Volume 1 Issue 4

Wenk Family Charitable Foundation Enriching the lives of those compromised by circumstance or conditions.

A TIME TO CELEBRATE! "Pawsitive Steps” is a program established in July 2018 by the Wenk Family Charitable Foundation in cooperation with Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility and Rescue Village, an animal welfare agency in Geauga County (near Cleveland, Ohio). Pawsitive Steps enables ‘at promise’ youth to work with ‘at promise' animals. Recently one of the young men who has been active in Pawsitive Steps was granted a judicial release. The judge was amazed at his growth over the past year and credited his work at Rescue Village for his maturity and stated, “The fact that you have been working in the community 5 days a week since I last saw you gives me the confidence that you are able to be released and do the right thing. I am so proud of you!” We congratulate him on his progress and are proud that Pawsitive Steps helped him make POSITIVE STEPS back into the community! Congratulations! Visit our website The Wenk Family Charitable Foundation has a new mailing address. Please note: Wenk Family Charitable Foundation 34194 Aurora Road, #308 Solon, OH 44130 SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM Everybody loves puppies, right? Well, we happen to be fond of senior animals, too - and we recently partnered with the Cleveland Animal Protective League to encourage the adoption of senor dogs and cats. The WFCF has underwritten the adoption costs for these golden-aged furry friends since Valentine's Day and we're proud to report that 12 senior dogs and 13 senior cats have been adopted since then. If you're thinking about adopting, especially in these challenging times, consider a senior animal - and consider the Cleveland APL. They're doing great things there! PROGRAM UPDATE The Wenk Family Charitable Foundation, Harmony Foundation International, and Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility (CHJCF) have been working diligently behind the scenes to craft the music plan and coordinate logistics so that once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control, we'll be bringing music to the residents of CHJCF! We'll continue to share news as the program moves forward. Please feel free to reach out by email ( information@wenkfoundation.org) to learn more. We also welcome personal and corporate contributions to support this program! Click on the DONATE button, below, to join us! DONATE The Wenk Family Charitable Foundation has made a 3 year financial commitment to springboard The Power of Harmony program into existence and help launch this important program, locally - and then nationally in cooperation with Harmony Foundation International.

ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT

Organizations serving those compromised by circumstance are finding creative ways to support those who need it most during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a few examples. (Click on the photos to learn more!).

The Urban Community School was started in 1968 by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland on the near west side to provide an education for families living in economic distress, and to give students individualized instruction. During the COVID-19 pandemic they are providing distance (virtual) learning today for their students and meals for the families they serve. They are currently accepting non-perishable food and monetary contributions to their Emergency Fund. Click on the photo above to learn more.

Cleveland Kids' Book Bank is offering Ready4K to the entire community. They're putting together materials now. Their target audience is eligible to sign up and will receive three texts a week well into 2021. The wider community will be able to get the tips thru the school year. It's good for babies thru 4th graders and are simple ideas on how to engage with kids around every day routines to promote literacy, math, health and social/emotional well-being. Book donation collection bins like this one will be placed throughout the community by the Wenk Family Charitable Foundation once the COVID-19 bans are lifted.

Providence House is Ohio’s first and one of the nation's longest operating crisis nurseries among the 70+ in operation in the US and Canada today. They offer free, voluntary (non-custodial) emergency shelter to children newborn through twelve years old, actively living in crisis situations which place them at risk of abuse or neglect. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 Providence House has made the heartbreaking decision to temporarily close their Crisis Nursery children's shelter services until safety restrictions are removed for group children's settings. They are still providing support to children and families in crisis in a variety of ways (visit their website by clicking on the photo above). They have seen a sharp drop off in donations since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and need support through monetary contributions and donated items.

FEATURED ORGANIZATION Ohio Governor's Imagination Library

Inspired by Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine’s passion for early childhood literacy, the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library is a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to ensure children enter kindergarten ready to succeed by putting books in their hands from the moment they are born. Research has shown that book ownership can be a predictor of future academic success. In fact, studies have found that children with just 25 books in their home were more likely to complete an additional two years of education. This public-private partnership is working to ensure children in all 88 of Ohio’s counties can enroll to receive a new book each month at no cost to their family to prepare Ohio's kids to succeed inside the classroom and beyond. To learn more or enroll a child in the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library, please visit OhioImaginationLibrary.org . The Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library was inspired by First Lady Fran DeWine’s passion to improve the lives of Ohio’s children.

Closing thought... “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” ― John Bunyan, author of "The Pilgrim's Progress"

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