On September 16, volunteers from Women's Philanthropy spent an afternoon in the kitchen at Lighthouse Youth & Family Services, Cincinnati's only overnight shelter built specifically for young adults ages 18 to 24. They cooked. They served. They stayed to talk with the young people who call it home.

Some of the residents at Lighthouse aged out of the foster care system. Some hit a stretch of bad luck that left them with nowhere to go. What they all needed that afternoon was a warm meal and a safe place to eat it.

This is Helping on Chai, the Women's Philanthropy initiative that sends volunteers to a different Cincinnati nonprofit each time they gather. Volunteers packed up every extra plate so nothing went to waste, and the young adults who ate that day knew someone in this city cooked for them on purpose.

Helping on Chai is a reminder that showing up matters just as much. Moments like this reflect what community looks like in practice: seeing a need in the city and meeting it directly, one lunch at a time.

Want to get involved with Women's Philanthropy? Reach out to Clara Babcock at [email protected] for more information.