How Middletown’s community-building group is expanding help for families

“When families thrive, communities thrive,” she said.

Maney told Middletown City Council that CBI will be offering its assistance with diapers, wipes, formula and more in its early education initiative.

Maney said the center, which is located at CBI’s headquarters at the Robert “Sonny” Hill Jr. Community Center, 800 Lafayette Ave., already serves between 100 to 125 children that are connected to the early childhood program. The city contracts with CBI to operate the community center and last year provided about $100,000, or about 8 percent of the organization’s annual budget, through the federal Community Development Block Grant program.

She said the new Parent Resource Center On-The-Go! services are available at the Community of Christ Church near the Middletonia Apartments and at Berachah Church near the Lefferson Park Apartments

After building clientele at the new locations, Maney said the focus will be on building early educational programs there.

In addition to the Parent Resource Center, CBI also works toward infant mortality prevention, operates the RISE after-school programs and summer camps at Rosa Parks and Amanda elementary schools and at the Futures Center at Middletown High School, runs after-school and evening programs at the community center for elementary and high school youth and offers community service classes for youth ages 14 to 18.

“There are a lot of kids at the center from 3:30 to 8 p.m.,” she said.

Maney said the 2019 “Together We Can Back to School Fair” distributed more than 750 backpacks with the help of more than 60 volunteers and 30 community partners.

Last year, CBI opened an employment center to help adults find job opportunities, work on resumes as well as GED and ESOL classes.

Maney said since the new employment center opened last year, 61 adults utilized those services which led to 10 people finding employment. In addition, Butler County Jobs and Family Services has brought its representatives to the center.

Dan Allnutt, CBI board chair, thanked council for its past support, adding the organization is not just a community center because the organization is doing a lot of things.

“We directly help people,” Allnutt said. “CBI does so much good work for Middletown.

In 2018-2019, CBI’s income was more than $1.2 million, including $837,037 from grants, $189,865 in contributions, $100,000 from the city of Middletown, $60,000 from the federal CDBG funding and $19,593 from programs.

Expenses totaled more than $1.15 million.

The city will continue to fund CBI with $100,000 this year.

Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center

2019 by the numbers