Monthly News for Our Donors & Partners
May 2026
Duke Energy Foundation Workforce Development Grant
We are pleased to announce that The Chatfield Edge received a $15,000 Workforce Development grant from The Duke Energy Foundation to support its Learn to Live program.
Research consistently shows that for non-traditional students, a single flat tire or a missed week of childcare can be the difference between a college degree and a permanent stop.
The grant allows The Chatfield Edge to provide scholars with direct assistance for:
- Basic Needs: Groceries and emergency food support.
- Transportation: Car repairs, gas cards, and public transit assistance.
- Family Support: Help with rising childcare costs.
- Technology & Tools: Laptops, reliable internet access, and required textbooks.
We are grateful for The Duke Energy Foundation’s support of our mission to ensure that a temporary setback doesn’t become a permanent barrier to success for our scholars.
Scholar Spotlight: Porche O’Neil
Like many of our scholars, Porche’s educational journey has been interrupted by complications along the way. After graduating with honors from Woodward High School, she attended Wright State University to pursue a nursing degree. It didn’t take long for her to realize she didn’t have the finances, transportation, or focus to stick with it, and she reluctantly dropped out.
She began to work in retail and eventually earned an associate degree in social work from Cincinnati State. While this credential enabled her to teach pre-kindergarten at a charter school, her dream of becoming a nurse kept resurfacing. Her determination to pursue her passion while raising two children on a tight budget led her to The Chatfield Edge.
Now, just months from graduation, Portia is grateful for the support she is receiving from The Chatfield Edge. “I’m happy. I’m definitely headed in the right direction. My kids and I have a nice apartment, and I’m able to manage the bills. I’m so grateful to The Chatfield Edge for their support in helping to make this happen.”
A Grand Celebration of Our Scholars
Our third annual “Celebrating Our Scholar Brunch and Recognition” was truly inspirational. More than 150 scholars, mentors, donors, community partners, and staff came together on April 11 at Ursuline Academy to celebrate the accomplishments of students pursuing trade school certifications and academic college degrees.
Our three student speakers – Kiante Williams, Tina Roberts-Ballard, and Nicole Nantz – reminded us that educational guidance and financial support help students succeed, especially when they face barriers. Kelly Watson, one of our mentors, focused on the valuable role that mentors play in the unique educational journeys of first-generation and non-traditional students.
We are grateful to our sponsors and donors for their support, which enables The Chatfield Edge to fulfill its mission and significantly impact the lives of our scholars.
Annual Appeal
Since The Chatfield Edge began in 2023, we have helped nearly 150 first-generation and non-traditional adult learners continue their educational journey, even when unexpected challenges arose. We have offered guidance in selecting a program or school, ongoing mentoring, and financial support.
As we approach the end of our fiscal year on June 30, we are feeling both the impact of our growth and the weight of increasing need. This year alone, we awarded more than $125,000 beyond our student financial aid budget to ensure our current scholars could keep going.
Because of this growth, we have temporarily paused accepting new scholars because we don’t have the annual funding to commit to them. That is not a position we want to be in and with your help, it doesn’t have to be.
Please consider making a gift today to our Annual Fund. Together, we can continue to help scholars pursue the education they need to move into careers that ultimately make our community stronger.
