Nearly groups received funding during the health and human services cycle. In addition, the board approved $, in competitive grants chosen by the foundation’s Community Investment Committee.

A portion of the health and human services funding was contributed by the Tifft Family Fund; the Charles E. and Mary K. Booth Fund; the Dawley Family Fund; the Summit Portage Area Health Education Fund; and an anonymous fund holder through the community foundation’s grant co-investment program, which enables donor-advised fund holders to review the board’s competitive grant applications and support initiatives that align with their charitable interests.   

A Kid Again Northern Ohio: $, to support therapeutic recreation opportunities for families with children who have life-threatening conditions.  

Akron Blind Center: $, to offer programs, resources and classes for the blind and visually impaired in Summit County, including braille, computer literacy, physical fitness, crafts and volunteerism.  

Akron Children’s Hospital: $, to support child injury prevention through home safety kits for low-income families.

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank: $, to support food distribution and hunger relief programs in Summit County.

American Red Cross Northern Ohio Region: $, to support disaster cycle services in Summit County, including preparedness classes, disaster response and recovery assistance.  

Asian Services In Action . ASIA .: $, to imbed mental health programming and activities within the International Community Empowerment Project that serves immigrants and refugee youths.  

Autism Society of Greater Akron: $, to expand inclusive social and recreational opportunities for individuals with autism.

AxessPointe Community Health Centers: $, to support health and wellness in individuals from marginalized communities throughout Summit County through medical care, education and outreach. 

Battered Women s Shelter: $, to support crisis intervention services for victims of domestic andor sexual violence.

Ben Curtis Family Foundation: $, to address the food insecurity of children and families in Summit County by providing nonperishable meals and other items to local students. 

Broken Chains Jail & Prison Ministry: $, to support programs like residential recovery, mentoring and workforce development for former offenders in Summit County, helping to remove barriers that lead to recidivism.  

Buddy Up For Life: $, to offer tennis, fitness and summer camps for people with Down syndrome. 

Canine Companions: $, to provide service dogs at no cost to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities in Summit County. 

Catholic Charities of Summit County: $, to support emergency assistance services, like medical bills, home repairs, medical supplies, phone bills and other basic needs.  

Celiac and Allergy Friendly Food Initiative: $, to support a food pantry that serves allergy-friendly food to low-income families.

Christ Child Society of Akron: $, to provide school appropriate clothing to low-income students.  

Cleveland Clinic Akron General: $, to improve health care access for refugees in the North Hill neighborhood, including referrals, health screenings and Medicaid enrollments.  

Community Legal Aid Services: $, to support Project HEAL, a medical-legal partnership that helps families whose legal needs have adverse effects on their health.

CORE Furniture Bank: $, for operating support, like the transport and handling of donated furniture for families in need in Summit County.  

Crown Point Ecology Center: $, to support increased fresh produce and vegetable plant donations to the community with farm interns.  

Embracing Futures: $, to provide orthodontic treatment for children in poor and working poor families.  

Family and Community Services: $, to address senior hunger in Summit County by providing home-delivered and congregate meals.  

Family Promise of Summit County: $, for the Survive to Thrive program, which helps families facing homelessness achieve sustainable homeownership.  

First Glance Student Center: $, to support mentoring and outreach programs for teens in Kenmore.  

Forever R Children: $, to assist children and their immediate families with basic food needs. 

Forget-Me-Not Baskets: $, to support Akron hospitals’ pregnancy bereavement program for families that experience a loss during pregnancy or childbirth.

Freedom House for Women: $, to decrease the barriers of addiction and homelessness by providing substance abuse treatment, recovery housing and supportive services to women in Summit County.  

Girls On the Run Northeast Ohio: $, to support a physical activity-based youth development program for Summit County girls in high poverty neighborhoods that integrates running with an interactive curriculum that promotes confidence, character and contribution.  

Grace House Akron: $, to provide access to end-of-life care for low- to moderate-income residents in Greater Akron.

Greenleaf Family Center: $, to expand the PEERS program to meet the growing need for support by parents of children challenged with mental health and other complex needs. 

GriefCare Place: $, for support groups and other programs for residents grieving the loss of a loved one. 

Guy s and Gal s Community Partnership: $, to support the Hoop for Coop adult and youth health fair and basketball sports clinics.

Harmony House: $, to provide case management, independent living skills development, legal support, financial literacy, and employment and career advancement for young people ages - facing homelessness.  

H.M. Life Opportunity Services: $, to provide support programming for young people whose families are living in the organization’s permanent supportive housing while transitioning out of homelessness.  

Hope United: $, to support families grieving the loss of a loved one to overdose or addiction.  

International Institute of Akron: $, to support an extended social services program for refugees and immigrants.

IBH Addiction Recovery: $, for support of addiction treatment, including case management, referrals and counseling.

Jewish Family Service of Akron: $, to support general operations for older adult and mental health services in Akron.  

Let s Grow Akron: $, for operating support, including access to healthy food, for low-income residents, neighborhood farmers markets, community gardens and educational programs.  

LINKS Community and Family Services: $, to support the LINKS Senior Connection Program, including meals, cognitive care, medical resources and community activities.

The Mode: $, to provide addiction treatment programs such as intensive outpatient, individual sessions, family education and support, and partial hospitalization.

NAMI Summit County: $, to support the Reedy Housewarming Project, which provides new, basic household items for people with serious mental illness who are transitioning to independent living. 

Open Arms Adoptions: $, to support adoption of infants and children with special needs, along with the Keeping Siblings Together program.  

OPEN M: $, to support free medical and dental services for uninsured residents of Greater Akron.  

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio: $, to support long-acting reversible contraception LARCs for low-income women at Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio’s Akron Health Center.  

Popeye s Boxing Gym: $, to promote the sport of boxing by providing opportunities to underprivileged children, adults and families.

Prevent Blindness Ohio: $, for the Vision Care Outreach Program, which offers vision screenings and access to eye care for high-risk individuals in Summit County.  

Project Outrun: $, to provide custom shoes and apparel that empower and strengthen children and their families as they battle life threatening illnesses.  

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio: $, to support Summit County families staying together and near their hospitalized children.

Safe Families for Children Alliance: $, to help reduce the number of children in foster care in Summit County by mentoring parents and helping families in crisis.

Sarah s House: $, to support the continuation of Senior Community Circles, a program that allows the older adult population to gather for guest speakers, social interaction and activities. 

Stewart’s Caring Place: $, to create awareness of free support services available to individuals and families impacted by cancer in low-income, minority, refugee, and LGBTQ+ communities. 

Summit County Community Partnership: $, to support the Deterra Project, providing free medicine disposal bags and educational materials to help residents safely use, store and dispose of unused prescription medicine. 

Summit County Fatherhood Initiative: $, to support free fatherhood classes and services through a community partnership.  

United Disability Services: $, to support employment services, like job exploration, skills assessment, interviewing and soft-skills training, for Summit County residents with severe disabilities.  

United Way of Summit & Medina: $, to support the -- Information and Referral helpline for Summit County residents.  

VANTAGE Aging: $, for support of Home Wellness Solutions, which includes home care, Meals on Wheels, behavioral health and other services to help older adults remain in their homes.  

Victim Assistance Program: $, to assist individuals who are victimized by crime, and those who have experienced trauma, through advocacy, education and support.  

Victory Gallop: $, to support a therapeutic horseback riding program for children ages through who face behavioral challenges and illness.  

Women Revived Ministries: $, to support the Total Life Wellness program, which provides mentorship, professional development and coaching for survivors of human trafficking.  

Women s Auxiliary Board, Summit County Children Services: $, to support the Beds for Kids Program, which aims to help prevent rollover deaths by giving out beds and cribs to at-risk children.  

Akron Community Foundation embraces and enhances the work of charitable people who make a permanent commitment to the good of the community. In , a $ million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of nearly $ million with a growing family of more than  funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. 

For more information or to learn more about creating your own charitable fund, call -- or visit .akroncf.

Akron Beacon Journal: Is your group on the list? Akron Community Foundation awards $ million in grants