At a family engagement event in August, United Way of Summit & Medina announced that GAR Foundation has become a named sponsor of its Family Resource Center in North High School.
United Way’s Family Resource Centers within Akron Public Schools serve as welcoming places that connect students, families and the neighboring community to information and referrals for supportive resources. Staffed by a United Way coordinator, the FRCs provide ongoing, individualized wraparound care to clients, connecting them with services offered by United Way – such as housing assistance or free financial counseling – or by agencies across the local community.
There are five United Way Family resource centers in Akron Public Schools, located at North High School, Helen Arnold CLC, McEbright CLC, Hyre CLC and David Hill CLC. A sixth Family Resource Center is located within Akron Children’s Hospital, providing wraparound care coordination to patients and their families. To learn more, visit uwsummitmedina.org/frc.
Since first opening in 2019, United Way’s Family Resource Centers have provided more than 2,000 free rides to residents in need of transportation and more than 2,000 free deliveries of food and school supplies. FRC events – from family dinners to health screenings and financial literacy sessions – hosted an estimated 6,700 guests in that time.
The newly announced sponsorship is a continuation of GAR Foundation’s longstanding support of United Way of Summit & Medina’s education efforts in the local community.
“GAR Foundation is proud to support the FRC at North High School because it works to remove non-academic barriers, thereby enabling learners to achieve their full potential at school,” said Christine Amer Mayer, president of GAR Foundation. “We welcome others in our community to join us by sponsoring a Family Resource Center in an APS building.”
North High School is currently the only APS high school with a United Way Family Resource Center. Serving the diverse North Hill neighborhood, the school is home to a multicultural student body with many native languages. It was also the first APS high school to fully implement the College & Career Academies model.
By connecting students and their families to needed resources, United Way’s Family Resource Centers help address non-academic barriers to student success. As part of its Bold Goals for 2028, United Way is working to increase third-grade reading scores, high school graduation rates and college and career readiness rates among Akron Public Schools students. In addition, by providing accessible locations for residents to get assistance, the FRCs help advance United Way’s other Bold Goals, including lowering the Black infant mortality rate and promoting financial empowerment in the community.
Organizations or individuals interested in sponsoring the opening of a new FRC should contact Malorie Kormos, Chief Development and Marketing Officer at [email protected].
“Our Family Resource Centers, with their focus on meeting specific needs of individuals, are changing lives,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of United Way of Summit & Medina. “And by removing barriers to a good education, we’re making an enormous investment in the future of our community, its young people and the leaders of tomorrow. We’re grateful to the individuals and organizations, like GAR Foundation, that are making this work possible. And we call on others to follow their example by investing in the lasting success of our community.”
About United Way of Summit & Medina
United Way of Summit & Medina works to transform our community to make it easier for people to get help and build fulfilling, healthy lives. We envision a community where leaders and organizations come together to solve problems, where help is always within easy reach, and where the opportunity to build a better life is available to everyone. Learn more at uwsummitmedina.org
About 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. Visit www.garfoundation.org for more information.