Dropping Ducks for 29 Years Longtime Rubber Duck Regatta volunteer Jim Coates and his wife, Joan, moved to Greater Cincinnati in 1970 when P&G recruited him right out of graduate school. They raised their two children here, and it’s where Jim first got involved with Freestore Foodbank more than [...]
The Best “Dumb Idea” Ever When Bob Edwards first had the idea of holding a fundraiser with thousands of rubber ducks, he floated the idea past his fellow board members at Freestore Foodbank. One had a strong reaction: “That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. That really is [...]
A Spokesduck With a Purpose It’s not every day that you get to sit down and talk with a 5-foot-tall duck about helping children get nutritious food. So when the opportunity arose to interview the tristate area’s coolest duck, we jumped at the chance! Quacky, how long have you [...]
Let’s Get Quackin’ The ducks have taken over our August newsletter because our Rubber Duck Regatta is just around the corner. Here’s a great reason to shake your tail feathers: Freestore Foodbank’s Rubber Duck Regatta is the biggest in the U.S. and the second largest in the world! This [...]
“They Never Gave Up on Me” Robert has come a long way in the last year or so, and he’s only looking up from here. “About a year ago, I hit rock bottom,” he says. “I was using all my money for drugs, so I decided it was time to [...]
“He Made Way for the New Building” Richard “Dick” Rosenthal and his family are well known in the Cincinnati area for their history of engaged philanthropy. They’ve always had a heart for their community, as well as a vital interest in serving the long-term needs of the community. “Trying [...]
“Humble Beginnings and a Heart To Help” In 1971, Frank Gerson worked at Cincinnati’s incinerator and saw far too many usable household goods being thrown away. So, he salvaged them and gave them out to families struggling to make ends meet. Gerson eventually needed a truck to collect items [...]
“He Loves To Help” Eleven-year-old Elijah already knows what he wants to be when he grows up: a robotic engineer. “I want to build robots that help around the house,” he says. “So, if you need help, or your car breaks down, it’ll get fixed. Helping people makes me [...]
"Her Turn for Help" Liz spent a significant portion of her adult life serving older people. Now it’s her turn. For 30 years, Liz worked in housekeeping at a retirement home. When the facility closed, Liz lost her job and suddenly faced financial struggles. Her Social Security income isn’t [...]
“We Are Very Grateful” When several big businesses closed in Mason County, Kentucky, the local economy was hit hard. Then came the pandemic. Then came inflation and soaring grocery prices. “The need has grown dramatically,” says Ashley, coordinator of the Mason County Youth Center. “About half of our students [...]
