Medicaid Bonus

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone. I'm writing this from scenic Yarmouthport, MA. We're dealing with a blizzard, so I'm homebound reading the news.

And The New York Times has some good news!

The Obama administration plans to announce Monday that it will make $206 million in bonus Medicaid payments to 15 states — with more than a fourth of the total going to Alabama — for signing up children who are eligible for public health insurance but had previously failed to enroll.

Ok, Alabama. Well played. How did Ohio do?

Other states receiving bonus payments this year are Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin.

Yes! Score!

As you know, finding people who are eligible for benefits but haven't enrolled is pretty much what we do. It's why the OBB Mobile Express exists. And obviously we can't take all of the credit for this bonus...but I'm taking just a little.

And Mobile or no Mobile, the Ohio Benefit Bank has worked tirelessly to expand into each and every county and Jobs and Family Services has worked tirelessly to assist the clients that we send their way. It's nice to see the work of so many people in our van, in our office, and in our state pay off.

For me, this article has been an awesome Christmas present. Happy Holidays!

Telethon: Part Deux!

So last March we took the Mobile to WKYC in Cleveland for a telethon. It was great. We even wrote about it. PROOF!

Well in Hollywood, if something is a success, a sequel is sure to be in the works. And since Cleveland is clearly the Hollywood of the Midwest, it made sense for us to go back and handle another 800 phone calls.

This telethon was organized by The Cleveland Foodbank's Mary O'Shea. She is awesome. She recruited over a dozen volunteers to take calls and recruited us to bring a boatload of computers and power cords to the studios to make sure people could get instant Quick Checks. Since Erin and I were staying in Cleveland overnight, Mary even helped us find a food pantry to visit the night before the big event. So not only did Erin and I spend ten hours on the phones (with breaks, natch), we also finished four applications in Lake County.

Erin and I are always surprised to find so many people in dire situations that had no idea that they were eligible for supports like food assistance and utility help. Despite seeing it almost every day, I can not fathom how these families scrape by on so little. And I know there are many more out there who weren't lucky enough to stumble upon us on Channel 3. But hundreds of people in one fell swoop is a pretty nice start.

OBB Mobile Express Participates in Utility Fairs

Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative, Inc. invited us to join them as they shared information about how to conserve energy, decrease electric bills and increase efficiency.

Vicki Bilek's smiling face greeted customers as she registered them and handed out light bulbs.

Here is one of the displays at the fair showing many types of compact flourescent lamps. According to Wikipedia: "compared to general service incandescent lamps giving the same amount of visible light, CFLs use less power and have a longer rated life". This translates to savings for the consumer. Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative applied for and received a grant to purchase these lightbulbs to distribute to consumers.

The OBB Mobile Express was on hand to assist these customers with their HEAP application. Since the HEAP application is at a higher eligibility rate (200% of FPL), many people can look forward to a credit on their heating bill this season.


Applications can be filled out with a benefit bank counselor, online using our self serve software or by downloading the application from the Ohio Department of Development website. No matter the method, the application needs to be printed off, verifications attached and then mailed to the ODD. Completed applications take two (2) months to process and clients should see a credit on their bill within that time. HEAP status can be checked by going to this website. It will let you know the application has been received and where it is in the process.

Farmers Market Accepts EBT Card

Joined the Farmer's Market at Public Square in downtown Cleveland. It was a beautiful blustery day. You can see Tower City and Progressive Field in the photograph above.
The OBB Mobile Express had top billing on the sidewalk in Public Square. We were parked right behind a wonderful smelling Asian food truck--yum!
We welcomed guests of the market as well as passerbys.

The van and the Farmer's Market were situated across the street from the

Old Stone Church. This church is the oldest building on Public Square and

the 2nd oldest church in Cleveland-- quite a site to see.

The Farmer's Market is offering EBT card holders (food stamps) the opportunity to spend their dollars to purchase fresh veggies, spices, coffee, tea and many other items. Card holders were also given a free $5 token for using their card. Good deal!

Mustard Factory

Danielle Gray and I got the grand tour of the Woeber Mustard Factory! We were invited to come and talk with employees to help them know if they were eligible for benefits. In addition we informed them that they may use the OBB to complete their taxes.



The tour was fascinating. Below are some pictures that gives an idea of the experience:

Here are vats of mustard--Woeber is known for specialty mustards and mayonnaise. The original recipes were from 1905. The company has been family owned through 3 generations.

Woeber packages many condiments in many different containers. Each container requires a different machine which is tailored to certain specifications for filling, labeling and sealing. This one is designed for packaging vinegar.

There is a room dedicated to mixing of mustard. As we walked in this room our eyes began to water. The spices and mustard seeds were so strong that we needed to leave quickly.

Here we are meeting with Rick Woeber, Vince Chase (United Way volunteer and past food bank president) and our very own Danielle--all donning our hairnets. It was fascinating to learn about the equipment needed to process and package mustard.

Mountains of horseradish. There was a whole room dedicated to the grinding of this root.

After we visited the mustard factory we went to Dole Foods for an employee health fair. All in all, it was a fun and interesting day.

So Anything Noteworthy Happen Last Night?

Oh! Right! The election.

I imagine many of you are busy celebrating or mourning unless you're VISTAs in which case the Hatch Act requires you to FEEL NOTHING.

So since you're celebrating or mourning or being a civil servant, let's keep this low impact. It's been brought to my attention that we haven't linked to the excellent regional blog network that's been created by the Ohio Benefit Bank.

So! Without further ado:

The Ohio Benefit Bank's Central site: http://obbservationsco.blogspot.com/

The Ohio Benefit Bank's North Coast site: http://obbservationsnc.blogspot.com/

The Ohio Benefit Bank's Northeast site: http://obbservationsneo.blogspot.com/

The Ohio Benefit Bank's Northwest site: http://obbservationsnwo.blogspot.com/

The Ohio Benefit Bank's Southeast site: http://obbservationsseo.blogspot.com/

The Ohio Benefit Bank's Southwest site: http://obbservationsswo.blogspot.com/

And if you want to see everything that these sites have to offer, please check out this rad Prezi presentation.

On The Road Again

They say there's no rest for the wicked. That may or may not be true. But I know there hasn't been a lot of rest for the OBB Mobile team. We've been on the road for the past two weeks. It's at the point where our colleagues in the Columbus office are genuinely surprised to see us.

All this time on the road really drives home what a diverse state Ohio is. One day we're at a food distribution in suburban Akron, the next we're at a food distribution a stone's throw from Kentucky. We spent eight hours in Holmes County, the county with the largest Amish population in the world. Two days later we were in Downtown Cleveland under the shadow of skyscrapers.

(During our Cleveland trip I made my first trip to the West Side Market. It was awesome. A nice perk of the Mobile Express is having a fridge to keep two strip steaks overnight.)

I'm seeing double! Four strip steaks!

One exciting development is working with more foreclosure prevention resources to recreate our enormous successes in Dayton. Save the Dream's website has been hosting the Restoring Stability application where homeowners under threat of foreclosure can submit their information to a housing counselor. The state has been pushing this hard and we've been with them to make sure these people in need know about all of the benefits that are out there for them.

See! We've been busy! And we'll be back on the road tomorrow. I'm sure our colleagues are disappointed.

Record Setting Week

Erin and I just came off a week in which we completed over 50 applications for Ohioans. And these weren't a bunch of quickies like voter registration and Golden Buckeye cards*. We're talking HEAP, food assistance, Medicare premium assistance, and Medicaid. Big, long applications.

Wednesday brought us to Safe Surrender in Cleveland. Safe Surrender is an event held in cities throughout the country where people with misdemeanors and non-violent felonies can appear and have their outstanding warrants taken care of. It lifts a weight off of their shoulders and it makes the authorities happy since it saves them time. These Ohioans are people who are unlikely to go to Jobs and Family Services to apply for benefits because of those warrants. Once those warrants were taken care of, Erin and I wanted to be there to help them out immediately.

We were told to expect 60-200 people. We got over 800. Enough to fill a church auditorium. With an unexpectedly large crowd, it was harder to get people to come into our Mobile. People were waiting hours to get these warrants taken care of and people seemed pretty pooped. Of course, with 800 people, it's inevitable that a few people would want to stop and see what we were all about. We finished about 15 applications that day.

Now, Safe Surrender was only supposed to get busier. It was actually a four day event and we could only make it to Day 1. We were previously booked for a two day foreclosure prevention event in Dayton. You may remember that we've observed some people in pretty dire need over in Montgomery County. No income, no job, no food stamps. That's not the way it ought to be and I've been primed to go back and see if there was more of the same.

There was.

Over the next two days, we saw dozens and dozens of people who were eligible for benefits. The client that stuck in my mind was an elderly woman living with her disabled son on less than $750 a month in Social Security. That is unacceptable. We found at least 25 other people in similar situations.

Erin and I, with assists from Central Ohio Regional Coordinator Zach Reat and VISTA Sarah Olinger, completed 38 applications over those two days. That is a lot. Over 50 over three days, and, wow. I told the organizers of the event that with that many applications, the county will take notice.

We can't reasonably expect to complete 50 applications a week in perpetuity, but it's good to know that if there's a need, that we can step up and finish a staggering amount of applications in a short time. We met the challenge. It's a good feeling.

*I don't mean to downplay Golden Buckeye cards or voter registration. It's just that those applications take only a few minutes. And they don't require a lot of thinking. "Are you 60 years old? Great!" "Are you registered to vote at your new address? Great!"

Dollar Day Sale in Dayton

On Labor Day weekend, Erin and I made it to Dayton for a rummage sale sponsored by the St. Deliverance Church of God in Christ. See! Here we are!

Proof!

If you can't tell, that picture was taken from the wrong side of the tracks.

wocka, wocka, wocka

So, ok, I know that you aren't seeing a lot of people in that first picture. You might be thinking, "Boy, must have been a pretty slow event." And, you, Straw Man Reader, would be totally wrong. This event was one of the busiest we've ever been a part of.

Attendance wasn't high, but every single person that came out to buy clothes stopped by the van. All of them. Our contact, the wonderful Laura Myrick, went as far as to call people in the community that needed help and urged them to pay us a visit. And they came out.

Unfortunately, there appear to be some serious holes in the safety net in Dayton. We had a handful of clients with no income who still hadn't signed up for food assistance. They didn't really know how or were resigned to siphoning off of their savings accounts.

Erin and I wouldn't have any of that. We helped the good residents of Dayton fill out 25 different applications. Twenty-five! Between the two of us! You're welcome, Dayton grocers (food assistance), Dayton politicians (voter registration), and Dayton employers (senior employment program)!

And Erin was especially good to the local economy. It was unexpectedly brisk and Erin was wearing summer clothes. Since we were at a rummage sale, she upgraded to jeans.

stimulus!

Huron Food Distribution

Met this little one at the produce distribution in Huron, Ohio where 150 people gathered to receive fresh veggies and fruit to supplement their food budgets. After talking with folks in line, the biggest a-ha moment was sharing the Medicare Extra Help information. Seniors paying a premium for health benefits may be eligible to have it paid for if they are under a certain income and have few liquid assets in the bank. Several people who attended the distribution were either eligible or knew someone who was eligible. We were able to suggest other resources to those who needed housing, clothing as well as utility assistance.

It is always nice to see families receiving fresh, wholesome food grown locally. This was one of six distributions during this harvest.

Thousands line up for food giveaway in downtown Youngstown

Loads of folks line up as early at 7:00 am,

with boxes and bags in hand to receive food

which they believe, will help their dollar stretch.

Here are my two cents about Y-Town:


The Mobile Express was present at one of the largest food distributions we have ever been to. Russ and I were impressed by event organization and the generosity of New Life Church and Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley. Below is a link to the story on the news in Youngstown:

Thousands line up for food giveaway in downtown Youngstown - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

Within the video you can see our gracious host and friend Mike Iberis who is executive director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Mahoning Valley. He invited us to participate in this event as well as join him on the local morning show at NBC. We have not found footage of that but word is that many of the Youngstownians were up that early and actually thought we have a good message--I guess there was not too much sleep in my eyes at 5:30 am!

Here you can see the sea of green volunteers.

So many hands made light work and they seemed happy to be of service.

Volunteers prepared and handed out food, painted faces, dished ice cream cones, performed for those in line and shepherded folks throughout the process.

Snapped this picture late in the day after 6000 people came through the line to receive over 200,000 lbs of food. Pictured here: Second Harvest Food Bankers Angie Hakeem, Mark Litzinger and our very own Russell Allen.

On a side note, Mike Iberis took us out to eat at a lovely restaurant called Alberini's--one of the best meals I have had. Just a snippet of what we experienced: warm pepperoni bread fresh from the oven, succulent pork chop atop a mound of mashed potatoes, penne pasta with broccoli, a tour of the wine cellar, traditional Italian cookies and a goodbye hug from Mrs. Alberini! I fully intend to visit this establishment again--thanks Mike!

Massive Food Distribution in Youngstown

We'll probably have more on this in the near future, but WFMJ, Youngstown's NBC affiliate, did a piece on a food distribution that served approximately 2,400 families. Naturally, the OBB Mobile was there, and we have the video to prove it.

You can get the best look at us between 1:23 and 1:28.

We performed over a hundred quick checks in only five hours and spoke to hundreds and hundreds of people in need. We were proud to be there.

A special thank you to Mahoning Valley Second Harvest Executive Director Mike Iberis. He's featured in that video as well and he showed us the ropes during our two night stay in Youngstown. He took us to a favored Italian restaurant and it was a true "wow" experience.

Old Fashioned Prison Garb

A few weeks ago, Erin and I went to Fremont, Sandusky's county seat for a reentry fair. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but people released from Ohio's prisons are an incredibly underserved population in terms of benefits. Finding a job in Ohio is hard enough without having a felony on your record. These people need support and often don't ask for it.

So, the reentry fair! There were dozens of agencies and organizations there to help people being released from prison foster a productive life on the outside. And we were there to make sure people knew about The Benefit Bank and got food assistance and other benefits as soon as possible.

The locals jails actually drove some currently incarcerated people to the event to get a head start on the entire reentry process. Now, Erin and I aren't allowed to electronically submit applications until these guys are out of the clink. That's a no-no. But we can fill out the applications and hand over a physical copy that will be ready to go out the door whenever the client is ready to go out the door. It's one less step. And we were happy to help these clients leave with six pieces of paper that would likely transform into $200 in SNAP Benefits every month.

I would like to make one aside. The prisoners at the event were all wearing the same uniform. That makes sense. Now imagine that uniform. What did you think of? I always associate prisoners with bright orange. But that wasn't the case in Fremont. See for yourself:

robble, robble

I did not picture that. This amazed me. People still have the black and white horizontal striped uniforms? I have literally never seen these before outside the world of cartoons. When I see these clothes, I picture someone tying a lady to railroad tracks or stealing a big sack with a dollar sign on it.

I think I prefer the orange. It looks good. Yellow works too.

the one-armed man was probably eligible for Medicaid

OBB Express is Fairtastic!

The Ohio Department of Insurance invited us to join them at the Ohio State Fair. Making people aware of what insurance options may be available and anticipating changes through health care reform, we shared what we know with the general public as they visited with the 1st lady, listened to a beautiful barbershop quartet and spinned the wheel of knowledge. Fun day, lots of people and only a drizzle of rain (our awning came in handy).

Our day in pictures:

Festive venue

Lori Stewart from the Department of Insurance, mans the wheel

Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland, Ohio Department of Aging Director Barbara E. Riley

and Ohio Department of Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson visit OBB on Senior Day

Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland and our very own Russell Allen chat about how the Ohio Benefit Bank works.

We were treated to an all lady barbershop quartet:

A fun spectacle at the fair--one among many! Tree Guy:

Put-In-Bay Here We Come!

We had the opportunity to travel across the water to the South Bass Island by ferry. We attended a resource fair for locals where they could find information about many resources including hospice, home health care, 211, child care services, as well as Benefit Bank services.

The editor of the local newspaper came by to snap pictures and tell the story of how the Benefit Bank and other organizations could help those on the island. While there, she shared that in her own experience, she did not know where to turn when her father, who has Alzheimer's, needed home health care. She expressed relief and comfort knowing there are resources available. Her story is not uncommon, we often don't think about things until we find ourselves in need.

Russell and I often talk with folks who have had jobs all of their lives and find themselves laid off or with unemployment running out. They express that they don't have a clue what benefits are available to them. Conducting Quick Checks and shepherding these folks through the enrollment process is an important support during confusing times.

The trip to Put-In-Bay was beautiful. Our van was nestled among other vehicles on the deck and we were able to sit up on the observation deck as we traveled across the lake to the island.

As we participated in the resource fair we found ourselves asking questions about food stamps and learned that none of the stores on the island accept them. Folks travel to the mainland to do their shopping. The ferry costs $6.50 one way and takes about a half hour travel time. This seems doable until you consider that in the winter, when the water is frozen, ferry service is not available. The only way to travel is by plane for $50 one way.

Given this, our Benefit Bank counsellors visited the local grocer and opened dialog about becoming a food stamp vendor. You never know what is possible.

A big thank you to Gayle Loyola for inviting us--fun times, meaningful work and good food. (I am all about the food ;-)

Tonya Bailey, Benefit Bank extraordinaire, and

newly appointed OBB Regional Coordinator

is sporting the vacation look on the deck.

Nothing but blue here......

Soul of Buckeye Parade

The OBB Mobile Express had the pleasure of parading down Buckeye Road on Cleveland's east side among community agencies, dance troupes, marching bands and other spectacles.

The area has a development corporation charged with rejuvenating the neighborhood and we were invited by them to join in the fun at their Soul of Buckeye parade.

Here is the jazz man that greeted us:

One of the spectacles--Monster Truck!!
Complete with loud funky music that makes you move to the groove. One can not help but sway to the sweet sounds.

A look at the monster truck before the parade:

Below is a video of one of the dance troupes--colorful and coordinated:

Russell manned the van, with celebratory waves while I and two awesome VISTA's worked the crowd. We talked to many people and now the Ohio Benefit Bank is well represented on refrigerators all over east Cleveland.

Many came to the van after the parade and learned about benefit eligibility; it was a sunny day, good food all around, jammin' music, local talent and lots of friendly people. Good stuff!

Gallipolis

Hey, the Mobile Express was on top of a big hill in Gallipolis.

tree line = proof

Once again we were with the Lutheran Social Services Mobile Food Pantry and we were slammed. It's obviously unnerving to see that many people in dire need, but if they're out there, it's great that they're seeing us.

I had an elderly client who was living on a fixed income of under $500 a month. She wasn't on food stamps. She didn't know about utility assistance or the summer cooling program. She was paying $96 a month in Medicare premiums that she didn't need to pay for. I mean, if you're forced to look on the bright side, she had her Golden Buckeye card and was registered to vote. But beyond that, she was horribly under served in terms of benefits. So it was nice to talk to her.

It's rare that we see someone like that. We get a lot of people who were recently laid off or have some benefits but don't know about one or two programs from an unfamiliar office. Seeing someone who was eligible for almost everything but had almost nothing was eye opening. It's not just about getting people to apply, it's still about getting people to know. (And knowledge is power!)

And we'll be back on the road with Lutheran Social Services after the State Fair. As always, we look forward to it.

Visit Mid Ohio Food Bank

A couple of weeks ago we visited Mid-Ohio Food Bank to learn more about their operation and see their new facility. Below are a few pictures from our trip. But before we take a look, I wanted to share a study that was conducted recently that puts into perspective the amazing need that this food bank and the 11 others in Ohio are addressing.

Landmark Study Reveals Large Increase in People Seeking Emergency Food

Grove City, OH – February 2, 2010 – A landmark study released by Mid-Ohio Foodbank and Feeding America – the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization – reports that more than 248,000 individuals – including 86,975 children and 17,395 seniors – receive emergency food each year through Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

These findings represent a 28 percent increase from the results reported in Hunger in America 2006. In Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s 20 county service territory, in any given week, more than 40,000 people receive emergency food assistance from a food pantry, soup kitchen, or other agency served by the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

If you are interested, see this Columbus Dispatch article that shows that the demand for food pantries is climbing. They are seeing new faces and many pantries are showing that in some cases their numbers have doubled since 2006.

We at the Ohio Benefit Bank have noticed that with pantries as well as benefit applications , there have been many more people asking for assistance who have held jobs all their lives. When asked, "Do you know someone who..........(has lost a job or pay, needs medical insurance etc.)" there is a resounding yes. Many people take literature for a loved one, a neighbor or a coworker. All this points to the great need for supports like food assistance and we are glad that Mid-Ohio is there, as well as the other food banks, to help organize an effort for those who are in need.

Mountains of potatoes--both sweet and regular, getting ready to be distributed.

New Community Garden with cistern system for watering.

Packing Area

Poverty in the USA

Below is a graphic representation of how a person's budget in poverty adds up.
Take a look:



This video does not capture everything, but it does ask a pertinent question--if you were in this situation, what would you give up?

Tornado Victims Find Help at Open Door

The Ohio Benefit Bank hosted an Expo for those who work in Fulton County within the social services realm. Expos are a chance for social workers, medical professionals, church personnel and others to learn about becoming Benefit Bank sites. Gayle Loyola, regional coordinator for the area had a variety of folks attend and was eager to share information about the OBB Express as well.

Sixty-Eight (68) families in Fulton County were effected by the tornado that swept through on Saturday, June 5, 2010. Many had homes that were completely destroyed, while others had extensive damage. Seven people in Wood County died in this whirlwind.

Open Door of Delta is providing support to victims by helping them set up temporary households and giving gifts of clothing, food, furniture and small appliances. These items have been donated by caring neighbors from all over Ohio--with a true "neighbors helping neighbors" spirit.

Executive Director, Cherie Mercer greeted the OBB Mobile Express explaining that many of the victims did not have insurance and find themselves in need of supports that they never imagined needing.

She reported in The Delta newspaper:

"I feel supportive services will be needed for months to come, and The Open Door is committed to providing anything at our disposal for the families. We want the families to know they are not forgotten." Cherie Mercer

Cherie was a gracious host and was excited to have the Ohio Benefit Bank present. She shared that her organization has been self sufficient through sales of the thrift store and has hopes that The Open Door will provide work supports and supportive housing in the future as well as continuing to provide material assistance.

Here is a picture of a wedding dress that was found in a tree

and returned to the owner through the Open Door.

This meal was purchased at the TA Truck Stop during our travels to Delta, Ohio. The potato was gargantuan! The picture here does not do it justice. To Russell's credit he did his best to consume the monster. I have honestly not ever seen a potato so large. Speaking of potatoes, stay tuned for my next post devoted to Mid Ohio Food Bank and their potato bounty.

Over the Hills and Far Away

The OBB Mobile Express found its way deep into the hills of Southeast Ohio as Erin and I traveled to Burr Oak State Park. Our goal, talk to agencies and organizations in a part of Ohio that remains underserved by the Benefit Bank.

But that wasn't the story of this trip. The story of the trip was, well, the trip. After going Southeast on Route 33, our GPS spat us out on a slew of county and state highways. Which is fine. They were main drags. Speed limit was 55 and all. No problem, right?

Well, there was a problem. Although the signs were clear as day:


If you go 55 on these roads....You. Will. DIE.

I want to make clear how little I am exaggerating. I am exaggerating zero. That's how little exaggeration. Whether it's the sharp turns on mountains with no guard rails or the blind corners or the teeny tiny lanes, these roads shouldn't be driven much faster than neutral.

At one point - on a 55mph highway mind you! - we were going 25mph into a turn and I had to slam on the brakes. If I stayed thirty miles under the speed limit, DEATH. We went 5mph and that may have been pushing it.

Erin wants me to point out that the drive was ridiculously beautiful and I concede that. We love the mountains. All very nice and lovely. (The tallest mountain Erin summited: Mount Marcy. Mine: Old Rag. If you look at the elevations, you'll see that Erin is way more hardcore about mountains.)

But if you, reader, ever find yourself on OH-78, OH-216, or Hocking County Road 25, please ignore the posted speed limits. Unless you can do this:

Juneteenth!

I am a firm believer that Juneteenth, the celebration of the announcement of The Emancipation Proclamation, should be a real holiday. And when I mean "real," I mean government offices should be closed and we shouldn't have to go to work. Presidents' Day? Columbus Day? What did Columbus do that hadn't already been done by a bunch of Vikings? Heck, some people* even think the Basques beat Columbus to the New World.

The problem is that the very nature of Juneteenth means you can't just stick it on the third Monday of the month. The "teenth" is right in the name. Celebrating it on the 21st would be madness. (This is what happens when a clever portmanteau gets out of hand.**) And with July 4th right around the corner***, weekday holidays are at a premium.

Still, Juneteenth is the best. When you think of some of the ridiculous things we celebrate, praising the end of slavery maybe should get more attention. It's kind of a big deal!

And it was big deal to the Marion chapter of the NAACP. They invited us out to a community event filled with local singers and rappers, grilled meats, and celebrating the freedom that they didn't have only 145 years ago. A common theme was that as far as the African-American community had come, there was still plenty left to fight for. People spoke about the need for prison reform, the need to help the mentally ill, the need for health care. Erin and I felt right at home.

And an event with door prizes wouldn't be complete without Erin winning some goodies. She left with a fancy shmancy water bottle and an Ohio State t-shirt. I left full of ribs and brats. It was a lot of fun and a great reminder to appreciate our freedom and liberty.

*That is one of the best books I have ever read. Highly recommended. Not just to people from a spit of land named after fish like I am. Recommended to all. A great read.

**I think the trick here is to change the name to Emancipation Day. Freedom Day is too vague. It needs to remain slavery specific. Write your legislators! Make the holiday happen!

***YAY!

Prison!

So every month we go to North Central Correctional, a medium security facility in Marion. I've found that some of our most successful trips are reentry events. "Successful" meaning that there are a ton of people eligible for benefits who aren't getting them. Then we sign them up.

This is not really a good kind of successful. I'm glad we can fill the gap when someone isn't receiving something they may be entitled to. That's kind of our reason for being. But wouldn't it be better if these people had benefits as soon as they got out of lockup? Sure, we wouldn't get credit, but these people would have food security and that's more important.

So we meet with inmates getting out in the next 60 days and let them know that they could be eligible as soon as they get out. They can go to Jobs and Family Services, they can go to an OBB site. It's all good. Just get food security.

Erin and I used to be in the yard, now we're in the block. Prison slang! I prefer the block since it gives you an idea of what an inmate's life is really like. Doesn't look fun. A good reminder for me to not misappropriate van funding.

But my personal highlight came when we were leaving. An inmate walking to the common area asked what we were doing there.

"Oh, you know, we're just talking to people who are getting out soon and letting them know about food assistance, other benefits, stuff like that."

The priceless response:

"Oh! The Ohio Benefit Bank! On High and Gay, right? You did my taxes last year. You guys are great!"

Thanks! I think we're great too!

I hope he signs up for benefits with us when he gets out.

Agape

That's ah-GAH-pay. But why deal with pronunciations when we can just call them "awesome."

Agape Distribution is a food pantry in Sidney, the county seat of Shelby County. They have a mobile food pantry that goes out to the smaller communities in the county and where there's a mobile food pantry there's a chance that we are with them to help spread the word about the Ohio Benefit Bank.

So off we went on a rainy Saturday morning to the small towns of Botkins and Anna. And we had a surprise guest! Our boss, Nora Nees, was in town and she came buy to help us talk to Agape's clients.

Twenty-two families went through the mobile pantry and we spoke to every last one of 'em.

What really separated Agape from the pack in my mind were their volunteers. I have never had an easier time talking to a group of people. They truly cared about what they were doing and their dedication was obvious and praiseworthy. With volunteers like that, Agape is in some great hands.

Little Chicago

Last week a VISTA, Danielle, traveled with me to Steubenville, Ohio. My grandfather would be happy to know that Steubenville was the birthplace of noted Rat Packer and pizza pie simile popularizer, Dean Martin.

this guy knows what i'm talking about

Danielle does a lot of work with the Senior Community Service Employment Program, one of the many applications found on the Ohio Benefit Bank software. She has a good ear for any event designed to help senior Ohioans, and she didn't disappoint here. Steubenville was hosting a farmers' market coupon distribution to seniors who were at 185% of the federal poverty level. In other words, these couldn't avoid our overtures. Unless they were residing in an assisted living facility where they didn't pay for heating, we had them for at least utility assistance.

Another thing we checked up on was the Golden Buckeye card. This card provides discounts on fast food and prescriptions and stuff like that and it's supposed to be automatically sent to you when you turn 60. Well, at least sent to the address you have on file at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. In other words, a lot of people don't get them.

The good news: these applications are easy as pie. It takes longer to set up a user name and password than it does to fill out the actual application. If you have a license that says you're over 60, give us five minutes and BOOM! the card is in the mail.

So while Danielle and I were estimating food stamp eligibility, we also were sending a dozen Buckeye cards into Jefferson County. Sure the discounts aren't always much, but they're something. And since some of these clients were eligible for other benefits (that take decidedly longer than five minutes), they now have a user name and password ready to go.

So, yeah, it was a great event.

Project Homeless Connect in Akron

The Third Annual Project Homeless Connect took place on May 11 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Chapel, a huge church, in Akron. This event, is a community wide effort to bring service providers together in one location for one day and highlighted the many types of assistance available to those experiencing homelessness delivering real time aid to those in need.

Services provided included dental care, legal assistance, mammogram screenings, HIV/AIDS testing, prostate cancer testing, job placement services, housing placement applications, clothing, meals, hair cuts, and of course our very own benefit eligibility determination services among others.

The concept for Project Homeless Connect came from a model that originated in San Francisco under Mayor Gavin Newsom in October 2004. Since its inception more than 170 cities in the United States have hosted PHC. Cities of every size from coast to coast have engaged in PHC events. Akron represents the 170th community to host PHC and the first in the state of Ohio (as reported by the Suburbanite newspaper).

We were pleased to be present and helping those with the most need gain access to benefits. We were among friends including Cornerstone Church which was inspired to become a benefit bank site after the OBB Express visited last year.

On a side note, it was hard to see so many people who had major health issues without any health/dental insurance. The biggest realization was meeting those who had rotting teeth. They were able to get them extracted at this event but it made me wonder how difficult it will be for them to obtain employment without teeth. It is already a very competitive market and I think appearance really effects people's ability to get jobs.

Well, at least this is one step in the right direction.

The Busiest Weekend of My Entire Life

Last July, Erin and I took the van to Cleveland for the first annual Medworks event. One thousand people without health insurance were seen by doctors and physicians and were able to get diagnosed and treated. A few had put off going to the doctor for so long that they were taken straight to the emergency room. It was a firsthand close-up experience with the horrible experiences of the uninsured.

The event was in July because of a swine flu related postponement. So by last weekend it was already time for Medworks: The Sequel.

But first Erin and I made our first trip to lovely Ashtabula County. We were hoping to take in the covered bridges and the wineries, but instead we went to a food distribution hosted by the Manna Food Pantry in Jefferson. We served a handful of clients there and then holed up in a local restaurant to take care of some office work from afar.

We got back into Cleveland at around 4pm, so I had some time to kill. Erin was with her family (she is a proud Clevelander) and I had the entire city at my feet. After a quick run at the hotel gym, I decided to take in my favorite activity in the world: going to a baseball game. The Cleveland Indians (yes, racist, I know) were in town to play American League Most Valuable Player Joe Mauer's Minnesota Twins.

Let me make this very clear: Baseball is the greatest game in the world and I am always super-excited to see a game in person. Even when, like here, my hometown team isn't playing. The crack of the bat, the smell of the grass, the poetry of the game. There's a reason fancy pants writers wax on about baseball.

Because of the Indians' on-field incompetence, amazing seats were cheap and easy to come by. I was right behind home plate and had my breath taken away by Justin Morneau's first inning home run. That's exactly why baseball is so great. You never know when you'll gasp in shock or admiration.

By 10:30 it was time to walk back to my hotel on Cleveland State's campus. I was approached by a scalper. Was I going to the show at Peabody's a block from my hotel? I didn't think so, but he handed me a free ticket anyways. I guess even scalpers need to pack it in eventually. Not one to turn down a free ticket (waste not, want not!), I walked into the middle of an extremely loud and extremely hairy band playing thrash metal. OK then. I hung around for 30 minutes and left when the band's set ended.

Finally, Medworks! Like last year's event, Medworks again had around 1,000 patients who went to receive some form of health care or check-up. Unlike last year's event, every single one of these patients wasn't led to our table to talk about benefits. Instead, social workers met with every patient and many led them to us if we could be of service. We spoke to around 150 people, but a staggering amount of them (Erin and I independently guessed around 75%) were eligible for a federal or state benefit. By eliminating the number of people that we were seeing that already had benefits, we were able to provide a more complete service while not leaning so heavily on volunteers.

After nine hours at Medworks on Saturday, my weekend got even crazier. A friend of mine from Columbus had secured two Cleveland Cavaliers tickets. As in, two playoff tickets. Playoff basketball. And unlike the baseball game, my hometown team was involved. My Boston Celtics were playing in Cleveland. I'd get to see them in person on an enemy's court.

Of course, when you're rooting for the away team in a packed crowd of more than 20,000, there are certain precautions that should be taken. I did not take any of them.

This happened:

guess what color the Celtics wear

After meeting up with my friend (a Cavs fan who probably immediately regretted offering me a ticket), we walked to downtown Cleveland. Every single place we went, we were followed by boos and hisses.

So, the game. I have never been to a playoff game in any sport and the intensity was incredible. My team lost, but it was well worth it to be a part of something like that. (And, post script, the Celtics won Game 2 in Cleveland and now have home court advantage, so, HA!).

But the night wasn't done! My friend is looking into Cleveland State for a Masters so we walked around campus and found a karaoke bar filled with theater kids. It was the strangest mix of people I had ever seen in one place. I joked that maybe all of the patrons were actually ghosts or lost souls, and that was before the woman in her wedding gown walked in. Alas, I never got the chance to sing. I put my name and song in, (Avril Lavigne's Complicated) but I had to get ready for Medworks in the morning. Once it got to midnight, I needed to get my rest.

So, after checking out the next morning, there was still another nine hours of Medworks and a two hour drive to look forward to. I really think we performed over 100 Quick Checks over the weekend and (atypically for most two day weekend events), Sunday was even busier than Saturday.

After leaving for Ashtabula County on Thursday at 2pm, I got back to my apartment on Sunday at 8:45pm. One concert, one baseball game, one basketball game, one gym visit, karaoke, a food pantry, and two days worth of one of the best events for low income Ohioans that the state has to offer. Action packed.

And I was so glad to get Monday off. I slept in.

Sidney, VAN Wert, and County Courthouses

(You see what I did there?)

The Mobile Express made an overnight trip to Western Ohio and both events were quite successful.

On Tuesday, I took the Van out to Sidney, the seat of Shelby County. We had been to Sidney before to work with ex-offenders and we were to do the same this time around. Our first trip was much more personal as we spoke to people after they left meetings with their parole officer. This trip was a horse of a different color as that same parole officer, the wonderful Rick Harmon, created more of an event atmosphere the second time around.

And man did that change yield some positive results on our end. We were busy. In three hours we had completed over a dozen applications and spoke to 20 people in need. It was fantastic.

The next day was spent in Van Wert, the seat of - you guessed it! - Van Wert County. The entire county is unrepresented by the Ohio Benefit Bank-- Zero sites. The closest ones are 20 miles up the road in Paulding. Our Northwest Ohio Regional Coordinator, Gayle Loyola, was hosting a presentation about the Benefit Bank to local non-profits and she wanted us there to show them the awesomeness of the Mobile Express. We were happy to oblige.

One thing that struck me about Van Wert and Sidney and Bellefontaine (which we drove through) are the absolutely ridiculous county courthouses. I'm sorry, Ohio, but these things are tacky.

First we have Bellefontaine's:


And let's follow up with the courthouse in Sidney:


That building looks like a crazed dollhouse.

Finally, Van Wert:


This is probably the worst offender since Van Wert is a fairly tiny place. Why does it need to try so hard?

Now, let's contrast these with the courthouse in my home county, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.


Ah. Home sweet home!

That humble old-timey courthouse covers a population 1.85 times the population of those three Ohio counties combined.

Obviously the Ohio courthouses happened and getting rid of them isn't plausible or necessary and they would be really neat if there wasn't one just as gaudy one county over. I just wonder what the heck Ohioans were thinking when they built these things. It seems very nouveau-riche; like Ohio was so happy to be a statewhere no expense was spared. And that is how you end up with McMansions of the courthouse architecture community.