Help protect those who protected us on Veterans Day.
Join WCPO 9 and People Working Cooperatively (PWC) for the annual "Ramp It Up For Veterans" live telethon Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 4-8 p.m. This is the fourth year for the joint effort with WCPO 9. The money funds badly needed repairs and improvements that help veterans stay in their own homes.
All donations, no matter the size, are critical to help PWC meet the growing number of veterans in need across the region. During the telethon, news cut-ins and information will air on WCPO 9 prompting donations to this website, www.pwchomerepairs.org/veterans, and this phone number, (513) 482-5111. Due to the pandemic, the location of the telethon has moved to PWC’s offices, where six veterans representing different branches of the U.S. military will answer phones and accept live donations.
The first "Ramp It Up for Veterans" campaign launched in 2012. Since that time, more than 4,500 households of veterans or their surviving spouses or children have been assisted. During the pandemic, PWC has seen a 148% increase in requests for services and currently has 376 veterans on a waiting list.
Additionally, the fastest growing demographic of veterans are those 65 years and older, a population of 62,329 – 46% of all veterans in our community. Of the Tri-State’s veteran population, 8,917 are currently living below the poverty level, 4,051 of whom live in Hamilton County.
“People often forget the last year of the U.S. draft was 1973, meaning a majority of the veterans in our area served in Korea and Vietnam,” said Ron Henlein, PWC’s director of corporate and community partnerships. “These veterans didn’t put our country on hold when called to serve, so they shouldn’t be on a waiting list as they are now facing physical or mobility challenges due to factors such as aging, disability, income or unemployment. The ‘Ramp It Up For Veterans’ campaign allows us to give back and serve those who helped protect our freedoms.”
People Working Cooperatively serves low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners in 18 counties of Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Indiana.
WCPO 9 Anchor Craig McKee, also a veteran, helped lead this effort and others for People Working Cooperatively.
2020 "Ramp It Up For Veterans" sponsors are WCPO 9, The Scripps Howard Foundation and AARP Cincinnati.
