UWWH appointed Employment Resource Fund chair
United Way Wayne and Holmes recently announced its appointment as the new steering committee chair for the Employment Resource Fund. In this new role, UWWH will lead efforts to provide grants to local nonprofits with employment programs that significantly enhance the success of their students, clients or employees. Lee Peart, who has been instrumental in the fund’s inception and success, will continue to contribute her expertise in an advisory role throughout 2025.
The ERF (formerly the HOPE Fund) is dedicated to supporting hardworking adults in securing employment or advancing to better job opportunities. The phrase “Get a Job. Keep a Job. Get a Better Job.” leads the ERF Steering Committee to further market the fund and its flexibility across various sectors of employment. From assisting new hires with the purchase of steel-toe boots to providing gas cards for employees to get to work, the fund’s grants make a difference in the lives of many.
When an organization is awarded funds for the ERF initiative, part of that agreement means they also must join the steering committee. The steering committee meets multiple times during the year, with current steering committee members from the organizations of Aspire of Wayne County Schools Career Center Adult Education, Wayne County Schools Career Center, Anazao Community Partners, Community Action Wayne/Medina, The Counseling Center of Wayne and Holmes Counties, The University of Akron Wayne College, Wayne County Public Library, and United Way Wayne and Holmes Counties.
Since the inception of the fund in 2000, the ERF has infused more than $71,000 back into workforce needs across Wayne County. Peart, the long-standing steering committee chair, is optimistic about the future of the ERF.
“With United Way as the new committee chair, their dedication and vision will undoubtedly drive the Employment Resource Fund to new heights and ensure the program’s long-term sustainability,” Peart said.
For more information about the ERF and its initiatives, contact WHIRE/211 by calling 2-1-1 or 330-263-6363 and selecting option 3.
