Giving Back

By Marie BradbyOn the last Sunday in September, Paula Schoenhoff and many of her family members were breaking bread in Iroquois Park with more than 1,000 Louisvillians — immigrants, African-Americans, Hispanics, whites, Asians, etc., at a giant potluck to connect the community called "The Big Table."“We encouraged people to sit with people they didn’t know,” says Paula, 54, who wants to make the world a better place for everyone through experiential education. So she helped organize and fund this first-time event. “Our goal was to have all the diversity of Louisville be represented, and I [...]

By Brigid MorrisseyAccountability is a word that is learned as you age into more and more responsibility. It’s a word often associated with jobs and sports, coinciding with the ability to perform. It’s a word that, until the prospective residents enroll at Family Scholar House, might not be fully understood.Although there are certain requirements eligible women have to meet to live in FSH housing — maintain a certain GPA, partake in community service, hold a part-time job, and attend personal development classes — all of them are actively choosing to rise above their current circumstances [...]

By Tiffany WhiteTheresa Reno-Weber, CEO and president of the the Metro United Way, is on the fast track to meeting an aggressive goal that she and her team have set for the organization — all while gearing up for a momentous occasion.Last month, the organization celebrated its 100th anniversary, and in recognition of this huge milestone, it will be having its Metro United Way 100th Anniversary Gala. “This is a one in 100th year event. This is really a signature event to mark the 100th anniversary and to set the stage for the next 100 [...]

By Brigid Morrissey Forty years ago, a crisis and epidemic rocked the United States and the rest of the world so hard that almost everyone was in a panic. AIDS became prevalent in the ’80s and ’90s when it is believed that the virus had spread over five continents. Several theories developed as to the spread; some have been proven wrong, like the idea that AIDS could be spread through casual contact, food, and water. Others, like AIDS being a “gay disease,” have survived the decades as a stigma surrounding the illness. Missy Vitale has [...]

I imagine you have heard about one of the most internationally known nonprofits, Habitat for Humanity. But not-so-common knowledge is that the founders of the homebuilding charity — Millard Fuller and his wife Linda — decided to cut ties with the organization after continual disagreements with new leadership. Their split with Habitat for Humanity gave birth to The Fuller Center for Housing in 2005. Built on the same philosophy, The Fuller Center offers a grassroots approach to building and renovating homes, extending its services to 16 countries and several pockets of the United States.One of [...]

By Brigid Morrissey Ever wanted to quit your day job and join the nonprofit realm? Leaving routine and a certain set of expectations comes with risk, but if anyone can succeed at making community service into a legitimate career, it’s Ann Carruthers. Ann currently serves in New Albany as the president of Prevent Child Abuse, a nonprofit created to improve child well being and develop programs to help prevent abuse and neglect. Among the long list of relevant experience on her resume are positions as a court appointed advocate with Clark and Floyd counties and [...]