Community Impact Report - September 2012

Community impact report September 2012

Building a better Barberton, now and forever

The Barberton Community Foundation

Dear Citizens of Barberton, First, I want to thank all of you for having the foresight many years ago to support the creation of the Barberton Community Foundation. Establishing an endowment from the hospital funds so many years ago, has not only allowed us to help build a better Barberton over the past 16 years, but will continue giving and building Barberton forever.

Were it not for the citizen support to make the Foundation a reality back in 1996, the Barberton landscape–with some of our newest structures, preserved buildings, and parks, the education system, our industrial base, the lives of our children, many of those in need of social services, and over 700 of those who have jobs–would never have been impacted. Can you imagine that? What a difference we the collective “us” have made!

what the Foundation is doing and how we are impacting lives is something I pledged to the Board of Directors that I would strive for - communicating that impact to you, not unlike a stock report to a corporation. After all, it’s the impact on people lives, to improve the quality of a life, which is our true measure of the return on your investment and the reason for the Foundation’s existence.

So please take a look at our report, and please do not ever hesitate to give me a call if you have any questions or concerns, or would like more information about making your own impact on Barberton through the creation of a special purpose pass-through, endowment, or scholarship fund.

Thanks again,

And with that, it gives me great pleasure to present this second Community Impact Report. Letting you know

Larry

About the Barberton Community Foundation Established in 1996, the Barberton Community Foundation has awarded over 2,500 grants and scholarships totaling more than $78 million since its inception and invested over $12 million more to promote job creation, neighborhood improvements and educational opportunities within Barberton. The Foundation strives to improve, now and forever, the quality of life for Barberton residents by providing leadership on vital issues, fostering collaboration, and creating a legacy of giving to do good. The foundation strengthens the community for current and future generations by proactively directing its flexible grant dollars to the community’s greatest needs: economic development, social services, educational excellence, and community image.

Board of Directors Dennis Liddle - C. Thomas Anders - Edna Boyle - Phil Canfora - Michael Chisnell - Mary Jo Goss - Thomas Gough - Thomas Harnden - William Judge - Kim Karson Lois Matney - Fred Maurer - Bruce May - Ryan Pendleton - Richard Wiley Staff Larry Lallo, Executive Director - Carl Bako, Director of Development and Community Services - Thomas Hastings, Chief Financial Officer - Laura Hoopes Ebie, Director for Advancement Holli Mallak, Director of Community Impact - Mary Ann Shunko, Administrative Assistant Editor, Designer Laura Hoopes Ebie Photography by Laura Hoopes Ebie, Barberton Mum Festival Contact 460 W. Paige Ave. • Barberton, OH 44203 • (330) 745-5995 • www.bcfcharity.org • Connect with us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/barbertoncommunityfoundation

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Barberton Area Community Ministries

Building [resources and opportunities for the hungry] Barberton Area Community Ministries (BACM) has been lending a helping hand to Barberton’s needy families since 1997, with a mission to offer hope, compassion, service and advocacy to low-income residents. Facing a recession and rising food costs, staff members were concerned that the growing need of the hungry had increased significantly, but storage and operating space remained tight.

After 14 years of operation, BACM had far outgrown their downtown Barberton location. The facility was a multi-level old home, with narrow staircases and tight quarters, making many of its services inaccessible, especially to those differently-abled individuals.

BACM teamed up with Summit Mennonite Church and found a solution. BACM opened up a new “home” on Wednesday, August 15th. Staff, volunteers, and clients now have much better access to the facilities, located directly off of a bus route and in a one floor handicap-accessible building shared with the Church.

In the summer of 2011, the Barberton Community Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to BACM for general support to help feed the people of Barberton. As BACM’s largest grant in 2011, it helped keep food on the shelves and in the hands of our most needful community members through the facility transition.

Additionally, a small portion of grant money helped start a new gardening program. Helping 10 families in 2011 and even more in the 2012, BACM goal was to help families till, plant, and reap the rewards of a harvest – incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into meals and empowering people with the ability to grow their own food.

Barberton Historical Society & Art at the Farm Art Show

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One of the beautiful things about cities in the midwest is their resourcefulness at saving old buildings and re-tasking them for modern uses. In this way, historic architecture has met modern society, serving a variety of dual purposes, such as housing new initiatives, retail expansion, and others, without the cost of new construction.

Building [unexpected connections to the past and future] During the fall of 2011, the Barberton Community Foundation granted $60,000 to the Barberton Historical Society to restore concrete work on the historic O.C. Barber Piggery. The Piggery, built in 1912, has long been a Barberton landmark along Robinson Avenue. Sometimes called the “Pork Palace,” it has also housed cattle and sheep in its 100 year history. To residents of Barberton, the Piggery with its characteristic patriotic red, white and blue color scheme on the Anna Dean Farm lands, is a beautiful reminder of the gilded age and remains a significant piece of local architecture.

In June 2012, the old piggery was given a new task, transitioning from pigs to “pig”ments, when the O.C. Barber Pig Barn held the first annual “Art at the Farm” Art Show. The unique interior of the barn reveals a rustic-chic atmosphere which created an ideal ‘blank canvas’ for gallery space. Sponsored in cooperation with Barberton City Schools, Barberton Community Foundation, and Barberton Historical Society, the Art at the Farm Art show was a huge success with over 800 people attending the inaugural event.

“Our goal with this ‘gallery opening’ was to highlight the extremely talented community of visual artists in Barberton,” said Holli Mallak, Director of Community Impact at the Barberton Community Foundation. Displays featured the jewelry, painting, sculpture and ceramics artwork of Barberton’s own middle and high school students as well as the works of nationally prominent artists such as Craig Megyes, Ron White, Robin Harris, and Janette Diehl. “Because the art show was also judged, students in the Barberton City Schools were challenged to create their most thoughtful art work and benefitted from having their works critiqued and praised by professional artists,” added Mallak.

The Barberton Community Foundation partnered with Barberton Historical Society to organize and produce this event. “The arts are often considered to be at the periphery of community development priorities, and often neglected,” said Larry Lallo, Executive Director at the Foundation. “However, communities are beginning to recognize that the arts are a catalyst to reaffirm a community’s identity, values, encourage visionary thinking, and create a synergy that makes us all stronger.”

From left to right: Middle School Best of Show “Guitar” by Kortni Moore, Middle School Second Place “The Phantom Returns” by Macailia August, High School Best of Show “Vicarious” by Tim McWilliams, High School Second Place “Portfolio” by Ashley Groff

impact Building [greater access to emergency services] Summa Barberton Hospital held a grand opening celebration for the completion of the new cafeteria and community conference rooms as part of a larger Emergency Department expansion project on Monday, August 6th. Construction began last year on the much-needed Emergency Department project.

Summa Barberton Hospital’s emergency department volume has grown an average of 7.6% in each of the last 5 years, culminating in 2010 with 44,000 patients being treated in an ED that was designed to treat 27,000 patients per year. Consequently, as a part of an overall system initiative to grow emergency services throughout the region, the construction of a new, larger emergency department on the Summa Barberton Hospital campus was approved. The project cost was estimated at $17.3 million.

The hospital’s cafeteria, dining area and conference center were relocated and rebuilt in a new location to accommodate the ED expansion. The newly-added conference rooms are named to recognize the $500,000 grant given by the Barberton Community Foundation in support of the expansion. The Foundation is a proud partner of this project, as it enhances and expands the emergency medicine capabilities throughout the region and better serves the people of Barberton.

Summa Barberton Hospital Emergency Department Expansion

NDS Downtown Barberton Farmers Market

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Building [options for healthy food choices in the urban landscape] Late summer and fall in Northeast Ohio herald the arrival of fresh-from-the-garden fruits and vegetables. Our tomatoes are unrivaled and our apple trees yield some of the largest harvests in the nation. As communities have become more health conscious, the desire for fresh, organic foods has caused the number of farmer’s markets to blossom. A recent article in the Washington Post reported that since 1994, the number of farmer’s markets nationally has grown from 1,755 individual markets to nearly 5,500 today.

Locally, the now-enormous Hartville Flea Market began as a simple farmer’s market. In our own Barberton Community, the Neighborhood Development Services coordinates the summer Downtown Farmers Market. Held every Wednesday afternoon from late June - early October, the market has brought fresh, healthy food choices to the people of Barberton, while promoting healthy lifestyle habits and support local farmers, bringing agriculture and community together. The market attracts about 20 vendors weekly offering fresh produce. Additionally, there are delicious baked goods, and events such as vegetable carving by Chef Alford, cooking demonstrations by Akron Beacon Journal Food Editor Lisa Abraham, weekly drawings, kids activities, and other opportunities for fun for the whole family.

Barberton Community Foundation is proud to support the efforts of the Barberton Farmer’s Market with a grant of $2,500 awarded January 2012. The Barberton Downtown Farmers Market is good for the community, good for farmers, good for consumers, good for the economy, and good for YOU!

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Quarterly Grant Awards

Building [strength and capacity of local nonprofits] children each year. Child Guidance & Family Solutions received $10,000 for Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding program.

Community Image organizations are vital to beautifying our community, thus attracting new visitors and tourists. To this end the BCF funded Neighborhood Development Services $5,000 for the 2012 Downtown Christmas Walk; Barberton Parks and Recreation received two grants this cycle, $6,300 for the Lake Anna Holiday Lighting Festival and $13,625 for their regionally recognized annual event, the Barberton Mum Festival.

At its board meeting held August 16, the Board of Directors of the Barberton Community Foundation voted to award $69,925 in quarterly grants to seven local nonprofit organizations serving Barberton. Grants are assessed and recommended for approval based on their alignment, strength and impact in the focus areas defined by the Foundation’s Strategic Plan 2020.

Social Services organizations receiving funding this quarter included a $5,000 grant to the American Red Cross for medical transportation services; $7,500 to the Salvation Army for their community meals program; and $2,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of the Western Reserve for their iStrive program, an after-school academics, leadership and fitness program for at-risk youth Educational Excellence organizations were funded and encouraged to continue implementing their learning programs. The Magical Theatre Company received a $20,000 grant for the Performing Arts Can Teach program that reaches nearly 3,300

Additional awards made this cycle included two small grants, which were approved directly by Foundation staff. To the City of Barberton Police Department, $1,000 was given for a suicide awareness and prevention presentation; and to the organization Mental Health America of Summit County, $1,000 went toward supporting PEERS Support Group and Skills for Living classes.