Foundation Board Awards 2023 Education and Workforce & Economic Development Grants

Foundation Board Awards 2023 Education and Workforce & Economic Development Grants

by | Mar 30, 2023 | Grants

Foundation Board Approves First Grant Cycle of 2023, Awards $73,000 to Education and Workforce & Economic Development Programs

Barberton Community Foundation’s Board of Directors met for their regular meeting on Thursday, March 16, at the Active Adult Center. The board approved eight grants totaling $73,009.04. The board also approved Renea Macko and Rob Pursley as new Friends of the Foundation, and thanked Dr. Suzanne Allen, who is retiring from her role as executive director of Barberton Community Foundation on March 31. Tiffany Peters, director of finance, has been named as interim executive director.

Grants:

Barberton City School District was awarded $22,975.32 for their partnership with AMHA to expand support for families and students. The grant supports more on-site tutoring days, bussing to parent/teacher conferences, and bi-monthly resident meetings to educate parents about school services and opportunities. AMHA expects to serve 800 individuals through these programs.

National Inventors Hall of Fame received $15,000 for 2023 Camp Invention financial support for 120 students who would like to attend. Camp Invention is a summer enrichment program led by Barberton teachers with STEM-based curricula.

Child Guidance & Family Solutions received $10,000 for their Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding (TAPS) program. TAPS provides on-site training for preschool and childcare staff on how best to respond to challenging classroom behaviors and improve kindergarten readiness. Child Guidance anticipates serving 380 preschoolers with this funding.

Barberton City School District was awarded $6,533.72 to support the primary school’s Magical Reading program, which teaches parents how to read to their children in creative, educational and engaging ways. Funding supports the purchase of books for families to read together, crafts and operations for the event.

United Way of Summit & Medina received $5,000 to support Financial Empowerment Center services provided to Barberton residents. The Center estimates they will serve 215 residents through free financial empowerment programming, including financial coaching, tax preparation and banking assistance.

Junior Achievement was awarded $5,000 to provide programming within Barberton City Schools to 320 students in middle and high school. Programs include JA Personal Finance, JA Inspire, JA Company Program and JA Economics for Success.

The International Soap Box Derby received $5,000 for programs and field trips for Barberton City School students, including their popular Gravity Racing Challenge program. Funding supports the purchase of derby car parts, supplies and program books for 180 students.

SCORE Akron received $3,500 for their Barberton Community Workforce Development programs which include mentoring and workshop programs for entrepreneurs interested in starting their own business or expanding their existing business.

Foundation awards Arts and Community Grants

Foundation awards Arts and Community Grants

by | Dec 1, 2022 | Uncategorized

Foundation Board Approves Third Cycle Grants for Arts and Community

Barberton Community Foundation’s Board of Directors met on Thursday, November 18, to approve six grants totaling $97,244.14 for arts and community cycle programming. The board approved the Foundation’s 2023 spending policy and selected 2023 officers: Jason Slater, Chair; Lynne Holcomb, Vice Chair; Jennifer Bidlingmyer, Treasurer; and Deb Shreiner, Secretary. The board also approved four new members to the board, who will begin their terms beginning in January, 2023. They are Susan Wynn, Hugh McMichael, Ann Hutchison and Theresa Osborne.

Grants:

The Foundation awarded $25,000 to Magical Theatre Company for their program, Performing Arts Can Teach. This program supports resident performances at Magical Theatre for Barberton City School students and traveling performances to the schools.

CareStar Community Services received $23,744.14 to provide wraparound services to Barberton school students and their families. The program will consist of community health worker services, including home visits to help families connect with appropriate healthcare, mental health and social services in the community.  

The Foundation awarded $15,000 to White Rabbit Galleries for a monthly series of events that invite the public to create art projects with their family or friends, along with artist meetups to encourage growth of an artist community in Barberton.

Habitat for Humanity of Summit County received $15,000 for their 2023 Neighborhood Reborn Initiative. This program supports Habitat for Humanity’s first Neighborhood Reborn project in Barberton. This program blends private home repairs with a neighbor-led public space cleanup to transform and revitalize several street blocks over two days.

Barberton Parks & Recreation received $15,000 to support many of Barberton’s favorite special events, accessible programming and use of neighborhood parks through 2023.

United Way of Summit and Medina received $3,500 to continue their 2-1-1 Information and Referral Services for Barberton Residents. 2-1-1 is a free, 24/7 helpline and website that assists residents navigate health and social services available in Summit County. In 2021, more than 3,500 Barberton residents used 2-1-1 for referrals to services or resources.

 

Foundation Awards Health and Wellness Grant Cycle

Foundation Awards Health and Wellness Grant Cycle

by | Aug 1, 2022 | Board, Grants

Barberton Community Foundation Logo

The Barberton Community Foundation Board of Directors held their July board meeting at Summa Health – Barberton Campus. Several board and friends members toured the hospital’s newest Joint Replacement Center prior to the meeting. The board discussed regular business and voted to approve Hugh McMichael and Theresa Osbourne to the Friends of the Foundation. Executive director Suzanne Allan, Ph.D. said, “We’re pleased to welcome people who care about our community as new Friends to the Foundation.”

The Foundation’s second grant cycle focuses on health and wellness. The board approved fourteen grants totaling $143,535.

The largest grant of the cycle was $25,000 awarded to Summa Health – Barberton Campus to support the purchase of a new CT machine, supporting cardiac care, stroke therapy and more.

The Foundation awarded $15,000 to AxessPointe in Barberton for their Patient Assistance Fund, which will cover costs such as prescription copays, provide groceries, hygiene items and cleaning items. Funding will help AxessPointe ensure underserved and low-income individuals receive crucial primary and preventative care.

Victim Assistance Program was awarded $15,000 for their Barberton Victim Advocacy Program, which serves victims of crime and trauma. The program is located within the Barberton Municipal Court.

The City of Barberton received grants for two separate parks projects. Tuscora Park received $15,000 to support six new pickleball courts and Breitenstine Park received $10,000 towards renovating the tennis courts.

Countryside (Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy) received $10,000 to continue their community food access program at the Barberton Farmers Market. This program has been very successful in supporting SNAP and WIC clients with options for more fruits, vegetables and healthy foods in their diets.

Girls on the Run received $10,000 to provide scholarships for girls interested in participating during the fall 2022 and spring 2023 seasons. Funding will also support the purchase of athletic shoes and coaching stipends.

The Humane Society of Summit County received $10,000 to provide services for pet owners in the Barberton community through their MABEL clinic.

The Foundation awarded $7,500 to the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank to support costs associated with the monthly Barberton Direct Distribution, which provides access to healthy food at no cost for Barberton residents. This funding equates to a provision of 14,400 lbs. of food.

IBH Addiction Recovery received $7,500 for group and individual counseling for Barberton clients with substance abuse disorder. Clients receive counseling at every level of care which includes residential, day, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment.

Embracing Futures, Inc. received $6,000 to support their Orthodontic Care program, which supports low-income families by providing braces for children with severe orthodontic problems.

The Foundation awarded Greenleaf Family Center $5,000 to support school-based suicide prevention services to approximately 2,000 Barberton middle and high school students.

Ben Curtis Family Foundation received $5,000 to support their Birdie Bags program. This program continues to serve 1,400 to 1,500 Barberton children once each month with take-home bags containing six nonperishable meals, four snacks and personal hygiene essentials.

The Foundation supported the Rape Crisis Center with $2,535 for their program, Responding to Victims in Barberton community. Funding supports victims of domestic/family/intimate partner abuse and/or sexual violence.

The Foundation’s last grant cycle of the year focuses on arts and community programming and is due October 1.

Top Photo Tag: (L-R) Friends of the Foundation Bob McDonald, Paula Kallio attend a tour with Michelle Rappach RN, Joint Replacement Manager at Summa Health – Barberton Campus. Michelle says, “When you aren’t in joint pain, you move better, you feel better and you live better.”

 

Foundation Board Meets at White Rabbit, Awards Funding for First Grant Cycle

Foundation Board Meets at White Rabbit, Awards Funding for First Grant Cycle

by | Mar 24, 2022 | Announcements, Board, Grants

Barberton Community Foundation Logo

The Barberton Community Foundation Board of Directors held their second meeting of the year at White Rabbit Galleries.

The board discussed regular business and approved $119,220.86 for thirteen grants in the first grant cycle of the year: Education and Workforce & Economic Development.

The board approved a fund name change from the Esther Ryan Shoe Endowment Fund to the Magic City Kiwanis/Esther Ryan Shoe Endowment Fund. This change came after the Magic City Kiwanis agreed to partner with the Foundation and merge two funds under the Foundation’s management. Magic City Kiwanis will continue to host the annual Spaghetti Dinner.

Another fund change was for the Barberton Community Health Clinic Endowment Funds. At the direction of fund holder Donna Keim, the health clinic funds will transfer into a new scholarship called the Walter Ritzman Scholarship Fund. This change comes as the Health Clinic no longer exists to serve the community. The scholarship will provide support to Barberton students pursuing a pharmacy degree.

Grants Approved

The Foundation awarded thirteen grants totaling $119,220.86 in their first grant cycle of the year.

Child Guidance & Family Solutions received $10,000 for their program Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding program (TAPS) which improves kindergarten readiness and reduces preschool expulsion rates in four Barberton preschools annually. TAPS helps preschools focus on children’s social-emotional needs by providing trauma-informed approaches, classroom management techniques and embedded social-emotional models.

With the new Barberton Intermediate School beginning next year, The Foundation awarded $4,800 to Barberton City Schools for t-shirts to all the staff and students of Barberton Intermediate to support community and pride.

Tri-County JOG was awarded $26,500 for their program, Municipality Workforce Development for Barberton Youth, which share municipality employment opportunities with Barberton High School juniors.

The Akron-Barberton Community Workforce Development program, managed by SCORE Akron, received $5,000 to assist with their mentoring and educational workshops for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Camp Invention, a popular summer program organized by the National Inventors Hall of Fame received $10,000 to provide financial support to Barberton students who would like to attend the program.

United Way of Summit & Medina received $5,000 for their Financial Empowerment Services programming provided to Barberton residents. The center estimates they will serve 75 residents through free financial empowerment programming, including financial coaching, tax preparation and banking assistance.

The Foundation supported JA programming through Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio with a $5,000 grant to provide support for JA’s K-12 programming which focuses on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness.

The International Soap Box Derby received $4,000 to continue their SBD Mini Car STEM program with Barberton City School elementary students and provide materials for middle school students’ gravity racing challenges.

Red Oak Behavioral Health received $13,000 for summer programming in partnership with Lake Anna YMCA.

Barberton City Schools Theatre Department received $20,000 to upgrade the theatre equipment. Currently the sound and lighting boards are failing. Upgrades will benefit both the school and community groups who use the theater.

Barberton City Schools eSports received $5,671.70 to purchase three additional computers for student players. The program has a waiting list for players and is fundraising for team jerseys.

The Foundation awarded two grants to Barberton City Schools for additional programs: $2,796.92 for their program Learning under the Lights, which is a summer reading and math event, and $7,452.25 for building a Magical Reading Nook at Barberton Primary School for students to read under the stairs in a cozy environment.

Other business:

The Foundation Board passed several policy updates out of the governance committee and welcomed Tiffany Peters to the Foundation staff as the new director of Finance. Tiffany started on Monday, March 14 and is joining the Foundation from serving in various financial roles with United Way of Summit and Medina Counties.

 

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.