Grant provides support for the Family Resource Center and wraparound services at Robinson CLC
The KeyBank Foundation is providing a $150,000 grant to United Way of Summit & Medina. The grant will provide support and the delivery of wraparound services within the Family Resource Center of the Robinson CLC Akron Public School.
In 2018, United Way of Summit & Medina, with the guidance of Akron Public Schools and Summit Education Initiative, began a phased endeavor to implement Family Resource Centers and to coordinate wraparound services in all Akron Public School Clusters.
Wraparound services are student and family supports integrated with and delivered directly within the schools. By targeting the needs of individual children and families, wraparound services take pressure off educators to address social and non-academic barriers to student learning. These services may include family engagement, adult education, extended learning, mentoring, child nutrition programs, health, social services programs, and more.
“We are extremely grateful to KeyBank for making this extraordinary investment for the families we’re serving in our community,” says Jim Mullen, President and CEO of United Way of Summit & Medina. “By helping to break down barriers of education with these impactful services, teachers and principals can effectively educate and lead, and students can focus more energy on what matters most to them. Relationships like that of KeyBank are what make turning Bold Goals into Big Results possible for Summit and Medina counties.”
The $150,000 investment proves KeyBank’s deep engagement with United Way and Akron Public Schools as it works to ensure that students graduate with in-demand skills.
“The services that United Way of Summit and Medina provides to our community through the Family Resource Center gives parents and children hope and tools they need to learn and grow,” said Eric Dellapina, KeyBank Eastern Ohio Market President and Commercial Sales Leader. “All of us at KeyBank are proud of our longstanding partnership with United Way of Summit and Medina and support the work they do to take on our community’s most challenging problems with innovative strategies and an ambitious vision of our shared future.”
Because of this program, in 2021 alone, more than 89 families have received direct case management services to provide over $176,000 in rent and utility assistance to help reduce student mobility; and 420 families have received food boxes and school supplies delivered to their homes to support learning at home and to combat food insecurity. These core wraparound supports and direct services have impacted thousands of families—like TwaNysha and her four young children.
“I want every family to know that the FRCs are there,” states TwaNysha. “It gives the children somewhere to go during the school day if they ever need something. And the families know it’s there too.” Her wish is that someday there will be an FRC in every neighborhood. “I think it will help the community tremendously,” she says.
KeyBank not only continues their ongoing support of United Way of Summit & Medina, but strives to grow and exceed in the partnership. KeyBank supported United Way of Summit & Medina this year through avid volunteerism and an increased employee giving campaign. KeyBank’s sponsored Family Resource Center at Robinson Community Learning Center, and partnership with APS high school College and Career Academies continue to provide wraparound services and opportunities to students and families, and increase engagement to support United Way’s Bold Goals in education for our community.
Since 2010, the KeyBank Foundation has provided more than $882,000 in support to United Way of Summit and Medina.