KeyBank grant to United Way provides for the creation of a financial learning lab at East CLC and wraparound services within the East CLC cluster
Posted on 05/16/2018
AKRON, Ohio – May 16, 2018 – The KeyBank Foundation today announced that it would award a $500,000 grant to United Way of Summit County. The grant will provide for the creation of a finance-focused hands-on learning center at East CLC and the delivery of wraparound services within the East CLC cluster of Akron Public Schools. Wraparound services are student and family supports integrated with and delivered directly within the schools. By targeting the needs of individual children and families, wraparound services take pressure off educators to address social and non-academic barriers to student learning.
The KeyBank Foundation grant will provide for the creation of a financial learning lab at East CLC. In keeping with the experiential learning focus of the College and Career Academies of Akron, the goal of this lab will be to give students access to real financial technology that would typically be found in a banking center.
A portion of the grant will also fund the creation of a wraparound services coordinator position serving elementary-level community learning centers in the East cluster. This United Way of Summit County staff member will direct the delivery of programs and support services to
students and their families. These services may include family engagement, adult education, extended learning, mentoring, child nutrition programs, health and social services programs and more.
Superintendent of Akron Public Schools David W. James talked about the significance of the bank’s contribution saying, “KeyBank is investing in our students, educators and schools in ways that are both supportive and inspirational. Early supports will help prepare kids so they can be here to be part of the exciting possibilities of our College & Career Academies. We and our families are grateful for their partnership.”
The $500,000 investment will serve as a launching point for KeyBank’s further engagement with Akron Public Schools as it works to ensure that students graduate with in-demand skills.
“We are thrilled to partner with the United Way and Akron Public Schools on the College & Career Academies and wrap around services,” said Timothy Burke, KeyBank Akron Market President. “Through this program, children will receive the individual support, the tools and training they need to adequately prepare them for the workforce.”
Last year, Akron Public Schools announced that United Way of Summit County would work to broker partnerships between the College & Career Academies of Akron and local businesses. These partnerships will help provide hands-on learning experiences, build relationships between students and positive adult role models, improve graduation rates and support positive outcomes after graduation.
2018 marks United Way’s 100th anniversary in Summit County. The KeyBank donation will in part serve as a centennial gift to the organization – both a commemoration of United Way’s long history of service and a vote of confidence in its ongoing work to expand educational opportunities for local students in accordance with its Bold Goals by 2025.
“We are extremely grateful to KeyBank for making this extraordinary investment in our community,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of United Way of Summit County. “The future of Greater Akron depends on having a skilled, competitive workforce that can innovate and drive our economy forward. By helping to break down barriers to education with wraparound services and by giving students career-relevant experience, KeyBank is making sure that local students will leave school with the skills they need to build successful careers and support healthy families.”
About United Way of Summit County
United Way of Summit County takes on the issues that matter most to children and families in Greater Akron. We pursue Bold Goals through forward-thinking strategies, innovative programs and hands-on work in our community. We team up with private and public leaders, local businesses and thousands of volunteers from across our community to create change that matters. Together, we are hand raisers. Game changers. Because there’s a better future in store for Greater Akron, and the time is now to make it happen. Learn more at uwsummit.org.
About KeyCorp
KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $137.0 billion at March 31, 2018. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit key.com. KeyBank is Member FDIC.
About Akron Public Schools
Akron Public Schools (APS) enrolls more than 21,000 students and employs 3,000 teaching and non teaching professionals in Northeastern Ohio. The district, one of the state's largest and most diverse, covers 62 square miles in a city of 195,000. APS educators are committed to rigorous teaching and learning, safe learning centers and community engagement to prepare young people to be well rounded and ready for the challenges of learning that follow in life. The goal of APS is to be the #1 urban school system in the United States. For more information about Akron Public Schools, visit AkronSchools.com.