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Opportunities for Kindness
Overdue Student Lunch Debt
Sycamore Bridges is again tackling past due lunch accounts thanks to another generous donation from our Kindness Council member, Spice Spice Baby Cincinnati. Their monthly gifts go directly to eradicate lunch debt for Sycamore Community Schools students. This month, we are wiping out overdue balances for TEN students! We are so grateful to our community partnerships that allow us to make big impacts in our neighbors' lives. If you would like to increase our reach this month, CLICK HERE and designate your donation to "Lunch Debt".
Weekly Food Bags - Symmes Elementary
Sycamore Bridges received a generous community grant to help fund weekly food bags distributed to students at Symmes Elementary. Currently, Sycamore Presbyterian Church has been offering this gift to 82 of our students every week. We are thrilled to offset some of their expenses, thereby allowing them to expand their offerings. Sycamore Presbyterian will continue to handle the assembly and distribution of food bags each week, but we will collect items to help fill the bags as needed. For the month of March, we are requesting 8 oz. shelf stable milk cartons. Our goal is to collect 328+ cartons by the end of the month. These can be purchased at your local grocery store, or you are welcome to use our Amazon list and PURCHASE HERE to have your items shipped directly to us. If you would like to shop on your own, reply to this post and delivery instructions will be emailed to you.
National Sponsors
Ohio Sponsors
Kindness Council Members
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Recently Filled Needs
HS Bridges Backroom Restock
Sycamore Bridges is again restocking our personal care pantry located in the counseling department at the HS. This resource is available to any student who expresses a need for personal hygiene items and is discretely monitored for a dignified shopping experience. We received several requests to add body wash and lotion to our closet, so we are excited to report that these items will be included in our permanent inventory! Thanks to a community grant, the expense for adding these items and restocking has been covered. No additional funds are needed at this time. If you would like to make a monetary donation to go toward future purchases for our THREE Bridges Backroom pantries across the district, reply to this post and donation instructions will be emailed to you.
Clothing Gift Cards for Family After Fire
Sycamore Bridges is working with our partners at UC Blue Ash to assist a single mom and her two children after an apartment fire. The family is currently residing in a hotel until their rental property is repaired from the fire damage. Unfortunately, they did not have renter's insurance and are left with only the clothing on their backs. We have been asked to help replenish their wardrobes with basic items. Through our corporate grant to support the students and families of UCBA, we are providing $250 to Target and $250 to Old Navy to get them started. No additional funds are needed at this time. If you would like to offer help for this family beyond our gift cards, reply to this post and a donation link will be emailed to you.
Young EA Starting Career in Education Experiencing Food Insecurity
Sycamore Bridges is working with a school advocate to assist a young staff member. An EA at one of our Sycamore schools recently shared that she does not have enough food to get through the week. Her partner recently lost his job, but he is already re-employed and they are "digging their way out". They have stayed on top of their bills, but have no money left for food. We would like to provide them a Kroger gift card ($300) to get through the next month until they are back on their feet. If you would like to contribute, CLICK HERE and designate your donation to "EA Kroger Card".
Donation of Dollhouse
Sycamore Bridges received a beautiful donation of a large dollhouse filled with 10+ Rainbow High dolls. Thanks to one of our hard-working advocates, we placed this dollhouse in a home with 5 little girls! We are so grateful to our donors who think of Sycamore Bridges when parting ways with items like this.
Furniture for Immigrant Family
Sycamore Bridges is working with an elementary school counselor to help furnish an apartment for an immigrant family. It has come to our attention that the three young children and their parents have been living in an empty apartment since moving to Cincinnati. They do not have the means to furnish their home at this time. We have been asked to provide the basics. Thanks to our incredible Kindness Council Member Anthony's Furniture, an entire apartment's worth of furniture is being delivered today! The family will enjoy a new sofa and loveseat, bunk beds with mattresses, a queen mattress, box spring, and bed frame, and quality mattress protectors. Anthony's Furniture continues to give back to our community with such purpose and generosity, and they take care of our neighbors with no questions asked. The value of this donation is priceless knowing the family can enjoy quality time together and a good night's rest in a comfortable home. In addition, Sycamore Bridges was able to purchase new bedding for all of the beds thanks to a generous donor. No additional funds are needed at this time.
Restock HS Nurse's Clinic
Sycamore Bridges is working with Sycamore High School's Nurse's Clinic to restock their clothing supply with unisex sweatpants and shorts. Having a fresh pair of pants/shorts on hand in emergency situations is a wonderful service offered to our most vulnerable students. Thanks to a community grant, we are able to purchase new items in every size to restock their supply. No additional funds or donations are needed at this time.
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About Sycamore
Lori Drasnin, Area Director
Lori Drasnin is an active Sycamore parent and volunteer. She previously served as PTO President for Montgomery Elementary, as well as PTO Treasurer at Montgomery Elementary, E.H. Greene Intermediate, and Sycamore Junior High School. Over the past decade, Lori has chaired too many PTO events and fundraisers to count and brought innovation and updated programs to our local schools. Lori also organized a Bedtime Bundle collection from the YWCA Battered Women's Shelter from 2014-2017, and served on the board of Ohio Cleats for Kids (C4K) until taking this role.
Lori holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Michigan, as well as a law degree from Emory University. She practiced liability defense for six years at Dinsmore in Cincinnati, OH before "retiring" to stay home and raise her children. Lori is married to husband, Jeff, has two boys, Matthew and Ryan, and two puggles, Max & Erma.
Lori enjoys serving the greater Sycamore community and bridging kindness across the neighborhood.