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We’re excited to announce that we have added two new board members to our team, Dewitt Harrell and Rebeccah Dolbow!

Dewitt Harrell is the Chief Administrative / Chief Financial Officer at PrimaryOne Health, the second largest federally qualified healthcare centers in Ohio. He is responsible for Finance, Accounting, Budgeting, Grants, Procurement, Human Resources, Billing, Information Technology, Compliance, Facilities, 340B Pharmacy and Managed Care functions

He is actively involved in the community and serves on several boards: Gahanna Jefferson Education Foundation, Workforce Development Board formerly Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation /OhioMeansJobs – Past Chair, and the City of Gahanna Tax Appeal Board.

Dewitt’s Why: “To volunteer time and expertise for a very worthy cause of saving lives; to provide advisory support to help provide high quality services to the most vulnerable in our communities; to share board level experiences to support the chief executive and administrative team to be successful.”

Rebeccah Dolbow currently works at BORROR Resources as the Director of Human Resources. There she leads as a trusted HR advisor and partner to understand employee needs, customizes approaches and implements solutions that drive business objectives and employee retention, with proven success during a world health pandemic. 

Rebeccah’s Why: “I am honored to join the Breathing Association Board of Directors because the work that this organization is completing to better the breathing health of the communities we serve is inspirational and quite personal to me. Having experienced significant issues with my respiratory system, I recognize how imperative it is to diagnose and treat pulmonary issues quickly. Being able to give back to the community in this capacity would be truly impactful.”

Learn a little more about The Breathing Association on pages 26-27 of the 2022 issue.

Click the link below to access the digital Guide.

Take a look at our 2021 celebration video.

We’re grateful for another amazing year with our community.
We’re looking forward to all the amazing things to come in 2022!

Danni served as a longtime Board member, a leader, and mentor for the Breathing Association. It is with great honor that The Breathing Association can dedicate her at our Lung Health Clinic, a facility that was near and dear to her heart. The free Lung Health Clinic provides caring medical and nursing services from a skilled professional staff. For more information on the Lung Health Clinic, click here.

The Danni Palmore dedication ceremony will be held at Franklin County Public Health 280 E Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021 5:00 PM.

Danni was passionate about the Breathing Association’s mission and the Lung Health Clinic. If you’d like to make a donation in honor of Danni Palmore, please click on the Donate page up top, or click here.

Heating Assistance Available

The Ohio Department of Development and The Breathing Association want to remind Ohioans that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps Ohioans at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills. Ohioans who are threatened with disconnection, have been disconnected from their utility service, transferring services, establishing new services, at or below 25% fuel, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 12 months, may also be eligible for the HEAP Winter Crisis Program, which starts on November 1, 2021.

Ohioans can visit energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply online, download a copy of the application, or find contact information for The Breathing Association. You may contact The Breathing Association directly at 614-457-2997 Individuals will need to have copies of the following documents to include with their application:

• Most recent utility bills
• A list of all household members (including birth dates and Social Security numbers)
• Proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members (12 months for certain income types)
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members
• Proof of disability (if applicable)

HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after January 1st. If you need immediate assistance with your energy bills, please contact your local Energy Assistance Provider. A list of providers can be found at energyhelp.ohio.gov.

Applications for the HEAP Winter Crisis program must be received by March 31, 2022. The last day to apply for the regular HEAP benefit is May 31, 2022. For more information on the programs, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov or call your local Energy Assistance Provider.

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Office of Communications & Marketing • 77 South High Street • Columbus, Ohio 43215 • U.S.A. • 614 | 466-2609
The State of Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider of ADA.

Tuesday, November 30^th

Join us for this year’s Global Day of Giving! This annual day of generosity started with a simple idea: a day to encourage people to do good. Since 2012, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

The Breathing Associations vision has always been to help people breathe easier, one person at a time, through education, detection, care, and treatment.

We fulfill our mission in our Lung Health Clinic, Home Energy Assistance program and home outreach programs by:

• Providing exemplary results-oriented services to people who are suffering from lung and breathing disorders.
• Partnering with health care professionals, businesses, donors and community leaders to educate the community about the devastating impacts of lung disease and to support Breathing Association programs.
• Forecasting long-term community lung health needs.
• Advocating for positive community wide approaches to improving lung health.
• Creating and providing population-specific education and treatment services.
• Maximizing the health and quality of life for medically vulnerable and energy insecure residents in our county.
• Aiding central-Ohio residents with their energy needs during the blustery cold and sweltering hot seasons.

In order fulfill our vision of better breathing for better lives, we need your help!

You can participate in Giving Tuesday in more ways than one. Make a donation today with our Donate tab at the top in a information-safe web portal, or share our content and spread awareness of The Breathing Association resources and their pursuit to help people breathe easier.

Facebook @TheBreathingAssociation

Instagram @TheBreathingAssociation

Did you know?

After quitting…

• 2 Weeks to 3 Months: risk of heart attack begins to drop, and lung function begins to improve.
• 1 to 9 Months: coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
• 1 Year: heart attack risk drops sharply.
• 2 to 5 Years: stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker’s.
• 5 Years: risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder is cut in half.
• 10 Years: risk of dying from lung cancer is about half of a smoker’s, and risk of cancer of the kidney and pancreas decreases.
• 15 Years: risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a non-smoker’s.

You Don’t have to quit in one day. Start with day one.

The Breathing Association is proud to participate in The Great American Smokeout. This day is sponsored by the American Cancer Society to help you find the resources and support to stop smoking – the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world.

The Breathing Association will be at their Lung Health Clinic for The Great American Smokeout from 8am to 4 pm offering Smoking Cessation treatment services.

Our walk-in Lung Health Clinic is open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 4pm located at 788 Mount Vernon Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43203. You can also reach us at our hotline number 614-437-1540. Telehealth option available.

Propelling Non-Profit Organizations Through Her Visionary Lens!

Upon meeting Lori Sontag, President & CEO of The Breathing Association, you will immediately feel at ease as you sense her genuine and authentic demeanor. She began her new role as President and CEO effective September 1, 2021, after the retirement of Joanne Spoth, former President and CEO, who had a long successful history with the organization.

Lori is a pillar in the Non-Profit Community, as she has served in the space for over thirty years. “My passion is serving those who are part of a vulnerable population.” Throughout Lori’s impressive Non-Profit career with organizations such as I Am Boundless, National Church Residences, United Church Homes and 2 Central Ohio Hospital Systems, she relies on her visionary talent to plan, organize, and strategize. She is driven to build teams and to propel growth while assuring mission sustainability.

Throughout her roles as V.P. of Business Development, CFO, Executive Director, Director of Finance, and Director of Treasury Services, not only was she responsible for day to day financial and treasury oversight, development, information technology & data analytics, risk management and compliance, but also led numerous major properties, business start-up, acquisition, and healthcare initiatives, throughout her career. Additionally, she was the one to strategize and solve the ongoing challenge of “How do we pay for this and assure organizational excellence and sustainability?”

Business acumen, acute listening skills, effective communication skills, open board relations and a keen knowledge of funding resources, such as financing, philanthropic strategies, and grant funding, are components which contribute to her success. “Knowing that I have impacted and mentored others, while developing structure and a master plan to bring sustainability and innovation together, are the accomplishments of which I am most proud.” Lori maintains a pulse on emerging ideas, initiatives, and available resources.  “I rely on the expertise of partners, a driven team, clear communication, collaboration, and measurable outcomes. It is a beautiful thing when all of this comes together!”

Lori Sontag is a connector of people and talent with a common vision. “I am excited to embrace each day, welcome new ideas and participate in meaningful conversations, which effect and bring value to the population we serve. As I identify and absorb the needs of the community, I am transformed by this purpose, and it becomes a part of who I am.”

Lori Sontag, President & CEO.
740.803.1959
Lori.Sontag@BreathingAssociation.org
#breatheeasycbus

Lung Health Center Dedication Open House POSTPONED Until Further Notice!

As much as we looked forward to opening our doors and sharing our wonderful new Danni Palmore Lung Health Center to the community, the latest surge of the COVID-19 pandemic has obligated us to postpone our public Open House on September 21^st.

We long to share with you the celebration of the retirement of our faithful CEO, Joanne Spoth, as well as the welcoming in our new CEO, Lori Sontag, but need to do so when it is safe for all to attend and not be compromised.  As a healthcare organization, it is our responsibility to act as a leader and help put a stop to the spread of the virus.

We look forward to the day when we can celebrate with our community of donors, volunteers and supporters in the near future.