Medina County Women’s Endowment Fund reaches $100,000 grant-making milestone

MEDINA, Ohio (June 17, 2014) – The Medina County Women’s Endowment Fund is celebrating more than $100,000 in grants to organizations that improve life for Medina County’s women and children. On Friday, the fund awarded $12,000 to seven area nonprofit organizations, bringing its cumulative grant-making total to $111,452 since its inception in 1998.  

“We are so proud to have awarded more than $100,000 in grants to nonprofits serving women and children in our community,” said Cathy Posner, the fund’s advisory board president and grants review committee chair. “We look forward to the day when some of these projects will no longer be a pressing concern. Until then, MCWEF is very glad to be able to support such important efforts.”

This year, the grants review committee voted to expand the fund’s reach in the community by supporting two organizations it had not previously funded: The Matthew 25 Coalition and Guardians Advocating Child Safety and Protection (GASP).

The Matthew 25 Coalition received a $1,000 grant for its Prescription Assistance Program, which provides prescription vouchers to women and children who have a legitimate, unmet medical need. The program targets low-income women in southwest Medina County who cannot afford the co-pays for their medication. Last year, the agency helped nearly 500 people.

“Although most clients are now covered by a health care plan, many cannot afford the co-pays and deductibles required by their plan,” said Colleen Rice, treasurer of the Matthew 25 Coalition. “We plan to track these situations to advocate for more resources for Medina County.”

In addition, the fund awarded $1,000 to GASP for its child safety education programs in Medina County. The agency collaborates with several area schools to offer educational programs for children about abuse, bullying and Internet safety. The grant will help expand these programs and support other child safety efforts throughout the community, including free fingerprinting and child identification events.

“We are so honored to be part of these organizations’ programs, and we welcome them to the growing list of MCWEF grant recipients,” Posner said. “Their invaluable work is changing the lives of women and children across Medina County.”

Other grants awarded this year will provide free health care to uninsured women, raise awareness about teenage suicide and depression, and provide adapted toys to children with disabilities.

The following is a full list of grants awarded in 2014:

Friends of Medina County Parks Inc., to build an inclusive playground that is accessible to children of all physical abilities at Carolyn Ludwig Mugrage Park in Granger Township, $3,000

GASP: Guardians Advocating Child Safety and Protection, to support child safety programs that teach children in Medina County about Internet safety, sexting, bullying and abuse, $1,000

Matthew 25 Coalition, to provide prescription vouchers to women in southwest Medina County who cannot afford the co-pays for their medication, $1,000

Medina Health Ministry, to provide free preventative care and health education to uninsured, working women in Medina County, $2,500

Oaks Family Care Center, for the Mom.Comm program, which helps single mothers learn to communicate effectively with the fathers of their children and work together as co-parents, $1,000

RePlay for Kids, for toy adaptation workshops in Medina County high schools that teach students to use STEM skills to adapt toys for local children with disabilities, $1,000

Suicide Prevention Education Alliance, for suicide prevention and depression awareness programs at Brunswick, Buckeye, Cloverleaf, Highland and Medina high schools, $2,500

About the Medina County Women’s Endowment Fund
The Medina County Women’s Endowment Fund, an affiliate of Akron Community Foundation, was established in 1998 to improve the quality of life of women and children in Medina County. The mission of the Medina County Women’s Endowment Fund is to fund organizations and programs in Medina County that support women and children, to serve as a catalyst for needed projects, and to assist women in their growth as philanthropists. The fund encourages the advancement and full participation of women and children in the community and in society. In addition, it supports organizations and programs that create opportunities for the educational, physical, emotional, social, artistic and personal growth of women and children. Since the fund’s establishment, it has grown to more than $329,000 and awarded more than $111,000 in grants. For more information, or to contribute to the Medina County Women’s Endowment fund, go to www.akroncf.org/MCWEF.

About Akron Community Foundation
Celebrating 59 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. Today, it is a philanthropic endowment of $181 million with a growing family of more than 450 funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. The community foundation welcomes 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 more than $114 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.