United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley cuts ribbon on Synergy Center

The following article first appeared in The Parkersburg News & Sentinel on February 18th, 2023.

The United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley on Friday cut the ribbon on its new Synergy Center, providing shared space for a variety of nonprofits at a local church.

The process started about a year ago when the Rev. Shauna Hyde contacted United Way Executive Director Stacy DeCicco about available room at Christ United Methodist Church on 16th Street in Parkersburg.

Members of the congregation indicated they wanted it to be put to use, and Hyde had seen a documentary about churches in Texas sharing space in the community.

DeCicco knew there were nonprofits who needed space, but not necessarily a large area and maybe not even every day.

“We’re trying to just do whatever we could to support our nonprofit partners,” she said. “The tenants have filled in quickly because there’s been great interest in it.”

The United Way has Americorps member James Martin based at the church five days a week to oversee the space, answer 211 inquiries and assist with programs like Veterans Table, Mission United and the food pantry. The United Way is also basing a second Downtown Ambassadors team, largely from the local recovery community, there, as well as operating the Volunteer Center in partnership with Chemours to maximize the efficiency of donations.

A new initiative the organization is offering at the church is Noah’s Closet, which provides clothes people need for work.

“(It offers) everything you would need to start a job if you didn’t have one before and needed to start one tomorrow,” said Jaliyah Townsend, community engagement specialist for the United Way.

Tenants include Nonprofits LEAD, a Marietta-based entity that assists nonprofits; homeless veterans assistance organization We Have Your 6; substance abuse recovery support organization Jobs and Hope; and the Wood County Family Resource Network, which works to connect people with nonprofit services and prevent duplication of efforts.

FRN Director Ashley Way-Fankhauser called the Synergy Center “a great fit.”

“I like that there are so many providers around this specific midtown neighborhood,” she said. “I hope that we can all play off of each other’s strengths to create something great that this neighborhood really needs.”

Hyde said she hopes to add other services at the church, including a free notary public service and community office space for people to use.

“I really want Christ Church to be known as the place you can come to get help,” she said.

DeCicco said there are still some spots for tenants and the Synergy Center could also be used by nonprofits who just need some room temporarily.

“We would encourage anyone who has a short-term need for space to reach out” to the United Way at 304-580-0570, she said.