Charity Giving
Get your donations in to local charities by the end of the year.
Social Issues
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
Inflation and the pandemic have contributed to a 14 percent increase in people using local hunger relief programs, with 25 percent of people being first timers, and food donations are down by 27 percent, according to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank — the need is urgent. More than 600 food pantries, hot meal locations, shelters and other hunger-relief initiatives are run by foodbank member programs in eight Northeast Ohio counties. Your Impact: Join the holiday campaign in December by volunteering, donating — $1 amounts to four meals — or taking part in the annual Selfless Elf 5K Dec. 16 to raise money and awareness. Akron-based, akroncantonfoodbank.org
Giving Doll
Started by Ohioan Jan Householder, hand-sewn dolls have been given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patients, families at Ronald McDonald houses, children in Haiti and recently, community members in Uvalde, Texas, where an elementary school shooting took place. Over 64,800 dolls have been donated locally and to 64 countries. Visit its Norton shop. Your Impact: Help volunteers sew and deliver dolls to children in need of comfort, to local spots such as Akron Children’s Hospital, local fire and police stations, Summit County Child and Family Services, homeless shelters and more. Norton, thegivingdoll.org
Goodwill
Shopping at Goodwill thrift stores supports its mission of helping individuals prepare for, find and retain employment, but you can donate too. Your Impact: Contribute to everything from career counseling and assistance to facilitating and providing job training and other community-based programs for people with disabilities, at-risk youths and others. Akron, goodwillakron.org
Haven of Rest Ministries
Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2023, Haven of Rest Ministries has provided free shelter, food and clothing to thousands of people without housing. It also focuses on helping people find employment and other means of transitioning out of homelessness. Your Impact: Assist in providing meals, shelter or clothing, life-changing programs and counseling. Akron, havenofrest.org
Pegasus Farm
With five students, two horses and one backyard, Pegasus Farm opened as a therapeutic equestrian program in spring 1986. Now it serves about 500 people annually, many of whom have emotional, developmental, behavioral, cognitive or physical challenges, and horses provide positive benefits to help them learn independence and grow beyond ways they do in daily life. Plus, it employs people with developmental disabilities. Your Impact: Help provide supplies, horse therapy and scholarships to attend the programs, and support the military center that helps veterans, first responders and their families. Hartville, pegasusfarm.org
Rahab Ministries
Human trafficking and prostitution happen in our region, and Rahab Ministries works to prevent trafficking and help victims. Your Impact: It has drop-in centers for at-risk youths and adults, a partnership with Summit County Juvenile Court’s human trafficking docket to help human trafficking survivors and at-risk youths, a safe house for human trafficking survivors and the Oaks, which is a transitional housing and mentorship program for human trafficking survivors. Volunteers reach out to women to prevent or help them escape human trafficking and visit incarcerated women in jail or become pen pals to provide support. Canton, rahab-ministries.org
Whitehawk Ranch
Lifelong equestrian, certified life coach and certified recovery coach Rachel Whitehawk offers programs that involve horses to empower women and girls to overcome negative thought patterns, reduce stress and improve self-esteem. Your Impact: Giving helps make its programs possible for at-risk teen girls as well as those at homeless shelters, where Whitehawk also helps with employment readiness and life skills. Copley, whitehawkranch.info
Whole Latte Love Cafe
Only 17.9 percent of people with disabilities were employed in 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So Whole Latte Love Cafe hires high school graduates with intellectual or developmental disabilities to work at the register, serve drinks and more. Your Impact: Offer employment opportunities to those with disabilities. North Canton, wholelattelovecafe.org
Health Causes
Ashlie’s Embrace
After giving birth to a stillborn daughter, Ashlie, at 41 weeks, Erin Maroon and her husband didn’t get to connect much with their baby due to a lack of cooling units. As the founder and president of Ashlie’s Embrace, she began raising money to place Cuddle Cot cooling units in hospitals in all 50 states to help support families experiencing stillbirth or infant loss — but so many more are needed. Your Impact: Get Cuddle Cots placed in more hospitals and support fundraising efforts. North Canton, ashliesembrace.org
Families Against Fentanyl
Through the grief of losing his son, Thomas, to fentanyl, Jim Rauh started this nonprofit to raise awareness, do research and lobby those in Washington, D.C., to take action on the fentanyl epidemic, which kills about 187 Americans daily. Your Impact: Head to the Network for Good website to direct donations toward Families Against Fentanyl Co. and help get federal and state legislation passed, provide awareness and hold foreign manufacturers accountable. Akron-based, familiesagainstfentanyl.org
Let’s Grow Akron
With a sack of donated potatoes and the willingness to work with neighbors to clear an overgrown vacant lot on Long Street in the Summit Lake neighborhood, Elaine Evans started this nonprofit community gardening organization. It focuses on alleviating hunger in the community by teaching people how to grow, prepare and preserve their own food while working alongside them to beautify neighborhoods. Your Impact: Fund programs, garden tools and supplies, or designate funds toward a certain site. Akron, letsgrowakron.org
Not Just October
In memory of his mother, Kim, who passed away in 2009 from breast cancer, Lavar Jacobs created this organization to change the way communities think and talk about breast cancer, stressing the importance of regular health screenings throughout the year. It has opened the Kim Jacobs Breast Cancer Resource Center in Kenmore and hosts an annual breast cancer fundraiser walk. Your Impact: All donations go to research and assistance for Summit County-area families currently battling breast cancer, with services including free transportation to appointments, lawn mowing, massages, snow plowing and life coaching. Summit County, notjustoctober.org
Ronald McDonald House Akron
Loved ones of youths receiving treatment at Akron Children’s Hospital are accommodated at the Ronald McDonald House in Akron. A homelike atmosphere helps take care of basic needs to put the focus on the child’s health and welcomes families during some of the hardest moments of their lives. Your Impact: Donations help pay for stays, rooms and more. Akron, rmhcneo.org
Stage 4
Former cancer patients and others offer support to those fighting cancer through this nonprofit supported by St. Luke’s Church that creates free comfort bags distributed to cancer patients. The bags feature items and notes from former patients about what helped them make it through. Your Impact: Click the give button and select Stage 4, and everything goes toward purchasing materials and items for the bags. Copley, stlukesakron.net/announcement/stage-4
General
100 Women Strong Ohio
Over 100 Ohio women have banded together to donate at least $200 each annually to support different local charities like Fostering Hope and Stewart’s Caring Place and offer events to empower middle and high school girls. A committee under the 100 Women Strong Ohio board is responsible for helping plan, organize and execute the events and pick charities to donate to. Your Impact: All member donations go directly to local nonprofit organizations, and donations beyond that support events and operations. Northeast Ohio-based, 100womenstrongohio.org
Andrea Teodosio Foundation
After losing their daughter in a skiing accident, area judges started this foundation that supports various local charities, including the Summit Medina County Battered Women’s Shelter. Recently, its grant helped Summit Metro Parks buy tri-shaws, electrically assisted bikes with seats that transport riders of all abilities as another person bikes. Your Impact: Allow the foundation to continue to honor Andrea Rose’s legacy of kindness by supporting causes dedicated to the elderly, children, the arts and nature. Munroe Falls, andrearose.org
Humane Society of Summit County
Through animal adoption services, humane law enforcement and education, the organization welcomes animals for however long it takes to find new homes, as long as the animals are medically and behaviorally healthy. Partnering with other animal welfare organizations and specialized rescues to help find loving homes for animals when appropriate, Summit County Humane Society cares and advocates for vulnerable animals and enriches the lives of pets and people. Your Impact: Help save pets in Summit County that are victims of cruelty, neglect and abandonment and find them homes through adoption. Twinsburg, summithumane.org
