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Our Children are Worth the Investment
United Way of Greater Toledo and the YWCA of Northwest Ohio wrote what follows as a letter to the Blade editor, in...
United We’re Strong – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
United We’re Strong In 1918, a small group of local business owners, religious clerics and community advocates came...
Where Your Dollars Go: Dispelling the Overhead Myth
We’ve all seen the Facebook posts, calling out nonprofits on their overhead ratio and the...
Reflections on Gratitude and Humility: One Advocate’s Journey
We are often asked, “What’s a typical day like at The Cocoon?” We smile, unable to capture the...
The Last Pencil: Having Supplies for our Students
“Mrs. Thompson!” shouted Louis in a very disgruntled tone. His little arms crossed, barely able to...
Tax Time: Keeping Your Full Refund
Even if you don’t own a calendar, you know when it’s tax season. From the do-it-yourself tax...
Finding Tomorrow: The Long Road To Financial Freedom
I’ve always dreamed of owning my own home. Yet, each month, around the time my bills are due, I...
Best of 2018: Reflecting on our Community’s Story
What a busy year…or rather 100 years! We had the pleasure of experiencing so many exciting...
Letters To Santa: Sorting Bills at the Kitchen Table
John sat in the dark at the kitchen table, staring down at the two stacks of papers in front of...
A Path to Success: Finding Potential From A Big Brother
Three years ago, I was really struggling, feeling unmotivated and honestly… I felt worthless. In...
Regaining Perspective: The Value of Volunteering
Sitting at my desk, staring at my calendar above my computer, I just couldn’t believe it. Was it...
Let’s Read Together: Overcoming Language Barriers
Emilio’s preschool teacher asks us a question and I look at my husband. “Yes,” Eduardo says. “We...
Turning the Page: The Power of Reading and Mentorship
This post is brought to you by the generous support of The Image Group, a national promotional...
Emotional Anxiety: Seeing Through The Eyes of a Child
It was Tuesday morning and the sun was beaming beautifully with only a few clouds in sight. I...
A Better Way: Living Healthy through Reading
Keeping a consistent schedule as a single dad can be really tough. Since my wife died, my morning...
Waiting by the Window: Building a Child’s Love for Reading
Jacob burst through the back door and ran past me into the living room. He jumped onto the couch...
Eyes Wide Open: Taking the Classroom Outside
As a teacher, keeping a room full of fourth graders engaged and excited about learning can be an...
A Mother’s Dream: Removing the Burden of Costly Childcare
“I had a good dream last night,” I said, looking in the rearview mirror at Alex. He was strapped...
Smiling Again: How Dental Care Changed a Young Man’s Life
“Okay, let’s give a big smile in one, two…” The photographer pauses on three as I remain perfectly...
A Child’s Dignity: The Difference a Foster Care Kit Can Make
At the front entrance of the National Museum of the Great Lakes, I stopped at the registration...
A Place to Belong: The Impact of Affordable, High-Quality Childcare
Walking through the doors of my daughters’ school, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I wasn’t sure...
When Dreams Collide: Exploring Career Possibilities
“Kelsey*, come check this out!” I heard my friend Lindsay* shout from across the room. She was...
Rough Waters: Navigating Life’s Challenges to Keep Families Connected
Pulling into the parking lot at Joyful Connections, I remember the last time we were here. It was...
An Early Arrival: Pacing Hospital Rooms to Playing at the Park
“Ethan*, Ethan, Ethan.” With my hand pressed against the little plastic box he was enclosed in, I...
Reflections of Fatherhood: Facing the Past with the Support of our Community
I kept looking at him in the rearview mirror during the endless drive back to Port Clinton. He was...
It Can Be Done: The Positive Power of Community Partnerships
As our school bus pulled up to the headquarters of Owens-Illinois in Perrysburg, I reluctantly...
