Calling all you angels

Yesterday I drove up to Cleveland's Channel 3 to man a phone a an Ohio Benefit Bank phone bank. It looked a lot like this picture from Wikimedia Commons, only we had two rows of tables (sorry, forgot to grab my own picture):

"Ohio Benefit Bank, this is Ondrea speaking. How can I help you today?"

Starting at 10 a.m., the phone bank number was scrolled across the bottom of the screen to encourage people who were watching tv at home to call in and check their eligibility. The calls went to one of 14 phones manned by volunteers, and they were ringing off the hook. Any calls we didn't get to before 8 p.m. were told to leave messages that the awesome Benefit Bank Mobile Express team will return today.


I talked to about 20 people over the course of three hours. Some were well connected to the public benefits system, and some were delighted to learn they qualified for several hundred a month in extra benefits (most common: food assistance). It is always sad to realize how many people out there need help, and many stories were heartbreaking. Yet at events like these it's gratifying to power through call after call and hand out phone numbers and resources of people who can help put things right.

In Other News:

Leadership in an Interfaith World: A Workshop with Interfaith Youth Core
Wednesday, November 17, 4:30-6 pm
Wilder 211

The ability to understand, communicate with, and mobilize diverse groups--including religiously and philosophically diverse groups--is a critical leadership skill in the 21st century. In this workshop, a trainer from Interfaith Youth Core will help participants sharpen their skills in telling their stories, engaging diverse others, and building sustainable interfaith movements. Primarily for students but open to all. Sponsored by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.