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Akron Public Schools
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GAR Funds to Aid Homeless Scholars

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GAR Funds to Aid Homeless Scholars

Project Rise in Akron Public Schools aids the nearly 2,000 APS scholars who experience homelessness each year. Project Rise is funded through the McKinney-Vento Act. The purpose of Ohio's McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Act is to ensure that all children and youth, including preschoolers, have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education as non-homeless children and youth. 

In the 2023-24 school year, Ohio had nearly 25,000 students experiencing homelessness.  

More funding is coming in thanks to a grant. The GAR Foundation has approved more than $2 million in grants to non-profit groups in Greater Akron, including Project Rise.

The foundation’s focus this quarter was on “the critical work of community development, particularly those revitalizing neighborhoods and addressing the unique needs of their residents and stakeholders.”

>“By investing in our neighborhoods, we aim to cultivate safe, thriving communities where residents feel a strong sense of identity, belonging and shared civic pride,” GAR Foundation President Christine Amer Mayer said in a prepared statement. “Community development organizations in Akron are key partners in achieving this vision, as they thoughtfully address the specific needs of the people they serve.”

Groups receiving support this quarter include:

  • Community
  • Project Rise