Northwest Ohio has reached double digits for unemployment rate.  In terms of economic development, one main concern for the Defiance Community is focus on ways in which the community can be a "safety net" for those that are newly unemployed.   Collaboration efforts between the college and the community in this issues is relatively new, however one that has become a priority and vision for the college.

Types of Service   short-term  |  ongoing school year  |  summer

First Year Service Day (fall)-this day is designed to allow first-year students to engage in service projects within the community.  Last year we partnered with the  Defiance Development and Visitors Bureau (DDVB) to have students work with local businesses in the downtown area on various projects.  This was a HUGE success and allowed students to begin to see what the downtown community had to offer or even what it did not have to offer them.  First step in building "town-gown" relations with our first year students.

Annual Rib Fest (fall)-this was the second year for the downtown Rib Fest and this year the DDVB utilized Defiance College students to help in a variety of ways.  Once again the emphasis was to get students to the downtown area to allow them to feel part of the community and also learn more about Defiance.  This was another success and remains a one-time service project for all students at the college

Main Street Grant Program-the DDVB recieved a grant titled "main street programs" to provide support to downtown merchants and programming.  This has resulted in Rib Fest, Fireworks, Dickinson Christmas, and the Halloween Parade.  Defiance College has representation on this planning committee and continues to look for ways in which students and the college can partner with other events.  Currently college student volunteer at or attend these events.

The 2008 DC Homecoming included collabortaion with the mainstreet program.  A street fair was held on campus as part of the homecoming festivities.  Local vendors supplied foods, merchandise, and other fun things to help celebrate and promote DC.  In addition, DC students spent one day decorating downtown in purple and gold to support the athletic teams.

Future Planning includes a Welcome Week in which the downtown merchants would promote discounts, free-bees, etc for the DC students at the start of the acdemic year.  There is intentional planning to bring the downtown and the college closer together in all aspects of development.

Academic Work   courses  |  service-learning  |  CBR and policy research   |  departments and institutes

AC 340 Federal Taxation I

AC 440 Federal Taxation II

These course work with AARP to prepare taxes for the community

AC 360-Governmental and Non-Profit Accounting

These students are working with community partners and training in the Ohio Benefits Bank

BA 490 Strategic Planning

Students work to develop strategic plans for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Economic Development, Volunteer Connection of NW Ohio

The Ohio Benefits Bank (OBB) is a web-based computer program to connect low and moderate-low income Ohioans with access to work supports suich as tax credits and public benefits.  Students and community partners are trained as OBB counselors and provide clinics for people to utilize.  Faculty have recently incorporated this into their courses such as accounting, and next year the social work courses are making it a part of thier classes.

Education & Training   forums  |  workshops  |  reflection activities

Regional Port Authority of Northwest Ohio-held its first meeting on campus.  This consists of four counties (Defiance, Paulding, Fulton, Henry) working together to explore wyas to retain current businesses and look for possabilities of new businesses.  This planning meeting was open to all students, faculty, and community members.

Ohio Benefits Bank (OBB) Traning for students, faculty, and community partners.  The Benefit Bank trains conselors to assit families and individuals in accessing benefits they are eligible for.  To become a counselor, you have to attend a traning which helps to conect you with low-income famailes and individuals in the community.  Old systmes required people to go to 10 different organizations to apply for all the aid they may or may not be eligiable for.  With OBB, people can make appointments with counselors and sit down and figure out exactly what they are eliglible for, and submit all their applications at one time from one place.  Defiance College is now a traning site for new counselors as well as provides clinics for famailes and individulas to use the OBB.

http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Eefault.aspx

Campus and Organizational Capacity-Building   training  |  fundraising  |  resource development

Research, Policy Analysis, Deliberative Democracy   evaluations  |  policy research  | issue forums  |  advocacy

Contacts   staff  |  faculty  |  students  |  community partners (local, regional, national)

Downtown Development and Visitors Bureau

Cindy Mack-Director

Janet Hitchcock-Main Street Program Coordinator

419-782-0739  janet@visitdefianceohio.com