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Youngstown Foundation gives $250,000 to ACLD School and Learning Center

By Kelcey Norris Mahoning Matters
The ACLD School and Learning Center in Youngstown received a $250,000 grant from the Youngstown Foundation for a building expansion project.
The ACLD School and Learning Center in Youngstown received a $250,000 grant from the Youngstown Foundation for a building expansion project.

The Youngstown Foundation handed out several major awards to organizations to support their efforts of giving back to the local community.

The biggest award of $250,000 was given to a private school for grades one through eight geared toward students with learning difficulties.

It’s for an expansion project at the ACLD School and Learning Center on East Wood Street in Youngstown.

“Our distribution committee was very impressed with the work going on at ACLD School and Learning Center, and we are so pleased to be a major supporter of its expansion project,” said Youngstown Foundation president Lynnette Forde.

According to the foundation, ACLD plans to use the funds for a 4,500-square-foot addition to their building. They’re in the former First Calvary Baptist Church building north of downtown.

So far, they’ve added outdoor green space and parking.



The learning center is different from the school; it offers individualized tutoring to not only children, but also adults with learning difficulties.

The ACLD Learning Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (330) 746-0604 a tour of the learning center or more information.

In total, the Youngstown Foundation distributed $1.2 million in grants.

“These awards reflect our emphasis on local nonprofits and the broad spectrum of needs they serve,” said Forde.

Here are all of the awards and organizations:

  • Help Network, Special Navigator, $125,000 (over two years)
  • Butler Institute of American Art, Boiler Replacement and Accessibility, $101,800
  • Down Syndrome Association, General Staffing Support, $100,000 (over two years)
  • Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, Valley Vision 2050 & Housing, $100,000
  • Organización Cívica y Cultural Hispana Americana (OCCHA), Renovando OCCHA, $100,000
  • Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, Community Programming, $100,000
  • SMARTS, Beats & Empowers Programming, $78,820
  • Adaptive Sports Ohio, Sports for Youth with Disabilities, $60,000
  • Ohio Urban Renaissance, Youth Education Project, $50,000
  • Veterans Outreach, Transition to Colonial Complex, $50,000
  • Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, Leadership Development, $37,050
  • Vision to Learn, Expanded Access to Vision Care, $25,000
  • Clothed in Strength, Clothed in Strength Boutique, $20,000
  • Youngstown Playhouse (Monday Musical), 2023/2024 Season Support, $20,000
  • Chickadee Pre-School, Outdoor Classroom Support, $10,000
  • Humility of Mary Housing, Food Vouchers for Trumbull, $9,000
  • National Inventors Hall of Fame, Camp Invention, $7,560
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