Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC) recently released their 2025 annual report. The report highlights both the people who work for NOCAC and the programs provided in Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Van Wert, and Williams counties.  From long term employee retention to recognition of programming for going above and beyond, 2025 was full of efforts that supported and strengthened communities.

“NOCAC’s 2025 Annual Report highlights the valuable resources, collaborations, and support systems that allow us to create meaningful solutions that address the barriers associated with poverty and help individuals and families move toward greater self-sufficiency and stability.

This work would not be possible without our dynamic employees, whose compassion and dedication ensure that life-changing services and opportunities remain accessible to those we serve. In fact, 21% of NOCAC’s workforce has been with the agency for more than 15 years  demonstrating the deep commitment and experience our team brings to strengthening communities across our region,” Angie Franklin, Executive Director.

Program wise two of the great 2025 wins were both rooted in the Summer Food Program. Specifically, the Turnip the Beet! Award by the USDA for going above and beyond; and the Golden Gourd Award which is sponsored by the Farm to Summer Challenge. The Golden Gourd Award is part of the Ohio Proud efforts which involve several State of Ohio departments including the Department of Agriculture. 

Equally valuable were all the other programming efforts throughout the year including those provided by NOCAC’s Financial Opportunity Center, Head Start, Weatherization and Home Repair, the PATH Center, Housing Services, Publicly Funded Child Care, Health and Nutrition, and Emergency Assistance. 

For 15 years, Vasavi Reddy, MD, Parkview Physicians Group (PPG) – Family Medicine, has provided compassionate, personalized care for individuals and families in northwest Ohio. That care continues, but soon, from a new location.

In June, Dr. Reddy will relocate from 9742 U.S. 127 in Sherwood to a new PPG – Family Medicine office 20 minutes away at 422 West River Street in Antwerp. Patient appointments at this location will begin on Tuesday, June 2.

For the past several months, Reddy and her team have seen patients in the Sherwood office on an interim basis, having relocated from their previous office in Hicksville on the campus of the former Community Memorial Hospital. PPG had leased the space to ensure continuity of care for family medicine patients even after the hospital closed in 2024. However, once the hospital was in receivership, PPG was notified in late fall of 2025 that the property would be put up for auction, so Dr. Reddy’s team was moved to the Sherwood office temporarily last December. The West River Street office in Antwerp will be their new home.

Before joining Parkview in 2024, Reddy served as Community Memorial Hospital’s chief of staff and provided primary care to area residents at both the hospital and her family medicine office. She also served as an emergency medicine physician and created the hospital’s first occupational health program. 

Prior to arriving in Hicksville in 2012, Reddy completed her family medicine residency at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., after having received her medical degree. She completed her undergraduate studies at Villanova University in Villanova, Penn., earning bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology and graduating with honors.

She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Dr. Reddy takes pride in gaining a thorough understanding of each person’s situation and background so she can provide truly patient-centered care.

“I love meeting new people and hearing their stories,” she said. “Being a family doctor in a rural area is so humbling because I get to know the whole person, their family and often the other community members that impact each person’s mental and physical health. I always do what I can to get to the bottom of a problem, not just offer temporary solutions. It’s what I would want if I asked a doctor for help.”

In addition to primary care, Reddy offers occupational health services, including Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals, pre-employment physicals, workers’ compensation injury care, and drug screens.

Outside of work, family life keeps her busy. She and her husband, Dr. Ashish Sud, a section chief of anesthesia for Parkview, have three young daughters who are involved in activities and sports.

“If I get leisure time, I enjoy running outside and having a cup of coffee while listening to medical podcasts to stay up to date in healthcare,” said Reddy, a former NYC Marathon runner and rock-climbing instructor. 

Dr. Reddy welcomes patients of all ages, from newborns to older adults. To schedule an appointment at the Antwerp office, call 419-567-6350. Office hours are: 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and 7:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. on Thursday.

On Tuesday, April 7th, members of Paulding County Hospital, the PCH Payne office, along with members of the village of Payne gathered at the site of the future PCH Payne Regional Medical Center, 100 S Hyman St., Payne, OH, for a groundbreaking. 

The new facility will be very similar to the Regional Medical Center that is currently in operation in Antwerp. The Paulding County Hospital board overseeing this new project took feedback from the Payne community and learned that people do really want a full service medical facility that will also include a fitness center like the one in Paulding and Antwerp.

Dr. Nigel Hogan and his family were there to take part in the ceremony, along with recently retired Dr. Joseph Kuhn, welcoming the addition to downtown Payne. Other local participants included Payne Mayor Lora Lyons, council members, County Commissioners, Township representatives, along with the Paulding County Hospital CEO Ron Goedde, and the Hospital Board of Trustees (pictured above).

The completion of the new facility is anticipated for Fall of 2026.

My Calvary Lutheran Church members from Antwerp recently collected items for the Hands of Hope Pregnancy Center in Paulding. Items donated were diapers, baby wipes, rash cream, office supplies, and a monetary sponsorship for the Hands of Hope upcoming banquet.  

We hope to see many of you at the banquet on March 27th.

Contact Hands of Hope for more information. 

Mercy Health – Defiance has recently received a $1,500 grant for their Defiance Pathways Hub.

This grant will cover the cost of a laptop and cell phone for the program. Congratulations on this grant from our DAF Community Fund!

HICKSVILLE — The former Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) property in Hicksville was sold this week following a 48-hour online auction that ended with a last-minute surge in bidding, resulting in a final sale price of $1.8 million. The identity of the winning bidder has not yet been released.

The auction, conducted by Crexi (CXTTechnology LLC), drew little activity for much of its duration before escalating rapidly in the final two minutes. Hicksville Village had entered a reserve bid of $399,000, which remained the only bid for several hours before a late bidding war pushed the price up by approximately $1.4 million.

“We thought we had it until those last two minutes,” Hicksville Village Administrator Cory Wann said following the close of the auction.

As of Friday morning, Crexi had not disclosed the name of the successful bidder. Wann said village officials hope the new owner will have an interest in returning some form of healthcare services to the community, noting the hospital’s long history serving Hicksville and surrounding areas, including many residents from neighboring Paulding County who relied on CMH for care.

Even as recently as Tuesday, Hicksville Village Council heard a presentation from Chris Fisher of Fisher Health System outlining possible options if the building were leased for healthcare-related use. That presentation led council into executive session to discuss whether the village should place a bid in the auction.

When council returned to open session, members Toni Egly, Eric Bassett and Kent Miller voted against submitting a bid, while Bo Gonwick, Mike Villena and Brian Zeedyk voted in favor. Mayor Mike Barth cast the tie-breaking vote in support of the village bid.

The auction ran from noon Tuesday through noon Thursday and included the 99,912-square-foot hospital building located at 108 Columbus Ave., along with 20.56 acres of land zoned for public use. The potential closing date is on or before Feb. 24.

The auction followed the termination of a previously proposed village purchase agreement for $2.35 million on Nov. 7, after a deal with a prospective healthcare end user fell through. Wann described the village’s involvement as an effort to act as a “gatekeeper” for the property, with the goal of finding an owner committed to bringing healthcare services back to the community.

Community Memorial Hospital suspended operations in May 2024 due to financial difficulties. In August 2024, the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) filed a civil case in common pleas court against the Mark, Milford, Hicksville Joint Township Hospital District seeking to recover approximately $3 million in unpaid retirement and health contributions, including employee withholdings dating back to 2022.

Citing the hospital’s financial condition, the court appointed Gibbons Advisors (Ohio), LLC as receiver on Aug. 23, 2024. It was at that time acting through co-founder and managing director Winters Gibbons who then authorized the permanent shutdown a little over a week later.

To coincide with National Breastfeeding Month, Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel signed a proclamation recently declaring August as Ohio Breastfeeding Awareness Month.

Breastfeeding is widely accepted as an effective strategy to promote positive health outcomes for both mothers and their babies. Research has shown that breastfeeding is a key factor in reducing risk of disease for both mothers and infants, including respiratory illness, ear infections, allergies, and some cancers. A woman’s early experience with breastfeeding can affect whether and how long she continues to breastfeed, and providing support at every level can help reduce barriers to breastfeeding.

This year, Ohio will adopt the World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) theme “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.” This theme focuses on meeting families where they are while highlighting the need to improve breastfeeding support from all areas.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and continued breastfeeding with the addition of appropriate complementary foods for 2 years or longer. Communities and related programs play a vital role in helping parents reach these breastfeeding recommendations by providing education and support at the most crucial times in the perinatal period.

The Ohio Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program offers breastfeeding support to Ohio families by providing prenatal education as well as appointments with lactation professionals.

One of the most important ways businesses and communities can support breastfeeding is to help parents feel comfortable nursing in public. Businesses can show their support by placing a universal sign for breastfeeding support in their windows and educate their staff about the acceptance of Ohio law (Section 3781.55 of the Ohio Revised Code), which allows breastfeeding in public.

Businesses also have access to The Ohio Workplace PLUS Toolkit, which can help with supporting their employees and providing a private space (other than a bathroom) to pump. This will help increase employee retention and reduce medical costs.

Child care centers have access to training materials and can learn more about obtaining a breastfeeding friendly designation. These programs play an important role in supporting breastfeeding mothers and their infants by welcoming breastfeeding mothers and making sure staff members are trained to handle breast milk and follow mothers’ feeding plans.

Hospitals also can join the Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies initiative as an indication that they are dedicated to supporting new mothers who choose to breastfeed.

Learn more about all of these initiatives and resources at https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/Breastfeeding. For more information about breastfeeding, Ohioans can call the Paulding County WIC Clinic at 419-399-2621, or the Free Ohio Statewide 24/7 Breastfeeding Hotline at 1-888-588-3423.

The public is warmly invited to join a joyful and supportive celebration of breastfeeding at The Big Latch On, scheduled for Sunday, August 24, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at LaFountain Park, 700 Lincoln Avenue, Paulding, Ohio.

This family-friendly event is open to the public, with a special emphasis on welcoming children and families of all ages. Attendees can look forward to a fun-filled afternoon featuring free food, prizes, awards, and a professional photoshoot to capture the memories of this meaningful gathering.

The Big Latch On is part of a global movement that supports breastfeeding families by building community connections and raising awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and support networks.

In the spirit of celebration, community, and health, organizers encourage all attendees to bring their loved ones and be part of this uplifting event. Whether you’re a breastfeeding parent, supporter, or simply an advocate for family health and connection, your presence will contribute to the joy and impact of the occasion.

Please RSVP by August 18 by calling 419-399-2621.

Let’s come together to uplift, empower, and celebrate the nurturing bond that breastfeeding fosters in our community!

Flashing lights in your rearview mirror can cause anxiety for any driver. But for individuals with developmental disabilities, the fear and confusion during a traffic stop can be overwhelming. Thanks to a new initiative, a small blue envelope is helping ease that fear – and now it’s available in Paulding County.

The Blue Envelope Program is designed to support individuals with developmental disabilities in interactions with law enforcement. The program provides tools that improve communication, foster understanding, and promote safer experiences during traffic stops or emergencies. This program is being expanded throughout Ohio thanks the Southern Ohio Council of Governments (SOCOG), Southern Ohio Advocacy Group (SOAG), and grant funding from Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council made packets available for free to Ohio County Boards of DD.

The Blue Envelope Program is a simple yet powerful tool. It allows individuals to feel more prepared and confident on the road, while also helping first responders quickly understand how best to communicate.

Each envelope is printed with space on the outside for key information, such as the driver or passenger’s disability or medical conditions. Inside, users can store a copy of a ID/driver’s license, vehicle registration, and insurance card – all the materials needed during a traffic stop – organized and ready to hand over to an officer.

The program also includes a Blue Envelope Car Decal – a discreet 3-inch sticker for vehicle windows that lets law enforcement know the vehicle occupant may have a disability affecting their actions or communication style.

Blue Envelope packets are now available at the Paulding County Board of DD office, located at 451 McDonald Pike Paulding, OH 45879. Local law enforcement agencies have been informed of the program and are supportive of efforts to improve safety for all drivers.

For more information or to pick up a Blue Envelope packet, contact the Paulding County Board of Developmental Disabilities at (419) 399-4800 or speak with your Service & Support Administrator.

Paulding County Hospital is pleased to announce that with funds donated from the PCH Auxiliary, we were able to purchase our first Hercules Patient Repositioner for one of our patient beds on the Med/Surg floor. The generous donation will allow our patients to have a more comfortable experience when admitted as an inpatient at our facility, and will assist our staff with caregiver safety.

Thank you to all of the PCH Auxiliary volunteers for your continued support to Paulding County and to Paulding County Hospital. We greatly appreciate all you do!