Women's Endowment Fund Videos
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Women's Endowment Fund, our advisory board sought to tell stories about the volunteers and donors who have empowered the fund to award so many grants. Below, you'll find videos about the nonprofits and leaders that inspire us; the women who established the fund in 1993; the volunteers who empower the fund today; and the philanthropists whose donations have grown our endowment.
The Women Behind the Fund
Dr. Sandy Auburn on women in philanthropy
Our Founding Mothers - Norma Rist
Our Founding Mothers - Ilene Shapiro
Our Supporters - Lisa King
Our Advisory Board - Judge Joy Malek Oldfield
Our Advisory Board - Sylvia Trundle
The Nonprofits We Support
In 1995, the Women's Endowment Fund awarded its first grant to the YWCA to support a three-month personal enrichment program, a new collaboration among five local organizations to help women in crisis relieve stress, improve health and build self-esteem. Since that first $2,500 grant, the fund has awarded many grants to more than 100 distinct nonprofits that uplift, empower and educate women and girls throughout Akron and all of Summit County. The following videos were filmed during the fund's 30th anniversary year in 2023 to highlight the amazing work of just a few of the nonprofits the fund has supported in recent years.