Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Akron man interrupts armed burglar
Fan in LeBron's Heat jersey draws ire in Cleveland
Father Sam revelations are painful
Police: Ohio baby who died had adult bite marks
Store apologizes for treatment of Ohio nursing mom
Police in Ohio find woman and 2 kids out naked
Drivers give Fairlawn roundabout thumbs-up
1st U.S. execution of woman since 2005 set for Sept.
Blogs:
The330:
Akron Zoo’s $500,000 Conservation Carousel opens to public Saturday
Akron Docs in Haiti:
Orphans in Fondwa
First Bell - On Education:
Busing, sports fees and class size on table if Copley-Fairlawn schools levy fails
Pets:
Paws & Pitches at Canal Park
The Heldenfiles:
"So You Think You Can Dance" Notes
Akron Zips:
Poll: What season are you anticipating most?
Tribe Matters:
Thursday’s Indians lineup
Cleveland Browns:
Links to Browns coverage: July 30, 2010
Kent State Sports:
Key MAC Games Of 2010 Season
Cleveland Cavaliers:
LeBron still has at least one fan in Cleveland
Buckeye Blogging:
10 Hurdles Standing Between Ohio State and Another National Championship
Varsity Letters:
Important Dates for Upcoming High School Football Season
All Da King's Men:
Arizona Immigration Law Blocked, Drug Cartels Rejoice
Blog of Mass Destruction:
"Muslims Hate Jews, Christians &…Dogs"
Akron Law Café:
Is BP Cornering the Market on Oil Spill Research?
Car Chase:
Sunday – or Anyday Drives
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Brangelina to Buy in Santorini?
Sound Check:
Ohio alt-rock stars weigh in on Lebron….John Mayer too..
HRLite House:
From the White House – New Federal Approach to Hiring
Nonprofit Akron group could cease to exist if board of trustees votes to dissolve in February
By Colette M. Jenkins
Beacon Journal
Published on Monday, Jan 21, 2008
Coming Together Akron, the nonprofit organization to promote racial harmony and cultural awareness, appears to have run its course.
''We have ceased all operations, but the board has not taken a definitive vote to dissolve,'' said Lynn Clarke, president of the board of trustees. ''At this point, it is pretty doubtful that our existence will continue. We're simply out of money.''
Efforts to merge or collaborate with an organization with a similar mission have also failed, she said, leaving the board with what seems to be the inevitable decision to shut down.
The board will meet during the first or second week of February to decide.
Clarke said a decision to discontinue is very difficult for the board because a feasibility study done by the organization indicates that there is a need for an entity with a mission like Coming Together's.
''The study shows that people in our community believe it is important for Akron to have an organization like Coming Together to make us a better community,'' she said. ''I think it's sad for us to let Coming Together go. It would be great if we could save it, but the reality is, there are so many nonprofits going after the same money that there is not enough to go around.''
Coming Together's board meeting is coming on the heels of a call by local leaders in the Christian community to unify. Last week, about 200 church leaders attended a luncheon to kick off what they say will be an ongoing movement to revive the message of reconciliation and unity, in large part based on the biblical teachings of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Rev. Mark Ford, executive director of Love Akron Inc., said he believes Akron needs an agency, apart from the church, that works to bring people together.
''Akron has had a history of deep-seated racism and it's not going away by itself,'' Ford said. ''Somebody's got to at least acknowledge that. A point organization that has bringing the community together as its core mission is definitely needed.
''The church has a number of things to do to fulfill its mission. One of them is reconciliation and unity. We have to be part of the solution because, to us, racism is a spiritual thing. It's not a skin thing. It's a sin thing.''
Building bridges
The Rev. Ronald Fowler, senior pastor at Arlington Church of God, agrees that unity is part of the mission of the church. While the church concentrates on bridging its theological divides, an organization like Coming Together is needed to focus on the community as a whole, he said.
''We've got to find a way to build bridges across the divides we have between segments of our community,'' Fowler said. ''It was my hope that Coming Together would somehow facilitate that bridging.
''I'm not connected with the inner workings of the organization, but I do know that many times funders want to see results, and when it comes to this issue, the work is slow and the terrain is difficult. Ultimately, patience has got to prevail, because we are not going to see too many immediate results.''
Pulitzer-winning series
Coming Together, which was formed in 1993, grew out of the Beacon Journal's Pulitzer Prize-winning series on race relations, A Question of Color. During its first two years, Coming Together was funded by the Beacon Journal, and its offices were at the newspaper.
In 1995, the organization moved to an annex at the Bridgestone/Firestone headquarters complex and was mainly funded by grants from the Knight Foundation. In 2006, the foundation denied the organization's request for funding.
In October 2006, the organization's executive director, Fannie Brown, stepped down after serving more than nine years. During her tenure, Coming Together USA was established as an umbrella agency to serve groups across the country. That agency saw the development of three affiliates: Coming Together Stark County; Coming Together Decatur, Ill.; and Coming Together Racine, Wis.
Partnership with center
In the last year, Coming Together Akron had partnered with the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio in Cleveland to provide educational opportunities for Coming Together Akron teenagers. The Diversity Center, which was founded in 1927, advocates understanding through education and training.
Clarke said, in hindsight, the Coming Together board realizes that the organization became too dependent on foundation resources and should have looked to diversify its financial base.
''Our budget is fairly small, compared to a lot of operations,'' she said. ''Our office space is donated. We could keep our educational programs in the schools up and running with $100,000 (annually).
''If there is a lesson to be learned here, it's that you have to run a nonprofit like a business and realize that funding sources are not going to be there forever.''
Anyone interested in helping the organization stay afloat can contact Clarke at 330-379-3833 or 330-543-8657.
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Coming Together Akron, the nonprofit organization to promote racial harmony and cultural awareness, appears to have run its course.
Get the full article here.
Most Commented Stories
- 137
- 54
- 53
- 47
- 45
- 45
- 37
- 25
- 24
- 17
