Stories: Fundholder Stories

By Tracy Burt, Vice President, Marketing & Communications For many people, Jacqueline Silas-Butler and Project GRAD Akron are synonymous. The local nonprofit has been around since 2002, and Jackie has been at the helm since 2006, nearly its entire...

Traditional is not a word you would use to describe Harvey Nelson, retired co-chief executive officer and founder of Main Street Muffins, now known as Main Street Gourmet. From the way he (finally) completed his degree at The University of Akron to his...

Fun Fact: This philanthropic couple met at – where else? – a fundraiser. The Akron Art Museum Wine Auction. The Steere family has long been known for its philanthropy in the Greater Akron area. Bill Steere's father, Frank W. Steere Jr., was one of the...

Victim Assistance Program director expresses gratitude to David R. and Cheryl L. Venarge Fund David and Cheryl Venarge established a donor-advised fund at Akron Community Foundation in 1999 to allow their entire family to give back to the community they love....

Like so many of us, Dave Yeager lost his mom to cancer. Now, he's working to ensure sons and daughters are no longer left motherless by the disease. As a young professional, Dave began more than 40 years of volunteer service with the American Cancer Society....

When local entrepreneur and art connoisseur Rory O'Neil passed away unexpectedly in October 2020, his wife of 52 years, Dedee, was left with "a lot of loose ends" to tie up. One of those loose ends was the private family foundation Rory and Dedee had been...

Endowment fund leverages charitable dollars to bring closure to unsolved crimes Hanging at the mall was a typical pastime for kids in the '80s and '90s, and while a young James Renner spent many a day at Westgate Center in Rocky River, it's safe to say his...

Everyone has a story to tell. The stories of donors at Akron Community Foundation are as unique as the people who tell them. A second-generation business owner who was taught early on to help those less fortunate. A retired nurse whose desire to give started...

On more than one occasion, Thomas G. Knoll's name has risen to the top of the list for the region's most prestigious awards. From the Akron Bar Association's Sir Thomas More Award to the Greater Akron Chamber's H. Peter Burg Award, Tom's integrity, hard work...

When Ed Schrank celebrated his 90th birthday with friends and family members two years ago, his most memorable gift was not something he received, but something he gave. A lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio, Ed rented a bus and took his large family on a...