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| AKRON
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INVESTS $100,000 IN AKRON NEIGHBORHOODS City and Foundation Announce Joint Effort to Revitalize Community |
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AKRON, Ohio (February 2, 1999) - Akron Community Foundation announced a gift of $ 100,000 to the City of Akron today to expand the Neighborhood Partnership Program, a city-operated resource for resident-initiated community revitalization projects. "This project symbolizes the Foundation's mission of improving the quality of life for all Akron residents," said ACF Executive Director, Jody Bacon. "We built our offices in an emerging area as a way of being connected to the local community. Since moving, we have come to recognize and embrace the importance of being a good neighbor," she continued. "I can't think of a better way to communicate this sense of community than through our investment in the Neighborhood Partnership Program." "I would like to thank the Akron Community Foundation for making such a generous contribution," said Mayor Don Plusquellic. "Their investment will greatly reinforce the Neighborhood Partnership Program by rewarding more community-minded people dedicated to making Akron a better place to live." The aim of the Neighborhood Partnership Program is to stimulate cooperation between the City, residents, and businesses to develop initiatives which directly benefit neighborhoods. Previously funded projects include after-school tutoring programs, vacant lot beautification, playground improvements, block watch programs, and activities for seniors. The process of awarding the grants is competitive. Neighborhood groups must demonstrate the quality of their project, the level of neighborhood participation, an ability to build upon existing strengths and assets, and the amount of their matching contribution. The neighborhood organizations match the grants with a combination of in-kind volunteer service and cash contributions. In most cases, the organizations' contributions have far exceeded the match amounts. ACF's investment, which doubles the size of the program fund, will increase both the number of grants and the amount of money available to neighborhood organizations this year. In addition to the ACF funds, the project is supported through a Community Development Block Grant and city income tax revenues. Akron Community Foundation, and its affiliated funds, have distributed more than $19 million to nonprofit organizations since 1955. With current assets in excess of $65 million, the Foundation is a publicly supported nonprofit philanthropic endowment committed to improving the quality of life in the Greater Akron area. The City of Akron has seen an enthusiastic response to the Neighborhood since it began in 1996. Prior to today's announced gift from ACF, nearly $150,000 has been invested in small, neighborhood-based projects done by 40 different organizations. The program has stimulated innovative new ideas and created a more solid bond between the City and its residents through the working relationship that has developed. ###
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