Two new counties to check off the list

I mentioned recently that The Ohio Benefit Bank Mobile Express was trying to hit every single county before the summer's end. In one week we ended up two counties closer to our goal.

Jackson County

On Tuesday we headed down to Jackson County for a senior fair. Susan Rogers of Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) invited us first to the event and then to her office to discuss strategy for using the Mobile in food distributions in Southeast Ohio in the near future. The event was attended by hundreds of seniors, and while we did our fair share of Golden Buckeye applications, we also found seniors eligible for SNAP and for Medicare Premium Assistance. We look forward to working with Susan in the future; after all, Columbus to Jackson is a beautiful drive.

Auglaize County

The next day we attended a food distribution in Wapakoneta (known to locals as Wapak), the seat of Auglaize County. We were invited to this distribution by the West Ohio Food Bank.* This is the first time that the Mobile team has worked directly with this foodbank* and it was a pleasure. They served over 100 people and went out of their way to make sure people spoke to us regarding benefits. One of the nice things about going to new counties is that the Mobile has a novelty to it that makes it more interesting for distribution sites, volunteers, and, of course, our clients. This makes it easier for us to talk to people and have a successful event like this one in Wapak. We look forward to working with West Ohio again in the future.

*I want to be very clear that both spellings are correct based on organizational preference and I did not make a typo. It is very important that you know I didn't make a typo!

Portsmouth with Potter's House

The Mobile Express team was invited to set up shop in downtown Portsmouth to conduct a tax clinic. The invitation was extended by Potter's House Ministries, which is one of the highest performing OBB tax sites in Ohio. They are serious about helping people complete their taxes for free.

We were joined by Linda Davis (pictured) and Ed Myers, two AmeriCorps members serving at Potter's House who have joined us for several events this season.

We actually crossed over this bridge and traveled into Kentucky to get to Portsmouth which is along the Ohio River. It's a beautiful part of the state.

Cross this bridge and you are in Kentucky!

Russell and I both got treats while in Portsmouth--myself with Shepherd's Pie from the local Irish pub and Russell with a memory of his childhood home, Cape Cod. He says that you can smell these potato chips for miles around when you visit the cape:

Russell says:

"So here I am: Cape Codder Ohioan. And Erin and I are on the Ohio-Kentucky border on Tax Day, April 17. We're parked in downtown Portsmouth, a stone's throw from The Bluegrass State, and about 844 miles from the Cape Cod Canal. Guess what was parked one block over?

I know this is a national brand, but after living on the Cape for 18 years, I have never seen a truck like this. Is it following me? Did my Mom pay someone to keep an eye on me? What is happening here?!

If you're wondering, the OBB Mobile Express is still the number one vehicle on six wheels. All the deep-fried potatoes in the world can't sway me."