FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Stark County, Ohio) Sept. 1, 2021 –THINKBIG partners invite you to sign up during the month of September to host a conversation with community members the week of Oct. 17 to help Claire and her family break the cycle of poverty.
Stark Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Stark County invite you to sign up and host an in-person or virtual conversation with 6 – 10 people in the community concerning how to create solutions for Claire, a single mother living in Canton.
THINKBIG is a community conversation-based concept with small-group discussions led by local facilitators. 2021 marks THINKBIG’s third year in Stark County. Oct. 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the first day of THINKBIG’s weeklong community conversations.
This year’s THINKBIG messaging centers on how to reduce poverty at the neighborhood level. More specifically, participants will use the real-life story of Claire, a single, low-income mother, to discuss the community resources Claire and her family can benefit from and brainstorm solutions to help them escape poverty. Claire is an African American single female in her forties with three children. She lives in Canton and works as a local bank teller. More information about her family, housing, employment, medical, transportation and mental health can be found on thinkbigstark.com.
When you sign up to be a host and/or facilitator, you will:
- Register the date and time of your conversation (Oct. 17 – 23)
- Choose an in-person or virtual platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, etc.) to hold your conversation
- Invite 6-10 people to participate
- Designate the facilitator (who will sign up for virtual training on Sept. 15 at 9 a.m.)
- When the conversation is done – encourage the participants to complete a survey.
Be a part of THINKBIG by signing up to host and/or facilitate Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 at thinkbigstark.com
Once facilitators create the conversation location, dates and times, residents will be able to sign-up to participate and brainstorm real solutions to help Claire and her family escape poverty. Sign-ups for participants will be Oct. 1 to Oct. 14 at thinkbigstark.com . The weeklong event for THINKBIG will be Oct. 17 – 23.
About THINKBIG
THINKBIG is a county-wide community conversation where residents come together in small groups to brainstorm solutions to community needs while celebrating the good in Stark County. Anyone who lives, works, learns and plays in Stark County is encouraged to participate. Stark Community Foundation launched THINKBIG in 2019 to give residents a platform to share their ideas, thoughts and opinions on how we can strengthen our community together. The concept of organized community-wide conversations started with the Chicago Community Trust in 2014 with its annual event, On the Table. Since then, this initiative has been replicated in countless communities, most often spearheaded by community foundations.
About United Way of Greater Stark County
For nearly 100 years, United Way of Greater Stark County has served Stark and Carroll Counties. During that time, we have continued to build a better, equitable community where every person has the potential for a healthier life, a better education and more financial stability. We look to the future through our investment priorities, which ensure our community will have the foundation it needs to thrive: Access to Health, Childhood Success, Youth Success, Economic Mobility and Basic Housing Needs. With the support of volunteers, community partners and donors, we invest donor dollars efficiently and effectively into local community programs serving the most critical needs. Learn more at uwstark.org .
About Stark Community Foundation
Stark Community Foundation is the community’s trusted partner in giving to nearly 850 individuals, families, businesses and organizations that have created charitable funds to impact the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. Ranked in the top 10 percent of community foundations in the United States today, Stark Community Foundation is committed to serving donor needs and strategically addressing local issues. The Foundation and its family of donors have granted more than $200 million to nonprofits since 1963. Learn how you can simplify your giving and amplify your impact through our Center for Partners in Philanthropy at www.starkcf.org.