YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024, welcomed the third president in the organization’s history and hit a milestone with $7.8 million invested back into the Valley through grants, scholarships and distributions.
“The unofficial focus of 2024 was transition for the future while honoring the past,” says Casey Krell, president of the foundation.
“I had the privilege of stepping into the role as president in March, following two strong leaders – Shari Harrell and Patricia Brozik,” she continues. “We homed in on our strategic plan and efforts to move forward on those goals while reflecting on our first 25 years and celebrating a quarter century of partnership and philanthropy in the Valley.”
Throughout the anniversary year, the foundation highlighted grantee partners at several community open houses, gathered fund holders and donors to thank them for their support, and invited past and present board members to a reunion at the Ford Nature Center in Mill Creek Park.
Each event offered a chance to gather community input in areas of need and inform stakeholders of new field-of-interest funds that will roll out in the near future.
Of the total $7.8 million the Community Foundation distributed in 2024, competitive grants made up approximately $3.3 million, an increase of about $1 million from 2023, according to Krell.
This jump was partly the result of new longer-term funds such as the Rick Shale Fund and Steel Valley Homes for Youth Fund, she says. New partnerships were created in Trumbull County through the Warren Community Impact Fund and the Sixth Ward Neighborhood Improvement Fund.
The Community Foundation has eight full-time employees. It is a public charity set up to build and distribute charitable funds based on community needs.
Pictured at top: The staff of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley poses for a photo at the board member reunion in October. From left are Josh Medore, Rachael Chacon, Robin Perry, Shawntae Burton, Devon Cleland, Kathleen McGlothren, Sarah Lowry and Casey Krell.