ICO Newsletter - 12/4/24
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Now through January: Help us reach our donation goals
Last week we shared three donation links for our holiday giving targets. We’ll be including these links in the newsletter until the new year! Thank you so much for your generosity – it is important to us that we support the central Ohio community in tangible ways as well as political ones! We'd like to track our impact, so please use the following links when you donate:
MidOhio Food Collective Indivisible Central Ohio Team ($25/500 so far)
Indivisible Central Ohio Fundraiser for Abortion Fund of Ohio ($75/500 so far)
Kaleidoscope Youth Center: Indivisible Ohio Gives Back ($130/500 so far)
Help us Help a Refugee Family
A small group of Indivisibles have signed up through Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) to be a “Welcome Team” for a refugee family. While we don’t yet know the details of the family, we do know we’ll need to raise at least $1500 to support CRIS in order to participate in the partnering program. We’ll share a link to donate directly to that fund next week, but in the meantime, you can help us get started by sending donations via Venmo to Amber Decker:
The last four digits of Amber’s phone number are 9813. Please indicate the donation is for CRIS.
In the event that we raise more than $1,500, we’ll use the extra to purchase some of the items on the “Welcome Kit List” that we have to get together to support the family once they arrive. We’re also sharing that list with you HERE as it is quite extensive! Some of the items must be new, but others can be gently used. Take a look at the list and see what you have that you might be able to donate. Items can be brought to either of these two porches:
437 Piedmont Rd, Columbus, 43214
423 Olenwood ave Worthington, 43085
FYI, the list will be updated every day as items arrive, so please check it regularly! Once we are matched with a specific family we will share more about them and about the ICO welcome team, plus update the list according to the number of family members and ages of the children, etc.
Just FIVE SLOTS LEFT for the St Stephen's Event
Sign up to join other ICO volunteers on Sunday, December 22, 2-4:30pm as we work with St. Stephen’s Community House and the Central Ohio Labor Council to distribute food baskets to Central Ohio families. More info and sign up HERE.
ICO Behind the Scenes: Meet Steve Barrish
Did you know that Indivisible Central Ohio has a social media presence – previously on Twitter, now on Bluesky, as well as Instagram? That’s all thanks to Steve Barrish, another ICO-behind-the-scenes hero!
Let’s hear from Steve: "I stumbled upon Indivisible Central Ohio around the 2018 midterm cycle when I was looking for a way to turn my doomscrolling into something that would make a difference. I still believe it's a great local resource for folks who want easy access to information on what matters and ways to take as much meaningful action as their schedule permits.
Managing the ICO's growing Bluesky account has allowed me to be involved while also working and raising four young kids. To anyone already spending time on Instagram (you know who you are), PLEASE volunteer to manage that channel for the group. It only takes a few minutes each week and you can know that you're doing SOMETHING to help."
Thank you, Steve!
Need a little good news this week?
Here are three more bills that stand a good chance of passing! Please tell legislators to say YES to the following:
Am. HB 178 – Enact Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act
Use this template to help pass HB 178.
What can you do now?
Contact these members of the Senate Education Committee:
Andrew Brenner (bill co-sponsor/committee chair) – 614-466-8086; brenner@ohiosenate.gov
Sandra O’Brien (vice chair) – 614-466-7182; obrien@ohiosenate.gov
Catherine Ingram (ranking member) – 614-466-5980; ingram@ohiosenate.gov
HB 164 – Establish Foster-to-College Scholarship Program
HB 164 would require the Department of Education and Workforce to hire a full-time school foster care liaison, and to make an appropriation for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.
What can you do now?
Tell these Senate Finance Committee members:
Matt Dolan, chair – 614-466-8056; dolan@ohiosenate.gov
Jerry Cirino, vice chair – 614-644-7718l cirino@ohiosenate.gov
Vernon Sykes, ranking member – 614-466-7041; sykes@ohiosenate.gov
HB 256 – Require ODNR To Inquire about Organ Donation
This bill would require the Department of Natural Resources to inquire about organ donation under specified circumstances.
What can you do now?
Contact these members of the Senate Health Committee:
Stephen Huffman, chair – 614-466-6247; SHuffman@ohiosenate.gov
Terry Johnson, vice chair – 614-466-8082; johnson@ohiosenate.gov
Nickie Antonio, ranking member – 614-466-5123; antonio@ohiosenate.gov
Upcoming Events (Calendar view)
Sunday, 12/22/2024: St Stephen's Christmas Cares, Unions Share Distribution, 2-4:30pm, 1500 E 17th Ave, Columbus. Sign up to join other Indivisible Central Ohio volunteers as we work with St. Stephen’s Community House and the Central Ohio Labor Council to distribute food baskets to families. More info and sign HERE.
Mia for the OHCentral Team
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Find us at our website indivisiblecentralohio.org. Follow us here and on our public and closed Facebook pages to stay current with all our activities. Add our Indivisible Central Ohio Google Calendar so you can follow all our events. You can also follow us on Threads, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube.