The Community Foundation of Lorain County hosted its annual meeting on June 19, at Sprenger Stadium in Avon.
The organization released its 2018 annual report and provided updates to around 400 community donors, friends, scholarship recipients and their families.
In 2018 the Community Foundation awarded more than $5.5 million in grants and scholarships and received nearly $6 million in donations. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has contributed more than $100 million to non-profit organizations and students throughout Lorain County.
In 2018 the Community Foundation awarded 929 grants with $2.2 million (38 percent) going to support health and human services, $2.1 million (37 percent) of their portfolio going to support education and youth development, $989,000 (17 percent) to strengthen Lorain County, and $472,000 (eight percent) toward arts and culture.
The education and youth portfolio included more than $732,000 in scholarships and $484,000 in school endowments in supporting schools, students and teachers.
President and CEO Cindy Andrews shared her gratitude for the generosity of Lorain County residents and spoke of the principles that guide her leadership.
“We celebrate our 40th anniversary next year. But our longevity is a testament to the community organizations that have built endowments and have both trusted us partnered with us to provide financial support to so many for so many years,” Andrews said.
Andrews added that the Community Foundation can celebrate giving out more than $100 million since their founding.
The Community Foundation’s impact on the community through their affiliate funds including the youth fund, African-American Community Fund, Women’s Fund and Hispanic Fund have empowered diverse communities of Lorain County to evaluate and direct funding to projects they are passionate about.
“Maybe you see a pattern building here: organizations building community. And thanks to your generous support we’ve been able to support those agencies and non-profits that impact individuals throughout Lorain County,” Andrews said.
The Community Foundation also presented Clare Cygan Young with the 2019 Jim Doughman Community Service Award
Cygan Young began her career as a young nurse but discovered her true passion when she began volunteering for a rape crisis center in Cleveland. Her experience working with rape survivors inspired her to leave her career as a nurse and join the staff at the rape crisis center.
She expanded her efforts in protecting victims of sexual assault when opening the Lorain County Rape Crisis Center in 1998 at The Nord Center. In 2000, she created The Nord Center’s Sexual Assault Care Unit where she was instrumental in writing grants to secure funding for forensic nurses to conduct exams and collect evidence in a private, confidential setting.
In April, 2019 Cygan Young retired after serving four years as the executive director of NAMI of Lorain County. The grassroots agency is part of the National Alliance on Mental Illness with volunteers who support and advocate for those struggling with mental health issues secure jobs, find housing and obtain health insurance and proper care.
Cygan Young said the one thing about Lorain County and its people is the willingness to give and the overwhelming generosity of their time in working to make things better.
“I am just filled with gratitude and also I feel blessed that I was able to do this work, work that I loved for a county that I’ve loved,” she said.
In addition to the honor Cygan Young was awarded with a $1,000 grant to a charitable organization in her name. She chose to award the grant to NAMI Lorain County’s LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors).
