Women's Endowment Fund announces nearly $200K in grants at "For Women, Forever" celebration

Bernett L. Williams presented with Judith A. Read Tribute Award for Service & Advocacy for Women

The Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation announced 39 grants totaling $199,000 to nonprofit organizations serving women and girls in Summit County. This latest round of grants brings the fund's cumulative grantmaking total to nearly $2.7 million.

Leaders of the Women's Endowment Fund announced the grants on Thursday, March 26, during the fund's "For Women, Forever" annual celebration at Quaker Station.

"Each year, the grant applications we receive are both heartbreaking and inspiring. And this year, we received the largest number in our history," said Erin Leppo Palmer, president of the Women's Endowment Fund. "Because the need is so significant, we are committed to ensuring the funds entrusted to us are invested where they will have the greatest impact."

Among this year's grant recipients is Victim Assistance Program, which received an $8,000 grant to provide holistic, evidence-based advocacy services for women and girls who have been impacted by crisis, violence or tragedy. In 2024, Victim Assistance Program directly assisted 3,362 women, with an additional 3,445 children benefiting indirectly through services provided to their guardians.

During the event, fund leaders also honored Bernett L. Williams, chief engagement officer at Akron Children's, with the 2026 Judith A. Read Tribute Award for Service & Advocacy for Women. Tracy Carter, president and CEO of the Trailhead Community Health Foundation of Greater Akron, introduced Williams, saying, "Tonight's honoree – Bernett Williams, my fellow Leadership Akron Class 15 member and Delta Sigma Theta sorority sister – has called Akron home since 2002 and has dedicated her career to leading and serving our community with compassion, integrity and excellence."

The event culminated in a fireside chat between Williams and award-winning journalist Debra Adams Simmons. The pair discussed Williams' leadership journey and the power of philanthropy.

The following is a complete list of organizations receiving grants from the Women's Endowment Fund in 2026:

ACCESS Inc., to provide safe shelter, food, clothing and hygiene items for women and children who are experiencing homelessness, $7,500
Akron Inner City Soccer Club, to increase the participation of female players and coaches in this free, year-round soccer program, $5,000
Birthing Beautiful Communities, to provide free perinatal, birth and postpartum support services for new and expecting mothers in Summit County, $7,500
Bounce Innovation Hub, to provide programming and services for female entrepreneurs in Greater Akron, $2,500
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, to expand SMART Girls programming to adolescent girls involved with the Summit County Juvenile Court, $3,000
Carve Your Own Path, to support a trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness program for girls at Leggett CLC, $1,000
Child Guidance & Family Solutions, to strengthen caregiver-child relationships through parenting workshops for female caregivers, $4,000
Citizens Church Akron (The Vincent House), to provide free dance classes and costumes for young girls, regardless of income, at a dance studio inside The Vincent House, $2,000
Community Legal Aid, to provide holistic legal services for low-income women who have experienced domestic violence and stalking, $8,000
Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market, to support the Carrot Cash food access program, which enables women to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables from the market, $3,000
Early Childhood Resource Center, to strengthen Greater Akron's early childhood sector by supporting women who own, lead and teach in child care programs, $5,000
Empowered Network, to help women who have experienced trafficking become financially independent by removing housing barriers and offering financial education and career guidance, $5,000
Family Promise of Summit County, to support the economic empowerment of single mothers without housing through tailored case management services, transportation and child care assistance, and job preparation support, $5,000
Forever R Children, to purchase toiletries, personal hygiene items, and household cleaning products for women who are experiencing homelessness or living in poverty, $5,000
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, to support the Girl Scout Journey Program, an after-school program that teaches STEM and leadership skills to girls in under-resourced schools, $6,500
Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio, to support a running-based program for girls that combines physical activity with discussions about self-confidence, stress management and healthy relationships, $10,000
Grace House Akron, to provide end-of-life care for terminally ill women without housing, $3,000
Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, to provide affordable housing for single mothers through the Women Build initiative, $4,000
Harmony House, to provide emergency and transitional housing for young women who are experiencing housing insecurity, $7,000
Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center (Rape Crisis Center), to provide 24/7 crisis intervention services for women and girls impacted by sexual violence or abuse, $5,000
Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center (Shelter), to provide free protective shelter and crisis intervention services for women and children who have been impacted by domestic violence, $5,000
Humility of Mary Housing, to support economic empowerment for women experiencing homelessness by eliminating one-time financial obstacles, $2,500
IBH Addiction Recovery, to support a recovery housing program for women recovering from addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, $5,000
Legacy III, to support the Pathways to Freedom program, which provides transitional and rapid rehousing services for women experiencing homelessness while recovering from substance use or mental health disorders, $8,000
Limitless Ambition, to support the Purposely Chosen Teen Enrichment Program, which will equip teen girls with tools to become leaders, discover their passions, and resolve conflict, $5,000
North Hill CDC, to support the Maker House, a women's empowerment space that addresses income disparities for immigrant, refugee and minority women by sustaining women-owned small businesses, $2,500
OPEN M, to provide preventive screenings and follow-up care for uninsured women at OPEN M's free clinic, $7,500
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, to support a comprehensive sexual health education program for youth in Summit County, $10,000
Proyecto RAICES, to provide training and mentorship for Hispanic women interested in starting or expanding their own business, $5,000
RAHAB Ministries, to provide respite and resources for survivors of sex trafficking, $6,000
Shelter Care, to support pregnant and parenting teens experiencing homelessness through the Highlands Teen Pregnancy Shelter, $3,000
Stewart's Caring Place, to provide support services and wellness programs for women impacted by cancer, $5,000
Students With A Goal, to provide middle and high school girls with educational and community engagement programs through the EmpowerHER Initiative, $2,500
Summit Artspace, to provide entrepreneurship coaching for female artists in Summit County who are seeking to establish or grow an arts business, $2,500
Summit Choral Society, to support a weekly educational music program that builds confidence and leadership skills in adolescent girls, $2,500
VANTAGE Aging, to provide nutritious meals and wellness checks for aging women, $7,500
Victim Assistance Program, to provide holistic, evidence-based advocacy services for women and girls who have been impacted by crisis, violence or tragedy, $8,000
Victory Gallop, to support an equine therapy program for adolescent girls with disabilities, $2,500
The Well CDC, to provide trauma-informed career development services for women in the Middlebury neighborhood, $10,000

About the Women's Endowment Fund
The Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation was established in 1993 as a philanthropic endowment committed to encouraging the advancement of women and girls in Summit County. To date, it has grown to almost $6 million and awarded nearly $2.7 million in grants. Contributions of any amount are welcome and can be made online at akroncf.org/give/WEF or mailed to Women's Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation, 345 W. Cedar St., Akron, OH 44307. For more information, call 330-376-8522 or visit womensendowmentfund.org.  

About Akron Community Foundation
For 70 years, Akron Community Foundation has been our community's champion and generator of enduring philanthropy. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of  $350 million with a growing family of more than 930 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 $271 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 akroncf.org.