Between Holidays

The local community was very generous to JH during the Christmas holiday period. Many donations and gifts were received for the residents.

We are slowly moving from a capacity of 76 toward 92 max. We are currently at 84. The additional beds will be available after the Vine Street buildout is complete in February.

We have resumed business as usual after being off on the 24th and 25th. The next holiday will be Jan 1st and that will be it for a while.

Donations are always welcome. Warm clothing is especially needed this time of year. Stocking caps, coats and warm socks are appropriate.

Chinese Dinner

JH is being treated to a special dinner tonight. The Korean Methodists are hosting the Joseph House residents, staff, and board for a Chinese dinner at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Race Street in the Over The Rhine area. The meal will be served from 5PM until 8PM.

Another indication of the giving spirit that the JH has experienced this holiday season.

JH Christmas Party

The party was held Sunday, Dec 16th. What a great success! We were hosted at the Prince of Peace Church. Food was furnished by the Cincinnati Lutherans. Lots of gifts were given to the guys. I've never seen so many cookies in one place in my life!
The generosity of all was overwhelming. JH has been given many reasons to be grateful for the support.

Resident Christmas Party

We will have our annual Christmas party on Sunday Dec 16th at the Prince of Peace Church. It will begin at 2:30PM We have lots of gifts for everyone. Generosity abounds this year.

Our friends from the Cincinnati Lutheran Church will furnish food and music. Should be a great time.

Positive Directions

On Wed we were awarded a grant from the Steinmann Family Foundation. A representative of the foundation came down from Cleveland to make the presentation and see the JH facilities. She was interested in our operation and asked lots of good pertinent questions. We enjoyed her visit and of course, the money is welcomed.
We learned today the Grant Per Diem increase has been approved. It was a lot of work and a long time coming but it happened. Thank you VA!
Our partnership with the Cincinnati Lutherans continues to evolve. We signed a lease for office space in the administration building and are using the space to deploy the Christmas gifts for the guys.
We are working at putting in the proper equipement in the admin building to give our Executive Director Internet access back to our main building. This will save the agency the cost of adding dedicated Internet access in the new office. Signal is very weak there but we are working at it.
The JH bed capacity has increased from 76 beds to 84 on its way to a maximum of 92 in late Feb 2008. We will do construction in the Vine Street building sometime in January to allow the growth.

Todd Portune Visit

Mr Portune, Hamilton County Commisioner, made a visit to JH yesterday. He was here to hear about the JH mission and see our facilities.
The meeting was very upbeat. He was interested and asked great questions. We also learned a bit about Todd's philosophy and interests.
I think we may have made a friend. The meeting was truly a "breath of fresh" air as expressed by our Executive Director.
It did point out however, the need for JH to create a 1, 3 and 5 year plan. Work will commence on that soon.

Thanksgiving

The Cincinnati Lutheran Church furnished, cooked and served a wonderful Thanksgiving meal for the men of Joseph House, their families, the staff and friends of JH. The meal was served at the Prince of Peace Church on Race street in the Over the Rhine area.

It was very generous and well appreaciated by JH.

JH is hopeful that this new found partnership will be beneficial to the Luthern Churches of Cincinnati as well as to JH.

We reached agreement on rental space. JH will move the executive director into the administration building in the month of December.

Agreement

Joseph House has reached agreement with the Prince of Peace Luthern Church to utilize some of their office space in their administation building.

Our Executive Director will be moving his main office to this space by the end of January.

Prince of Peace Activities

We are sending a work crew to the church Tuesday at 10am to clean up the room that will be used for the Christmas gift deployment.

JH has a crew ready to assist with cleanup, unloading of food, setup of the room and cleanup after the meal.

I will attend the meal at 12noon for the invocation by Chap. Ron. I will be taking my mother-in-law, who loves vets, my son-in-law and my sister-in-laws husband. Our family meal will be at 5PM at home.

Should be a great day and the beginning of a great relationship with the Lutheran Church in Cincinnati.

We are waiting for a rental price to see if we more our Executive Director into the Admin building next to the Prince of Peace Church.

Activities

Our alliance with the Cincinnati Lutherans is progressing. We have agreed to hold our Thanksgiving and Christmas parties and dinners at the Prince of Peace Church.

They are providing us with space to stage our Christmas gift deployment in the administration building.

We are negotiating for space in the admin building for our Executive Director to move into by the end of January.

Once we agree on a rental price we need to figure out a time line and determine Internet access issues.