The Central Ohio Parent Leadership Training Institute (COPLTI) has been active this summer, connecting with the community through various events to support families and foster engagement.

Our biweekly food distributions continue to provide vital support to families on both the east and west sides of Columbus. In our most recent distribution, we served over 70 families impacted by the nation’s inflation, offering them fresh produce and essential goods. We are grateful for the ongoing support of volunteers who help make this possible by unloading boxes from the Mid-Ohio Food Bank and preparing distribution bags. These efforts are crucial in ensuring that our community members have access to the resources they need.

We also hosted our first annual Alumni Picnic, which, despite the threat of rain, was a resounding success. Moving the event indoors allowed us to enjoy quality time catching up with our alumni, many of whom have secured new jobs, returned to school, or continued working on their community projects. Alumni from Spanish cohorts 1 and 2 and English cohort 5 attended, sharing a delicious lunch, fellowship, and back-to-school bookbags, along with a generous bag of produce for everyone to take home. It was a rewarding day filled with success stories, and we look forward to continuing our regular alumni meetings.

Additionally, COPLTI was honored to participate in the “Chase Meet Your Community” event. This event provided a fantastic platform for us to connect with Chase employees, share our mission, and build meaningful relationships. Many staff members showed interest in mentoring our upcoming cohort, and some even expressed a desire to join. We are deeply grateful to Chase for this opportunity and extend our thanks to Elisha Gregory for organizing the event and to Martha Espinoza, VP of Home Lending, for being our greatest cheerleader.

These events reflect COPLTI’s commitment to being a positive force in Central Ohio communities, and we look forward to continuing our work throughout the year.