New Fund Created to Support African American Communities Throughout Appalachian Ohio
Your Gift to Appalachian Ohio’s African American Community Fund Will Be Matched Dollar-for-Dollar
Nelsonville, OH – Father and son, Ernest E. and Ernest A. Bynum, have long been passionate about supporting African American and other minority communities in Appalachian Ohio. The pair co-founded the Minority Business Resource Network of Southeast Ohio to increase the diversity of the region’s business community. Now, they are continuing their advocacy with a new effort to grow resources dedicated to serving Appalachian Ohio’s African American communities, founding the African American Community Fund at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.
As of 2017, over 86,000 African American individuals were living in communities throughout Appalachian Ohio. Appalachian Ohio’s history has been shaped in significant ways by its African American population. Among countless examples, African Americans played a critical role in making Appalachian Ohio a major hub of the Underground Railroad, and also shaped the region’s musical and cultural history, including through the development of bluegrass music.
Now, the African American Community Fund has been established at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) to serve African American communities throughout Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties.
The Fund will serve as a vehicle for African American individuals throughout the region to invest in and support their communities by promoting dialogue and connections to create racial harmony, and by supporting and enhancing initiatives in Appalachian Ohio’s African American communities that strengthen not only African American populations in the region, but entire communities.
In partnership with FAO, the African American Community Fund has the potential to secure a major investment for the future of Appalachian Ohio’s African American communities before the end of May 2020. Thanks to matching funds awarded to FAO by the Ohio legislature, all gifts to the African American Community Fund’s endowment through May 31, 2020 will be matched dollar-for-dollar while the $50,000 in available matching funds lasts.
To help the African American Community Fund grow its ability to support Appalachian Ohio’s African American communities with grants each and every year, and to see your gift matched dollar-for-dollar, mail your donation to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, PO Box 456, Nelsonville, OH 45764 and designate the African American Community Fund. Gifts can also be made online at www.AppalachianOhio.org by selecting the African American Community Fund when donating.
For more information about the match opportunity currently available for gifts to the African American Community Fund, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org/AACF or contact the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio at 740.753.1111 or info@ffao.org.
About the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio
The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) is a regional community foundation serving the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. A 501(c)(3) public charity, the Foundation creates opportunities for Appalachian Ohio’s citizens and communities by inspiring and supporting philanthropy. For more information about FAO, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org.
