Tuesday, December 21, 1999
Charity will be year-round
BY SUSAN VELA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Northern Kentucky Harvest, a new nonprofit organization spearheaded by two corporate wives, wants the Christmas spirit to continue throughout the year.
Founders are Sheila Chellgren, wife of Ashland chairman and chief executive officer Paul W. Chellgren, and Sue Butler, wife of Corporex chairman Bill Butler. The group's volunteers already have delivered canned goods and clothing to some Northern Kentucky agencies that serve the needy.
They will keep providing the necessities during the rest of winter as well as spring, summer and fall. They will work with agencies throughout Greater Cincinnati.
In January, they also would like to pick up excess food from restaurants and grocery stores and donate it to soup kitchens, pantries and other charities.
Besides Ashland and Corporex, Cintas Corp. of Mason, Gradison McDonald Investments of Crestview Hills, and other businesses are behind the new effort.
Malachi Tobin of Covington-based Storehouse Ministries Inc. said such heavy hitters coming together to help the needy could really make a difference.
“This is a tremendous break for us,” Mr. Tobin said. “We're always begging. It really seems like this is a blessing from God. It's awesome.”
Bob Brewster, executive director of Newport-based Brighton Center, said the agency's canned goods are plentiful at Christmas but low during the warmer months.
“At summer time,” he said, “no one's thinking about emergency needs.”
The new group has rounded up about 6,050 cans of food and $6,000 in donations. About $1,000 already has been used to buy about 4,000 cans of food. Storehouse Ministries received about 2,000 cans Monday morning. Welcome House, Covington, was to receive the remainder.
Mrs. Chellgren and Mrs. Butler announced the program at a Monday press conference at RiverCenter, headquarters for the new nonprofit — as well as for Corporex and Ashland.
Mrs. Chellgren said the new effort is like one that Ashland started years ago in Ashland, Ky. That program continues and donates about 240,000 pounds of food a year.
Her goal was to establish a similar program in Greater Cincinnati when the company relocated to Covington about a year ago.
The Tristate has more needy people but also greater resources than Ashland, she said.
Christmas “is a good time to get people's attention,” she said after Monday's press conference, “but (the effort) is year round.”
To volunteer or donate, call 815-4454.
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