Children’s Developmental Center Opposes Lottery Plan

The Ohio Lottery’s plan to put their version of “next generation” electronic charitable raffle terminals in veterans and fraternal organizations posts and lodges has met with plenty of opposition from the OVFCC and other veterans and fraternal groups.  Now, the charities that benefit from the OVFCC program are starting to weigh in.

The Executive Director of the Children’s Developmental Center in Amherst, Ohio recently sent a letter to the State Controlling Board opposing the Ohio Lottery’s plan because it only supports education in the state of Ohio, and not other important charities.  Without the OVFCC program and Ohio House Bill 325, the Center may very well cease operations.

The Children’s Developmental Center is just one of many nonprofits that benefited from private clubs such as the Veterans and Elks that raised thousands of dollars for programs for special needs children, veterans, the hungry, the poor, and countless others that depend on the generosity of the members to help them serve their mission.  The Children’s Developmental Center provides much needed therapy for children to help them prepare themselves for school, and without programs such as ours, these children may not receive the much needed therapy they need because the programs are losing funding from just about everywhere. 

United Way is de-funding all individual programs in Lorain County by 2015.  Medicaid has reduced therapy reimbursement for children by 50% starting January 2014.  Private health insurance companies continue to increase co-pays and deductibles while at the same time reducing and limiting the services they will cover.  Families are being asked to ‘share’  the cost of health care at the expense of being able to afford it!

The dollars being raised by these private clubs going to the 501©3’s in Ohio have been a godsend.  With the emergence of the “machines”, the amount of money being generated for donation has substantially increased, and had provided the Children’s Developmental Center, not with additional funds, but dollars that were helping to meet the ongoing cuts being received.  Now, with the elimination of yet another stream of income, more people who receive help from nonprofits will be told, “Sorry, we don’t have the funding to help you!”. 

The Lottery’s focus is to help education.  Well and good, but there are hundreds of nonprofits that help the individuals before, during, and after they are in school.  Please allow these private clubs to continue to provide a source of entertainment to their members while at the same time creating a funding stream for nonprofits that will allow them to help the people they have identified.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Thomas W. Miller

Executive Director

Helping veterans and fraternal groups is the mission of the OVFCC, but almost as important is helping raise funds for the different charitable organizations supported by veterans and fraternal groups in Ohio.  While the Lottery’s plan will certainly benefit the worthy cause of education, it might do so at the expense of schools, hospitals, youth organizations and some of the other 400-plus charities that receive funds as a result of the OVFCC program.

The simplest solution: the Ohio Legislature should pass Ohio House Bill 325, clarify the law in the state, and allow everyone, not just the Lottery, not just the Lottery’s foreign vendor, and not just education, to benefit.