Catholics United for the Poor

2007 was another great year for CUP because of our donors and volunteers. Your hearts and hands made it possible for the member agencies of CUP to serve the needs of thousands of individuals and families. We couldn't have done it without you!

The agencies within CUP offer a variety of services to meet the needs of the diversified group of individuals and families in Greater Cincinnati. While the services are unique to each agency, the method of delivery is common. Each agency counsels and serves people in a Christian environment with personalized attention, and at minimum of administrative costs.

The mission of CUP is to raise awareness about the plight of the poor in the Cincinnati area.

Our goals:

1. To educate the public about the plight of the poor.
2. To raise funds for and awareness of member agencies.
3. To facilitate collaboration among agencies.

Financial Report

Summarized Financial Data

	2007	2006
Revenue	$243,760	$224,121
Program Expenses	171,190	154,376
Management & General	6,595	11,801
Fundraising	15,297	27,532
Net Assets	$461,862	$411,184

CUP Agency Reports

Bethany House Services (BHS) collaborates with others to provide a full range of housing, education and assistance programs to homeless and disadvantaged women and children. The staff, board and volunteers at BHS provided comprehensive programs of emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing as well as Life Skills Literacy, Parenting Plus, Post Shelter Support, Second Chance Initiative and Nurse Aide/Home Care Aide Training Programs to 712 individuals in 2007. The Family Shelter Partnership Program, an initiative of BHS, provided assessment and coordinated case management with related essential stabilization services to 750 high risk families served in the city's family shelters. BHS responded to 24,086 calls on the 24 hour hot line and provided 15,280 instances of information/ referral for services. BHS provided 10,984 shelter nights and 18,917 meals to homeless women and children during 2007.

Mary Magdalen House, believing dignity is the beginning of hope, is an oasis of hospitality providing a safe, pleasant place for persons in need to shower, shave, brush their teeth, receive clean clothing and have clothes laundered, use a phone and a place to receive messages and mail. In 2007 the generous staff, volunteers (4,450 hours!) and benefactors provided over 21,000 showers to over 1700 brothers and sisters in need.

Mercy Franciscan at St. John works to improve the health of our communities with emphasis on people who are poor and underserved. The focus of the agency is on emergency assistance and self-sufficiency programs. During 2007, St. John helped a total of 88,114 people. Our Social Services Department provided support to 5,599 individuals. Temporary shelter was provided for 611 individuals; food and clothing to more than 9,141 and the Sandwich Window served 70,175 free lunches. The Bridges Program, a job training program teaching computer skills and professional development, taught 118 adults. Our new Family Development Program counseled and provided support to 25 families. There were 547 participants active in our Youth Development Programs and the annual Circle of Giving program distributed gifts to 515 families during the holiday season.

Our Daily Bread is a food and hospitality center that has been operating since January, 1985. Our Daily Bread feeds many hungers--for food, dignity, friendship and community. Located across from Findlay Market, Our Daily Bread serves over 500 mid-day meals every day, Monday through Friday, to the poor of Over-the-Rhine and surrounding neighborhoods. This is done with the help of volunteers and with a kitchen staff mostly comprised of those who face obstacles being hired elsewhere. Additional services include a supplemental food pantry, "Lunch on Legs" for neighborhood seniors, an after school "Kids Café" and a licensed social worker who helps guests find assistance beyond their immediate food needs. Social activities include Bingo and Movie Days. Other organizations meet Our Daily Bread's guests in its space--for example, the Ohio Justice and Policy Center runs a free legal clinic there on Tuesdays. Our Daily Bread provides a comfortable place for all who come, a place where all are invited to be a part of a community that is caring, supportive and welcoming.

Over-the-Rhine Kitchen, Walnut Hills Kitchen and Walnut Hills Pantry strive to help alleviate hunger in our community by feeding the poor in an environment of respect, care and hospitality. We call the people we serve our "guests", because we want them to feel welcomed and to maintain their dignity during what is a trying time in their lives. Each month, with the help of over 1,450 volunteers, the Kitchens serve approximately 12,500 meals and the Pantry distributes over 850 bags of groceries to individuals and families.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been helping to serve the community since 1869. In 2007, SVDP helped over 81,000 people through its programs including Emergency Assistance, Food Pantry, Community Pharmacy and 63 Parish-based Volunteer Groups. Special drives include fan, coat, and Adopt-A-Family to help provide necessities to needy families. Operation BootStrap, a job readiness program, encourages self-sufficiency.

For 23 years, Tender Mercies has provided housing and supportive services to homeless persons with histories of mental and/or emotional disabilities. While serving over 292 individuals in 2007, 94,125 meals were served by volunteers, 95 recreational activities were provided, 82 Residents were assisted with Fare Deal cards, 96 with Medicaid applications, 102 with SSI applications, 10 with getting a birth certificate, 10 with voter registration, 22,960 volunteer hours were donated.

Visions Community Services provides services of counseling, crisis intervention, case management and support and parenting groups to low-income teen and young parents to enable them to finish school and pursue employment to assist them to escape poverty. These services were provided to 164 parents in 2007. VISIONS also provides nationally accredited, 2 Star State of Ohio rated early childhood education for children from 6 weeks to 5 years. In 2007 171 children received quality early education to prepare them to succeed in school.