Winter 2021
Board of Directors Josh Gordon, Chair Jason Slater, Vice Chair Jennifer Bidlingmyer, Treasurer Lynne Holcomb, Secretary Jim Bauschlinger Moriah Cheatham-Williams Paul Epner Brett Haverlick Trevor Hunt Mayor William Judge Denny Liddle Elizabeth Mayreis Craig Megyes Jeff Ramnytz Deb Shreiner Staff Suzanne Allen, Ph.D. Executive Director Kate DeAngelis Director of Marketing Brett Fogle, CPA, MT Director of Finance Carrie Herman Director of Community Impact Ted Herncane Director of Economic Development Karie Sattler Office Manager
Inside Letter from Board Chair Josh Gordon 25 Years of Gratitude Suzanne Allen Welcome New Rehman Scholarship Third Cycle Grant Announcements Top Photo: (L-R) Josh Gordon, Barberton Community Foundation Board Chair; Anita Downie, OAPSE; Danny Viningre, AFSCME Chapter Chair; Jeff Ramnytz, Superintendent Barberton City Schools; Krista McCoy, BEA Union President; Suzanne Allen, Executive Director
Foundation Celebrates with Final Payment Each year, Barberton Community Foundation celebrates with its donors, fund holders, friends and community partners at the Annual Dinner in November. This year looked a little different, with the event held via virtually via Zoom and broadcast from the Foundation’s office. We are proud to share the evening was successful; with more than 100 people logging on and some choosing to host small gatherings in their homes to watch the event. The event was full of celebration for the Foundation’s 25th anniversary and included a check presentation for $2.1 million to Barberton City Schools for the final payment on Barberton High School. The payment represents the completion of the first promise Barberton Community Foundation made to its residents: agreeing to build Barberton High School. The Foundation has been making payments on the building for more than 20 years and has saved residents $58 million in real estate taxes. Josh Gordon, Foundation Board Chair, said that the completion of the school payment is a success we all share. “As we celebrate the conclusion of the biggest project in the history of the Foundation, we must begin the work of finding the next aspects of our community in need of support. We are focused on identifying our greatest needs, especially in the areas of economic development and education. After 25 years and more than $109 million in grants, Barberton Community Foundation is just getting started.” The honored guests of the evening were 2021 Game Changers Lisa McLean, Dr. Michael Hughes
representing Summa Health – Barberton Campus and Jeff Ramnytz, representing Barberton City Schools. Each Game Changer received an award from the Foundation and a proclamation from the state. Suzanne Allen, Executive Director of Barberton Community Foundation, said that while this annual dinner was unique, the sense of gratitude and appreciation for the Barberton community that is so present during the traditional event, was definitely felt through the screen. “I want to thank everyone who attended virtually tonight. Thank you for helping to make this event safe and accessible to all, and for helping us celebrate tonight.” Suzanne said. “I especially want to thank our Game Changers for joining us, and for the incredible work they have done for this community. Each of you and your organizations are truly appreciated.” The Foundation extends a special thank you to Vic Myers who, per tradition, made the invocation for the event. The evening ended with an announcement from Suzanne regarding a new fund called Celebrate Barberton, created with the Foundation’s anniversary in mind. The new fund will partner with the City of Barberton to provide grants to each ward in the City for community projects, fostering engagement and community sprit across the city. “Barberton is special,” Suzanne concluded. “Not only is it one of a very few small towns with a significant community foundation, but it has an enormous sense of pride – purple pride. For that too, we are thankful. Thank you all.”
Reflections From the Board Chair This has been a momentous year for Barberton Community Foundation. We launched a year-long celebration of our 25th anniversary, beginning with the final debt payment on the Barberton High School building. This debt was fully paid for by the Foundation and has saved Barberton taxpayers $58 million.
Second, we need to listen! Without the long-term debt payment of the high school, we now have additional dollars to grant. With a goal of transformational change for the Magic City, we first must honestly assess what our biggest challenges are and where our resources are best invested for the benefit of all of our residents.
So, 2021 was as much about paying off a long-term debt as it was about establishing direction for what the Foundation can accomplish next.
To understand this, we are focused on having deep discussions with our community’s leaders, especially those who see the challenges Barbertonians face on a daily basis. The list includes the Mayor and other leaders in our city government, Barberton Schools Superintendent Jeff Ramnytz and other school leaders (including some teachers who see the challenges daily in the classroom), and Dr. Michael Hughes, President of Barberton Summa Hospital. Dr. Hughes and other leaders in healthcare in our community have a pulse on healthcare needs, from medical to mental and behavioral health needs.
As my term as Board Chair ends this year - and with only a single year left in my tenure - I am excited to share that the Foundation intends to spend 2022 carefully planning. It may sound boring, but it is essential work!
The Foundation’s presence in Barberton is a gift to the community that keeps on giving! Our entire Board and staff are dedicated to ensure it is a gift that continues to grow and has a meaningful and significant impact forever!
First, the Board will continue to be careful stewards of the funds the Foundation manages. One of our responsibilities as Board members is to ensure that the Foundation will exist forever, so we must manage our resources smartly, ensure that we stay ahead of inflation, and continue to see our investments build so we can do more good work in the Magic City.
Sincerely,
While the Foundation has always tried to allocate as many dollars as possible to nonprofit grants and scholarships while this debt was being paid off, it has been a large focus of my nearly eight years as a board member and every Board member who preceded me!
Josh Gordon Chair of the Board of Directors
Above: (L-R) Foundation Staff Kate DeAngelis, Ted Herncane, Karie Sattler, Board Chair Josh Gordon, Suzanne Allen, Carrie Herman, Brett Fogle and Kim Miller
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Thank You Donors!
25 Years of Gratitude Leads to Celebratory Fund It’s a time of thanksgiving and philanthropy. On behalf of our board and staff, we are thankful for our many friends, grant partners and donors who support our mission of strengthening the Barberton community for current and future generations by providing leadership, fostering collaboration and creating a legacy of giving to do good. It’s also time to consider our own personal philanthropy. By making a gift to the causes we care about, we are making a difference in our community. Whether that’s fund at the Foundation, a scholarship program, or a nonprofit, now is a good time to make a donation and make a difference. A new fund making a difference at Barberton Community Foundation is the Celebrate Barberton Fund. This fund, started by 2017 Game Changer Deb Shreiner and her husband, Russ, will celebrate our neighborhoods. The goal is to provide grants to neighborhoods in each of our six wards and to help start a long-term program between the City of Barberton and Barberton Community Foundation to engage residents, encourage and increase community spirit, and celebrate our neighborhoods. The Celebrate Barberton Fund will provide small grants to foster partnerships between the City and its neighborhoods each year. We’ll do this through an application process and we’ll work with each ward representative to develop these neighborhood programs, such as sponsoring a neighborhood event, cleaning up a part of a neighborhood, bringing neighbors together to talk about issues and concerns, or organizing a concert in local parks.
We are very excited about this new fund and we’ll be sharing more in 2022. If you’d like to help support the fund, it’s easy to make a gift using the enclosed envelope or through our website, www. barbertoncf.org. We will need your help to build this fund so that it takes care of all our neighborhoods for a long time. But I know - and I’ve seen this community in action - Barberton is a very philanthropic community. From donations of time, food, and money to local nonprofits like the Salvation Army and Barberton Area Community Ministries (BACM), to the efforts of the Esther Ryan Shoe Fund, to the many fund raisers to support our local charities, and the various ways our local nonprofits work to support our neighbors and friends, Barberton is a community that cares. Please help us by making a year-end gift. We will stay focused on our mission and strive to realize our vision to improve the quality of life for Barberton residents, now and forever – and we need your help. Happy holidays to you and yours, Warmly.
Suzanne Allen, Ph.D. Executive Director
Above: Melanie Vinay lights a candle in her cupcake to celebrate the Foundation’s Anniversary. Right: Dr. Michael Hughes and Lisa Mclean accept 2021 Game Changer 2awards.
Top: Live Zoom view of the check presentation to the schools. Above: Bruce and Ellen Beckle, Tom and Kathy Harnden, and Wane and Mary Jo Goss zoomed the Annnual Dinner from home.
New Fund Announcement The Janet & John Rehman Scholarship Barberton Community Foundation is honored to welcome Janet and John Rehman to the Foundation family with the announcement of their new fund, The Janet & John Rehman Scholarship.
Above: John and Janet Rehman
Regarding why they give back, the Rehmans said: “Many Barberton youth are inneed, as we were. What better way to help than to educate?”
The Rehmans instructed students in grade levels ranging from preschool through adult during their thirty-five years in education, with a portion spent at Barberton City Schools. Both began as teachers, then Janet progressed to counseling and John moved to school administration. For ten of those years, the Rehmans were employed at prestigious American-based International Schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Being career educators, the Rehmans understand the burden of college debt. They established their scholarship to support Barberton High School graduates entering their fourth (senior) year of college. Regarding the decision to support college seniors, the Rehmans said, “In their final collegiate year, most students are encumbered
with practicums and field experiences in addition to intense studies. Hopefully, our scholarship will help ease the stress of their already taxing obligations.”
Additionally, the scholarship requires that recipients be pursuing a baccalaureate degree in a “helping” profession, meaning a field in education, social work, or a healthcare related area. The Rehmans believe that working to attend college can be challenging and rewarding. The scholarship recipient must have provided a significant portion of all previous higher education tuition expenses through employment and/or student loans. “Most importantly,” the Rehmans said, “The scholarship will help those most in need. The goal of education is to gain and refine skills to enable the individual to become his ‘best self.’” Donations may be made directly to the Janet & John Rehman Scholarship by visiting barbertoncf.org and clicking “Donate Now” or by calling 330-745-5995, or mailing a check to the Foundation office at 460 W. Paige Ave.
Five Steps for Making the Most of Your Giving Now is a great time to consider making a year-end gift. When you make a donation to Barberton Community Foundation, you aren’t just giving money—you’re making a difference in our community. Here are 5 ways to make the most of your year-end giving.
1. Talk to your advisor, and let Barberton Community Foundation do the work.
Before making any significant gift to charity, consider a conversation with your CPA, attorney or financial advisor to understand the impact on your taxes and estate. Then, work with us and we can share our knowledge of local nonprofits and the broad charitable needs of our city. You can make a gift that will support our community and we’ll keep you informed about the impact of your gift.
2. Consider your income and review your stocks. First, take time to understand your tax liability for the year. Then consider making a year-end charitable gift. One option may be giving appreciated stock. Selling stock will incur capital gains on the appreciation but, if you gift stock, you will receive a charitable deduction for the current market value of the
stock—just as you would with a cash gift. Such gifts are deductible up to 30% of your adjusted gross income and you can carry the deduction forward for up to an additional five years.
3. Give early and complete your gift by December 31. A gift by check is complete when mailed (postmarked) to the charitable recipient, even if not cashed until the following year. Gifts by credit card are complete when your credit card account is charged. Gifts of stock and real estate are more complex; don’t wait until late December to make these gifts as it may be too late to make the necessary arrangements.
4. Explore employer/company gift matching programs. Many companies offer gift matching programs that can increase—even double—the impact of your gift.
5. Consider opening a fund at Barberton Community Foundation If you are planning for a charitable tax deduction this year but are undecided about what to support, there are many ways to contribute to Barberton Community Foundation. You may wish to donate to an existing fund whose purpose matches your charitable goals, or to create your own fund or scholarship to fulfill an unmet need or service within the community. There are many different types of funds within the Foundation, all with the same goal in mind: to address the many different needs in our community.
Questions?
Call us anytime at 330-745-5995, stop by or office at 460 W. Paige Ave. or visit our website at www.barbertoncf.org and click “Give” to learn more.
Newest Grant Partners: Health & Wellness Cycle
Barberton Community Foundation is pleased to announce our third and final grant cycle of 2021 totaling $89,820.50 to ten area nonprofits serving Barberton. This cycle focused on health and wellness programs.
Coleman Health Services
Coleman Health Services received $20,000 for their Student Success Initiative. This program is a partnership between Coleman and Barberton City Schools to combat disengagement and disruptive classroom behavior in children through working to resolve emotional and relational conflicts. The program provides the tools and support a family needs to encourage their children at school, increase their attendance and academic performance overall.
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Red Oak Behavioral Health
Red Oak Behavioral Health was awarded $15,000 toward screening an IndieFLIX Education video series that focuses on topics such as anxiety, finding balance in the digital world, strategies to overcome cyber-bullying, exploring the impact of race and racism on mental health and how to move toward racial healing. Red Oak will coordinate the screenings and facilitate discussions of the films’ topics. This project partners with Barberton City School District and the Barberton Community Wellness Collaborative, a network of programs and agencies providing health and wellness services to Barberton schools students.
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Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank received $7,500 for their 2022 Barberton Direct Distribution Program which operates monthly at the Barberton Salvation Army to provide Barberton residents access to healthy food at no cost.
.......................................................................... First Tee - Greater Akron
$2,500 was awarded to First Tee – Greater Akron for their program called Expanding Educational Life Skills Programming in Barberton. Funding also supports their partnership with Lake Anna YMCA as a partner and location for programming. “First Tee - Greater Akron is excited to partner with Barberton Community Foundation. This partnership will establish the Lake Anna YMCA as an official First Tee Community Partner and First Tee’s home in Barberton. First Tee programming helps kids build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee creates active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.” - Jeff O’Brien Executive Director, First Tee – Greater Akron
.......................................................................... Ben Curtis Family Foundation
AxessPointe Community Health Center
AxessPointe Community Health Center received $15,000 to support their Mobile Dental and Oral Health Clinic. The mobile unit will provide more equitable access to care by bringing medical and dental services to local neighborhoods in Barberton. Funds will be used to purchase a handheld x-ray machine and oral sensors.
.......................................................................... Victim Assistance Program
The Foundation awarded Victim Assistance Program $14,820.50 for their Barberton Municipal Court Advocacy Program. Victim Assistance Program estimates that this funding will go toward services to 350 individuals in 2022. Services include crisis intervention, court advocacy, community resource referrals, safety and action planning, as well as victim rights education.
.......................................................................... Countryside
Countryside received $10,000 for their Food Access Program at the Barberton Farmers Market. This program provides tokens and vouchers to SNAP and WIC recipients and senior citizens, which can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables at the markets.
$2,000 was awarded to Ben Curtis Family Foundation for their Birdie Bag program which provides bagged meals for Barberton students facing food insecurity. Ben Curtis Family Foundation has been providing Birdie Bags in Barberton since 2018. In 2022, they estimate they will serve 1,400-1,800 children on a monthly basis.
.......................................................................... Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio
Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio received $1,500 for scholarships for Barberton participants, which provides scholarships for both Barberton Middle School and Barberton Elementary School programs. The program is offered to students in 3rd-8th grades and promotes social-emotional learning and mental well-being along with physical activity.
.......................................................................... Greenleaf Family Center
Greenleaf Family Center was awarded $1,500 for their Adolescent Suicide Prevention Program. This program will provide services to Barberton Middle School and Barberton High School students and school staff, and provide assistance with Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training for all Barberton City employees. For more information, visit www.barbertoncf.org | Call 330.745.5995 Find us on Facebook @BarbertonCommunity Foundation =
460 W. Paige Ave. | Barberton, OH 44203
K Jack Greynolds 16th Annual Memorial Classic The Classic honors legendary Barberton basketball coach Jack Greynolds, who passed away in 2005. Proceeds go to Lake Anna YMCA, Magic City Kiwanis, Barberton City Schools and the Larry Bidlingmyer “Mr. Bid” Outdoor Education Fund for youth programs, equipment and stroke awareness education. Sponsorships range from $75 to $750 and may be purchased by going to barbertoncf.org or call us at 330-745-5995. Ticket sales for the game are online only on the Barberton City Schools website. Adults are $10 and students are $5. Support the Classic and buy your tickets today! Registration ends December 10. Event Date/Time Kickoff is Friday December 10 at 12:00 noon via Zoom Classic starts Saturday, December 11 at 11:00 am at Barberton High School Call 330-745-5995 for details.
The mission of Barberton Community Foundation is to strengthen the Barberton community for current and future generations by providing leadership, fostering collaboration, and creating a legacy of giving to do good. For more information and event updates, visit www.barbertoncf.org 330.745.5995 | 460 W. Paige Ave. | Barberton, OH 44203 Find us on Facebook @BarbertonCommunity Foundation
We envision an improved quality of life for Barberton residents, now and forever.