August 16, 2005
US Digital Partners and Ward Family Foundation, Inc. Launch Website Geared Toward Helping Those Who Help Others

CINCINNATI—August 2005—The Ward Family Foundation believes that “the business world can and should help charities more effectively serve their cause.” That’s why John Ward, the foundation’s founder and Chairman of the Board, established the organization.

The foundation’s goal is to provide information to existing charities that will help them increase their effectiveness by implementing best practices. The foundation currently focuses on homeless shelters. And with the help of US Digital Partners, they’ve created a website to provide these shelters with helpful information.

According to Libby McKeen, Executive Director of the Ward Family Foundation, the goal of the organization’s website is “to educate people about our foundation and its mission and to make available the best practices reports we’ve conducted.”

So far, the organization has conducted two best practices studies. The first focused on benchmarks and best practices for emergency and transitional homeless programs. As a result of the study, the Ward Family Foundation was able to identify and analyze ten potential best practices for homeless shelters and programs.

The most recent study concentrates on Safe Haven programs. Safe havens are shelters that house the chronically homeless, mentally ill population. Through the study, the foundation learned some valuable information, and has succeeded in completing one of the most comprehensive studies available on the Safe Haven program.

Both studies are available in their entirety on the foundation’s website, www.wardfamilyfoundation.org.

US Digital Partners played an important role in the creation of the foundation’s website. “They presented us with several exciting designs, and they provided professional recommendations on what components we should include on our site. They helped us achieve our goal and realize what the website could really do for us,” says McKeen. When asked if the website has been successful, McKeen answers with an emphatic, “Yes, definitely!”

US Digital Partners was an appropriate partner in this project, not only because of their expertise in website design and creation, but also because of the company’s location in Over-the-Rhine in downtown Cincinnati. The team members at US Digital Partners see the extent of the homeless problem in this part of the city and strongly believe in creative solutions to solve this problem. They were happy to work with a client so dedicated to using business practices to study homeless shelters and recommend solutions.

About US Digital Partners
A Cincinnati web design firm, US Digital Partners helps other companies to develop successful business relationships online. The firm's mission is to deploy and manage business websites that result in higher revenue, reduced costs, and increased customer loyalty for its clients. For more information visit www.USDigitalPartners.com.

About Ward Family Foundation
The Ward Family Foundation, Inc. was established in January 2001 to assist existing charities improve their effectiveness by implementing best practices. There is a vast network of excellent programs already in place to serve many worthwhile charitable causes. Their mission is to assist these existing programs become more effective. The foundation was inspired by Catholic social teaching which, among other things, recognizes the fundamental right of each human person to life, food, shelter, clothing and medical care. The Ward Family Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization operating as a private operating foundation.