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Have you been following the news this past year? If so, you know our country and our local community are facing assaults on many fronts. It can be overwhelming just thinking about all of it. Most people have no idea where to start or what to do to make a difference. The problems seem too big and too distant for one person’s actions to matter. Yet, as MLK Jr said in his April 1963 Letter from Birmingham Jail, “whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly,” so we feel compelled to figure out a way to take action that makes a difference to our families and our community. We’re honored you have journeyed with us this far and ask you to continue as a valued partner with Community Shares.
This year alone, we witnessed the repeal of Roe v Wade, followed locally, by the federal court’s agreement to lift an injunction on the “Heartbeat Bill.” These actions disproportionately harm people of color, those who struggle financially, young people, LGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disabilities and immigrants. The repeal of Roe v Wade has privacy right implications beyond abortion and has same-sex Cincinnati couples worried about the future of their marriages. Then we heard about Ohio’s version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would prohibit the “promotion and teaching of divisive or inherently racist concepts in public schools” while also prohibiting educational materials about sexual orientation and gender identity.
And if all of that news wasn’t big enough and bad enough, we found out that working-age Ohioans are dying at a 51% higher rate than they were 15 years ago. And Covid wasn’t the #1 culprit… it was only #4! The most prominent were: unintentional injuries, cancer, heart disease, COVID-19, suicide, diabetes, chronic liver disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases, and homicide. These reasons are closely tied to what public health researchers call “diseases of despair.”
We learned we are priming the school-to-prison pipeline with black students. In our area, you are 21 times more likely to be put in “alternative placement” centers and 10.5 times more likely to be put in an “alternative learning center,” away from your peers if you are black. The ACLU has called out our community for over-policing our students.
If you are not too overwhelmed by all of this so far, we became aware that more than 90% of Americans have dangerous Forever Chemicals in our bloodstream. These chemicals never break
down and remain in your body without any known end. The health of the Ohio River is intricately tied to our personal health
Our ability to find safe and affordable housing is getting tougher every month. There is a significant gap between Ohio renters' incomes and housing costs. 109,000 Ohio households saw their rent increase by more than $250 a month during the past year. This increases the
likelihood that people will face homelessness or other types of housing crisis.
And, we can’t forget our fur babies. They too are suffering through the impacts of Covid, low wages and high rents, and the “diseases of despair.” Just like America's food pantries, local animal organizations are seeing a huge increase in need. People are struggling to feed and care for their pets as they face our community and our country’s current challenges.
Can the actions of one person make a difference in this avalanche of issues? Here at Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati, we believe they can. We are reimagining and refocusing philanthropy, so your impact is greater, here, where you live. All of our Member Groups have a local presence, and all your dollars stay in our area. We let you decide where your dollars go with 100% donor choice. We help you raise your hand, change the game and empower the problem solvers who are already helping our community every day.
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