MEDINA, Ohio – Giving Tuesday will be Dec. 3 this year and the tradition of the day encourages people to give what they can to local nonprofits they are passionate about.
Two area organizations have said they hope donors will remember them this year so they can continue to benefit others in Medina County.
Main Street Medina has launched its 2024-25 Giving Tuesday Campaign Challenge where they have a goal of raising $5,000 to help support their events and projects. The grassroots, nonprofit community development organization has a mission to lead the effort for historic preservation, economic vitality and sustainability of the historic district and South Town District.
Main Street Medina also organizes many free public events throughout the year including Medina Candlelight Walk, Farmers Markets at the Square, Medina Fall Festival, Medina Restaurant Week, Ladies Nights Out, Cars & Coffee, Kids Day & Teen Fest and South Town Arts & Music Festival. They also sponsor activities like Medina Beer Fest, the annual Fall Flowerpot Decorating Contest and Gnomes on the Roam promotion.
Main Street Medina also provides streetscape design assistance and support to small businesses. In 2024, they received $50,000 in façade grants and $100,000 in building rehab low-interest loans for commercial properties in the Historic and South Town Districts; created a Public Art Plan from a $15,000 Ohio Arts Council matching grant; developed a South Town Design Plan investing $30,000; created the South Town Gateway Design Project receiving $62,000 for public amenities; collected economic data investing $6,000; held three small business workshops; attended ribbon cuttings with the city to support new businesses; provided small business promotions and destination marketing; and they awarded scholarships to Medina students totaling $9,000.
To make a one-time donation directly, go to http://weblink.donorperfect.com/MSMgivingtuesday2024.
The folks from the Medina County Economic Development Corporation also hope donors will remember the County Forward Fund.
“This is a fund that was created in 2018 because a group of folks saw a need to help students in Medina County identify career paths that will help keep them in the county,” said Bethany Dentler, executive director of the Medina County Economic Development Corporation. “This was established to really help students find their way and identify their career path early.”
Dentler said the fund helps to pay for a career coach twho works side by side with guidance counselors at the public schools within the county as well as with private schools and homeschool students.
“They help to guide students and can also pair them with area businesses for job shadowing, apprenticeship programs and other real world job information,” she said.
Over the last three years, the fund has also supplied scholarships to students who are entering the workforce after graduation. The fund offered $1,000 scholarships to 16 students in 2024 and scholarships to 24 students in the previous two years.
“These scholarships are meant to help them as they prepare to go to work,” Dentler said. “They might want to use the money to buy a laptop or maybe they need a pair of steel toed boots for their job.”
Checks can be made out to the County Forward Fund and sent to the Medina County Economic Development Corporation, 144 N. Broadway Street, Suite 119, Medina, OH, 44256.