TOLEDO, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2025: The John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation and the Health Council of Northwest Ohio (HCNO), in partnership with a coalition of community organizations, have come together to ensure the continued operation of Schools as Community Hubs across seven high-need Toledo neighborhoods through the end of the 2025–2026 school year.
This collaborative effort is supported by a $245,000 grant from the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation, designed to strengthen multi-organization partnerships addressing complex community challenges through coordinated services and shared outcomes. The investment ensures there will be no interruption in services for students, families, and residents while partners work collectively to preserve and strengthen this vital place-based strategy.
“For more than a decade, Schools as Community Hubs have been a cornerstone of neighborhood support in Toledo,” said Mike Deetsch, executive director of the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation. “This grant reflects our commitment to collaboration and shared accountability — ensuring trusted community partners can continue meeting essential needs while building toward a stronger, more sustainable future.”
“HCNO is honored to serve as the fiscal agent and backbone partner for this collaborative effort,” said Hayley Studer, President of the Health Council of Northwest Ohio. “This funding allows our network to maintain continuity for families and communities while we work together on a long-term, sustainable model that strengthens the Hubs system for years to come.”
Since 2011, the Schools as Community Hubs model has connected students, families, and residents to essential resources, including educational support, housing stability, food security, healthcare access, and other social drivers of well-being. The model is grounded in collective action, shared leadership, and community-driven solutions.
The grant supports continued operations at the following Schools as Community Hubs and partner organizations:
- Art Tatum Zone — Jones Leadership Academy of Business and Pickett Academy Hubs
- New Concepts — Scott High School Community Hub
- Pathway for Successful Leadership — Reynolds Elementary Hub
- Sofia Quintero Arts & Cultural Center — Escuela SMART Academy Hub/El Centro
SMARTHub
- YMCA of Greater Toledo — Riverside Elementary and Rogers High School Hubs
In addition to sustaining services, partners will collaborate on a financial and sustainability plan with a consultant to strengthen long-term funding, governance, and systems alignment. This work will be aligned with and complementary to other regional investments, including support through the Stranahan Supporting Organization program of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, ensuring a coordinated and leveraged approach to long-term sustainability. This process will engage local funders, educators, unions, policymakers, and community stakeholders to position Schools as Community Hubs as a premier vehicle for collective impact in Toledo.
“This work has always been about community — not any single organization or funder,” added Studer. “We are deeply grateful for the shared commitment across our network to ensure families continue receiving the support they deserve.”
For more information about the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation, visit: jhefoundation.org.
For more information about the Health Council of Northwest Ohio, visit hcno.org.