Troy Ohio

Rotarians Host Partners in Hope

A lot of things have changed in the past 28 years, including how those in need in the Troy area can find help and support at Partners in Hope (PIH). PIH executive director and Troy Rotarian, Jessica Echols, shared an update with the Troy club on January 23rd as she discussed plans to expand what PIH can do to help those facing financial and other problems.

Currently located at 116 W. Franklin Street in Troy, the organization will be moving to a new facility at the southeast corner of Race and Mulberry Streets once the building is completed later this year. Regardless of the address, their core values have remained unchanged since they first assisted clients in 1990. They focus on faith, relationships built on trust and integrity, and community partnerships to allow PIH to provide relevant programs for a diverse population.

The original sponsorship of PIH was provided by nine (9) local churches and private donors who offered limited means of support for those needing help with day-to-day challenges such as paying an electric bill or getting shoes to wear to a new job. Today, PIH is an approved United Way agency that offers both short and long-term support to struggling families, including emergency assistance when unexpected downturns occur and offering Financial $ence, Getting Ahead, and Staying Ahead courses to create a pathway out of poverty. In 2017, roughly 900 families in Troy and Casstown were provided support.

PIH's volunteer coordinator, Andrea Keller, discussed how several of the programs require hundreds of volunteer hours each year. One example is the Christmas shop where parents can pay $10 per child to shop for gifts. If the parent cannot afford $10 per child, they can volunteer an appropriate number of hours as a means of supporting the program. In 2017, 107 families with 228 children were served at the Christmas shop. In addition, Troy Rotary sponsors a shoe program for children newborn to five (5) years old through PIH. This program is similar to the Rotary program offered throughout the Troy schools for students in grades K-12 who need new footwear. For more information, visit www.partnersinhopeinc.org.

Troy Rotarians and the Troy Rotary Foundation support several community projects annually. During the 2016-17 Rotary year, over $16,000 in scholarships and community aid was distributed from the fund, including support for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program, Rotary's annual Shoe Project, academic and community service scholarships, and sponsorships to summer camps at Brukner Nature Center and WACO Air Museum. In addition to the financial support, Rotarians volunteered nearly 400 hours to several service projects. The Troy Rotary Club is a member-involved, goal-oriented service club focused on socio/economic issues that have an impact both locally and internationally. Follow the organization's activities on Facebook at Troy Rotary Club. To learn more about Rotary and membership in the club, please visit www.troyohiorotary.org.