Summer 2025 — Issue 38

ACF selects new President & CEO

Longtime team member John F. Garofalo has been named as Akron Community Foundation's new president and CEO. Garofalo brings nearly four decades of philanthropic leadership to the role, including the past 14 years at the community foundation, where he has served as vice president of community investment. In this role, he has overseen the distribution of more than $125 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and community initiatives across Greater Akron and beyond.

ACF distributes nearly $4 million in quarterly grants

Akron Community Foundation announced quarterly grants and distributions totaling $3.8 million, benefiting hundreds of nonprofits in our community and beyond. Grants approved this quarter include $693,300 from our Arts & Culture grant cycle, which supported 62 local programs and organizations, like public media organizations Western Reserve PBS and Friends of The Summit. These grants come at a critical time as both organizations have lost federal funding.

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Venarges named 2025 Polsky Award recipients

David and Cheryl Venarge were recently announced as this year's Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award recipients. The Venarges will be the 56th recipients of the award, which they will receive at the annual Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Akron Fairlawn.

Sponsorships are now available and tickets will go on sale at the end of summer. Questions about sponsorships? Contact Laura Lederer at 330-436-5611 or llederer@akroncf.org.

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Akron Community Foundation is pleased to welcome its newest board members: Steve Dimengo, managing partner at Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs; Jolene Lane, director of the Akron Innovation Team at Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities Initiative; Ron Paydo, market president for the Akron/Canton region at Huntington Bank; and Angie Wells, vice president of operations at GPD Group.

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The Soul of Philanthropy Akron Awards Recipients announced, sponsorships available

Save the date to join our Black Giving Collective Fund for an unforgettable evening of celebration, inspiration and community, as we kick off The Soul of Philanthropy Akron with the inaugural The Soul of Philanthropy Akron Awards.

This elegant evening will honor eight local philanthropists who have made an impact on the Black community in Summit County, including: Donte Cargill, Emerging Philanthropist; Pamela Valentine, Hidden Philanthropist; Dorothy O. Jackson, Memorial Philanthropist; Project GRAD Akron, Outstanding Philanthropic Institution; Noelle Toney, Outstanding Youth Philanthropist; Bryce Harris, Outstanding Young Adult Philanthropist; Bernett L. Williams, Impact Philanthropist; and Towanda Mullins, Philanthropist of the Year.

Sponsorship opportunities are now available and tickets for the event will go on sale in September.

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ACF welcomes six new funds

Akron Community Foundation recently welcomed six new charitable funds to our growing family, including an agency endowment fund established by Curated Storefront to support its mission of fostering community and economic growth in and around Akron, Ohio, by fueling artistic innovation, commissioning public art, expanding access to arts education, and nurturing a thriving cultural ecosystem.

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Spring/Summer 2025 Foundations magazine available

Check out the current issue of our magazine, which includes a cover article about our new CEO John F. Garofalo, an article about the Summit Health & Safety Innovation Fund, our latest round of scholarship recipients, and, of course, all the latest information about Akron Community Foundation and our seven affiliate funds.

See the current issue at akroncf.org/publications or contact Michelle Nissel to receive a physical copy at mnissel@akroncf.org.

Nonprofit Spotlight:

Greenleaf Family Center

For more than 20 years, Greenleaf Family Center's PEERS (Parent Education, Empowerment, Resources and Support) program has empowered families of children with complex needs by training parents to navigate multiple systems of care and become lifelong advocates for their children. Backed by longtime support from Akron Community Foundation, PEERS has helped countless families maximize their children's chances for success through education, guidance and emotional support. Now, thanks in part to a $79,000 proactive grant from Akron Community Foundation, Greenleaf is building on this legacy by launching the PEERS Center for Family Engagement.

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Fundholder Spotlight:

Anonymous

When two lifelong Akron residents met with attorney Sheri Peters to talk about their estate plans, they wanted charitable giving to be part of their plan. As retired educators with no children of their own, the donors care deeply about providing educational opportunities for students, as well as several other charitable interest areas connected to their personal experiences. They also wanted to find a way to make their gift last beyond a one-time impact. Sheri had a solution for them: creating a charitable fund at Akron Community Foundation through their will.

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