Union’s Cincinnati Center Partners with Tom Geiger House

In the true spirit of helping their neighbors, employees at Union Institute & University’s Cincinnati academic center have been organizing generous donations of items for the Tom Geiger Guest House. The program is part of the community service project Union Has Heart, which aligns with the university’s mission and vision.

Tom Geiger House helps the homeless and those in transition, serving mostly mothers with small children. They come seeking relief from poverty, neglect and abuse, and to build a brighter future by completing their education or job training. Geiger House is truly a neighbor, located within a mile of Union Institute & University’s Walnut Hills-area headquarters. The Union has Heart donations will be used in Geiger House welcome bags, including products such as toilet paper, garbage bags, soap, tissues, paper towels, dish soap, bleach, cleaning supplies, bedding, and gift cards.

Sophie Stanford, a transcript specialist in Union’s registrar’s office, helped organize the partnership with Tom Geiger Guest House. She notes “Geiger House families are moving into apartments, they are on the path to self-sufficiency and they need basic necessities. While Tom Geiger House provides resources and support, Union’s donations will go a long way to create a positive effect, improving lives and thereby, communities.”

A large box has been set up in the Cincinnati academic center lobby for staff and faculty to easily and conveniently donate items needed by Geiger House residents.  Each month a different category of product has been collected. Since the beginning of February, the Union has Heart campaign has amassed stacks of soap, paper products and personal care items that have gone directly to the Geiger House. 

“We truly appreciate Union Institute & University taking on this special project for the benefit of the people we serve in this facility. They are indeed a great community partner for us,” said Rob Festenstein, Individual Giving Coordinator with Talbert House, which operates Tom Geiger House.

“In order to truly engage, enlighten and empower, we must each reach out where we can to be a beacon of hope and help. We are empowering people in a small way to improve their lives,” adds Stanford. “I believe that organizations such as Tom Geiger House are some of the true gems in any community. They are a beam of light when things seem so bleak for some. This is why I am so very happy that we, as an academic center, can extend a helping hand to them. The work that they do is invaluable.”

Learn more about how Tom Geiger Guest House serves the Cincinnati community.

Read Soapbox Cincinnati’s coverage of this story: UIU Employees Team Up to Support Women in Transition.