News

May 24, 2023

Announcing our 2022 Grant Recipients

The GPD Group Employees’ Foundation recently approved grants to 154 organizations in cities throughout Ohio, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Louisville, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix. The recipients were selected from over 200 applications received during the grant cycle ending February 1, 2021. Over $647,000 of grant awards will be disbursed this year by the foundation, whose vision is to make a difference in the lives of children.

Grants were awarded in the following areas:

Northeast Ohio, $501,854 to the following entities:

  • Cleveland Society for the Blind (Cleveland, OH) Early Intervention: Supporting the Development of Children 0-3 Who are Blind or Visually Impaired, $2,500
  • Pegasus Farm (Hartville, OH) Take Flight Scholarship Program Assistance, $2,000
  • Youth Challenge (Westlake, OH) Art Open House for Young People with Physical Disabilities, $2,000
  • Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, OH) Health Stock Rescue Inhaler Program for Students in Need, $2,000
  • Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, OH) Outreach Hygiene Kits, $15,000
  • The Miracle League of NE Ohio (Medina, OH) Finish the Field Capital Improvement Campaign, $10,000
  • Girls on the Run of Greater Summit (Brecksville, OH) Healthy and Resilient Girls, $5,000
  • Cuyahoga Community College Foundation (Cleveland, OH) Youth Technology Academy at Cuyahoga Community College, $5,000
  • Connecting for Kids (Westlake, OH) Teach Me To Play Westlake, $2,000
  • Camp Quality Ohio (Akron, OH) Ongoing and New Programming, $15,000
  • Stewart’s Caring Place (Akron, OH) Programs and Services for Children Impacted by Cancer, $2,500
  • Deepwood Foundation (Mentor, OH) Every Kid Plays, $2,000
  • Elves and More of Northeast Ohio (Akron, OH) 2022 December Bicycle Giveaway for Low Income Children, $3,100
  • Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (Cleveland, OH) Healing Therapeutic Services for K-12 Survivors of Rape and Sexual Abuse, $3,000
  • Akron Children’s Museum (Akron, OH) Makerspace Refresh, $30,000
  • Highland Robotics and Technology Boosters (Medina, OH) Steel Stingers Robotics TEAM 2603, $5,000
  • NOAS (Northeast Ohio Adoptions Services) (Warren, OH) IGNITE Foster Care Youth Mentoring Program, $2,500
  • Homes For Kids of Ohio, Inc. (Niles, OH) Cadence Coffeehouse and Creperie Kitchen Equipment, $5,000
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina, and Stark Counties (Akron, OH) One-to-One Mentoring for Youth, $2,500
  • Blick Center (Akron, OH) Therapy Resources/Materials, $2,160
  • Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank (Cleveland, OH) Well Read, Well Fed – Book Distribution at Food Pantries, $5,000
  • Child Guidance and Family Solutions (Akron, OH) The Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding (TAPS) Program, $2,500
  • United Disability Services (Akron, OH) Toy and Resource Center to Promote Child Development and School Readiness, $2,500
  • Access the Arts (Wadsworth, OH) Ukulele Lessons for Medina County Home and Medina County Juvenile Detention Center Residents, $3,000
  • Project Ed Bear, Inc. (Akron, OH) Camp Ed Bear for Northeast Ohio Children Battling Cancer, $5,000
  • Rainey Institute (Cleveland, OH) 2022 Summer Arts Camp, $5,000
  • CASA Board Volunteer Association, Inc. (Akron, OH) COVID Impact on Abused and Neglected Children and Youth, $5,000
  • Girls on the Run of Stark County (Canton, OH) Girls on the Run is for Every Girl 2022- Wayne County, $2,855
  • Friends of the Summit 91.3 dba The Summit FM (Akron, OH) KIDJAM! Radio, $10,000
  • A Kid Again (Twinsburg, OH) 2022 Program, $15,000
  • Providence House, Inc. (Cleveland, OH) Pediatric Crisis Nursery: Support for Children with Medial Needs, $15,000
  • Greater Akron Musical Association – Akron Symphony Orchestra (Akron, OH) North High Music Initiative, $2,500
  • Ben Curtis Family Foundation (Kent, OH) The Birdie Bag Program, $4,000
  • Greater Cleveland Food Bank (Cleveland, OH) Backpacks for Kids, $5,000
  • The First Tee of Canton (Canton, OH) Impact Through Outreach 2022, $1,000
  • Group Plan Commission (Cleveland, OH) Summer Splash 2022 in Cleveland Public Square, $5,000
  • Caring for Kids, Inc. (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Journey Kits, $2,000
  • Art Sparks (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Summer Enrichment Pop-Up Partnership Program, $5,000
  • Embracing Futures, Inc. (Akron, OH) Orthodontic Care Program, $7,500
  • Smiles with Style, Inc. (Sagamore Hills, OH) Fund a Smile at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, $3,500
  • Victory Gallop (Akron, OH) Victory Athletics 2022, $7,500
  • Professional Flair, Inc, (Cleveland, OH) Continuation of Dancing Wheels’ Outreach Programming, $2,500
  • The First Tee of Greater Akron (Akron, OH) 2022 Summer Community Programming, $13,000
  • Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center (Cleveland, OH) 2022 FACEtime Fluency Group for Kids Who Stutter, $2,500
  • RePlay for Kids (Medina, OH) Providing Adapted Toys for Adapted Toy Lending Libraries in Ohio, $2,860
  • HELP Foundation (Euclid, OH) Summer Program 2022, $2,500
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio (Cleveland, OH) Summer Youth Development at Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, $5,000
  • Autism Society of Greater Akron (Akron, OH) Water Safety Program for Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, $10,000
  • Inspiring Minds (Warren, OH) 2022 Summer Enrichment Program, $5,000
  • Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio (Wooster, OH) Youth Dream Camp for Children with Disabilities, $2,000
  • Nature Center at Shaker Lakes (Cleveland, OH) Environmental Educator in Residence Program at Stonebrook White Montessori Camp, $2,000
  • The Up Side of Downs of Northeast Ohio (Independence, OH) Lifelong Learning-Education Programs for Toddlers to Teens, $5,000
  • Fairhaven Foundation (Niles, OH) Fairhaven Bulldog Backpack Program, $2,000
  • Empower Sports (Cleveland, OH) Empower Sports Summer Program, $3,000
  • The Kelly Reeves Memorial Foundation (Munroe Falls, OH) Kelly’s Grief Center/In-School Counseling Program, $3,000
  • Norton City Schools (Norton, OH) Norton Elementary School Sensory Room, $1,000
  • Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) Courageous Choices Book Club, $775
  • Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) Welcome to the Bug Hotel: Creating an Outdoor Classroom Ecosystem, $2,100
  • Stow-Munroe Falls City School District (Stow, OH) Playing with STEAM, $1,148
  • Stow-Munroe Falls City School District (Stow, OH) Racing into Physics, $3,500
  • Stow-Munroe Falls High School (Stow, OH) Hydraulic Arms—Portable Fluid Power Demonstrator Build, $2,000
  • Stow-Munroe Falls City School District (Stow, OH) Social Circles to Keep Special Needs Children Safe, $1,469
  • Teays Valley School District (Ashville, OH) A Just Right Book for Every Student, $2,070
  • Youngstown City School District (Youngstown, OH) Sew What?!, $2,000
  • Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Louisville Community Academy, $14,339
  • Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living Skills In and Out of the Classroom, $1,500
  • Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Symbol Success for All, $2,422
  • Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living-Cooking and Community Outings, $1,200
  • Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Ashley Macri-Multiple Disabilities Classroom Grades 3-5, $1,500
  • Richardson Elementary School (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Richardson Will Never Forget—Remembering our Heroes Through Literacy, Gardening, and Love, $14,761
  • Clearview Local Schools/Durling Middle School (Lorain, OH) How to Tie Dye a T-Shirt Relationship Building Process, $250
  • Durling Middle School (Lorain, OH) Engineering Exploration: Early Experiences for Middle School Students, $1,818
  • Orange City Schools (Pepper Pike, OH) Awakening and Aligning the Senses, $10,678
  • Independence Local Schools (Independence, OH) Expansion of High School’s Athletic Training Area, $20,000
  • Brooklyn City Schools (Brooklyn, OH) Mental Wellness Programming, $10,000
  • Willoughby Eastlake City Schools (Willowick, OH) Royalview REAL (Reflect, Energize, Assist, Learn) Room, $5,000
  • Cleveland Metropolitan School District (Cleveland, OH) Using 3D Printing in Horticulture, $6,000
  • Maplewood Elementary School (Cortland, OH) 6th Grade Social Studies Classroom Chromebooks, $5,200
  • Maplewood Elementary School (Cortland, OH) Rocket Fuel, $2,100
  • Maplewood Elementary School (Cortland, OH) Chrome Books and Smart Board, $8,354
  • Boardman Local Schools (Youngstown, OH) Glowforge Laser Engraver Supplies, $1,557
  • Lakeview Local Schools (Warren, OH) Middle School Robotics, $7,500
  • Howland Local Schools (Warren, OH) Quake Engineering, $552
  • McDonald Local Schools (McDonald, OH) Creating a Collaborative Culture, $1,999
  • McDonald Local Schools (McDonald, OH) A Serene Sensory Space, $2,000
  • North Canton City Schools/Hoover High School (North Canton, OH) 50 Bowls: Empowering Artists to Bring Change to their Community, $2,500
  • North Canton City Schools (North Canton, OH) Sensory Tools for Students, $14,000
  • Hudson City Schools (Hudson, OH) Successful Inclusion Toolbox, $2,456
  • Hudson City Schools (Hudson, OH) Hudson Girls ROX Program, $1,760
  • Herberich Primary School PTA (Fairlawn, OH) Herberich Inclusive Playground, $5,000
  • Herberich Primary School (Fairlawn, OH) STEM Design Challenge Projects, $1,000
  • Green Mighty Dawgs Inclusive Cheer Program/Green High School (Green, OH) Green Mighty Dawgs Inclusive Cheer Team Uniforms and Warms Up, $2,000
  • Coventry Local School District (Akron, OH) Coventry Codebreakers: Completing the LEGO STEM Lab at Coventry Schools, $9,238
  • Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Soccer Equipment for Students at Forest Hill CLC, $3,904
  • Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Sensory Path for Students at Forest Hill CLC, $1,244
  • Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Therapeutic Space for Students At Hyre CLC, $5,967
  • Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Brain Break Games for Students at Miller South Visual and Performing Arts Middle School, $1,602
  • Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Personal Hygiene Closet for Students at Seiberling CLC, $5,000
  • Cloverleaf Local Schools (Medina, OH) Girls ROX Program, $18,577

Central Ohio Area, $29,538 to the following entities:

  • After-School All-Stars Ohio (Columbus, OH) After-School All-Stars Ohio’s RREACT Buddies Program, $2,500
  • Circleville City Schools (Circleville, OH) Healthy Closet, $6,000
  • Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio (Columbus, OH) Summer Learning Academy, $6,000
  • Dublin Special Olympics (Dublin, OH) Shamrock Games 2022, $2,000
  • Olentangy Local School District (Lewis Center, OH) World Music Drumming in an Inclusive Elementary Music Classroom, $4,796
  • Pickaway County ESC (Circleville, OH) Pathways CARES, $5,000
  • Tipp City High School (Tipp City, OH) Inferno Literacy Magazine, $700
  • Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) ESL Vocabulary, Making Meaning, $820
  • Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Making Communication Accessible, $791
  • Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Sensory Stream Roller, $702
  • Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Nugget Couch for Multiple Disabilities Classroom, $229

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area, $2,000 to the following entities:

  • Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, PA), Future City Pittsburgh 2022, $2,000

Atlanta, Georgia Area, $45,500 to the following entities:

  • Sandy Springs Education Force (Sandy Springs, GA) SSEF Summer Reading Program, $2,800
  • Special Olympics GA (Norcross, GA) Georgia State Games, $2,400
  • Camp Twin Lakes (Atlanta, GA) Camp Twin Lakes Camper Scholarship Program, $4,000
  • Dalton Middle School (Dalton, GA) DRAMATIC RESULTS—Accessible Middle School Performing Arts Programming, $2,000
  • SATB2 Gene Foundation (Lilburn, GA) iPads for Communication, $1,800
  • Fulton Education Foundation, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) Fulton Child Support Fun, $2,500
  • The Center for Children and Young Adults (Marietta, GA) Common Area Furniture for Homeless Girls, $3,000
  • Childkind, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) Recruiting Families for Children with Medical, Developmental, and Mental Health Challenges, $2,500
  • Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation (Atlanta, GA) Children’s Summer Camps for Pediatric Patients, $2,500
  • Creating Connected Communities (Atlanta, GA) Creating Connected Communities’ GOAL Programs for Title 1 Schools, $1,500
  • Bearings Bike Shop (Atlanta, GA) Frameworks Advanced Job Training Program, $2,500
  • Kincaid Elementary (Cobb County, GA) Reading and Writing Buddies Club, $2,000
  • Kincaid Elementary School (Atlanta, GA) Creating Bridges to Nature and Education, $3,000

Texas, $36,900 to following entities:

  • Fort Bend ISD Education Foundation (Sugar Land, TX) FBISD Education Foundation- Grants to Teachers and Schools, $4,300
  • Alvin ISD Education Foundation (Alvin, TX) STEM Bus, $5,000
  • Pasadena ISD Education Foundation (Pasadena, TX) Mini-Grant Program, $5,000
  • Stephanie Cravens Early Childhood Academy (Houston, TX) Let’s Read, $5,700
  • Brenham ISD Education Foundation (Brenham, TX) Cub Closet, $5,000
  • Music Movement (Keller, TX) Music Movement 2022, $5,000
  • Northwest ISD Education Foundation (Fort Worth, TX) Special Education Classroom Grants, $2,500
  • Northwest ISD Education Foundation (Fort Worth, TX) NEF Resource Store, $2,500
  • Norris Elementary School Frisco ISD (Frisco, TX) Clay Palooza, $1,900

Indianapolis, Indiana Area, $35,000 to the following entities:

  • Salem Community Schools (Salem, IN) Cultivating Equity and Access to Quality Education Through Assistive Technology, $2,130
  • Red Alert Robotics (Greenwood, IN) Red Alert Robotics Team Sponsorship, $8,136
  • Bunker Hill (Indianapolis, IN) Special Education Grant, $1,850
  • The Children’s TherAplay Foundation, Inc. (Carmel, IN) Children’s TherAplay Play Set and Clinic Technology, $10,050
  • Mill Creek Community School Corp (Clayton, IN) Student Spotlight, $1,000
  • Indianapolis Public Schools (Indianapolis, IN) Sensory Needs for All, $2,000
  • Western Wayne Schools (Indianapolis, IN) Western Wayne Robotics, $4,000
  • A Kid Again – Indiana Chapter (Indianapolis, IN) Delivering Smiles and Memories, $5,834

Louisville, Kentucky Area, $11,500 to the following entities:

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (Louisville, KY) Capacity Building Through One-to-One Mentoring, $2,500
  • Boys and Girls Haven (Louisville, KY) Music Therapy Program for Teenage Youth in Out-of Home-Residential Care, $2,000
  • Down Syndrome of Louisville (Louisville, KY) $2,500
  • Jefferson County Public Schools (Louisville, KY) Race for Justice, $2,000
  • Lassiter Middle School (Louisville, KY) Access and Equity, $2,500

Phoenix, Arizona Area, $12,000 to the following entities:

  • Ryan House (Phoenix, AZ) Child Life Program, $2,200
  • Child Crisis Arizona (Mesa, AZ) Early Education Services, $2,000
  • New Pathways for Youth (Phoenix, AZ) FY2023 Healthy Meals Project for Low-Income, At-Risk Phoenix Youth, $1,300
  • A New Leaf (Phoenix, AZ) A New Leaf’s Behavioral Health After School and Summer Programs, $1,400
  • Arizona Helping Hands (Phoenix, AZ) The Basic Needs for Children in Foster Homes, $1,400
  • Biltmore Preparatory Academy (Phoenix, AZ) Social Emotional Learning at Biltmore Prep, $2,500
  • Glendale Union High School District (Phoenix, AZ) Graphing Calculators for Student Success, $1,200

GPD Group (GPD) is an employee-owned, full-service A&E firm with over 650 design professionals. Headquartered in Akron, GPD has offices in Atlanta, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Louisville, Marion, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Youngstown.

GPD Group employees established the GPD Group Employees’ Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3), in 2014 to help channel donations to enrich the K-12 public education experience and support at-risk children or those with medical and special needs in communities where the firm works.