HISTORY

OneCity began in 2004 with a vision to improve the lives of the people of Cincinnati by facilitating collaboration between local churches and social service agencies across key segments to better address the city's core issues. Most agencies and nonprofits, though well-intended, operate independently, thereby reducing their impact and yielding low scale. The goal of changing lives is typically compromised by the duplication of effort and resources.

One local pastor with a 20-year career in business, consulting and ministry, envisioned a more collective approach toward improving the lives of Cincinnatians. To this end, in early 2004, Mark Stecher, then an Associate Pastor at a large Northern Cincinnati church, began to research organizational models across the country which emphasized city-wide collaboration, resource optimization, and shared best-practice strategies. He discovered Leadership Foundations of America, an organization now represented in over 70 cities around the globe, which had been measurably successful in helping social service agencies pool resources and improve the scope and impact of their efforts.

Focusing initially in two key areas of opportunity in Cincinnati, poverty and education, Mark shared his vision with several local churches who pledged financial, volunteer and spiritual support. Soon with great anticipation and momentum, a Board of Directors was formed, and in 2004, OneCity was born!

During the seven-plus years since its inception, OneCity has launched a dozen initiatives, partnered with multiple social service agencies, engaged over 200 churches and mobilized literally thousands of volunteers to help improve lives and our city! And the impact of OneCity's efforts has been far-reaching -- yielding measurable success in such areas as literacy and self-sufficiency and facilitating personal growth and healthier living for the people of our area.