GPD Group Employees’ Foundation Announces 2025 Grants

The GPD Employees’ Foundation recently approved 191 grants for K-12 public schools and non-profit organizations across the country as part of our annual Spring Grant Cycle. In total, more than $765,000 in grants was awarded to a combination of non-profits that work with children with special and/or medical needs or who are at-risk and K-12 public schools.

Our Spring Grant Cycle awards are in addition to the $175,000 awarded through our new GAME CHANGERS program. This program allows us to strengthen our commitment to our communities by creating partnerships with 12 select non-profits who are true embodiments of our Foundation’s mission.

Northeast Ohio – $538,940

A Kid at Art for the Heart, Inc. (Chardon, OH) Bilingual Preschool art Education Programming for Low Income ESL Learners, $3,000
Access the Arts (Wadsworth, OH) Art for At-Risk Youth at the Medina Cups Café and Juvenile Detention Center, $4,310
Access, Inc. (Akron, OH) Feed the Future, $8,000
Akron Children’s Hospital (Akron, OH) Providing Hygiene Resources at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Food Farmacy, $5,000
Akron Children’s Museum (Akron, OH) Canalway Corner Educational Water Table Exhibit, $30,000
Akron Cooperative Farms (Akron, OH) Dig In! Summer Camp: Pilot Urban Farming & Sustainability Exploration for North Hill Youth, $2,500
Alchemy, Inc. (Akron, OH) Developing Heroes: Group Mentoring for Urban Adolescents in Akron, $5,000
Art Sparks, (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Dynamite Duos, $5,000
B Brave Foundation (Cleveland, OH) Medical Assistance and Comfort Carts for Children with Rare, Fatal Neurological Disorders, $5,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Summit, Medina and Stark Counties (Akron, OH) Community and Site-Based Mentoring Programs for Youth, $2,500
Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio (Cleveland, OH) Academic Success/ Life & Workforce Readiness programs, $5,000
Building for Tomorrow (Akron, OH) STEAM Club, $3,500
CASA Board Volunteer Association, Inc. (Akron, OH) Trauma-Informed Training Toolkit for Volunteers Who Serve Abused and Neglected Children $5,000
CASA of Portage County Associate Board (Ravenna, OH) Supporting At-Risk Youth Through Positive Social Experiences and Activities $5,000
Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center (Cleveland, OH) 2025 Stuttering Together – Program for Youth you Stutter $3,000
Cleveland Book Bank (Cleveland, OH) Well Read, Well Fed Book Distribution at Feeding Sites ($5,000)
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (Cleveland, OH) Healing Therapeutic Services for K-12 Survivors of Rape and Sexual Abuse $2,500
Connecting for Kids (Westlake, OH) 2025 Adapted Programs in Westlake for Children with Disabilities and/or Mental Health Issues, $3,500
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Parma, OH) Student Success Programs 2025, $3,000
Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio (Independence, OH) The Lifelong Learning Academy – Education Programs for Families and Toddlers to Teens, $5,000
Down Syndrome Association of the Valley (Boardman, OH) 2025 Speech, Language and Communication Programs, $3,000
Empower Sports (Cleveland, OH) Inclusive Sports for People with Disabilities, $3,500
Fairhaven Foundation (Niles, OH) Community Experiences and Events, $5,000
Footpath Foundation (Cleveland, OH) 5^th Grand Outside Discovering Me, $2,500
GiGi’s Playhouse Canton (Canton, OH) Amina Grace Speech and Language Program, $2,500
Girls on the Run Central Ohio (Canton, OH) The GOTR Program Funding Initiative for Alliance, Louisville & Plain Local, $2,500
Girls on the Run of Northeast Ohio (Brecksville, OH) Empowering Healthy & Resilient Youth, $5,000
GOALGETTA ACADEMY (Akron, OH) 5^th Annual Success is the Only Option Teen Career Day, $5,000
Good Samaritan Hunger Center (Akron, OH) Good Samaritan Hunger Center Kids Bag Program, $3,000
Habitat for Humanity of Summit County (Akron, OH) Twinsburg Safety Town, $2,500
Highland Robotics and Technology Boosters (Medina, OH) Steel Stingers Robotics Team 2603, $3,000
Inspiring Monds (Warren, OH) 2025 Inspiring Minds Summer Enrichment Program, $5,000
Lake Erie Council, Scouting America (Cleveland, OH) Lake Erie Council Great Lakes Adventures, $5,000
LGBTQ Community Center of Greater Cleveland (Cleveland, OH) School-Based Wellness and Life Skills Programming for Underserved LGBTQ+ Public School Students, $2,500
LifeAct (Chagrin Falls, OH) Suicide Prevention and Stress Management Programs for Ohio Youth, $2,500
Limitless Ambition (Stow, OH) Purposely Chosen Teen Programming for Girls in Akron Public Schools, $5,000
Northern Ohio PGA Section Foundation (Warrensville Heights, OH) Clubs Fore Kids, $5,000
Nuhop Center for Experiential Learning (Perrysville, OH) Project Summer Camp! A Nuhop – AnaZao partnership for Wayne County Kids, $5,344
Open Arms Adoption (Kent, OH) Keeping Siblings Together by Adoption – Cuyahoga & Summit County Programming, $5,000
Pathway Caring for Children (Canton, OH) Pathway to Connection: Nurturing Foster Children Through Shared Moments, $2,500
The Dancing Wheels Company (Cleveland, OH) Dancing Wheels’ Community Outreach for 2025, $3,000
Project Outrun (Fairlawn, OH) Empowering Kids as They Battle Life Threatening Illnesses Through Shoes, Swag, and Support, $6,000
Rainey Institute (Cleveland, OH) Rainey Institute 2025 Summer Camps, $5,000
Rayl Charitable Organization (Green, OH) The Debbie Rayl Kindness for Kids Program, $2,500
Rec2Connect (Cleveland, OH) Recreational Therapy Programming Welcome Bags, $5,000
Sawyer’s Wish (Akron, OH) Deck the Hospital with Sheets from Sawyer, $5,000
Stewart’s Caring Place: Cancer Wellness Center (Akron, OH) Programs and Services for Children Impacted by Cancer, $4,000
Students Motivated by the Arts SMARTS (Youngstown, OH) SMARTS Free Public Programming for PK-12 At-Risk Students, $2,500
Summit Education Initiative (Akron, OH) Barberton Preschool Collaborative to Support Kindergarten Readiness, $5,000
The Kelly Reeves Memorial Foundation (Munroe Falls, OH) Kelly’s Grief Center/In School Counseling Program, $5,000
The Well CDC (Akron, OH) Akron Hope: Supporting Students, their Families & Teachers at Mason & Helen Arnold CLCs, $3,000
United Disability Services (Akron, OH) Toy & Resource Center (TRC) to Promote Child Development and School Readiness, $2,500
Women’s Auxiliary Board (Akron, OH) Beds for Kids Program, $5,000
Youth Challenge (Westlake, OH) Creative Arts Programs for Young People with Physical Disabilities, $2,200
Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Cleveland, OH) Youth Opportunities Unlimited School Based Programming, $2,500
Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Math Reasoning in Action: Real World Connections, $4,500
Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Amplifying Student Voice through a Recording Studio, $4,546
Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Community Based Recreation Programming (CBRP), $8,872
Akron Public Schools (Akron, OH) Firestone CLC Robotics, $5,000
Amherst Exempted Village Schools (Amherst, OH) School Supplies, $387
Amherst Exempted Village Schools (Amherst, OH) Inclusive Learning, $7,000
Berkshire Local School District (Burton, OH) STEMin’ Up Technology at Berkshire Middle School, $5,000
Boardman Local Schools (Youngstown, OH) Art Display Panels and Privacy Dividers, $8,055
Boardman Local Schools (Youngstown, OH) Carey’s Closet, $1,000
Brecksville Broadview Heights City Schools (Brecksville, OH) Building the Future: Empowering Students through 3D Printing Innovation, $2,360
Brecksville Broadview Heights City Schools (Brecksville, OH) BBHMS Library Book Refresh, $2,500
Brecksville Broadview Heights City Schools (Brecksville, OH) Connection Quest, $2,000
Clearview Local Schools (Lorain, OH) Cooking with Lesh, $2,880
Clearview Local Schools (Lorain, OH) Reading Intervention Program, $4,800
Clyde-Green Springs Schools (Clyde, OH) RoboQuest: Building Tomorrow’s Engineers with Robotics, $5,000
Copley Fairlawn City School District (Fairlawn, OH) Classroom Emotion Regulation/Sensory Kits, $5,000
Crestwood Local (Mantua, OH) One Book, One School Math Night, $1,500
Cuyahoga Falls City School District (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) Black Tiger Family Center, $5,000
Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools (Cuyahoga Heights, OH) Inclusive Elementary School STEM Lab, $5,000
Durling Middle School (Lorain, OH) STEAM Success: Enhancing Science Learning Through Labs and Activities, $3,500
Eastlake City Schools (Eastlake, OH) EMS Sensory Room Update, $3,249
Edison Local Schools (Milan, OH) Edison Elementary Sensory Room/Playground Equipment, $8,000
Edison Local Schools (Milan, OH) Edison Middle School Career Awareness Initiative, $5,000
Field Local Schools (Mogadore, OH) Enhancing Audio Support in Multimedia Learning Environment, $2,409
James A Garfield Local Schools (Garrettsville, OH) Inclusive Preschool Playground Equipment, $5,000
Kent City Schools (Kent, OH) Kindergarten Zoo Field Trip, $500
Lake Local Schools (Hartville, OH) Lake Elementary Robotics Club, $5,000
Lakeview Local Schools (Cortland, OH) Adaptive Abode, $5,000
Lakewood City Schools (Lakewood, OH) ROX Student Group – Harding Middle School
Lakewood City Schools (Lakewood, OH) Empowerment Through Inclusion, $7,000
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) 2nd/3rd Grade Cross Categorical Classroom – Louisville City Schools, $1,500
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Art and Game Experiences, $1,500
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Kylie Ray- Cross Categorical Classroom- Grades 3-5 Louisville City Schools, $1,500
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living Skills and Classroom Support, $1,800
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living and Working Experiences, $1,700
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Daily Living and Working Experiences, $1,700
Louisville City Schools (Louisville, OH) Louisville Elementary Backpack Program, $10,000
Maplewood Local Schools (Cortland, OH) Learning on the Go!, $2,500
Maplewood Local Schools (Cortland, OH) Transformation Central!, $4,500
McDonald Local Schools (McDonald, OH) Group Piano Project $1,080
McDonald Local Schools (McDonald, OH) Growing a Reading Garden!, $1,370
McDonald Local Schools (McDonald, OH) Enhancing Ensemble Performance with Individual Tuners and Tuner Caddies for Students, $3,162
Medina City Schools (Medina, OH) Makerspace Madness!, $3,000
Medina City Schools (Medina, OH) Claggett Makerspace, $3,000
Newton Falls Exempted Village School District (Newton Falls, OH) CNC Machine for Expanding STEM Programs, $5,000
North Canton City Schools (North Canton, OH) Viking Forge: Crafting the Future of Innovation, $4,500
North Canton City Schools (North Canton, OH) Building Community Connections in North Canton, $5,000
Orange City Schools (Pepper Pike, OH) Empower Threads: Building Skills, Breaking Barriers, $6,000
Perry Local Schools (Massillon, OH) Watson Elementary school Life Skills Curriculum, $1,200
Polaris Career Center (Middleburgh Heights, OH) Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators: 3D Printing for Emerging Learnings, $4,000
Ravenna School District (Ravenna, OH) Field Trips for Student, $8,000
Revere Local Schools (Richfield, OH) Revere High School Sensory Room, $750
Shaker Schools Foundation (Shaker Heights, OH) Mercer Mindfulness and Yoga: Building Resilience for our Elementary Students, $3,200
Shaker Schools Foundation (Shaker Heights, OH) Take-Home Libraries for At-Risk Readers, $4,500
Shaker Schools Foundation (Shaker Heights, OH) Horseback Therapeutic Riding Experiences for Extended Standard Students, $4,520
Southeast Local Schools (Ravenna, OH) Maker Space Implementation Expansion with Community and School Projects, $3,500
Southeast Local Schools (Ravenna, OH) Pirates Building Coding Skills with LEGO, $4,000
Southeast local Schools (Ravenna, OH) Southeast Pirates Serve, $5,500
Streetsboro City Schools (Streetsboro, OH) SES Rockets Read Together, $7,575
Strongsville City Schools (Strongsville, OH) Community Based Instruction (CBI) for SHS Life Skills Program Strongsville City Schools, $1,491
Strongsville City Schools (Strongsville, OH) Mustang Inclusive Learning Environment Café, $2,500
Strongsville City Schools (Strongsville, OH) Voices of Tomorrow: Empowering Students Through Podcasting, $5,000
Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) Robotics Blue Devils, $1,500
Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) The Next Frontier: Passion Projects Phase II, $3,650
Tallmadge City Schools (Tallmadge, OH) Let the Games Begin: Second Grade STEAM, $3,930
Waynedale Local Schools (Apple Creek, OH) Individualized ELA Curriculum Across Entire Middle School, $4,900
Woodridge Local Schools (Peninsula, OH) Akron Children’s Museum Field Trip, $1,050
Woodridge Local Schools (Peninsula, OH) Student Council Continued Social Responsibility, $3,150
Woodridge Local Schools (Peninsula, OH) Safe Spaces, Stronger Futures: Woodridge’s RESET Vision, $2,500
Wooster City Schools (Wooster, OH) Wooster City Schools Best Buddies Programs and Coffee Carts at Middle and High School, $14,500

Central Ohio – $40,032

Brown Girls Mentoring (Columbus, OH) The B.O.L.D. Girl Collective, $3,500
Concrete Orkidz Foundation (Columbus, OH) Youth Summer Camp 2025, $3,500
Dublin Special Olympics (Dublin, OH) Dublin Special Olympics, Shamrock Games 2025, $2,500
NC4K (Columbus, OH) A Top Golf Outing for Teens Impacted by Pediatric Cancer, $4,500
Seeds of Caring (Columbus, OH) Seeds of Caring Kindness Corps, $5,000
Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools (Gahanna, OH) Accessible and Inclusive Outdoor Learning Space, $11,026
Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Themed Language Materials, $676
Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Materials for Life Skills Classroom, $805
Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Sensory Exploration, $6,000
Westerville City Schools (Westerville, OH) Recharge Room Update, $2,525

Atlanta, GA – $56,050

Bearings Bike Shop (Atlanta, GA) Frameworks Advanced Job Training Program, $6,000
Briarlake Elementary School (Decatur, GA) Write Score Literacy Grant, $4,000
Camp Twin Lakes (Atlanta, GA) Camp Twin Lakes Camper Scholarship Program, $7,500
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation (Atlanta, GA) Camp No Limb-itations, $5,000
Creating Connected Communities (Atlanta, GA) STEAM Education Program for Students Experiencing Hardship 2025, $3,500
Fulton Education Foundation, Inc. (Atlanta, GA) Fulton Student Basic Needs), $6,000
Kincaid Elementary – Cobb County School District (Marietta GA) Help Me Help Myself: Increasing Students’ Self-Regulation During Behavior Storms, $3,000
Sandy Springs Education Force (Sandy Springs, GA) Sandy Springs Education Force Book Club, $6,500
SATB2 Gene Foundation (Lilburn, GA) SATB2 iPads for Communication, $2,800
The Center for Children and Young Adults (Marietta, GA) Critical Teen Center and Volunteer Center Flooring, $6,000
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (Smyrna, GA) The Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish, $3,750
Mill Creek Middle School Theatre Program (Woodstock, GA) Amplifying Every Voice: Wireless Microphones for Mill Creek Middle School, $2,000

Indianapolis, IN – $50,000

A Kid Again – Indiana Chapter (Indianapolis, IN) Support for Republic Airways 2025 Plane Pull Adventure, $3,000
Avon Intermediate School West (Avon, IN) Transforming The Room, Transforming the Learning, $750
Avon Intermediate School West (Avon, IN) Classroom Encouragement!, $2,000
Bunker Hill (Indianapolis, IN) Special Education Resources, $2,340
GiGi’s Playhouse Indianapolis (Indianapolis, IN) GiGi’s Playhouse Early Learner Programs, $7,550
Indianapolis Public Schools (Indianapolis, IN) Lawson’s Classroom of Possibilities, $7,500
League of Miracles INC. (Camby, IN) Spring/Summer Recreation, $3,400
Mill Creek Community School Corp (Clayton, IN) Let’s Get Interactive, $2,000
Raymond Park Science Olympiad (Indianapolis, IN) Raymond Park Science Olympiad, $6,460
Red Alert Robotics (Greenwood, IN) Red Alert Robotics, $2,000
The Children’s TherAplay Foundation, Inc. (Carmel, IN) Children’s TherAplay Technology Updates and Assessment Tools, $4,000
Western Wayne Schools (Pershing, IN) Robotics, $4,000
William Tell Elementary School (Tell City, IN) William Tell Elementary STEM Education, $6,000

Houston, TX – $25,000

Alief ISD Education Foundation (Houston, TX) Alief ISD Education Foundation Teacher Grants, $3,500
Alvin ISD Education Foundation (Alvin, TX) Mobile Wlding Lab: Forging Skills, Fueling Futures, $4,305
Fort Bend ISD Education Foundation (Sugar Land, TX) FBISD Education Foundation – Grants to Teachers and Schools, $3,500
Katy ISD Education Foundation (Katy, TX) Inspiring Imagination Teacher Grants, $3,500
Pasadena ISD Education Foundation (Pasadena, TX) Classroom Mini Grants, $3,500
Sheldon ISD Education Foundation (Houston, TX) Sheldon ISD Educator Grants: Innovate and Engage, $3,500
Stafford MSD Education Foundation (Stafford, TX) The Rockin’ Spartans Stafford Elementary Music Program, $3,195

Phoenix, AZ – $15,000

A New Leaf (Mesa, AZ) A New Leaf’s La Mesita Children’s Services – Sensory/STEAM Resources, $2,000
Arizona Helping Hands (Phoenix, AZ) Birthday Dreams, $1,500
Biltmore Preparatory Academy (Phoenix, AZ) Enhancing Student Success Through Student Agenda Implementation, $2,000
Child Crisis Arizona (Mesa, AZ) Early Education Services for Children of Low-income Families, $2,000
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona (Scottsdale, OH) Bringing Wish Boosts to Arizona’s Critically Ill Children, $1,500
New Pathways for Youth (Phoenix, AZ) FY2025 Healthy Meals Project, $2,000
Ryan House (Phoenix, AZ) Sponsor a Stay, $2,000
Sojourner Center (Phoenix, AZ) Children and Youth Programming – Child Development Center, $2,000

Louisville, KY – $15,000

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (Louisville, KY) Youth Mentorship and Mental Health, $2,650
Boys and Girls Haven (Louisville, KY) Support for BGH Music Therapy Program Through 2025 for Older Teens, $5,000
Down Syndrome of Louisville, Inc. (New Albany, IN) Support for Down Syndrome of Louisville Summer Education Enrichment Camp, $5,000
Jefferson County Public Schools (Louisville, KY) Louisville Lightning Adapted Sports 0 Throws Upgrade, $2,350

Dallas, TX – $14,225

Dallas Education Foundation (Dallas, TX) Advancing Literacy in Dallas ISD Through a Book Vending Machine at Anderson Elementary School, $9,225
Music Movement (Keller, TX) Music Therapy and Instrument Donation, $5,000

Pittsburgh, PA – $8,500

Angels’ Place, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) Enhancing High Quality Early Childhood Education Opportunities for Children Who Are At Risk, $3,500
Jeremiah’s Place (Pittsburgh, PA) STEAM Program, $5,000

Seattle, WA – $2,500

Kiwanis Camp Casey (Seattle, WA) Kiwanis Camp Casey, $1,250
WestSide Baby (Seattle, WA) Basic Needs Items for Children, $1,250

GPD Group employees established the GPD Group Employees’ Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3), in 2014 to help channel donations to enrich the K-12 public education experience and support at-risk children or those with medical and special needs in communities where the firm works. For more information about GPD Group Employees’ Foundation, visit them online at www.gpdfoundation.org or call toll free at 1-800-955-4730.

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May 23, 2025