Foundation Board Holds Annual Meeting, Swears In New Slate of Officers

Foundation Board Holds Annual Meeting, Swears In New Slate of Officers

by | Jan 26, 2022 | Announcements, Board

Barberton Community Foundation Logo
(L-R) Justin Greer and Josh Gordon
(L-R) Slate of Officers: Deb Shreiner, Jason Slater, Denny Liddle, Jennifer Bidlingmyer

Barberton Community Foundation’s Board of Directors met at the Active Adult Center for their annual meeting on January 20, 2022.

Josh Gordon, outgoing chair, welcomed Justin Greer to the board. Greer is automatically appointed to the Foundation board with his seat as City Council President and will serve an intial three-year term with the Foundation.

The Foundation also swore in a new slate of officers for 2022. Jason Slater will serve as Chair of the Board with Denny Liddle serving as Vice Chair, Jennifer Bidlingmyer serving as Treasurer and Debra Shreiner serving as Secretary.

Other business included the economic development committee’s report on the Foundation’s contract with Heritage Ohio to provide a Downtown Assessment Review Team (DART) visit this spring. The Foundation is also working with Measurement Resources to conduct a needs assessment for the Barberton community. The Foundation is partnering with the City, Schools, and Summa Health Barberton Campus on the assessment.

Jim Bauschlinger, chair of the economic development committee, reports that the 10-year lease to Stark State College’s Barberton Campus for the Armory building, which is a Foundation property, will expire this summer. Stark State is planning to consolidate their welding program in Akron. The Foundation will be making a decision as to how best to utilize this property.

Suzanne Allen, Executive Director, shared that the Foundation had a record year for donations. “We are extremely grateful that we serve such a giving community,” she said. The Foundation also established four new funds in 2021, three of which are scholarships for Barberton students. The scholarship window is currently open for Barberton High School students to apply through the School’s website. Suzanne shared that the Foundation is looking forward to increasing the scholarships for the 2022 school year.

If you want to learn more about the Foundation, visit our website at barbertoncf.org or please give us a call at 330-745-5995.

White Rabbit Galleries Establishes a New Scholarship

White Rabbit Galleries Establishes a New Scholarship

by | Jan 5, 2022 | Announcements, Fund, Scholarships

Barberton Community Foundation Logo

White Rabbit Galleries Establishes a New Scholarship

Barberton Community Foundation is pleased to announce the White Rabbit Galleries Scholarship Fund established by Laura Smith and Molly Brown. This scholarship is dedicated to supporting the local Arts and Artists in Barberton by assisting Barberton students pursuing an arts degree.

White Rabbit Galleries, women-owned and established in January 2021, is located at 571 W. Tuscarawas Ave. It is operated by Laura Smith and her daughter, Molly Brown. In addition to a large public gallery, they rent space to seven artists and curate a regular schedule of shows. Molly is a full-time artist, previously working as a resident artist of Summit Artspace on Tusc. When Summit Artspace closed their gallery in 2020, Molly and Laura had a vision for a fresh start.

“When Molly and I talked about it, we knew we needed to be vocal about supporting the arts. We know how much support athletics gets in Barberton,” said Laura. “We wanted to send a message to kids: the arts are valuable, too.”  

Their first show was the Student Art Show in April 2021. Then in May, Tracy Marsh approached them for a memorial show for his wife, and the Carol Marsh Memorial Show kicked off their grand opening. Proceeds from the show and an additional gift in honor of Suzanne Jones Richardson provided the initial principle for the scholarship.

“White Rabbit is more than a gallery,” Molly said. “We want to make a bridge for the artist to the community.” She is proud of their subheading: Community Art Center. “We put the emphasis on community,” she said.

Molly graduated from Barberton High School, where she attended art classes taught by Ron White. She credits his teaching with declaring art as her major in college and completing her BA in Studio Arts. “I had a fantastic experience with the arts when I went to BHS. We had a fully functional darkroom for photography. That’s what really got me started. We have drawing, glass, metal working and ceramics because of Ron White. Other schools don’t have the creative experiences that we have in Barberton.” She added, “He taught me how to offer and take constructive criticism; something you don’t normally learn how to do until college.”

Molly hopes this scholarship will reflect her family’s broader mission at White Rabbit Galleries: to help students have confidence and a bridge to art.

This bridge will need support.  Laura changed her career choice from an art focus when she was in college because she didn’t feel supported. She looked at her daughter and said, “But I changed my life so that I could support my kids.” This is a generational change in the family. Laura wanted her daughter to be able to pursue an arts degree because she understood that desire not being able to pursue it. “As a parent, what you hear about scholarships is, you’re either smart, or athletic. You don’t see encouragement for art. This is such a blue-collar, hard-working community. But art is hard work too. You don’t have to appreciate all of it; art is just as important an outlet as therapy. It’s necessary.”

Laura hopes the scholarship will be a good start to supporting young local artists. White Rabbit Galleries is planning a student show in the spring and hopes to encourage young artists to utilize the consignment option at the front of the building.

Currently, White Rabbit Galleries is hosting their Squared Fundraising Show. The theme of the show is just that – square. Every art piece must be square – and prices are set by size varying from 5×5 to larger pieces. The show runs until January 22. Then, in February, they will host the Remarkable Diner Artist Collective, featuring Lance Apple, Jack Hickson and Dennis and Denise Lundell. “We are incredibly excited,” said Molly. “We’re all looking forward to seeing what comes next. There are a lot of possibilities for this space.”

White Rabbit Galleries Scholarship Fund celebrates those who have supported the arts. Scholarships are given in memory of Suzanne Jones Richardson and Carol Marsh. If you would like to support this fund, please give us a call or you can donate now. They hope to make their first scholarship award this spring.

Foundation Board Approves Third Cycle Grants for Health and Wellness Programs

Foundation Board Approves Third Cycle Grants for Health and Wellness Programs

by | Dec 3, 2021 | Announcements, Grants

Foundation Board Approves Third Cycle Grants for Health and Wellness Programs

In their final meeting of the year, Barberton Community Foundation Board of Directors met at Barberton Public Library on Thursday, November 18, to approve $89,820.50 for ten grants in the third cycle for health and wellness programming. The board also approved the Foundation’s 2022 spending policy and selected 2022 officers: Jason Slater, Chair; Denny Liddle, Vice Chair; Jennifer Bidlingmyer, Treasurer; and Deb Shreiner, Secretary.

Grants

Jason Slater, Grants Committee Chair, shared that the Foundation had been able to connect fund holders with several grant partners this cycle. Josh Gordon, Board Chair, thanked Carrie Herman, Director of Community Impact, for connecting with those donors. “This creative approach allowed the Foundation to partner with our fund holders to better meet the needs of our grant partners and the needs of our community. This was a win-win for everyone.”

The Foundation awarded Coleman Health Services $20,000 for their Student Success Initiative. This program is a partnership between Coleman and Barberton City Schools to combat disengagement and disruptive classroom behavior in children through working to resolve emotional and relational conflicts. The program provides the tools and support a family needs to encourage their children at school, increase their attendance and academic performance overall.

Red Oak Behavioral Health was awarded $15,000 toward screening an IndieFLIX Education video series that focuses on topics such as anxiety, finding balance in the digital world, strategies to overcome cyber-bullying, exploring the impact of race and racism on mental health and how to move toward racial healing. Red Oak will coordinate the screenings and facilitate discussions of the films’ topics. This project partners with Barberton City School District and the Barberton Community Wellness Collaborative, a network of programs and agencies providing health and wellness services to Barberton schools students.

AxessPointe Community Health Center received $15,000 to support their Mobile Dental and Oral Health Clinic. The mobile unit will provide more equitable access to care by bringing medical and dental services to local neighborhoods in Barberton. Funds will be used to purchase a handheld x-ray machine and oral sensors.

The Foundation awarded Victim Assistance Program $14,820.50 for their Barberton Municipal Court Advocacy Program. Victim Assistance Program estimates that this funding will go toward services to 350 individuals in 2022. Services include crisis intervention, court advocacy, community resource referrals, safety and action planning, as well as victim rights education.

Countryside received $10,000 for their Food Access Program at the Barberton Farmers Market. This program provides tokens and vouchers to SNAP and WIC recipients and senior citizens, which can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables at the markets.

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank received $7,500 for their 2022 Barberton Direct Distribution Program which operates monthly at the Barberton Salvation Army to provide Barberton residents access to healthy food at no cost.

$2,500 was awarded to First Tee – Greater Akron for their program called Expanding Educational Life Skills Programming in Barberton. First Tee integrates the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, including building self-confidence and resilience. Funding also supports their partnership with Lake Anna YMCA as a partner and location for programming.

$2,000 was awarded to Ben Curtis Family Foundation for their Birdie Bag program which provides bagged meals for Barberton students facing food insecurity. Ben Curtis Family Foundation has been providing Birdie Bags in Barberton since 2018. In 2022, they estimate they will serve 1,400-1,800 children on a monthly basis.

Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio received $1,500 for scholarships for Barberton participants, which provides scholarships for both Barberton Middle School and Barberton Elementary School programs. The program is offered to students in 3rd-8th grades and promotes social-emotional learning and mental well-being along with physical activity.

Greenleaf Family Center was awarded $1,500 for their Adolescent Suicide Prevention Program. This program will provide services to Barberton Middle School and Barberton High School students and school staff, and provide assistance with Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training for all Barberton City employees.

Spending Policy and a Message from the Director

With the final payment on Barberton High School’s construction made this year, the Foundation adopted a new spending policy to reflect changes to both the Foundation’s obligations and its goals moving forward.

“In 2022 we will continue to listen to the community,” said Suzanne Allen, Executive Director. “We are working with Heritage Ohio for a Downtown Assessment and we will contract with Management Resources Company for a city-wide needs assessment. We are excited to partner with the City, the Schools, and Summa Health – Barberton Campus on the needs assessment. These results will give us the ability to better measure the impact of our investments.”

The Foundation will increase funding for small grants, grant cycles and scholarships, while adding funding for Economic Development initiatives.

Josh Gordon said that while spending is increasing in these areas, overall, the spending percent will decrease. “We continue to stand by our duty as a board for responsible and strategic management of the Foundation’s corpus. With that in mind, we strive to balance the needs of the future with the impact we can make today. This spending policy will allow the Foundation to grow both the principal fund and increase our granting capacity in the future.”

Suzanne concluded the evening by thanking the board and staff for an exceptional year. “A special thank you to Kim Miller for her service to this organization. Kim retires this week as our office manager for the past two years. We are so grateful to her for her hard work, and we wish her well.”

Karie Sattler joined the Foundation as incoming office manager in September.

With the announcement of this last 2021 grant cycle, Barberton Community Foundation has awarded $240,200 through its three grants cycles: Education, Workforce and Economic Development; Arts and Community; and Health and Wellness.

Virtual Dinner a Success

Virtual Dinner a Success

by | Nov 9, 2021 | Announcements, Event

Barberton Community Foundation Logo

On Thursday, November 4, Barberton Community Foundation held its Annual Dinner virtually on Zoom

Over 100 people joined, with some choosing to host small gatherings in their homes to watch the event. The night was full of celebration for the Foundation’s 25th anniversary and included a check presentation for $2.1 million to Barberton City Schools for the final payment on Barberton High School. The payment represents the completion of the first promise Barberton Community Foundation made to its residents: agreeing to build Barberton High School. The Foundation has been making payments on the building for more than 20 years and has saved residents $58 million in real estate taxes.

Josh Gordon, Foundation Board Chair, said that the completion of the school payment is a success we all share. “As we celebrate the conclusion of the biggest project in the history of the Foundation, we must begin the work of finding the next aspects of our community in need of support. We are focused on identifying our greatest needs, especially in the areas of economic development and education. After 25 years and more than $105 million in grants, Barberton Community Foundation is just getting started.”

The honored guests of the evening were 2021 Game Changers Lisa McLean, Dr. Michael Hughes representing Summa Health – Barberton Campus and Jeff Ramnytz, representing Barberton City Schools. Each Game Changer received an award from the Foundation and a proclamation from the state. 

Suzanne Allen, Executive Director of Barberton Community Foundation, said that while this annual dinner was unique, the sense of gratitude and appreciation for the Barberton community that is so present during the traditional event, was definitely felt through the screen. “I want to thank everyone who attended virtually tonight. Thank you for helping to make this event safe and accessible to all, and for helping us celebrate tonight.” Suzanne said. “I especially want to thank our Game Changers for joining us, and for the incredible work they have done for this community. Each of you and your organizations are truly appreciated.”

The evening ended with an announcement from Suzanne regarding a new fund called Celebrate Barberton, created with the Foundation’s anniversary in mind. The new fund will partner with the City of Barberton to provide grants to each ward in the City for community projects, fostering engagement and community sprit across the city.

“Barberton is special,” Suzanne concluded. “Not only is it one of a very few small towns with a significant community foundation, but it has an enormous sense of pride – purple pride. For that too, we are thankful. Thank you all.”

2021 Game Changer, Barberton City Schools

(L-R) Josh Gordon, Barberton Community Foundation Board Chair; Anita Downie, OAPSE; Danny Viningre, AFSCME Chapter Chair; Jeff Ramnytz, Superintendent Barberton City Schools; Krista McCoy, BEA Union President; Suzanne Allen, Executive Director, Barberton Community Foundation

2021 Game Changer, Lisa McLean

Lisa McLean

2021 Game Changer, Summa Health – Barberton Campus

(L-R) Suzanne Allen, Ph.D., Executive Director, Barberton Community Foundation and Dr. Michael Hughes, President, Summa Health – Barberton Campus

Foundation Staff

(L-R) Kate DeAngelis, Ted Herncane, Karie Sattler, Josh Gordon Board Chair, Suzanne Allen, Carrie Herman, Brett Fogle, Kim Miller

Foundation Welcomes Karie Sattler as Office Manager

Foundation Welcomes Karie Sattler as Office Manager

by | Aug 31, 2021 | Announcements

Barberton Community Foundation is pleased to welcome Karie Sattler as our new Office Manager. Karie’s first day was Monday, August 30.

“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to work for the Foundation,” said Karie. “Everyone made me feel extremely welcome, and the first day went well.”

Suzanne Allen, Executive Director of Barberton Community Foundation said, “We are very pleased to welcome Karie to our team. She will continue the tradition of providing a warm welcome to Foundation guests as our unofficial director of first impressions.”

As the new Office Manager, Karie will provide administrative and organizational support to the staff, greet office visitors, handle information requests, process requests from the board, coordinate events, manage calendars and provide clerical functions. Karie will also be responsible for all board and committee meeting minutes for both Barberton Community Foundation and Tuscora Park Health and Wellness Foundation. She will replace Kim Miller, who is retiring in November, 2021.

Karie brings seventeen years of office experience to Barberton Community Foundation. She most recently worked as an Administrative Assistant and New Account Coordinator for Cintas, and worked as an Office Manager at MJ Miller & Co. Karie enjoys spending time with her family and her four kids. Her three boys keep her busy, especially during baseball, soccer, and football season.