‘Responding with love;’ Oxford Responds provides aid to local groups

Oxford Responds, a grassroots group, has helped Oxford businesses through community aid and volunteer work.

Oxford Responds began in the Oxford Presbyterian Church in 2024 as a response to the many program and job cuts happening across the country by the federal government. The initial goal was to address the concerns and fears from locals about housing and food accessibility, according to Ted Caudhill, a volunteer with Oxford Responds.

As these concerns grew and became more prominent within community talk, so did the program, and multiple churches in and around Oxford became involved.

“Oxford Responds is designed to respond in love, in advocacy and through innovation to help our neighbors with their needs – social needs, immediate needs for housing or food or rent assistance,” Caudhill said. “This is just kind of what the group is about.”

Oxford Responds consists of locals, volunteers and members of various social service agencies who come together to share challenges and concerns their organizations are facing. After hearing from these groups, volunteers attempt to provide support, whether through providing extra volunteers or needed funding.   

“We’re patchwork,” Caudhill said. “We take the people that come to these meetings, share the needs that come to us through different social service agencies and do our best to fill those needs so they can help those people who need it.”

On Feb. 12, Oxford Responds hosted a community meeting where Rev. Mike Pucke of Hamilton, Ohio, spoke to attendees about his experience visiting the Butler County Jail and speaking with detainees and immigrants.

Pucke shared his first-hand experience and answered questions and concerns about local immigration concerns and fears. 

“I think that there is a lot of anxiety right now,” Caudhill said. “There is a lot of frustration and a lot of rumors about ICE.”

During the meeting, attendees were allowed to write a letter to either the Butler County Commissioners to protest the county’s contract with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or write a valentine to an immigrant in the area to express support for them.

Jennifer Walter, chair of the Oxford Responds Strategic Leadership Team, told the Oxford Free Press that speaking about these issues and concerns in a nonconfrontational, educational way is essential. 

“We are all about educating the community on what your rights are as an immigrant,” Walter said. “We need to look out for our neighbor; if we aren’t educated on (our) rights, how can we help them?”

This past fall, Oxford Responds helped the Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS) after SNAP benefits were cut by providing donations and volunteers. 

Caudhill said he helped raise food donations for TOPSS through his role as a union president in the Talawanda School District.

“We raised food through the teachers,” Caudhill said. “We put together a food drive and teachers just came and donated food.”

In addition, Oxford Responds helped promote Issue 1 on November’s local ballot, which helped support Oxford Seniors. 

Recently, Oxford Responds assisted in recruiting volunteers for the Oxford Winter House and securing donations and meals for residents. 

Oxford Responds is planning a related training focused on non-confrontational approaches to neighborhood safety in Oxford on March 4, according to Walter.

If interested in joining the group and attending a meeting, please visit the Oxford Responds Facebook page.