Spring 2021 Newsletter

St.Vincent’s Way

SPRING 2021

After 15 Years as Director of Pharmacy, Mike Espel is Passing the Baton

Society of St. Vincent de Paul—Cincinnati District Council

DEAR FRIENDS, The change of seasons is – like the ebb of ocean tides or the rotation of the moon – simply inevitable. As the weather starts to trend warmer, the trees begin to flower, and the days grow longer, I can’t help but to let my mind wander back to the events that unfolded last spring.

Through a peripheral glance, things may seem like they haven’t changed much in a year. Masks are still a must at the grocery store. Large concerts, parades, and conventions are still on hold or canceled altogether. Most meetings are still being held virtually rather than face-to-face. And at our Don & Phyllis Neyer Outreach Center, our doors remain closed, for now, to many of our neighbors, volunteers and visitors.

to continue to offer the basic necessities, including food, medicine, clothing, and rent and utilities assistance to our neighbors in need. Many volunteers, especially our dedicated Vincentians, persist in finding ways to offer up their time, talents and resources. And, over just the past few months, curbside services at the Neyer Outreach Center have expanded to include A1C testing for diabetes patients as well as vaccinations for hundreds seeking immunization from the COVID-19 virus.

I do miss the days of volunteering side-by-side with my friends and colleagues, I can see – just like the arrival of a new season – that change is blooming.

Although I am not exactly sure of when or how, I remain hopeful that a return to some version of normalcy is on its way. In the meantime, we will continue to feed, clothe, house, and heal as neighbors helping neighbors.

In the pages of this newsletter, you’ll find the stories of some of our team members who have helped make all of this possible. We’ve also shared the story of our neighbor, Alfreda, who found hope during this especially difficult time, by reaching out to one of our Conferences.

Through deeper introspection, however, I can see just how far we’ve come. Throughout the past year, we’ve pivoted our operations

Over the past year, we have found new ways to connect with one another – and have harnessed the power of technology to collaborate, celebrate, and pray together. While

Name: Norm Zins

Your role in the Society: Neighbor Visitor and Spiritual Advisor

How long have you been a Vincentian? About 8 years

How did you become a Vincentian? I felt a calling to get involved with the Society.

Conference: Corpus Christi/ St. John Neumann

Most memorable Home Visit: During a phone neighbor visit, the neighbor opened his Bible to read along with the scripture verse that was being shared with him. He shared that he had not been in as good of a relationship with God lately and he wanted to improve that.

Cindy Givens St. Vincent de Paul Board Vice President

Vincentian Spotlight: Norm Zins Biggest lesson you’ve learned as a Vincentian? My fellow Vincentians are very spirit filled people. The spiritual depth of each Vincentian I know is an inspiration to me. It is such a privilege to be with them and learn from them! We truly are the Body of Christ working, living and caring for our neighbors as we work together to contribute to our spiritual growth. Being Vincentians is who we are not what we do.

What has made you stick with the ministry? Spiritual growth. I was surprised at finding out that my purpose of being a Vincentian was my spiritual growth. It is a lifelong journey. Our neighbors are very spiritual people and I am inspired by their faithfulness and humility.

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Economic Hardships of Pandemic Continue to Impact Neighbors “It’s been hard. But… I was blessed to have them around.”

Alfreda is generous in her gratitude for St. Vincent de Paul. When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in March 2020, the discount store where Alfreda was employed part-time was forced to shut down. Alfreda was temporarily laid off, as store management monitored state and federal guidelines and made plans to safely bring people back to work.

The loss of hours at work quickly made an impact on Alfreda’s finances. She was unsure how she would be able to make the payments for her monthly rent and utility bills and worried that she could lose her apartment. That’s when she made a phone call to St. Vincent de Paul.

“When you’re down, you don’t want to be bothering people. But I was blessed. I called them and they reached back out to me,” she says.

“You know when you call St. Vincent de Paul they will call you back.” Alfreda was then connected with Vincentians at St. Cecilia Conference, who were able to provide Alfreda with financial assistance to cover several months of utilities bills over last spring and summer.

Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to take a toll on neighbors’ finances, especially for those like Alfreda, who work in the retail and service industries. According to Sunnie Johnson-Lain, Director of Services at St. Vincent de Paul, neighbors have reported ongoing challenges with securing childcare, missing work due to COVID-19 exposure, and simply being offered fewer hours at work. “COVID is definitely still wreaking havoc,” Johnson-Lain says.

A year after the pandemic started, nearly one in five adult renters nationwide report that they are still not caught up on their rent, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, using data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. At St. Vincent de Paul, from October 2020-February 2021, requests for assistance with rent were up nearly 78% over the same time period the year before.

The good news, according to Johnson-Lain, is that St. Vincent de Paul has been able to offer help to many through its Homelessness Prevention Program. “Not only have we been able to help more people, but we have also been able to help with more [resources],” Johnson-Lain says.

Excluding March (for which totals were still being tabulated at time of publication), nearly half a million dollars in rent assistance has been extended to neighbors in 463 households during the first half of Fiscal Year 2021 – a dollar value over four times more than what was provided in the first half of Fiscal Year 2020. Another $114,000 was extended to 264 households in utilities assistance – six times more than the year prior.

Introducing Brian Combs, Director of Operations Brian Combs never knows what challenges he’ll face each day as he steps into his office at St. Vincent de Paul. Since being hired to fill the revamped Director of Operations role in August 2020, Combs has quickly become the designated point-person for dozens of critical needs that keep SVDP operations running smoothly.

Whether he’s onboarding a new hire, troubleshooting tech problems, or – as was the case on a recent morning in March – removing a bat from a staircase in the Liz Carter Center, Combs says he tries to take each challenge in stride. “A huge positive is that there’s a great group here to support me. This is a tight-knit community that I can really lean on for help.”

Combs is no stranger to juggling multiple responsibilities at once. In his most recent position with Sheakley, a local human resources management company, Combs facilitated all-encompassing human resources operations for roughly 40 clients, the largest being SVDP and its 350+ employees. “I probably received about 200 emails per day,” Combs recalls. “It was challenging because every [client] manager has their own way of doing things… But, as the consultant, my job was to get the job done while making sure all sides were happy.”

Now, as SVDP’s Director of Operations, Combs is setting his sights on several big goals, including boosting 401k enrollment, developing strategies to support staff retention, and enhancing employee safety and security. “Security in general is big for me. I want people to feel safe when they’re here.”

After piloting company-wide training on cyber security to kick off 2021, Combs says he expects to roll out more learning modules in the months ahead – on topics ranging from diversity & inclusion to emergency evacuation procedures.

Brian can be reached at 513-762-2090 or bcombs@SVDPcincinnati.org.

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Mike Espel: At the Intersection of

Faith and Pharmacy

The year was 2008. Michael Phelps swam his way to 8 Olympic gold medals and 7 world records in Beijing. Marvel’s first movie, Iron Man, trailed Warner Brothers’ The Dark Knight at the U.S. box office.

And, Barack Obama, then a young Senator from Illinois, made history as the first African American to be elected U.S. President.

For Mike Espel, the year was a turning point for his career at St. Vincent de Paul. A neighbor had arrived at the Charitable Pharmacy, located at that time in the Liz Carter Outreach Center, in hopeful search of a new insulin pump. Hers had stopped working, she explained, and she needed the device to help control dangerous swings in her blood glucose levels.

Mike’s heart sank at the request.

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Helping patients to improve their health was his passion, and it was the reason he agreed to take on the role of Director of the Charitable Pharmacy just a year and a half earlier. But, resources were tight, and the Pharmacy typically didn’t receive donations of insulin pumps.

As he prepared to turn the woman away, a thought popped into his head to check a box on the Pharmacy’s top shelf. It wasn’t logical, he knew. But he went to look any way. As he pulled the box down, he saw it contained the exact insulin pump that the woman had been using – and desperately needed.

“I knew at that moment that God was with me,” Mike recalls. Waves of emotion poured over him as he realized God had provided exactly what he needed at exactly the right

time. It was divine intervention.

Now, Mike will often point to that encounter as a defining moment in the trajectory of the Charitable Pharmacy, and his personal journey to understanding the power of prayer.

The first few years of operating the Charitable Pharmacy were stressful.

When Liz Carter, then Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul, approached Mike with an idea to start a Charitable Pharmacy and an offer to serve as its leader, he knew he was the perfect person for the job.

With 32 years of experience working in pharmaceutical care for the Cincinnati Health Department, he believed he had the background and leadership skills needed to succeed.

But, Mike says, after the Pharmacy launched in 2006, he was burdened with constant worry about its survival.

Donors had opened their wallets to buy wholesale medications to stock the shelves. Pharmaceutical companies had stepped up to donate more expensive medications that were needed. And some of the brightest minds in Cincinnati had lobbied state lawmakers to pass a bill so St. Vincent de Paul and other non-profit, charitable pharmacies, could dispense those medications free of charge. “I thought it was my job to produce [results],” says Mike. “I didn’t want to let everyone down.”

That all changed as Mike stood in the Pharmacy on that day in 2008, with an insulin pump in his hands. “My doubts about the Pharmacy’s success dissolved into confidence that it would work,” Mike says. That year, the Charitable Pharmacy would fill over 18,000 prescriptions. By 2020, that number would grow to over 73,000 prescriptions, valued at over $11.6 million, dispensed in just one year.

improving patients’ health.

That outcomes-based approach was put into overdrive under the leadership of Rusty Curington, who takes over as Director of the Charitable Pharmacy upon Mike’s retirement this month. “Rusty really put it on steroids,” Mike jokes. “He knew exactly how to measure outcomes and really raised the bar of what we were trying to do here.”

For Rusty, St. Vincent de Paul has been a crossroads for two of his passions: education and pharmacy.

After starting his career as an English teacher, Rusty says he felt a calling to go back to school and pursue a degree in pharmacy. In 2008, he signed up to volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul to gain some experience in the industry – and that’s when he first met Mike Espel.

“I felt like our hearts were knit together,” Rusty recalls. “I truly am where I am today because Mike poured his heart and soul into me.”

After returning to the Charitable Pharmacy as an intern, Rusty was then hand-selected by Mike to train with him as a Pharmacy Resident.

Then, in 2014, Rusty joined the Charitable Pharmacy staff, in a grant-writing position that Mike had created just for him. As Mike now explains it, he saw a need for another set of hands to help get the funding the Pharmacy needed to continue to grow programming.

Rusty Curington

Those statistics are truly only a small part of the Charitable Pharmacy’s impact. As Mike puts it, he knew that giving out free medication wasn’t ever really the purpose of the Charitable Pharmacy. The ultimate goal would always be to help people get healthier. That’s why, in 2008, Espel launched the Pharmacy’s first clinical programs. Pharmacists at St. Vincent de Paul wouldn’t just fill prescriptions; they would measure how those medications are actually

“It was a leap of faith to hire him,” Mike says. “But Rusty proved he was worth it. That year he earned three-quarters of his paycheck back in grant funding.”

create and track interventions in patients’ medication regimens. Rusty has also become an expert on tobacco cessation and diabetes management education, and counsels patients on how to manage their disease through a collaborative practice agreement with the Good Samaritan Free Health Center. To Rusty, the transition to the role of Director of the Charitable Pharmacy is a natural fit. “Almost all of the programs we’ve had, I’ve designed.

And all of the trash cans we have, I’ve cleaned out,” he quips.

It is that humble attitude, and an eye for innovation, that Mike says will serve Rusty well as Director. But his biggest qualification, Mike says, is his faith. “The greatest thing about Rusty is he lives his faith. And that allows him to always put a positive spin on things.”

It’s now tradition for staff at the Charitable Pharmacy to pray together whenever they find themselves in need of resources. And, Mike says he knows that tradition will continue for years to come. “I cannot think of a time when He has not answered our call in some way.”

Charitable Pharmacy Distributes COVID-19 Vaccines As the U.S. races to vaccinate 200 million Americans in 100 days, the Charitable Pharmacy has received limited shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine – each containing just a few hundred doses. In offering these to our neighbors, we hope to provide some relief – and assurance – following a year of uncertainty, loss, and hardship.

Since then, Rusty has become an indispensable leader at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy, most recently serving as the Assistant Director. He led the design of the Pharmacy’s Medication Therapy Management (MTM) program, in which pharmacy interns SVDPCINCINNATI.ORG

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A LOOK BACK

NOVEMBER-MARCH: WINTER COAT DRIVE & DISTRIBUTION With the help of sponsors WLWT, Warm98.5 and Gold Star Chili, we called on the community to donate new and gently used coats. And – what a turnout! Over 50 organizations and 21 SVDP Conferences hosted drives to collect hundreds of new and gently used coats. The Lemasters family, alone, led efforts to collect and donate 500 new coats! This year, coats were distributed through a voucher program at our Thrift Stores. 1,693 winter coat vouchers were redeemed, providing our neighbors the warmth needed to endure a snowy winter.

JANUARY 18: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY PANTRY BOX COLLECTION St. Vincent de Paul honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a service opportunity for the community. Volunteers packed pantry boxes for families served by the Becky and Ted Catino Choice Food Pantry and dropped them off curbside to our Neyer Outreach Center.

MID-JANUARY: MORE CURBSIDE SERVICES AT THE NEYER OUTREACH CENTER In mid-January, limited in-person services resumed -- by appointment --for some patients served by the Deaconess Health Check/ Charitable Pharmacy.

One of the first to restart was curbside A1C testing, which helps pharmacy staff to monitor health outcomes for patients with diabetes.

JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 6: CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK We partnered with five local high schools and four grade schools to collect items including shelf-stable food and personal hygiene supplies for the Becky and Ted Catino Choice Food Pantry, and clothing for our thrift stores. The food pantry was packed after all of these donations were hauled in! The theme of the week was “Catholic Schools: Faith, Excellence, Service.”

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CALENDAR

A LOOK AHEAD

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, scheduled events may be subject to change. Please check SVDPcincinnati.org for the latest information.

MAY 9 FEAST DAY OF ST. LOUIS DE MARILLAC “Do all in a spirit of gentleness and love.” After forming a close friendship with St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac dedicated her time to aiding the abandoned, the sick, and the imprisoned. Together, St. Vincent and St. Louise founded the Daughters of Charity in 1633. She is now honored as the Patron Saint of Social Workers.

MAY 21-22 STRIKE OUT HUNGER Baseball is back! We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Cincinnati Reds this season. Thanks to the generosity of Reds fans, this event typically stocks our pantry with supplies to feed thousands more families each summer. Check our website for updates, as details are being finalized. See you at Great American Ball Park later this spring!

FAN/ AC

DR IVE

JUNE, JULY, AUGUST FAN & AIR CONDITIONER DRIVE, PRESENTED

BY BRAUN HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING As the heat of summer settles in, we work to keep things cool by providing free fans and A/C units to our neighbors. We turn to the community for help purchasing these essentials, which we then distribute to local families. Plans are still in the works for how we’ll safely be distributing units this year, so keep an eye on our website for updates.

JULY 26 PRESCRIPTION FORE FUN GOLF OUTING Hit the links and help ensure that underserved patients can receive their lifesaving medications at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy. Golfing at Clovernook Country Club is followed by our annual Wine & Bourbon Tasting, which will be modified this year to ensure the health and safety of guests. There’s truly something for everyone, so dust off your 9-Iron, don your argyle, and raise a glass to the Charitable Pharmacy’s innovative pharmaceutical care programs.

AUGUST DAY TO DREAM No one should have to sleep on the floor. Sadly, it’s a problem faced by dozens across the Tri-State, especially many children. At our annual Day to Dream event, St. Vincent de Paul, Morris Furniture and WCPO surprise 50 kids with a bed of their own at the Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy. Their reactions are truly priceless, and so is the gift of a good night’s sleep.

a celebration OF SERVICE

LATE SUMMER CELEBRATION OF SERVICE NEW DATE COMING SOON! Our Upward Spiral Campaign, which concluded in 2019, brought forward a new era for St. Vincent de Paul, culminating in the grand opening of our Don & Phyllis Neyer Outreach Center. Now, Campaign CoChairs Becky Catino and Bart Kohler are set to be honored at our 2021 Celebration of Service. By shifting this event to late summer, we hope to be able to celebrate together, in-person this year.

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Non Profit Org US Postage Paid Cincinnati, OH Permit #1106 1125 Bank Street Cincinnati, OH 45214-2130

When you donate a vehicle, you’re helping feed a hungry family, giving a kid a bed of his own, helping a single mother pay her utility bill. Proceeds from all donated cars, trucks, motorcycles or RVs go to support our neighbors in need. Call 513-421-CARE to schedule a pickup.

Follow SVDPcincinnati on

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores Donate and Shop – Earth Will Thank You! Reduce resources needed to produce new clothes and household goods. Help others Reuse items you don’t want or need anymore. Recycle everything from cutlery to cars and keep them from going to a landfill.

Check out our new Outlet Store, located at 4545 Chickering Ave., and further your commitment to sustainability. Donated merchandise that is not sold in our traditional Thrift Stores is sold by the pound, at deep discounts.

Call 513-421-CARE (2273) for a free donation pickup of large household items.

Colerain: 8269 Colerain Ave. • Winton Hills: 4530 Este Ave. • Evendale: 9864 Reading Road • Mason: 1065 Reading Road Milford: 813 Main St. • Mt. Washington: 2300 Beechmont Ave. • Western Hills: 3015 Glenhills Way • Outlet Store: 4545 Chickering Ave.