Franciscan Ministries' Newsletter - Spring 2023

Message from The Executive Director

Meet the Tamar’s Team

Sarah Wagner, LISW-S, CDCA Executive Director

I hope the New Year is off to a good start for everyone! I am excited to dedicate the 2023 quarterly newsletter to one of each of our four programs, beginning with Tamar’s Center. The Director of Tamar’s Center, Pamela Carroll Dean, has a message and then the rest of the content will be geared towards everything Tamar’s!

Message from Tamar’s Director

Choosing to join Franciscan Ministries, Inc. was easy for me because of its mission. Helping those in need has always been a passion of mine. Serving others is in my blood.

What Tamar’s Center means to me is reaching as many vulnerable women as possible, assisting them with their immediate needs. Tamar’s Center speaks healing, community and empowerment.

My vision and goal for all the women who come to Tamar’s Center is to feel safe and secure in the world. Empowering each woman that comes through the doors of Tamar’s Center so that she can begin to heal and live a healthy and productive life.

I want our women to feel that they matter because they do!

Pam joined Franciscan Ministries as Director of Tamar’s Center in January 2022. She comes with a Bachelor’s degree in Science and licensure in the chemical dependency field as well as a wealth of experience, particularly in the domestic violence arena. She has recently become a Reiki Master, is a certified life coach and aspires to be a Medical Massage Therapist.

Erin has an undergraduate degree from SUNY Plattsburgh and a Master’s in Social Work from McGill University. She has been at Tamar’s since April 2022. She is passionate about helping women to realize their strengths and work towards goals.

Julie has been with Tamar’s Center since 2018. Her earlier career was primarily in office administration work. She brings those organizational and problem solving skills to Tamar’s to help keep the Center in good working order and to provide comfort for clients and coworkers alike.

Andy is passionate about helping to empower women. She has a background in social work and has spent the last two years working and volunteering in our community at non-profit organizations. Her intention at Tamar’s Center is to bring women into a closer and harmonious relationship with themselves and help empower them on their journey of radical self-love. “It is an honor to be here serving our community the way God has called me to.”

Pamela Carroll Dean, LCDC II Tamar’s Center Director

Erin Zinicola, LISW-S, CDCA Tamar’s Case Manager

Julie Mulcahey Tamar’s Shelter Operations

Andy Vaniglia Tamar’s Peer Support Specialist

History of Tamar’s Center

Sr. Grace Pleiman, Franciscan Sisters of the Poor (SFP)founded Tamar’s Place in 2010. Sr. Grace and the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor recognized that there was a need in downtown Cincinnati for basic care and a safe place to rest for women who were experiencing addiction and sex trafficking. The name Tamar originates from a story in the Bible, found in the Old Testament Book of 2 Samuel 13:1-22, and was adopted for this respite. Until 2022, Tamar’s Center was located in a church, initially in one room and then in the basement. The women were able to take a shower, rest, eat, and get a change of clothes.

In 2022, The SFP purchased a home in Lower Price Hill to serve as a permanent site for Tamar’s Center. Tamar’s Center today is a day center that provides care for women who suffer from addiction; many of these women are homeless. Tamar’s acts as a first responder, helping the women with their most urgent needs, including; food, rest, showers, counseling, and case management.

Tamar’s Center has decided to focus more on empowering and is now making case management sessions a requirement for those who return to Tamar’s on a consistent basis. Our case manager meets with clients to help them determine their short and long term goals and then develop a plan.

Tamar’s has established “Tuesdays at Tamar’s” themed events. There is a new theme each Tuesday. Some examples include facials, crafts (making bracelets), foot soak, basic safety defense classes, yoga, manicures, and cupcake decorating.

Tamar’s offers a weekly (Wednesday) Peer Support Recovery Group which is led by a current Tamar’s client. Tamar’s staff allow the group privacy to be able to discuss sensitive topics related to their recovery that they may otherwise not have felt comfortable revealing. The events allow clients to experience camaraderie while engaging in a positive and rewarding activity.

Our volunteer chefs prepare home cooked meals each week for our “Tuesdays at Tamar’s” events and Wednesday Peer Recovery Support Group. Tamar’s continues to provide self-serve food items on a daily basis.

Bracelet making

Foot care

Decorating cupcakes

Breakfast provided each Tuesday Tie Dye shirts

Client Spotlight

Tamara travelled to Cincinnati after leaving the southern states when her employment ended. She had fond memories of Cincinnati, as she spent time here growing up. She arrived to Cincinnati and found the housing to be more expensive than she anticipated and not affordable. She was not accepted in the women’s shelter due to maximum capacity, and was referred to Tamar’s Center. She arrived at Tamar’s Center in need of a shower, rest, and a meal. On her first day, Tamar’s Center provided her with a tent and sleeping bag. She took part in the group activity, and was able to fellowship with other women to learn about safe places for women to camp. Tamar’s was able to give her bus passes and bus route information.

Over the next few weeks, she came to Tamar’s daily to shower and eat while applying for jobs. After Tamara connected with her mom in Illinois, she decided to stretch her job search to both Illinois and Cincinnati. Tamara found the job market to be more successful in Illinois near her mother’s home. Tamara was selected for an interview at the local fire department to be a firefighter after which she was accepted into the Fire Academy.

On February 13, Tamara called Tamar’s Center and spoke with the Director. Tamara shared that she is doing very well and that she is currently in training to become a firefighter as well as working at a pharmaceutical company. Tamara is currently residing with her mother. Tamara conveyed how grateful she is for Tamar’s Center and that she wants to give back. Tamara inquired about how to go about donating three hundred dollars to Tamar’s Center. The Director gave Tamara instructions and thanked her for thinking of Tamar’s Center. On Friday, February 24, Tamara and her Mom came to Tamar’s Center in person with donation in hand. The Tamar’s team was so excited to see Tamara and welcomed her and mom in for coffee.

On Monday, February 27, the Director of Tamar’s Center called Tamara to get her permission to be the client spotlight in the agency’s March Newsletter. Tamara agreed and added that she has written a book entitled “Welcome to the Threshing Floor”, which is currently in editing and soon to be published.

A Successful 2022 at Tamar’s Center

• During the month of October, Tamar’s Center received the PNC Charitable Fund Grant of $25,000 to be spent in the following areas: Tuesdays at Tamar’s events, staff training, outreach event and client assistance.

• During the month of November, St. Ursula High School contacted Tamar’s to let the staff know that they have selected us to create a meditative corner of wall Art at Tamar’s Center. The students came out to take a tour of Tamar’s and to get a feel of what type of art they felt called to create.

• During the month of November, Meijer contacted Tamar’s to let us know that they selected Tamar’s for this year’s annual non-profit community give away award of $5,000.

• During the month of November, Moeller High School Magnified Giving program selected Tamar’s Center for the 2023 Magnified Giving annual award. Moeller High School students came to Tamar’s Center in Jan/Feb. 2023 to complete community service hours. Tamar’s will receive the monetary award in March 2023.

• During the month of December, Tamar’s Case Manager established a partnership with THRIVE Empowerment Center. THRIVE Empowerment Center staff agreed to come to Tamar’s for three consecutive Tuesdays in January 2023 to provide self-defense training to Tamar’s clients for our Tuesdays at Tamar’s events.

• Addiction Services Council

• Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health

• Free Store Foodbank

• Meiser’s Grocery

• Caracole

• Price Hill Library

• THRIVE

• Price Hill Community Wellness Connection

• Hamilton County Public Health-On The Front Lines

• Valley Interfaith Resource Center

• Price Hill Santa Maria

• Community Block Ministries

• Community Matters

• Esther Marie Hatton Women’s Shelter

• Our Daily Bread

• The Washing Well Laundromat

• One Source Center for Nonprofit Excellence

• Single serve food items

• Leggings, tee shirts, socks, gym shoes, and sweatshirts

• Laundry and cleaning supplies

• Vacuum cleaner

• Kroger or Walmart gift cards

• Bracelet kit