Alecia and Sherrie graduate this month after a year in the program. Alecia is staying on with a three month extension while working on her GED. Sherrie leaves this week after a year of remarkable growth.  She is in serious job search mode; she prefers cashier work and has excellent math and cash handling skills.  Precious and Vernna have left us for jobs at Chipotle; we wish them success there.  Charla will participate in graduation with her GED class at Lower Price Hill School- she got very high scores on all sections of the test except math, which she missed by two points!  She will retake the math section next month.  Terrence moved to cash register training at the restaurant and started GED classes at the YWCA; he is still Judy's goto guy for weekend caterings.  New trainees joining us last month are Orville and Chinessa; and this week we're adding Vernice and Tasha.  We hear great things from LaShonda's new employer about her flexibility and enthusiasm on the job; it seems a great fit.

Key to our PIP community are our wonderful volunteers including Janet and Nancy who ran our May Pizza party, and Fred and Aggie who sang for the party. We also are deeply grateful for our wonderful tutors-we have a core, deeply committed group of about 12 volunteers who come in once or twice a week regularly to share hopes, dreams, inspiration and fractions. 

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur have produced "Hope in Over-the-Rhine," a beautiful video highlighting Venice and our tutoring program.  The video features scenes at the restaurant and interviews with Bridgette, Sr. Judy, and Tebbe.  The video is a great tool to tell our story.  See it HERE. 

Thanks to work Tebbe did before her death, Architecture students from Miami University, led by professor John Blake, have a one- semester studio in which they will refit our office/training room to make better use of the space.  They are designing desks, storage bins, etc. to tame the chaos of our back room.  The Miami folks don't just draw plans- they actually build!  Last month we also added airconditioning in the restaurant and kitchen so that our customers, staff and volunteers won't pass out in the heat this summer.

Our catering program is so busy that we have run out of room and capacity- we have had to turn away catering jobs for lack of space.  We are actively searching for equipped kitchen space to lease in the Over-the-Rhine area to supplement our work at Venice.  This will enable us to take on more catering work, expand the Venice Kitchen product line, and solicit additional work, all of which would allow us to enroll more trainees. If you can help us, please call Rina.

Needed: Music booker: reliable volunteer to coordinate Venice Vibes and other live music acts at Venice.  Most work can be done from home. Contact Rina. 

Venice on Vine
Good Food for a Good Cause
1301 Vine Street, OVER THE RHINE
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Restaurant Hours:
Mon-Thurs 10-8;
Fri-Sat  10-9:30:
Catering by appointment.

513-221-7020

www.powerinspiresprogress.com

PIP remembers with sorrow our good friend and tutoring coordinator Tebbe Farrell, who passed away suddenly and too young on May 20. Tebbe joined PIP as a tutoring volunteer in 2009, served two years as a NotreDame Mission Volunteers Americorps intern, and was planning to join us as a full time employee this fall. With a constant optimism and faith, a deep belief in education, and the skills of a music promoter, Tebbe brought inspiration and progress (and organic coffee and new furniture and music) to PIP. Alecia says:  "She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself" Here is an article about Tebbe and her music career.

Calendar

September 18: 21st Annual PIP Brunch.  Held at Corryville Catholic School, the brunch has goetta, potato pancakes, waffles, raffles, auctions, fun and family. TriFecta Raffle, Program book, etc.  This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. For reservations, click here.

In the Venice Kitchen

- Try Deals that Give Back to get a coupon for $10 worth of Venice Pizza and Hoagies for just $5; you can also buy coupons for all kinds of foods and services.  Designate Power Inspires Progress to get the charitable donation that goes with each purchase.

- Our outdoor dining area looks great now, thanks to a donor who helped us buy comfy chairs and a nice patio fence.  Try it out before it gets too hot!

- Our new restaurant hours (added Saturdays and later on Friday and Saturday nights) have been a great success- Saturdays are fast becoming our busiest day.
 
-  Venice is listed by the City of Cincinnati as one of many Cincinnati restaurants offering meatless alternatives for a healthy and environmentally friendly meal.  Newest offering: special mushroom/artichoke hoagies, served with cheese and sauce on a hoagie bun, or vegan style on a wheat roll.

- Most popular catering item this month: MiniBun sandwich trays.  We made over a thousand minis last week; ham, turkey or cheese with lettuce on a cute bakery bun.  Trays are served with mayo and mustard.  Together with our fruit trays, veggie trays and brownie/lemonsquare trays, they perk up any party. 

- Venice Kitchen items (coffee, soupmix, cake mix, brownie mix, spice mix) are for sale at Venice, online, at the Sarah Center, Park+Vine, and at Cincinnati Underground Tours.

Support Us

Please consider making a generous donation to support our mission.

Your contributions will help us continue job training through small business for inner city adults.  Donations are matched one for one with income earned through sales.

Send your donation via snail mail (727 Ezzard Charles Drive 45203),
call us at 513-221-7020
or donate online here.