Investing in One Another

A message from HLF's Board President and Executive Director

Dear Lakewood Community, 

Reflecting on 2024, we are grateful for how Lakewood's non-profits, resident-led groups, and city departments work together to strengthen our community's health and well-being. 

The Neighborhood Paramedic Program, now in its second year, continues to evolve. Through partnerships with Cove Community Center, Barton Senior Center, and Lakewood YMCA, the program provides proactive care and fall prevention services for older residents, demonstrating how targeted investment creates meaningful change. 

Our grant programs continue to support vital community work. We awarded $212,500 in Community Grants to twelve organizations, with an additional $170,000 committed for 2025. Key impacts include: 

• LakewoodAlive's Senior Outreach Program providing aging-in-place assessments and home improvements 
• Lakewood Community Services Center's food delivery program for homebound residents 
• Asian Services in Action's support for newcomer and refugee families 
• Journey Center for Safety and Healing's domestic violence advocacy work 

Our Neighborhood Opportunity Grants program also provided $104,800 to twenty-one local organizations for grassroots initiatives, ranging from adaptive sports to free college planning workshops. 

HLF’s Systems-Change Grants are investments in policy reform, research, and community collaboration. This year, we awarded $220,000 in multi-year funding to five organizations working on critical issues, including food security, affordable childcare, housing stability, and community journalism. These grants support initiatives like the Lakewood Childcare Scholarship program and Legal Aid's expanded eviction prevention work, demonstrating our commitment to creating lasting, systemic improvements in community health. 

A key development this year was creating the Lakewood Community Resource Guide with the Community Health Action Team (CHAT). This guide connects residents with essential services across Lakewood and we welcome you to download, share, or reach out for a print copy.

We have welcomed Kim Fennell to our Board of Directors, bringing valuable expertise in inclusive therapeutic recreation. We are currently seeking additional board members with nonprofit financial management experience and invite you to apply.

As we enter 2025, we look forward to supporting the organizations, initiatives, and partnerships that strengthen our community's health. 

Sincerely, 

Becca Baas

Board President

Kate Ingersoll

Executive Director

HLF is currently recruiting new board members! For this cycle, we are prioritizing those with non-profit financial management experience but welcome applications from all interested residents.

You must be a Lakewood resident (per bylaws requiring 2/3 resident membership) to apply, with a commitment to supporting diverse perspectives in grantmaking. We actively seek board members who bring varied backgrounds, lived experiences, skills, and knowledge to examine community challenges and opportunities.

To be considered, please apply by January 8, 2025. Previous board position applicants will be automatically considered in this review process. For more information and to access the application, please visit our website.

HLF recently shared the new Lakewood Community Resources Guide, a compilation of human services offerings and non-profits in and near Lakewood. The electronic version is available on HLF's website and we warmly welcome you to download and share with others.

As we approach the end of this Month of Giving (December), this guide can double as a giving guide. Information about giving to each organization can be found on their individual websites, included in the Resource Guide.

This guide is a work in progress and we invite suggestions and edits to be sent to info@healthylakewoodfoundation.org.

About the Healthy Lakewood Foundation

The Healthy Lakewood Foundation (HLF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity. HLF was created to ensure remaining assets from the conversion of the Lakewood Hospital continue to benefit the residents of the City of Lakewood. HLF’s grantmaking addresses the social determinants of health, the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age in Lakewood, Ohio. HLF’s mission is to advance programs, policies, and practices that inspire a Lakewood community in which health and well-being are reflected in all aspects of life. 

To contact HLF, please visit our website or email info@healthylakewoodfoundation.org.