YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Foundation has awarded $477,500 in grants, including $100,000 each to the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley and Meridian HealthCare.
“These grant funds are important to the continued operation of nonprofits that do great work,” said Lynnette H. Forde, president of the Youngstown Foundation. “We have received an unusually high number of requests in recent months for general operational funding, and we are pleased to meet those needs for organizations with strong records for serving local residents and families.”
The Autism Society of Mahoning Valley will use the grant money to meet growing needs, including higher enrollment in both 2025 sessions of Camp Friend, the weeklong summer camp the organization organizes annually for children at the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown, according to Stacie Bacorn, executive director of the Autism Society.
“These funds will enable us to work more strategically and effectively to respond to the increased needs we’re seeing across all of our programs and services,” Bacorn said.
Meridian HealthCare plans to add administrative staff to the organization, with the goal of improving care.
Grants were also awarded to the following organizations:
- McGuffey Centre: $50,000 for operational funding.
- Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio: $50,000 for women’s health initiative.
- Trumbull County Historical Society: $50,000 for Museum of Science Fiction.
- Oak Hill Collaborative: $37,500 for Digital Advantage initiative.
- Veterans’ Outreach: $30,000 for new vehicle.
- Thrive Mahoning Valley: $25,000 for operational funding.
- Clothed in Strength: $25,000 for programming support.
- The English Center: $25,000 for operating support.
- Finer Things Academy: $15,000 for One Church One Child project.
- God’s Warehouse Inc.: $10,000 for operating support.
- Boulevard Park Block Watch: $5,000 for Pleasant Grove Peace Park.
- Eversight: $5,000 for cornea donation and transplantation.