Education

Fatherhood initiative brings more focused resources to Summit County fathers – 2013-09-19

By: Chris Miller

Fatherhood InitiativeHaving active fathers in children’s lives can make all the difference between success and failure for that child. And a new Fatherhood Initiative facilitated by Akron Community Foundation will combine the services of three prominent organizations to provide more focused education and resources to fathers and families in Summit County. The collaboration will help fathers navigate the court system for visitation and offer mentoring to help struggling fathers establish responsible parenting skills.

The Summit County Fatherhood Initiative, announced Sept. 19 at Helen Arnold Elementary School, comprises three local organizations: Fame Fathers, Fathers & Sons of Northeast Ohio and Man2Man. Through recent funding from Akron Community Foundation, the three organizations are aligning their services to ensure the greatest positive impact for families in Summit County while sharing a common goal of helping at-risk fathers and young men become strong nurturing parents and mentors in the community.

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November 5, 2013
Neighborhoods

Global Village Festival Celebrates Akron’s Ethnically Diverse Community – 2013-09-13

By: Katie Sobiech

Global Village FestivalWith fall right at our doorstep, can you believe it’s time for Akron’s last festival of the summer?

Take a trip around the globe without having to get a passport or buy expensive plane tickets. Come see and experience a melting pot of eclectic ethnicities and cultures right here in your own backyard.

September 14th will mark the 2nd Annual Global Village Festival, which will be held from 1-8 p.m. at Locks 3 & 4.

“It’s going to be a big hurrah for all,” Helena Larios, Festival Committee Coordinator for Global Village Festival, said.

It will be a celebration of Akron’s and Summit County’s ethnic and cultural diversity, which has grown tremendously throughout the years.

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November 5, 2013
Re-entry

Broken Chains Ministry Continues to Grow & Create Jobs for Ex-Offenders (Part 1 of 2) – 2013-09-11

Written By: Broken Chains Ministry and Katie Sobiech

It’s been a while since we caught up with Broken Chains Ministry. So where have they been, and what have they been up to?

They have been working around the clock to create and sustain programs such as their Workforce Development Program and the Urbean Café, to drop recidivism rates of ex-offenders, providing them with opportunity, while making the city a safer place.

One of the greatest barriers faced by citizens returning from incarceration is unemployment. While the State of Ohio unemployment rate is currently about 9.5%, current estimates show that the unemployment rate for men and women in various stages of reentry is an astronomical 25%-40%.

As a result of this statistic, Broken Chains Ministry (BCM) is committed to being an advocate for changes that help reverse this statistic in our region by being part of the solution. Their Workforce Development Program (WDP) allows them the opportunity to create a self-sustaining business model specifically for the purpose of training former offenders to reenter the workplace.

Step number one is to give them a job.

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November 5, 2013