Forty-nine youth-serving organizations will receive a total of $100,000 distributed in separate grants ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 from the City of Akron.

The city, along with Akron City Council, committed the money from its new sports and wellness grants toward the programs to provide more opportunities for young people and to help prevent youth violence. 

The grants were awarded in four categories: after-school programs, mentorship or life skills programs, street outreach and community norm change efforts programs, and violence intervention and prevention programs.

“Giving our youth an opportunity to work as a team, learn skills, develop coping strategies, learn the value of their hard work, all of those things can serve as a springboard to build safe, healthy, thriving lives over time,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said during a press conference at the Ed Davis Community Center in West Akron. 

“Each and every organization present here with us today is doing hard work, creating opportunities for our young people. And this is the work that our full city government is behind.” 

Malik mentioned the July 7 shooting incident at Mason Community Learning Center, where more than 100 young people gathered — five were shot and at least another dozen were injured by cars as they tried to flee the scene.

“It’s easy to say, ‘How do you solve a problem like that?’” Malik said. “What we have here is one part of the solution. And we have a lot of different solutions.”

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The city received 71 applications for the program, it stated in a news release. The 49 grant recipients will be able to use the funding to help offset the cost of program fees, mental health services, coaches’ training and certifications and safety and equipment. The money cannot be used for staffing. 

In each category, one organization was awarded $5,000 while the others received either $2,000 or $1,500. 

After-school programs

  1. Akron Inner City Soccer Club: $5,000 
  2. Akron Promise: $2,000
  3. Buchtel Youth Wrestling: $2,000
  4. Gooden Faith Community Center: $2,000
  5. Patterson Park Football and Cheer: $2,000
  6. Students with a Goal: $2,000
  7. Trust Drum Circles: $2,000
  8. West Akron Little League: $2,000
  9. Ellet High School Boosters Club: $1,500
  10. Akron Multi-Culture Community: $1,500
  11. Greater Akron Hindu Sewa Samittee, Inc: $1,500
  12. Activities Together Club: $1,500

After-school funding total: $25,000

Mentorship or life skills program

  1. Ladies First Akron, Inc: $5,000
  2. Akron Armor Football Club: $2,000
  3. Always Climbing Project: $2,000
  4. Developing Student Athletes: $2,000
  5. West Akron Baseball League: $2,000
  6. West Griffins Football and Cheer: $2,000
  7. Firestone Akron Swim Team: $1,500
  8. Saving Our Youth: $1,500
  9. Night Lyfe Ent: $1,500 
  10. The Way Church of Akron: $1,500
  11. Synthesis Sports Academy: $1,500
  12. Village Keepers of Ohio: $1,500

Mentorship or life skills funding total: $24,000

Street outreach and community norm change efforts 

  1. GoalGetta Academy: $5,000
  2. Akron Bengals Football: $2,000
  3. Akron East Youth Football: $2,000
  4. Akron Titans Youth Football and Cheer: $2,000
  5. Chase Lee Foundation (Blimp City Bears): $2,000
  6. Central Raiders Football and Cheer: $2,000
  7. South Rangers: $2,000
  8. Noex Sports: $2,000
  9. Open Arms: $1,500
  10. Rooted in Christ: $1,500
  11. Next Play Foundation: $1,500 
  12. Summit County Hall of Fame Boxing Association: $1,500
  13. HandsOnSports Foundation: $1,500
  14. Bicycle Ride vs. Gun Violence USA: $1,500
  15. Keys to Serenity: $1,500 
  16. BAB Elite: $1,500

Street outreach and community norm change funding total: $31,000

Violence intervention and prevention programs 

  1. Akron Sneaker Academy: $5,000
  2. Bright Beginnings: $2,000  
  3. Akron Fear: $2,000
  4. Akron Parent Pee Wee Football Association: $2,000
  5. Cardinal Booster Club: $2,000
  6. NEO Flight: $2,000
  7. Winners and Leaders: $2,000
  8. Wealthy Place Staffing: $1,500
  9. West Hill Neighborhood Organization: $1,500

Violence intervention and prevention funding total: $20,000

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.