VALLEY INTERFAITH COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER

Our goal is to provide those experiencing cycles of poverty with Emergency Resources and supports to help them live a self-sustaining life.

Valley Interfaith is a community resource center that serves 5,000+ individuals per year in the Mill Creek region of Greater Cincinnati. Located in Lockland, Ohio, Valley Interfaith opened in 1963 and continues to serve its neighbors through a food pantry, clothing pantry, homelessness prevention services, transitional services, and victim advocacy programs. The organization operates with a $1.6M annual budget, with $1M in in-kind donations. Cash gifts amount to $660,000 each year.

Valley Interfaith operates with two full-time staff members, two part-time staff members, and 120 volunteers. These regular volunteers work four-hour shifts once per week, with up to 20 volunteers reporting daily. They assist with professional services (IT support, bookkeeping, and data entry), facility support (maintenance), and operations (intake support, victim advocacy, crisis prevention, pantry support, clothing support, delivery and pickup, and street outreach). Valley Interfaith relies on 1,000 volunteer hours per month. In 2016, community members and businesses donated more than 266,000 pounds of food. Additionally, Valley Interfaith offers opportunities for community groups and schools to volunteer. During one six-month window (January 2017 – June 2017), seven high schools, one grade school, and one Girl Scout group volunteered at the center. During other times, the community supports Valley Interfaith by organizing food and backpack drives, collecting stuffed animals and school supplies, and/or signing kids up for Head Start.

In 2016, Valley Interfaith served 1,878 households, impacting 4,696 individuals. Their services intersect a large area of need: in 2016, 451 clients were youth aged 16-21. Of the 16 and 17 year-old minors, 201 reported being homeless or having experienced homelessness.

With the aforementioned experience and expertise, Valley Interfaith will continue its efforts to reduce homelessness, reduce poverty, and increase referrals for victims of crime. John R. Keuffer, III, Executive Director, will act as project director during the duration of this grant. He will lead staff to expand service offerings to include additional case management and victims services. Kr. Keuffer has been with Valley Interfaith since 2016. Previously, he was the executive director of Lighthouse Youth Services in Cincinnati, Ohio. He's a police chaplain for CPD, an external advisory board member to the City of Cincinnati Police Chief, a member of the State of Ohio's Attorney General's Anti-Human Trafficking Commission, and a certified child care worker. He's also a licensed State of Ohio Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant and Certified Advanced National Advocate with the National Organization of Victims Assistance.

Valley Interfaith provides resources to help people living in poverty in the Mill Creek Valley area of Hamilton County and Greater Cincinnati. This differentiates the organization from similar organizations since it is the only service provider in the neighborhood. Many clients access Valley Interfaith using public transit, so proximity to their homes is critical to delivering services.

Valley Interfaith recently transitioned from offering emergency services to becoming a more holistic community resource center. The organization added transitional poverty services, crisis prevention services, and victim advocacy services to its existing food pantry and clothing pantry. The organization can better serve its existing clients because those clients already come to the center. Though Valley Interfaith added additional services and plans to hire case managers, victim advocates, and outreach staff, the organization also partners with other community agencies. These partnerships allow Valley Interfaith to focus on its core competencies and goals (emergency services, transitional/sustaining services, victim advocacy) while still assisting clients by referring them to other service providers.

Valley Interfaith also serves a large population. In 2016, the organization served 1,878 households, impacting more than 4,696 individuals. Their services intersect a large area of need: 451 clients were youth aged 16-21. Of the 16 and 17 year-old minors, 201 reported being homeless or having experienced homelessness. These individuals return weekly and monthly to receive food and material assistance. Valley Interfaith serves a diverse population of special needs, including homeless youth, homeless adults, veterans, elderly, and single mothers. In 2016, the organization served individuals ranging from infancy to 95-years-old.

The organization also has a 54-year history of service. Founded in 1963, Valley Interfaith is a steadfast, committed community organization. Its staff turnover rates are extremely low; only three executive directors presided over the organization during the last 54 years. The original program director, hired in 2014, is still on-staff and manages each cohort of the Neighbors Empowered program.

There are more than 250 volunteers each year at Valley Interfaith, with 120 working regular, weekly shifts. This regular commitment allows the organization to utilize financial resources on case management and social services staff since volunteers assist with administration, IT, facility support, and daily operations in the pantry and clothing shop.

The most recently appointed executive director, John R. Keuffer III, is also uniquely qualified to lead Valley Interfaith while the organization expands its services to include crisis prevention, victim advocacy, and increased transitional and sustaining services. Keuffer has a extensive experience and exceptional performance in the area of victim advocacy.

Valley Interfaith provides resources to help people living in poverty in the Mill Creek Valley area of Hamilton County and Greater Cincinnati. This differentiates the organization from similar organizations since it is the only service provider in the neighborhood. Many clients access Valley Interfaith using public transit, so proximity to their homes is critical to delivering services.

Valley Interfaith recently transitioned from offering emergency services to becoming a more holistic community resource center. The organization added transitional poverty services, crisis prevention services, and victim advocacy services to its existing food pantry and clothing pantry. The organization can better serve its existing clients because those clients already come to the center. Though Valley Interfaith added additional services and plans to hire case managers, victim advocates, and outreach staff, the organization also partners with other community agencies. These partnerships allow Valley Interfaith to focus on its core competencies and goals (emergency services, transitional/sustaining services, victim advocacy) while still assisting clients by referring them to other service providers.

Valley Interfaith also serves a large population. In 2016, the organization served 1,878 households, impacting more than 4,696 individuals. Their services intersect a large area of need: 451 clients were youth aged 16-21. Of the 16 and 17 year-old minors, 201 reported being homeless or having experienced homelessness. These individuals return weekly and monthly to receive food and material assistance. Valley Interfaith serves a diverse population of special needs, including homeless youth, homeless adults, veterans, elderly, and single mothers. In 2016, the organization served individuals ranging from infancy to 95-years-old.

The organization also has a 54-year history of service. Founded in 1963, Valley Interfaith is a steadfast, committed community organization. Its staff turnover rates are extremely low; only three executive directors presided over the organization during the last 54 years. The original program director, hired in 2014, is still on-staff and manages each cohort of the Neighbors Empowered program.

There are more than 250 volunteers each year at Valley Interfaith, with 120 working regular, weekly shifts. This regular commitment allows the organization to utilize financial resources on case management and social services staff since volunteers assist with administration, IT, facility support, and daily operations in the pantry and clothing shop.

The most recently appointed executive director, John R. Keuffer III, is also uniquely qualified to lead Valley Interfaith while the organization expands its services to include crisis prevention, victim advocacy, and increased transitional and sustaining services. Keuffer has a extensive experience and exceptional performance in the area of victim advocacy.