americorps' |
Interns Norm O’Connor and Baby Lee Jones.
Our tutoring program grew throughout 2007 thanks to the efforts of Sr.
Brenda Brady, Aggie Brackmann and Lisa Dayringer, who tutor but also
recruited others to do so. Trainees are expected to take at least three
education sessions a week.
In-Service training opportunities included Partners in Mediation, Ohio
State Extension Nutrition Program, Rape Crisis Center, Mill Creek
Restoration Project, Sr. Mary Duennes with Holistic Health; National City
Bank; Community Action Agency; mock interviews from Shelly Matthewis, and
Job Fairs at Superjobs, Crossroads and Women’s Connection. We even shared a
trip to the Opera. We celebrated together with a staff picnic and Christmas
Party. We also hosted our Governor, Mayor, State Representatives and
Senators, and Commissioners during their tour of Over-the-Rhine.
PIP completed a façade improvement including a sign, awning, painting,
and tile work, funded through the City of Cincinnati, with special help from
Scott McGrath. OTR Community Council provided beautiful window boxes too.
Venice received a Merit
|
Award from the American Institute of Architects– Cincinnati.
2007 was the first year of our Sweetheart raffle, which was a great
success– we tweaked it slightly for 2008. Our September Brunch was huge! So
big we’ll talk about spreading into more rooms next time.
We also threw a big party to celebrate Sister Barbara Wheeler’s many
contributions on the occasion of her retirement. Our volunteer bookkeepers
Dave Munroe and Peg Reed helped standardize our cash flow and expense
tracking.
In 2007, we mourned the loss of our volunteer construction manager Roy
Kaiser. In a happier way, we had to learn to live without our founder Sr.
Barbara Wheeler, who retired in May, but still participates in our
fundraising. We also successfully graduated some of our longest term
trainees.
We thank our wonderful trainees, volunteers, board,
staff and supporters for making 2007 a year of
"power, inspiration and
progress."
|
2007 PIP Annual Report
Top
WOW, the
Governor, the Mayor and our State Senator ... all here at PIP!
|
On September 6, 2007, Mayor Mark Mallory, State Senator
Eric Kearney, Governor Ted Strickland and his regional director Brewster
Rhoads all stopped by PIP at Venice on Vine. |
|
Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Ohio Senator Eric
Kearney. Senator Kearney loves our Venice on Vine pizza! |
 |
 |
Govenor Ted Strickland, his Regional Director Brewster
Rhoads, and PIP Director Rina Saperstein discuss the PIP program. |
|
Gloria Cure and Ruth Cronenberg greet Mayor Mark Mallory
and Governor Ted Strickland. |
 |
Top
Taking Stock
In PIP
|
With encouragement of a smart donor and our co-treasurer Dick
Welsh, PIP has opened a UBS brokerage account which allows us to easily accept
gifts of stock.
There are many financial and tax reasons to donate stock, and
it’s easy, just have your broker request our brokerage number to make a
transfer. PIP sells the stock promptly to make the most of your gift.
|
Top
Volunteers
Needed
| Power
Inspires Progress, a nonprofit employment education program in
Over-the-Rhine has many volunteer positions it's looking to fill at our Venice on Vine pizza
parlor.
Help make a difference ... Volunteer today.
Click here for a complete listing of open positions and needs.
|
Top |
