In 2019, Akron Community Foundation awarded $557,338* in competitive Health & Human Services cycle grants to programs that meet the basic needs of area residents, including those that address homelessness, food insecurity, domestic violence and more.
See a complete history of Health & Human Services grants
- A Kid Again Northern Ohio, to offer destination adventures for families of children with life-threatening illnesses, $5,000
- ACCESS, to provide services to women facing homelessness, including short-term secure housing, case management, health counseling and job readiness training, $15,500
- Akron Area YMCA, to teach water safety and swimming skills to underserved local elementary school students, $15,000
- Akron Blind Center, to offer programs, resources and classes for blind and visually impaired individuals in Summit County, including Braille, computer literacy, physical fitness, crafts and volunteerism, $8,000
- Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, to support food distribution in Summit County, as well as the Feeding Kids Initiative, a backpack and after-school snack program for local children, $40,000
- Akron Children’s Hospital, to support an asthma outreach program in Summit County schools that will help reduce environmental triggers and encourage policies for responding to severe asthma episodes, $5,000
- American Red Cross of Summit & Portage Counties, to support disaster preparedness, response and recovery services in Summit County, $15,000
- ARC Recovery Services, to provide certified peer support to individuals in the early stages of substance abuse recovery, $7,500
- Autism Society of Greater Akron, to support the Information and Referral Help Line, which offers resources to parents, professionals, educators, and individuals on the autism spectrum, $5,000
- AxessPointe Community Health Center, to provide personal hygiene products to low-income patients at the organization’s South Broadway Street location, $5,000
- Battered Women’s Shelter, to support crisis intervention services for victims of domestic and sexual violence, $25,000
- Birthing Beautiful Communities, to address and improve the systemic and community structures that lead to poor birth outcomes through education, advocacy, support programs and community engagement, $5,500
- Broken Chains Jail & Prison Ministry, to support mentoring and workforce development programs for former offenders in Summit County to help eliminate barriers that lead to recidivism, $7,500
- Catholic Charities of Summit County, to support the 2020 Emergency Assistance Program, which offers rent and utility assistance to residents in need, $15,000
- Celiac and Allergy Friendly Food Initiative, to support a food pantry serving allergy-friendly food to low-income families, $2,500
- Christ Child Society of Akron, to provide school-appropriate clothing for low-income students, $10,500
- Cleveland Clinic Akron General, to support the Minority Men’s Health Fair, which offers free health tests and screenings, $5,000
- Community Legal Aid Services, to support the HEAL project, a medical-legal partnership that represents patients and families when issues like education, housing and public benefits threaten their health, $20,000
- CORE Furniture Bank, to provide donated furniture to Summit County families in need, $7,500
- Crown Point Ecology Center, to train new greenhouse staff and increase vegetable seedling production during the spring season, $7,500
- Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy, to support and expand food access programs at Summit County farmers markets, $10,000
- Easter Seals of Northeast Ohio, to create an educational learning center for adults with disabilities, $588
- Embracing Futures Inc., to provide orthodontic treatment for children in underserved families, $5,000
- Family and Community Services, to address senior hunger in Summit County by providing home-delivered and congregate meals through the Mobile Meals program, $20,500
- Family Promise of Summit County Inc., to help homeless families with children remain together and achieve lasting independence, $8,000
- First Glance Student Center Inc., to support mentoring and outreach programs for at-risk teens in Kenmore, $7,500
- Forget-Me-Not Baskets, to provide bereavement items for families who have experienced a loss during pregnancy or childbirth at Akron-area hospitals, $2,500
- Freedom House for Women, to decrease addiction and homelessness in Summit County women by providing substance abuse treatment, recovery housing, and support services, $8,000
- Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio, to support a physical activity-based youth development program that promotes confidence and healthy choices for girls in high-poverty neighborhoods throughout Summit County, $8,000
- Goodwill Industries of Akron, to purchase bus passes for Summit County social service agencies and residents living in poverty, $5,000
- Grace House Akron, to support access to end-of-life care for low- to moderate-income residents in Greater Akron, $500
- GriefCare Place, to provide free support group counseling and other programs for residents grieving the loss of a loved one, $2,500
- H.M. Life Opportunity Services, for the Youth Services Program, which provides school supplies, transportation, tutoring and other services for children transitioning out of homelessness, $5,500
- IBH Addiction Recovery Center, to track the long-term, post-treatment success of clients who have completed the residential substance abuse treatment program, $10,000
- International Institute of Akron, to provide mental health services and case management for refugees and immigrants with significant barriers to economic and social stability, $15,000
- Jewish Family Service of Akron Ohio, to support the Happy, Healthy and At Home program, which offers case management, information referrals, counseling and other critical services for Summit County senior citizens, $8,000
- Let's Grow Akron, to provide affordable and locally grown healthy food for low-income residents in Greater Akron’s urban areas, $10,000
- NAMI Summit County, to provide basic household items to residents with serious mental illness who are transitioning from homelessness, group home living, or incarceration, $5,000
- National Society to Prevent Blindness, to provide vision care for at-risk individuals in Summit County, $8,250
- Ohio Living Communities, to offer assisted living for residents with limited financial means at the Rockynol retirement community, $5,000
- OPEN M, to support the organization’s free clinic and pharmacy for uninsured and underserved residents of Summit County, $17,500
- Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, to provide low-income women at the Akron Health Center with long-acting reversible contraception, $20,000
- Portage Path Behavioral Health, to provide medication-assisted treatment and peer support for clients recovering from addiction, $13,500
- Red Oak Behavioral Health, to support staff training for school-based mental health programs, $5,000
- Ronald McDonald House Akron, to provide a home away from home for families with children receiving care at Akron Children’s Hospital or nearby medical facilities, $12,500
- Stewart’s Caring Place, to offer support groups and educational programs for residents affected by cancer, $5,000
- Summit County Community Partnership, to support the Deterra Project, which reduces access to unused and expired opiates by providing drug deactivation pouches that safely neutralize prescription medicines, $10,000
- Summit County Fatherhood Initiative, to provide education, legal assistance, mentoring and other support services for fathers in Summit County who have previously been incarcerated or estranged from their children, $20,000
- United Disability Services, to provide employment services, including skills assessments and interview training, for Summit County residents with severe disabilities, $15,000
- United Way of Summit County, to help residents navigate health and social services available in Summit County through the 2-1-1 information and referral helpline, $15,000
- VANTAGE Aging, to help older adults remain in their homes by providing in-home assistance, including personal care, cleaning, grocery shopping and other critical services, $18,000
- Victim Assistance Program, to provide 24-hour support and advocacy for victims of crime and sudden trauma, $20,000
- Victory Gallop Inc., to support therapeutic horseback riding programs for children with behavioral challenges and life-threatening illnesses, $5,000
- Women's Auxiliary Board, Summit County Children Services, to promote safer sleeping conditions by providing beds for kids in the care of children’s services, $6,500
*Includes contributions through Akron Community Foundation's co-investment program, which enables donor-advised fundholders to review the board's competitive grant applications and support initiatives that align with their charitable interests.