Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky received the “Good Story, Told Well” Award at the 2014 Fast Pitch competition hosted by the Cincinnati chapter of Social Venture Partners. The award included a monetary donation of $1,500.00 sponsored by the Cincinnati-based organization Charitable Words.
CHNK was one of eight nonprofits in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area selected to participate in the inaugural eventon Wednesday evening, which borrows from the “fast pitch” competitions often see in the start-up community and on television reality shows like Shark Tank. CHNK’s Chief Executive Officer Rick Wurth represented the Home in the competition.
“Having just three minutes to ‘pitch’ the story of our Home – which has been in existence since 1882 and has had thousands ofchildren walk through its doors – was challenging,” says Wurth. “There is so much that could have been shared… our history is rich with stories of compassion and success; stories of hearts and lives being changed for the better.”
Wurth chose to share the story of a recent CHNK resident who, upon arriving at the Home and being given a new pair of shoes, handed over his old ones and shared, “I was hurt in those shoes.”
“So many people struggle to understand that CHNK provides actual clinical and treatment services,” explains Wurth. “My goal during the competition was to share how we don’t just give kids new shoes… we give them a new path. My entire team is united in the common belief that the bad things that happen in life will not have the last word.”
Approximately 200 people attended the event, which was held at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and featured a keynote presentation by the founders of the Tom + Chee restaurant franchise.
The prize money will help CHNK bridge the gap between what it receives from the state of Kentucky for its residential and community-based programs and what the true cost is for the therapeutic care offered by CHNK’s team of 65 employees.
From the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky
Photo: Rick Wurth/provided
