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Millennium Fund for Children wraps up 20th anniversary with record $55,050 in grants

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Millennium Fund logo

As Akron Community Foundation's Millennium Fund for Children wrapped up its 20th anniversary year, it recently awarded 30 grants totaling $55,050 to children's programs throughout Greater Akron. The community foundation's board of directors ratified the grants at its Dec. 4 meeting, bringing the Millennium Fund's cumulative grantmaking to nearly $850,000. 

A partnership of the Akron Beacon Journal and Akron Community Foundation, the Millennium Fund for Children began in 1999 when local residents donated their last hour's pay of the millennium to support children's causes in the next century and beyond. Since then, thanks to gifts of all kinds and sizes, the endowment has grown to more than $1.1 million and awarded more than 550 grants to programs that meet children's basic needs, teach important life skills, enrich students' lives through visual and performing arts, and much more. Grants support children's programs throughout the Akron Beacon Journal/Beaconjournal.com's audience coverage area, which includes Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, Wayne and Cuyahoga counties. 

"In such a year of uncertainty for so many of our local nonprofits, the Millennium Fund for Children was able to make record grants," said John T. Petures Jr., president and CEO of Akron Community Foundation. "This funding was thanks to the generosity of thousands of local residents who have contributed to the fund over its 20-year history. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our youngest residents."

To continue this momentum in grantmaking, the fund continues to seek donations both large and small from individual residents and corporations alike. Donations can be made quickly and easily online at www.akroncf.org/give/Millennium or by texting "Millennium" to 41444. The CARES Act and SECURE Act have brought new considerations for charitable giving this year. To learn more about how these changes could impact your giving, visit www.akroncf.org/YearEnd, speak to your professional advisors, or call the foundation at 330-376-8522. 

The following grants were awarded from the fund this year: 

ACCESS, to provide meals, clothing, health assessments and academic support for children living at the shelter, $2,000  

Battered Women's Shelter, to support the Youth Advocacy Program, which focuses on social, cultural and academic developments of children from birth to age 18, $2,000  

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina & Stark Counties, to provide virtual events and activities designed to keep kids connected throughout the pandemic, $2,000  

Boy Scouts of America, Great Trail Council, to support camping scholarships for disadvantaged youth, $2,000  

CASA Board Volunteer Association, to provide warm winter pajamas for abused and neglected children in foster care, $2,000  

Christ Child Society of Akron, to provide essential newborn items and child safety literature to mothers of at-risk babies, $1,000  

Crown Point Ecology Center, to support the Taste of Art Summer Camp, where children and teens ages 8-18 will learn about music, dance, theater and fine arts, $2,000  

Family Promise of Summit County Inc., to purchase linens, toiletries and diapers for homeless babies and children, $2,000  

GASP: Guardians Advocating Child Safety and Protection, to support child safety programs on topics such as bullying, internet safety and gun safety, $1,000  

Good Neighbors Inc., to purchase reusable masks for children in need, $1,000 

Good Samaritan Hunger Center, to provide bimonthly bags of food for each child at the Findley Community Learning Center, $2,000  

Grace Academy of Small Wonders, to support online educational sessions and one-on-one mentoring opportunities for elementary girls, $2,000  

Limitless Ambition, to empower teen girls in the Summit County Juvenile Court system who have been impacted by abuse or neglect to improve their self-esteem, achieve their academic goals, and develop leadership skills, $2,000  

Live Inspired, to provide educational books and toys to Medina County families in need, $2,000 

Magical Theatre Company, to provide educational videos to Akron Public Schools students, promoting and demonstrating positive behaviors, $2,000  

Medina County Police Activity League, to provide field trips for third through fifth grade students in Medina County, $1,350  

OutSupport Inc., to provide basic transition support to youth experiencing gender dysphoria, $1,500  

RAHAB Ministries Inc., to support and mentor juvenile human sex trafficking victims and those at risk of becoming trafficking victims, $2,000  

Rape Crisis Center, to provide trauma therapy for youth impacted by sexual violence, $2,000 

RePlay for Kids, to provide adapted toys to children with disabilities in Summit County for remote learning and therapies, $2,000  

Ronald McDonald House Akron, to provide a home away from home for families with children receiving care at Akron Children's Hospital or another local medical facility, $2,000  

Shanti Community Farms, to provide school supplies to immigrant families in the Akron area, $2,000 

Shelter Care Inc., to provide activities for youth in short-term residential crisis shelters that teach healthy coping strategies and independent living skills, $2,000  

South Akron Youth Mentorship, to support disadvantaged youth with education, mentoring and counseling programs during COVID-19 school closings, $2,000  

South Street Ministries, to support a variety of youth programs at the Summit Lake-based nonprofit, $2,000  

Stewart's Caring Place, to provide social events and programming for children who are undergoing cancer treatments or have a loved one who has experienced cancer, $2,000  

Victim Assistance Program, to provide age-appropriate services to child victims of crisis and violence, $2,000  

Victory Gallop, to purchase riding helmets for the therapeutic horseback riding lessons for children with special needs, $1,200  

Weathervane Community Playhouse, to provide theater class scholarships for children from low-income families, $2,000  

The Well Community Development Corporation, to support students, teachers and families at Mason Community Learning Center with year-round programming, $2,000 

About the Millennium Fund for Children 
The Millennium Fund for Children is a permanent endowment that was founded in 1999 as a partnership between Akron Community Foundation and the Akron Beacon Journal. It supports arts, civic, education, and health and human services projects for children living in the Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com's audience coverage area. Its mission is to make grants where even a small amount can make a difference. Since its establishment, the Millennium Fund has grown to more than $1.1 million and awarded nearly $850,000 in grants. Last year, contributions totaling $35,819.04 from hundreds of generous donors added to the fund. For more information, or to contribute to the Millennium Fund for Children, visit www.akroncf.org/Millennium, text Millennium to 41444, or call 330-376-8522.   

About Akron Community Foundation 
Celebrating 65 years of building community philanthropy, Akron Community Foundation embraces and enhances the work of charitable people who make a permanent commitment to the good of the community. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of more than $235 million with a growing family of more than 690 funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. The community foundation and its funds welcome gifts of all kinds, including cash, bequests, stock, real estate, life insurance and retirement assets, just to name a few. To date, the community foundation's funds have awarded nearly $189 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. For more information about Akron Community Foundation or to learn more about creating your own charitable fund, call 330-376-8522 or visit www.akroncf.org.  

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