CUP

CUP is a coalition of eight non-profit agencies providing direct services to the low income, working poor, and homeless of Greater Cincinnati since 1985.

2011 was another tough year, especially for those who were already struggling. CUP and its agencies, though strapped for resources due to higher demand for services, were able to help because our kind supporters continued to give and gave even more because they knew these families needed help.

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 with personalized attention, and at a 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

	2011	2010
Revenue	$190,570	$222,665
Program Expenses	170,053	201,713
Management & General	4,451	4,901
Fundraising	14,068	14,395
Net Assets	$343,956	$341,965

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. In 2011 the staff, board and volunteers at BHS provided comprehensive emergency shelter and programming which included such programs as: Life Skills Literacy, Parenting Plus, and Let's Get Organized to 443 homeless women and children. Post Shelter Support Services, which helps vulnerable families maintain self-sufficiency and housing, numbered 2,147. BHS supervised 14,126 shelter nights, prepared 24,797 meals, and fielded 12,978 requests for information or referral. BHS provided Transitional Housing services for 68 families in 2011. Bethany Homes provided permanent, affordable housing for 40 households during 2011. The Family Shelter Partnership Program, a BHS initiative, provides coordinated access, case management and essential stabilization services for over 2,000 homeless women and children in the five family shelters in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Mary Magdalen House, believing that hope goes hand-in-hand with dignity, is an oasis of hospitality, offering a safe, pleasant place to shower, shave, brush teeth, use a phone and receive messages and mail. Mary Magdalen House also provides clean clothes and laundry services to those who need them. In 2011, the staff, together with generous volunteers and benefactors, gave 4,000 hours of their time, provided 20,500 showers and laundered over 19,300 bags of laundry for more than 1,900 brothers and sisters in need. They also helped their Guests with 2,900 pairs of pants, 2,100 shirts, 5,800 socks and 3,500 pair of underwear.

Mercy Health - St. John works to improve the health of our community, with a focus on the poor and underserved. The agency offers emergency assistance and self-sufficiency programs. St. John's Social Services Department provided emergency cash assistance, food, clothing, and/or personal care/household items to 10,267 individuals. The Temporary Housing Program Shelter benefited 189 families with 725 family members, of whom 500 were children. 3,208 individuals received a 3-day supply of emergency food, and the Sandwich Window served 77,480 free lunches. The Bridges Program, a job training program specializing in computer skills and professional development, trained 129 adults. There were 462 active participants in our Youth Development Programs and the annual Circle of Giving program distributed gifts to 366 families during the holiday season.

Our Daily Bread has been providing food and hospitality to the poor of Over-the-Rhine and surrounding neighborhoods since January 1985. Our Daily Bread feeds those who hunger for dignity, friendship and community, in addition to food. Located on Race Street across from Findlay Market, Our Daily Bread serves more than 500 mid-day meals, Monday through Friday. It operates with the help of volunteers and a small staff, which includes individuals who have been guests themselves, but have encountered obstacles finding employment elsewhere. Our Daily Bread also offers a supplemental food pantry, "Lunch on Legs" for neighborhood seniors, an after-school "Kids Caf�," and social activities including Bingo and Movie Days. A licensed social worker is available to assist guests with their needs beyond food.

Over-the-Rhine Kitchen (Oldest Soup Kitchen in Cincinnati), Walnut Hills Kitchen and Walnut Hills Pantry strive to help alleviate hunger in our community by serving the poor in an environment of respect, care and hospitality. The population we serve consists of disadvantaged people who lack the financial means, the mental capacity, the housing, and/or the life skills to provide themselves with a hot, nutritious meal. Among our guests, we see the mentally ill, the elderly poor, the unemployed working poor, underemployed, and the homeless. Through our services, we seek to meet their basic needs for food and water and attempt to improve their quality of life. Annually, with the help of over 49,601 volunteer hours, the Kitchens serve approximately 231,295 meals and the Pantry distributes groceries to about 8,982 individuals and families.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul, through community support and 58 parish-based volunteer groups, has helped relieve the burdens of families in need since 1869. In 2011, SVDP helped over 81,000 people with basic necessities: groceries, medicine, rent and utility assistance, clothing, household items and furniture. Special programs include the Fan and Coat Drives that help families survive harsh weather conditions, Operation BootStrap a job readiness program that encourages self-sufficiency and Adopt-A-Family that shares the blessings of Christmas with families.

Tender Mercies provides housing and support services to homeless individuals who have histories of mental and/or emotional disabilities. In 2011, Tender Mercies served over 200 residents with permanent and transitional supportive housing, prepared and served 76,400 individual meals, conducted 136 resident activities including 24 outings, and assisted118 residents with income. Volunteers gave 93,600 hours of their time.

Visions Community Services provides crisis intervention, case management, and counseling to low-income, young parents to enable them to escape poverty. Through parenting groups and other programs, VISIONS encourages parents to finish school and/or pursue employment. These services benefited 101 parents in 2011. VISIONS also offers nationally accredited early childhood education for children 6 weeks to 5 years old. In 2011 VISIONS helped to prepare 136 children to succeed in school.

CUP Board of Trustees for 2011

Officers of CUP for 2011