Fueling Local Impact: 78 Northwest Ohio Nonprofits Named Growth & Resilience Partners

Across Northwest Ohio, local nonprofits work tirelessly every day to solve complex challenges and lift up families. To fuel this local impact, the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation is honored to announce just over $2 million in 2026 Growth & Resilience investments awarded to 78 organizations across more than 10 counties, supporting the vital networks that ensure regional neighbors are fed, housed, and educated. 

The 2026 Growth & Resilience investments reflect a deeply rooted commitment to strengthening families across the region. Demonstrating the Foundation’s emphasis on expanding its reach and ensuring equity of access to philanthropic resources, 28% of the total funding was directed to organizations serving vital rural communities.

The application process was intentionally designed to focus on program operations. The grants provide one year of critical funding for core operations, everyday program expenses, and small capital purchases that directly accelerate organizational growth and community impact.

"The nonprofits serving Northwest Ohio are the true experts on the ground, and our job is to give them the tools to thrive,” said Mike Deetsch, executive director of the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation. “Whether a partner is using these funds to expand a vital program or upgrade essential equipment, we are honored to invest in their capacity to drive meaningful change."

Partners Driving Change Across the Region

While these grants provide the resources, it is our partners who provide the impact. This year’s cohort represents a diverse tapestry of service, from rural food pantries to urban housing advocates. We are particularly inspired by these six organizations leading the way:

• Produce Perks Midwest (Food Security)
  Funding maintains the Produce Perks program at the Phoenix Earth Food Co-op. This vital financial intervention doubles the purchasing power of SNAP recipients to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, simultaneously boosting family nutrition and supporting local market retailers. 

• Fair Housing Center (Housing Stability)
  Funding drives targeted legal assistance in the Old South End, focusing on resolving "tangled titles" and filing receivership actions against blighted properties. Attorneys offer direct support for tenants in rent escrow cases and conduct community outreach to protect generational wealth and spur strategic neighborhood reinvestment. 

• Hospice of Northwest Ohio (Youth Education)
  Grant funds support the operations of Path Finders Camp, an immersive educational program at Camp Miakonda. Led by licensed counselors, the camp provides supportive group environments that help grieving children process the loss of a loved one and build lasting emotional resilience.

• The Program Inc. (Youth Education)
  Grant funds expand out-of-school mentoring and leadership initiatives for boys and young men from absent-father homes. Through structured life-skills workshops and academic enrichment, the program fosters long-term confidence, social skills, and academic success. 

• Timothy's Perrysburg Foundation (Food Security)
  Funding extends a part-time chef's hours at Tim’s Rescue Kitchen and provides essential packaging to convert healthy, surplus food into 1,500 to 1,700 frozen meals monthly. Distributed across a massive local hunger relief network, this model reduces food waste while feeding vulnerable families in Wood and Lucas counties. 

• Sandusky County Habitat for Humanity (Housing Stability)
  Funding supplements salaries for a construction crew that trains young professionals in the skilled trades while completing affordable housing projects. This dual-impact initiative builds new homes and performs critical repairs for low-income, disabled, and aging residents to address safety hazards and expand the local housing supply.