News

Mar 17, 2020

Also donates $25,000 to Akron Summit County COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund

AKRON, Ohio (March 16, 2020) – With an initial $100,000, Akron Community Foundation has established the Community Response Fund to help address emergency needs that arise in Summit and Medina counties related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We understand this crisis is going to impact much more than just physical health,” said John T. Petures Jr., president and CEO of Akron Community Foundation. “And we know that the nonprofits already helping those who will be most impacted are going to be stretched thin. It’s imperative that we help them – and through them, the community at large – during this unprecedented situation.”

The fund will distribute grants to nonprofit organizations that provide for basic needs, such as food, medical assistance and shelter, as well as provide emergency operating support to agencies that cover education, arts & culture, civic, and health & human services programs.

The foundation is urging local businesses, other funders and the general public to consider donating to the fund. Online donations are being accepted at: www.akroncf.org/CommunityResponseFund.

“This situation is rapidly evolving, so we wanted to quickly get a fund in place to support our community and give people who have been inquiring about what they can do to help a place to go,” said Petures. “Charitable organizations have already been contacting us regarding urgent and emerging needs, so we’re still determining the specific parameters and grant application requirements for these grants and will be communicating that information to our nonprofit partners and the public soon.”

Ongoing information and updates about this fund, where grants are going, and additional contributors will be available at www.akroncf.org/CommunityResponseFundInfo.

In addition, the community foundation has contributed $25,000 to the Summit County COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund established by the United Way of Summit County.

“Akron Community Foundation and United Way of Summit County have a similar mission of helping the community, but do so by supporting varied needs and organizations throughout the region,” said Petures. “It’s our hope that through both of these funds we’ll be able to serve a large part of our community during this trying time.”

About Akron Community Foundation

Celebrating 64 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 $238 million with a growing family of more than 670 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 $173 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.