When Mary DiDonato thinks of home, she thinks of her mother, a kind and caring woman who served others while never asking for anything in return. Mary has many fond memories of her mother's charity, including how she started every day by serving...
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.
New Year's Eve is a time of reflection and planning for many, including the Mike and Susan Zeleznik family. On Dec. 31, 2012, at the end of what had been a rewarding year, the Hudson residents chose to express their gratitude by planning for the future:...
For most parents, a child's graduation marks a monumental milestone: with their child and with one another. Nothing could have been truer for Bath residents David and Lisa Craine when their oldest son, Jake, graduated from Archbishop Hoban High School in...
"I was miserable just calling an 800 service." That's what corporate real estate advisor Bob Cooper said of his former charitable fund administrator. The administrator was the same national financial services firm that managed his donor-advised fund. It was...
While families all over greater Akron gather around their fireplaces this holiday season, a chilling fact remains: Local women and children living in poverty are being displaced from their homes due to chemical dependency and substance abuse. Last year, Akron...
A few short years ago, Gabrielle Blackshear was a single mom struggling to support her family. Like many young women, she had poor credit and did not understand how to live on a budget or manage her finances. All of that changed, however, when she found...
Imagine waking up at 3 a.m. every day to get to work. This is a reality for many of the clients at H.M. Life Opportunity Services in Akron who have recently escaped homelessness and have no individual method of transportation. To get to work, these clients...
Sept. 11, 2007, is a day Akron resident Nikki Washington will never forget. It was on this day that Nikki took back her independence and walked through the doors of the Battered Women's Shelter with her five children. From the outside, Nikki looked like a...
Before the Women's Endowment Fund could embark on a $2.013 million endowment campaign for its 20th anniversary, it needed a champion: someone who could get people excited about helping women and girls forever. It didn't take long before two incredible...
Do you know where your next meal is coming from? For thousands of people in Summit County, the answer is no. Now more than ever, families need help putting food on the table, and Akron Community Foundation is stepping up to the plate through grants to...