At its final quarterly meeting of the year, GAR Foundation announced $2,504,000 in funding to Summit County community organizations. With these grants, the Foundation’s giving to the community will total just over $6 million this year.

GAR awarded several large grants in support of its strategic work in the education space, including $450,000 to the United Way of Summit County and $200,000 to Summit Education Initiative (SEI). Both of these organizations are key partners in GAR’s effort to support success in the Akron Public Schools; United Way through its Bold Goals 1 and 2, and SEI through its best-in-class strategic data systems. “GAR Foundation is proud to partner with United Way and SEI in providing data-driven strategic support for Akron’s students,” said Kirstin Toth, GAR’s senior vice president.

Other notable grants include an award of $140,000 to support the Battered Women’s Shelter over two years; $85,000 to the Akron Civic Theatre for support of its work in the coming year; and $80,000 to the Downtown Akron Partnership for its downtown vibrancy efforts. GAR once again offered its competitive, limited funding capital application round this quarter, granting nineteen organizations funding for mission-critical capital projects.

The organizations receiving support this quarter include:

• ACCESS, Inc., $15,000, for furnace updates **
• Akron Civic Theatre, $85,000, for operations
• Akron Community Service Center & Urban League, Inc, $21,000, for an updated fire and alarm system**
• Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, $100,000, for operations in 2017 and 2018
• Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, $20,000, for forklift safety updates **
• Alchemy, Inc., $40,000, for operations
• Asian Services in Action, Inc, $15,000, for facility improvements at the International Community Health Center **
• Asian Services in Action, Inc., $50,000, for the International Community Empowerment Project
• AxessPointe Community Health Center, Inc., $40,000, for the North Hill mini-clinic
• Ballet Excel Ohio , $15,000, for the Reach Out and Dance program
• Barberton City School District, $10,000, for indoor and outdoor preschool play equipment upgrades using the Reggio Emilia approach to align with a curriculum of inquiry-based learning **
• Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties, $140,000, for operations in 2017 and 2018
• Battered Women’s Shelter, $10,000, for construction of a commercial kitchen at the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center **
• Building for Tomorrow, $80,000, for the Early Childhood Initiative
• BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence, $25,000, for operations
• CASA/GAL Program of Summit County, $25,000, for operations
• Child Guidance & Family Solutions, $60,000, for Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding program
• Christ Child Society of Akron, Inc., $10,000, for the Clothing Center Program
• Community Outreach Resources Exchange, $8,000, for operations
• Crafty Mart, $7,500, for operations
• Cuyahoga Valley Preservation and Scenic Railway Association, $25,000, for phase three of the power system upgrade **
• DANCECleveland , $2,500, for the Akron Residency program
• Downtown Akron Partnership Inc., $80,000 for operations
• East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation, $40,000, for the East Akron Revitalization Development Plan
• Family Promise of Summit County, Inc., $30,000, for operations in 2017 and 2018
• Foundation Center Midwest, $10,000, for operations
• Friends of 91.3, $10,000, for the membership drive*
• Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, $10,000, for the Camp Ledgewood Teaching Kitchen within the Program Center to teach girls about healthy living **
• Great Lakes Biomimicry, $25,000, for STEM professional development and the Fellowship program benefitting Akron Public Schools
• Great Lakes Theater, $10,000, for the Classics on Tour program for Akron Public Schools students
• Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, $25,000, for operations
• Greater Akron Musical Association Inc., $80,000, for operations
• Greenleaf Family Center, $56,000, for Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids
• GroundWork Ohio (fiscal sponsor: Community Initiatives), $15,000, for advocacy around early childhood education
• Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, $15,000, for safety renovations including the loading dock and lift gate **
• Haven of Rest Ministries, Inc., $25,000, for operations
• Info Line, Inc., $25,000, for operations
• Jewish Family Service of Akron, Ohio, $20,000, for operations
• Keep Akron Beautiful, $15,000, for operations
• Let’s Grow Akron, Inc., $25,000, for operations
• Mature Services, Inc., $25,000, for Homecare Services
• None too Fragile Theatre, $9,000, for energy efficient lighting, sound, and theater upgrades **
• OPEN M, $14,500, for food safety and basic capacity upgrades **
• OPEN M, $25,000, for operations
• Proyecto RAICES (fiscal sponsor: Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County), $7,500, for operations
• SCOPE Academy (Greater Summit County Early Learning Center), $75,000, for Visible Teaching and Learning Demonstration Model of Innovative Practices for Early Learners
• Summit Education Initiative, $200,000, for operations
• Summit Metro Parks, $10,000, for the rebuilding of Shady Hollow Lodge **
• The Nightlight Cinema, $25,000 for operations
• The Nightlight Cinema, $7,500, for the completion of The Backstage, an additional space in the theater **
• The Salvation Army, $35,000, for an indoor hydroponic growing system to teach gardening to at-risk youth **
• Torchbearers, $7,500, for operations
• Tri-County Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates, $50,000, for Dropout Prevention and Dropout Recovery Services
• Truly Reaching You Ministries, $22,000, for commercial and residential lawn care equipment upgrades **
• Tuesday Musical Association, $40,000, for operations
• United Disability Services, Inc., $25,000, for roof, exterior painting, and grounds improvements to the UDS Firestone Center **
• United Way of Summit County, $450,000, for Education and a challenge grant that will match contributions that go directly to support United Way’s Bold Goals
• University of Akron Foundation, $25,000, for the Center for Literacy
• Urban Vision, $10,000, for gym upgrades **
• Weathervane Community Playhouse, Inc., $45,000 for operations
• West Hill Community Development Corporation, $4,000, for local artist-inspired benches and sculptures along Market Street in the West Hill neighborhood **
• Western Reserve Historical Society, $22,000, for fencing, drainage, and water / electric installations and improvements to the Hale Farm & Village agriculture and horticulture program **
• Women’s Network, $20,000, for operations
• Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop, $30,000, for Summer Intensive, YEPAW365, and community workshops

*consists of a challenge grant

** capital grant

For more information contact Dina Younis at [email protected] or 330.572.2809.

GAR Foundation

GAR Foundation was established in 1967 by Galen Roush, co-founder and chief executive officer of Roadway Express, and his wife Ruth Roush. GAR Foundation’s mission is to help Akron become smarter, stronger, and more vibrant.

Header photo: Akron Public Schools students at Magical Theater Company by Shane Wynn for GAR Foundation