MONCLOVA TOWNSHIP – The community is bridging the gap for students in need, including in Monclova Township, Anthony Wayne Neighborhood Bridges’ Co-Director Anne Stevens told the audience attending the June 1 Monclova Township trustees’ meeting.
Launched in 2023, the nonprofit, led by Stevens and Amy Barrett, receives support from a steering committee that includes representatives from every AW community – including Kathleen Kuns, the township’s administrative assistant.
Last year, Bridges filled 160 needs for students – everything from coats, shoes and band uniforms to a water heater, furnace, and restarting utilities, Stevens said. And this is all provided by community members who donate.
“We’re trying to level the playing field for kids, so they can gain an education without battling insecurities,” she said, explaining that students are unable to focus at school, for example, if they’re not sleeping well due to lack of a bed or other necessities.
Teachers, counselors, clergy and the school resource officer report perceived needs to District Social Worker Rebekah Hrcka, who then verifies that those needs are real. Hrcka sees if any agencies can help first, then contacts Barrett and Stevens to seek support from the community.
“I know we don’t think there are needs in the Anthony Wayne district, but the needs are amazing,” Stevens said. “When Amy and I started this, we thought we’d be getting coats and boots. At this point, we have gotten hot water heaters and furnaces, paid for [preventing] eviction, restarted utilities and repaired a mobile home that had no floor.”
Those needs are shared with Neighborhood Bridge’s 735 local subscribers, who are notified with one email, sent at 10:02 a.m. Often those needs are met by donors within hours of the email, Stevens said. Directions on how to donate anonymously are shared through the email.
“This is all done confidentially. No one knows who these people are,” Stevens said. “We’ve dealt with helping when utility bills are in the thousands and they don’t have water. We work with the utilities to get the amounts down. Neighborhood Bridges is an emergency relief, not something that will pay the rent every month.
“This has grown so much. It’s been such a blessing to be able to work with Neighborhood Bridges,” she said. “Our mission is to bridge the gap with the community and schools.”
Neighborhood Bridges also has a weekend food bag program in which volunteers get together weekly to pack snacks and other basic food for students to have when they’re not at school receiving a breakfast or lunch. Last December, the group also served 140 students with needed items on a wish list, such as clothing, for a special holiday drive. Recently, Neighborhood Bridges opened General’s Place at Waterville Community Church, which offers cleaning supplies, toiletries and other items not typically available from a food pantry.
AW Neighborhood Bridges receives support from throughout the community, who host collection drives and make donations.
“The AW district is taking care of its people,” she said.
For information, visit neighborhoodbridges.org.
During the meeting, the trustees also:
-Heard an update from Administrator Michael Hampton on the roundabout at Albon and Monclova roads. After the meeting, he learned that construction is delayed until Monday, June 15.
-Approved a $1,200 a month maintenance agreement with TrioTech to provide services ranging from emails to cybersecurity to replacing hardware.
-Approved to upgrade the technology in the public meeting room by hiring TrioTech for $3,172 and Design Entertainment at $11,935.93 to upgrade the system.
-Approved the purchase of a 2026 Horton ambulance for $402,852 to replace Medic 93.
-Heard that the Lucas County Engineer is in favor of holding informational meetings at the township hall to answer questions about the ditch petition process.
-Thanked road superintendent and maintenance supervisor Doug Holland for quickly getting someone on scene to handle a grinder pump failure that resulted in a sanitary sewer backup in the fire department bays.
-Set a public hearing for Monday, June 15 at 5:30 p.m. to hear comments about four proposed zoning text amendments that were reviewed May 26 by the township zoning commission – and the Lucas County Planning Commission in the weeks prior. Resident John Langevin expressed concern that the Ohio Revised Code was violated in the timing of those meetings, and provided documentation for the trustees and law director to review.
-Approved increasing the pay for Ryan Grant, the fire prevention officer, by 3 percent.
-Offered the position of assistant fiscal officer to Claire Evans, who has a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Cincinnati, for $50,000 a year.
