Skip to main content
Horizontal Rule

A Common Theme

Akron Community Foundation is a library of personal stories. Their authors? Charitable people just like you who want to enrich the community in their own unique way, now and forever.

Some are fundholder stories, which feature charitable individuals, families and organizations that find purpose, ease and fulfillment by giving through Akron Community Foundation. Others are grantee stories about nonprofits that are leveraging generous gifts from our donors and fundholders to improve life all over Summit County. Still others are advisor stories about legal and financial professionals who have expanded their services and strengthened client relationships by offering philanthropic services through Akron Community Foundation.

Ready to write your own story? Learn how you can start a charitable fund and leave your mark on the community for generations to come. You can also read our publications for more inspiring stories about philanthropy in Greater Akron.

Couple shares holiday cheer with community
Couple shares holiday cheer with community
Like many Akron natives, Mark Allio's fondest Christmas memories include trips to his grandparents' house. There, he, his parents and his four siblings joined 10 aunts and uncles and many more cousins for an Italian feast in his grandparents' basement. "It...
Read More
Kathy Booth funds women forever in her mother's name
Kathy Booth funds women forever in her mother's name
One of the purposes of the Women's Endowment Fund is to enrich the lives of women in our community – all of the mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, nieces and friends who are woven into the fabric of our families.  By improving life for...
Read More
International Institute of Akron
International Institute of Akron
When Uzbek refugee Bahrom Abdurasulov fled his war-torn country in 2005, he knew re-establishing his life in the United States would be a formidable challenge.  He had limited English skills, no local support system, and very few resources. What he never...
Read More
Trails Forever Legacy Fund
Trails Forever Legacy Fund
During his 21 years as superintendent, John Debo had a looming frustration about the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It wasn't the staff; they were top notch. And it wasn't the numbers; the park attracted millions every year. Ironically, the common element...
Read More
George Stevens Fund
George Stevens Fund
In 1930, George Stevens was looking for a way to make a lasting gift to his community. The Akron native had spent much of his life climbing the ranks at a paper company in Hartford City, Ind., and was known for his quiet kindness and dedication to helping...
Read More
Mark and Michele Allio Family Fund
Mark and Michele Allio Family Fund
On Dec. 22, hundreds of people stood waiting in line for food at four local churches. They came hoping to get just enough food for Christmas, but they left carrying much more: whole 12-pound turkeys. "The look on their faces, realizing they were getting these...
Read More
Millennium Fund gets surprise gift from Santa Claus
Millennium Fund gets surprise gift from Santa Claus
It was an unlikely chain of events that led Medina County resident Bob Pohto to the Millennium Fund for Children. Pohto was flying out of Akron-Canton Regional Airport last December for a business trip in Mississippi when he came across someone handing out...
Read More
Steven Baach Charities Fund
Steven Baach Charities Fund
From the time he learned to walk, Steven Baach was playing sports. "Steve was either kicking, shooting, throwing, hitting or catching a ball," said his father, Mike Baach. "As he grew, whether it was soccer, basketball, baseball or golf, he occupied all his...
Read More
Dante Lavelli Scholarship Fund
Dante Lavelli Scholarship Fund
A scholarship fund at Akron Community Foundation is carrying on the legacy of a local hero. Established in 2010, the Dante B. and Joy W. Lavelli Athletic Academic Scholarship Fund honors the career of the Browns football legend by helping athletes at Hudson...
Read More
Horizontal Rule

Stay Connected

Sign up for our e-newsletter