News

The GPD Group Employees’ Foundation recently approved grants to 123 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 January 2023. Over $609,000 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, $439,139 to the following entities:

• Twinsburg City Schools (Twinsburg, OH) VEX Robotics – STEM Initiative, $3,600
• Brecksville Broadview Heights City Schools (Brecksville, OH) Audio and Video Production Studio, $3,000
• Brecksville Broadview Heights City Schools (Brecksville, OH) BBHMS Chill Room Revamp, $1,999
• Brecksville Broadview Heights City Schools (Brecksville, OH) Encouraging Collaboration and Critical Thinking with VEX IQ Robotics!, $3,542
• Wadsworth City Schools (Wadsworth, OH) Super Cool Sensory Room!, $6,000
• Hudson City Schools (Hudson, OH) ROX Program, $4,380
• Hudson City Schools (Hudson, OH) Computer Science is for You! Spheros, Robotics, and Coding at Your HMS Maker Space, $2,000
• Hudson City Schools (Hudson, OH) Sensory Garden, $2,500.
• Amherst Exempted Village School District (Amherst, OH) Adaptive Interventions, $2,088
• Clearview Local Schools (Lorain, OH) Book Vending Machine Book Supply, $3,000
• Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools (Newton Falls, OH) Curious Tigers Lights on After School, $2,000
• Poland Local Schools (Poland, OH) Anatomage Tablets in Anatomy Curriculum, $9,680
• Boardman Local Schools (Youngstown, OH) Veterans Day Flag Sets, $2,340
• Sandy Valley Local Schools (Magnolia, OH) A Sweet Community Field Trip, $1,000
• Berea City Schools (Berea, OH) ROX Program, $5,000
• Cleveland Metropolitan School District (Cleveland, OH) Continuing Project Hygiene “Cosner’s Closet,” $2,000
• Nordonia Hills City Schools (Macedonia, OH) Classroom OSMO!, $2,000
• Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) Problem-Based Learning: Kindergarteners Take Charge!, $2,500
• Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) Johnny Appleseed 2.0, $2,100
• Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools (Cuyahoga Heights, OH) One School One Book, $2,000
• Hoover High School (North Canton, OH) Viking FIRST Robotics, $9,000
• Copley-Fairlawn City Schools (Copley, OH) Upgrades: Reading and Sensory Areas, $1,999
• Copley-Fairlawn City Schools (Copley, OH) Fort Island Primary School Sensory Room Supplies, $4,861
• Willoughby Eastlake City Schools (Willowick, OH) Royal Responsibility, Recreation, and Recess Room, $2,500
• Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Second Home, $2,000
• Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Empowering Students Through Multimedia: A Grant for High School Content Creation Equipment, $4,000
• Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Advancing Akron STEM Robotics and Summer Activities, $7,500
• Edison Local Schools (Milan, OH) Middle School Gym Widescreen Projector, $19,991
• Canton Local Schools (Canton, OH) Elementary STEAM, $19,715
• Field Middle Schools (Mogadore, OH) iPad Technology for the Middle School Art Room, $648
• Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living Skills In and Out of the Classroom, $1,600
• Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Transitioning to Success, $2,000
• Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living-Cooking and Community Outings and Classroom Supplies, $1,500
• Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living Cooking, Community Outings and Classroom Supplies, $1,500
• Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Ashley Macri-Multiple Disabilities Classroom Grades 3-5, $1,500
• Wooster City Schools (Wooster, OH) Cornerstone Elementary Field Trips, $6,000
• Wooster City Schools (Wooster, OH) Edgewood Middle School Sensory Room, $4,000
• Pathway Caring for Children (Canton, OH) 2023 Summer TRUST Camp, $5,000
• Cadence Care Network (Niles, OH) Cadence Coffeehouse and Creperie, $2,500
• Footpath Foundation (Cleveland, OH) 5^th Grane Outside Discovering Me, $2,000
• Good Samaritan Hunger Center (Akron, OH) Kids Bag Program, $2,500
• Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio (Columbus, OH) Summer Learning Academy, $7,500
• IncludeAbility (Wooster, OH) Inclusive Emergency Preparedness, $10,000
• Down Syndrome Association of the Valley (Boardman, OH) Summer Enrichment 2023 with Aaris Therapy, $2,500
• Lake Township Historical Society (Uniontown, OH) Art for the Classroom, $250
• Blick Center (Akron, OH) Therapy Supplies and Resources, $4,600
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio (Cleveland, OH) Youth Development Programs for Under Resourced Akron Kids and Teens, $5,000
• Girls on the Run of Stark County (Canton, OH) Girls on the Run is for Every Girl 2023 – Plain Local Schools, $2,500
• Hunger Network (Cleveland, OH) Hygiene Kits for Children at Risk, $5,000
• Stewart’s Caring Place: Cancer Wellness Center (Akron, OH) Supporting Children in Families Impacted by Cancer, $3,500
• Domestic Violence Project, Inc. (Canton, OH) Welcome Bags for Children, $3,000
• Rainey Institute (Cleveland, OH) 2023 Summer Arts Camp, $5,000
• Youth Challenge (Westlake, OH) Creative Arts Programs for Young People with Physical Disabilities, $2,500
• Women’s Auxiliary Board of Summit County Children Services (Tallmadge, OH) Beds for Kids Program
• Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, OH) Akron Children’s Hospital School Health Stock Rescue Inhaler Program for Students in Need, $3,750
• Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, OH) Support for Food Pantry, $2,500
• Connecting for Kids (Westlake) 2023 Adapted Programs in Westlake for Children with Disabilities and/or Mental Health Issues, $2,000
• Pegasus Farm (Hartville, OH) Financial Assistance for Students Enrolled in Pegasus Farm’s Take Flight Program, $2,000
• Adaptive Sports Program (Wooster, OH) Adaptive Sports Ohio Dream Camp for Youth with Disabilities, $2,500
• Open Arms Adoption (Kent, OH) Keeping Siblings Together by Adoptions and Special Medical Needs Adoptions, $5,000
• DDC Clinic (Middlefield, OH) Compassionate Care Program, $2,500
• Camp Quality, OH (Akron, OH) Ongoing and New Programming, $10,000
• The Upside of Downs of Northeast Ohio (Independence, OH) Lifelong Learning – Education Programs for Toddlers to Teens, $5,000
• The Dancing Wheels Company (Cleveland, OH) Dancing Wheels 2023Outreach Programming, $3,000
• Summit Educational Service Center (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Hearing Matters, $15,026
• United Disability Services (Akron, OH) Toy and Resource Center to Promote Child Development and School Readiness, $2,500
• Rec2Connect (Wadsworth, OH) Recreational Therapy Program Welcome Bags, $3,500
• Ben Curtis Family Foundation (Kent, OH) The Birdie Bag Program: Addressing the Food Insecurity of Children and Families in Summit County, $4,000
• Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America (Stow, OH) Camp Manatoc’s Leave no Trace Trail for Youth, $9,562
• The First Tee of Greater Akron (Akron, OH) 2023 Summer Community Programming, $13,000
• Limitless Ambition (Stow, OH) Purposely Chosen Teen Programming for Girls in Akron Public Schools, $5,000
• CASA Board Volunteer Association, Inc. (Akron, OH) Play Therapy for Abused and Neglected Youth, $5,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina & Stark Counties (Akron, OH) Youth Mentoring, $2,500
• Girls on the Run of Greater Summit (Brecksville, OH) Healthy and Resilient Girls, $5,000
• RePlay for Kinds (Medina, OH) Increasing the Number of Adapted Toy Lending Libraries in Ohio, $4,908
• Victory Gallop (Akron, OH) Victory Athletics 2023, $7,500
• Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (Cleveland, OH) Healing Therapeutic Services for K-12 Survivors of Rape and Sexual Abuse, $3,000
• Akron Urban League (Akron, OH) 2023 Summer Enrichment Day Camp Scholarship Funds, $5,000
• Inspiring Minds (Warren, OH) Youth Summer Enrichment Program, $5,000
• Project Ed Bear, Inc. (Akron, OH) Camp Ed Bear , $5,000
• The First Tee of Canton (Canton, OH) Impact Through Outreach 2023, $1,500
• Embracing Futures (Akron, OH) Orthodontic Care Program, $7,500
• Embracing Futures, Inc. (Akron, OH) Dr. Milton Rubin Oral Health Education Program, $2,500
• Northern Ohio PGA Section Foundation (Warrensville Heights, OH) Clubs for Kids, $3,000
• Linking Employment, Abilities, and Potential (LEAP) (Cleveland, OH) Workforce Development for High School Youth with Disabilities, $5,000
• ArtSparks (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Support for the Dynamite Duos Program with the Addition of Team DDX, $5,000
• Autism Society of Greater Akron (Akron, OH) Water Safety Program with Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, $10,000
• The Well CDC (Akron, OH) Akron Hope, $2,500
• The Cleveland Book Bank (Cleveland, OH) Well Read, Well Fed-Book Distribution at Feeding Sites, $5,000
• Smiles with Style, Inc. (Sagamore Hills, OH) Fund a Smile at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, $4,000
• Empower Sports (Cleveland, OH) Inclusive Sports Programs, $3,000
• Providence House, Inc. (Cleveland, OH) Pediatric Crisis Nursery: Support for Children with Medical Needs, $15,000
• A Kid Again (Twinsburg, OH) 2023 Adventures, $15,000
• The Kelly Reeves Memorial Foundation (Munroe Falls, OH) Kelly’s Grief Center/In School Counseling Program, $5,000

Central Ohio Area, $26,593 to the following entities:

• Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools (Gahanna, OH) Can I Sit With You? Adaptive Seating Option, $5,205
• Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools (Gahanna, OH) We Cal ALL Learn to Read!, $2,653
• Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Life Town Columbus, $5,500
• Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Playground Accessibility, $9,200
• Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Severe Speech Sound Disorders, $1,035
• Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Books to Support a Home Library, $500
• Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Price Classroom Books, $500
• Hillsboro Local Schools (Hillsboro, OH) Transition Lab for Students with Disabilities, $2,000

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Area, $5,000 to the following entities:

• Reading is FUNdamental Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA) Children’s Literacy Programs High Interest and Diverse Books, $2,500
• Future City Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh Regional Future City Pittsburgh Competition, $2,500

Atlanta, Georgia Area, $39,500 to the following entities:

• Childkind, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) Home Based Services, $2,500
• Dalton Middle School (Dalton, GA) Dramatic Results—Accessible Performing Arts Programming, $5,000
• Kincaid Elementary – Cobb County School District (Marietta, GA) Please Play with Me: Buddy Benches for Lonely Kids on the Playground, $2,000
• Camp Twin Lakes (Atlanta, GA) Camper Scholarship Program, $5,000
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation (Atlanta, GA) Pearl’s Closet, hygiene and school support closet at the Child Protection Center, $4,000
• Creating Connected Communities (Atlanta, GA) STEAM Education Program for Students Experiencing Hardship, $2,500
• Bearings Bike Shop (Atlanta, GA) Frameworks Advanced Job Training Program, $2,500
• Briarlake Elementary School (Decatur, GA) Renaissance STAR Math, $2,600
• Sandy Springs Education Force (Sandy Springs, GA) SSEF Summer Reading Program, $3,800
• Kinkaid Elementary School (Marietta, GA) Restoration of Outdoor Classrooms, $4,000
• SATB2 Gene Foundation (Lilburn, GA) iPads for Communication, $2,100
• The Center for Children and Young Adults (Marietta, GA) Critical Safety Lighting, $3,500

Houston Texas, $25,000 to following entities:

• Fort Bend ISD Education Foundation (Sugarland, TX) Grants to Teachers and Schools, $5,000
• Alvin ISD Education Foundation (Alvin, TX) BOOK Bus, $7,500
• Alief Independent School District (Houston, TX) BizTown Technology, $5,000
• Pasadena ISD Education Foundation (Pasadena, TX) Mini Grant Program, $7,500

Dallas Texas, $7,500 to following entities:

• Stay Ready Youth Services (Denton, TX) Tutoring Services, David Project (anti-bullying), Leadership Council, $7,500

Indianapolis, Indiana Area, $37,500 to the following entities:

• Wester Wayne Schools (Pershing, IN) Robotics Programs, $4,000
• Mill Creek Community School Corp (Clayton, IN) Student Spotlight, $2,000
• William Tell Elementary School (Tell City, IN) STEM Education, $7,600
• Bunker Hill Elementary Schools (Indianapolis, IN) Special Education Independent Resources, $2,150
• The Children’s TherAplay Foundation, Inc. (Carmel, IN) Groundwork Program, $4,000
• Raymond Park Science Olympiad (Indianapolis, IN) Raymond Park Science Olympiad, $6,000
• A Kid Again – Indiana Chapter (Indianapolis, IN) 2023 Adventures, $2,000
• Avon Intermediate School West (Avon, IN) Loved Items and and Books for Past, Present, and Future, $1,000
• Red Alert Robotics (Greenwood, IN) Team Sponsorship, $2,000
• Indianapolis Public Schools (Indianapolis, IN) Let’s Update the Learning Materials and Sensory Room Space for the Children, $6,750

Louisville, Kentucky Area, $15,000 to the following entities:

• Special Olympics Kentucky (Louisville, KY) Unified Champion Schools – Inclusion Revolution, $3,000
• Down Syndrome of Louisville, Inc. (New Albany, KY) Support for Down Syndrome of Louisville Summer Education Enrichment Camp, $4,000
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (Louisville, KY) Evidence Based Youth Mentoring Services, $4,000
• Boys and Girls Haven (Louisville, KY) Music Therapy Program for Teenaged Youth in Out-of-Home Residential Care, $4,000

Phoenix, Arizona Area, $14,000 to the following entities:

• Arizona Helping Hands (Phoenix, AZ), Birthday Dreams Program, $1,750
• Sojourner Center (Phoenix, AZ) Children and Youth Programming – Child Development Center for Food Security, $1,750
• Ryan House (Phoenix, AZ) Child Life Program, $1,750
• Biltmore Preparatory Academy (Phoenix, AZ) Social Emotional Learning at Biltmore Prep, $1,750
• New Pathways for Youth (Phoenix, AZ) Workforce Development/College Career Planning Sessions for Youth in Phoenix, $1,750
• Child Crisis Arizona (Mesa, AZ) Early Education Services for Children of Low-Income Families, $1,750
• A New Leaf (Mesa, AZ) A New Leaf’s Behavioral Health After School and Summer Programs – Sensory Resources, $1,750
• Imagine Desert West Middle, Inc. (Phoenix, AZ) Reading Pathways, $1,750

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. For more information about GPD Group Employees’ Foundation, visit them online at www.gpdfoundation.org or call toll free at 1-800-955-4730.