Now that the campaign has closed, I would like to thank you for your donation supporting the Pay It Forward project.  You helped us not only meet but exceed our $2,300 goal. Amazing!

Thanks to your donation, we will be able to sustain the Pay It Forward project through the 2025 school year.  This means another class of students will get to experience the benefits and responsibility tied to philanthropy, and Marion community organizations will have the opportunity to apply for much-needed grant funding.

This semester, nine local non-profit organizations applied for our $4,000 grant money.  Due to having limited funds, students had to make a first cut and narrow down the field to only three finalists.  At this point in time, students have visited each finalist organization's site in person and learned from the people on the ground what they do and how they help the community.

After reading through the students' site visit reflection journals, they have commented how visiting each organization and hearing the stories of how people's lives have been positively impacted has made trying to decide which organization should get how much and why even more difficult.  They feel the gravity of making a responsible funding decision.  Many students' journals exceed the one-page minimum as they try to express the impact of what they've learned and how much of a challenge this process truly is.

As an educator, I can say that this is the kind of learning that has more impact than simply a grade for a course, lasts longer than one semester, and helps build the characteristics of an engaged citizen.  Building engaged citizens is one of the learning outcome goals outlined by The Ohio State University's general education requirements.

Your donation is paying it forward, and the impact it will have is priceless!

I am truly grateful for your support.

Amy Tibbals, Senior Lecturer in the department of English

The Ohio State University at Marion

WE DID IT! WE REACHED AND EXCEEDED OUR GOAL!!! WOOHOO!!!

Thanks to your donation and a donation from the United Way of North Central Ohio, two and a half classes are now funded!

The United Way of North Central Ohio, our Pay It Forward community partner gave us a $5,000 to provide funding for another Pay It Forward course.

Where will your donation go?

Amber Wertman, the Executive Director at United Way of North Central Ohio says, "It's 100% local. Every dollar that comes in, we track in our office. It stays local to help the most people in Marion and to help our staff make connections on where the donations should go specifically." Listen to our interview with her. 

We are thrilled to share the incredible impact of United Way of North Central Ohio's generous $5,000 donation. United Way's commitment to our community is evident through their ongoing efforts, and we are honored to highlight some of the significant outcomes made possible by their support.

1.Education initiatives: through the Pay it Forward Campaign, we've been able to channel funds into educational programs aimed at empowering Marion's youth.

2. Community development: United Way's dedication to Marion's prosperity is exemplified in the various community development projects that have flourished with their support.

3. Health and Wellness Programs: The wellbeing of Marion's residents has been a priority, thanks to United Way's involvement.

4. Social Services Support: United Way's donation has allowed us to extend a helping hand to those in need through various service programs.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the United Way of North Central Ohio for their unwavering commitment to creating positive change. Their generosity has not only fueled our campaign to provide OSUM students with this unique service-learning experience but is also a driving force in making Marion a better place for everyone.

We had the opportunity to interview Ohio State Marion 2023 graduate, Morgan Murphy, about her experiences during her time participating in the Pay it Forward project. Below we share some of Morgan's insights on the Pay it Forward campaign from a Buckeye's perspective.

We are getting closer to our finish line! We have about two weeks left and are only 30% away from attaining our goal. It is important to never slow down, especially when the opportunity to give back is still available. An upcoming event to sustain the funding of the Pay It Forward project occurs this Thursday, February 22nd, where we will be having our very special community partner, The United Way of North Central Ohio, matching our donations for a positive impact. 

Your contribution will always matter and have a positive effect in the lives of others.

We are halfway through the month of February and our campaign! We are getting close to our goal! Don't miss this opportunity to give back to the Marion community and support Ohio State students. Every donation matters and greatly impacts your community.

What better way to show your Buckeye Love than to donate to support the Pay It Forward project.  Every dollar supports this unique service-learning experience for students while making a positive impact in the local community.  Show your heart for OSU students and for those in need in the local community by giving today.

Hey Again Buckeyes!

Our Pay It Forward project has already hit 58% in 9 days. We would like to thank all of you for your support with hitting our goal. At this rate, we can not only surpass our goal, but break previous years' records.  

The Pay it Forward project has helped many organizations in the past. Some of these include the Heart of Ohio Homeless Shelter, Boys and Girls Club, and Marion Mentors. This project has helped so many people throughout the years, and we don’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Past Pay It Forward students have the privilege of seeing the grant process all the way through to our Celebration award event, where students get to award the big checks to local non-profits. 

As you all know, our goal is currently set at $2,300, and March 4^th  will be approaching before you know it.  We would like to remind you that all donations are tax deductible. 

If you have already donated, please help us help the community by spreading the word about this campaign, and if you have not given yet, please donate today.

Hello Buckeyes! 

We are thrilled to announce that Pay It Forward is back to help the Marion community again! We are seeking to raise enough to fund another semester’s Pay It Forward Project.

What is Pay It Forward?

For those who don’t know, Pay It Forward provides service-learning opportunities for Ohio State Marion students. Here are some of the things that your donation can provide:

• Students in two courses the opportunity to learn through giving back to the community
• Assistance in certain areas of our community
• Grants to non-profit organizations in the Marion community

How Has Pay It Forward Impacted Student Life?

In the past, this campaign has helped a variety of organizations within Marion. In fact, last spring $1,150 went to the Buckeye Food Alliance, an organization here on the Marion campus. Here is how the Buckeye Food Alliance helps benefit student life:

• The Buckeye Food Alliance uses Friendly Fridges and food pantries to provide free, healthy food for students at OSU Marion.
• A survey taken at OSUM found that 26.7% of students on our campus have struggled with food insecurity at some point during their college experience.

Another organization that this campaign has supported in the past is the Marion Mentors program which was granted $1,150 last spring to provide supplies to mentorship partners in the Marion City Schools. This program provided children who were deemed “at risk” with a positive role model mentor. Our campus has a partnership with Marion Mentors called PALS where OSUM students can earn one credit for being a mentor to a youth in Marion.

Our Goal For 2024 Pay It Forward

We have set a goal of $2,300 by the end of this fundraiser. The clock is winding down and the deadline is approaching. The deadline for donations is March 4th and is tax-deductible.