Winter 2017
 
 

In November, the Gay Community Endowment Fund awarded 14 grants totaling $34,000 for programs that positively impact the local LGBTQ community. Several grants supported area theater programs, including the Millennial Theatre Project, which uses nontraditional casting and staging to tell relevant stories for young adults. Other grants will promote HIV testing initiatives, provide housing for homeless LGBTQ youth, and more.


 

On Dec. 3, more than 1,000 people from all over Greater Akron joined us for another fabulous Sugar Plum Tour of Holiday Homes. This year's tour featured several new elements, including an online tour guide, that brought new excitement to the event. Thanks to our generous sponsors, donors, tourgoers and homeowners, the 2017 Sugar Plum Tour raised more than $100,000 for GCEF. We couldn't have done it without your support!


 

The GCEF Scholarship Fund recently awarded academic scholarships to three students who are improving life for LGBTQ people in our community. This year's winners include the president of the University of Akron's LGBTUA organization, an aspiring sociologist studying gender expression and sexual assault, and a pre-med student whose personal experiences with bullying led her to create a more inclusive environment at her high school.


 

The LGBTQ Student Center at Kent State University is a critical source of support for students from all walks of life. For the third year in a row, GCEF awarded a grant for its QUEST mentoring program, which pairs LGBTQ students with a supportive adult role model. The program focuses on newly "out" students, students of color, and students from disadvantaged backgrounds who may have difficulty transitioning to college. 


 

As the holidays approach, a gift to GCEF is the perfect way to honor a friend, family member or colleague while making a lasting difference for our local LGBTQ community. The people you honor will receive a card letting them know of your gift in their name. Gifts of cash can be made online until midnight on Dec. 31. For gifts of appreciated stock, transfers should be initiated by Dec. 20 to ensure year-end processing. Thank you for your generosity!




Building a Better Future. That's Our Mission.

The Gay Community Endowment Fund is a permanent philanthropic endowment of Akron Community Foundation. The fund serves as a catalyst for the full participation of LGBTQ people in our society and promotes philanthropy within the LGBTQ and allied communities. Since 2001, the fund has grown to $1.2 million and awarded nearly $475,000 in grants to nonprofits that positively impact the local LGBTQ community and Greater Akron as a whole.


345 W. Cedar St - Akron, OH 44307 - 330.376.8522 - www.akroncf.org