The Easton Community Foundation

When you use a meter at Easton, you aren’t just paying to park. You’re helping fund the work of the Easton Community Foundation.

That includes efforts like our Change for Charity Meter Program, Easton Cornerstone Event Partnerships and Easton Community Outreach Programs.

Every aspect of the Foundation is a joint partnership with our community and Easton visitors, like you.

So each time you put quarters in a meter or make a ticket payment, you’re helping to benefit youth and family-focused
organizations in central Ohio.

And we thank you.

Easton Community Foundation Scholarships
You study. We pay.

Easton Community Foundation Scholarships are awarded annually in the spring to two graduating students at Northland, Mifflin, Brookhaven, and Gahanna Lincoln high schools. Each of the eight students selected annually receives a $2,500 renewable two-year scholarship.  Applications are available through the guidance counselors at each school.

Applications for Easton Community Foundation Scholarships

Recipients are selected using criteria based on need, educational focus, character and academic potential.  Applications are administered through each school’s guidance counselors and the Easton Community Foundation.  Students interested in applying for the renewable scholarship can begin the process after the New Year.  Each candidate must complete an application that includes a personal essay, transcript, student aid report and two recommendations.  Students should contact their school guidance counselors in order to begin the process.

Mentorship Program
You lead. We help.

Each year, a select group of high school students participates in a leadership forum and meets monthly for mentoring, social activities and community service. The Easton Mentorship Program helps student leaders become community leaders.

Youth Advisory Council
You speak. We listen.

It's a unique opportunity for students to assume leadership roles and provide a voice for their peers. The group meets monthly for teen forums and community service projects. The mission of the Council is to facilitate relations between Easton Town Center and Easton's younger patrons.

Ambassadors
You need. We provide.

Since 2005, local area civic organizations, teachers, churches, and other area leaders have served as Easton Ambassadors to ensure a helpful, safe, enjoyable Easton experience for all who visit Easton Town Center. These volunteers work evenings and weekends to help enforce the Code of Conduct and alert security to behavior that may be disruptive or discourteous to others.

Community Room and Booth
Community Room

Easton Town Center offers a Community Room to organizations classified as 501(C)(3) at no charge.

Located across from Abuelo's in Easton’s North District, the Community Room can accommodate up to 20 people in classroom style or up to 50 people in theater style.

The room is available during the hours of 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day of the week.  To schedule this room or check on its availability in accommodating your group, please contact Guest Services at 614-337-2200.

Community Booth

For Central Ohio community groups interested in public exposure and interaction, there is no better location than Easton.

Organizations classified as 501(C)(3) may utilize a highly visible community booth inside the Station Building at no charge.

“With over 20 million visitors a year, Easton Town Center offers a central location of operations for the many community groups who already seek to use Easton for public exposure,” said Yaromir Steiner, CEO of Steiner + Associates, co-developers and managers of Easton Town Center.  “Since opening in June of 1999, Easton Town Center has hosted literally hundreds of community groups for special events and public awareness campaigns.”

Space is available on a first come, first served basis.  Call 614-337-2200 for an application.

The New Albany Classic
Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence
Founded in 1998, the Coalition works to break the cycle of family violence in homes, schools, neighborhoods and workplaces. Your ticket purchases at Easton further the mission of the Coalition and enhance significant in-kind contributions. The Classic, held each year in September, raises over $1,000,000 annually to support Coalition initiatives

Key Club Tenth Anniversary
United Way of Central Ohio
United Way of Central Ohio's Key Club members will gather January 26, 2008 at Germain Mercedes to honor the charter members, recognize past and present co-chairs, and celebrate a decade of accomplishments. Over the last decade, Key Club members have contributed more than $7 million to United Way of Central Ohio's efforts and is a leader among African American philanthropic initiatives nationwide.

Easton Cornerstone Event Partnerships
When you attend a Cornerstone Event presented and hosted by the Easton Community Foundation, you help raise the funds necessary to support vital institutions focused on family health and advocacy in central Ohio. Since Easton became a host site, over $8.5 million has been raised to support these organizations.

Sera Bella - November 1, 2008
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Since 1892, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been providing patients with the highest quality care regardless of the family’s ability to pay. 2008 will see the reinvention of this dynamic event and a new partnership with The Hilton Columbus at Easton. Each fall, Sera Bella raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. In the five years it has been hosted at Easton, Sera Bella has raised over $2,800,000.

An Evening of Hope - April 5, 2008
The Center for Child & Family Advocacy
The Center for Child & Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children's Hospital is a national model for the assessment and treatment of child abuse and family violence. Now in its fifth year, An Evening of Hope is held each April to raise community awareness and financial support for the Center. The Center has provided services to over 4,000 children in addition to education and prevention services on Shaken Baby Syndrome and home visitation programs for first-time moms. The Center's mission is to break the cycle of violence and heal the wounds of abuse so that families and children can move forward as survivors, not victims. The 2007 event, held at Bon Vie, raised more than $200,000.

Celebration for Life - Saturday, May 17, 2008
The OSUCCC Arthur G. James Cancer
Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
Since the first Celebration for Life in 2002, this dinner has been held at Smith & Wollensky each May and raised over $3,000,000 to support The James Fund for Life and the advancement of research and technology to conquer cancer. The James Cancer Hospital is one of just 39 Comprehensive Cancer Centers, as designated by the National Cancer Institute. In 2007, the James Fund was able to raise $1.6 million to support the purchase of a new mobile mammography unit. Past year's proceeds have helped the hospital purchase robotic surgical equipment, image-guided radiation therapy, and MRI and PET/CT systems.

Heart of the Next Generation - Saturday, March 1, 2008
The Ohio State University Heart Center
Ohio State's Heart Center brings together the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital and Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute to provide clinical and scientific expertise in cardiac care. The 2nd annual Heart of the Next Generation dinner reception will take place at McCormick & Schmick's in March 2008 and benefit the Heart Center Annual Fund for patient care, research and education.

 

Change for Charity Meter Program
Your parking meter change funds local charities.

Just six organizations are designated each year to receive proceeds from the parking meters at Easton Town Center. Each quarter spent in a meter and each ticket paid helps fund the current two-month period's featured local charity.

The cash donation from Change for Charity is therefore based on total parking meter receipts at Easton Town Center during those months. The more people that park at Easton during those two months, the more charities will earn - so spread the word! Each quarter spent in a meter and each ticket paid helps fund the current two-month period's featured local charity.

Recipients change every two months, and all organizations are evaluated primarily on their efforts to support youth and families in central Ohio. Each quarter spent in a meter and each ticket paid helps fund the current two-month period's featured local charity.

The Change for Charity Meter Program is one of the most recognizable components of the Easton Community Foundation due to the direct relationship that exists between your parking meter and ticket payments and local charities.

“When you use a parking meter at Easton, you are not simply putting quarters in a meter. Together with your friends and neighbors, you are providing meaningful support for central Ohio youth and families,” said Yaromir Steiner, CEO of Steiner + Associates, a co-developer of Easton Town Center.  “Each year, the Easton Community Foundation donates in excess of $120,000 through its programs and it is important that central Ohioans know that this great effort would be impossible without their involvement.”

Since opening, Easton's meters have funded over $480,000 through the Change for Charity program.

In addition to direct support from the Easton Community Foundation, Change for Charity recipients receive the benefit of signage and LCD screen exposure around Easton Town Center, as well as the opportunity to schedule use of the Easton Town Center Community Booth during the months of the Change for Charity partnership.

The Community Booth is a host location inside the Easton Station Building available for use by community groups who may be interested in Easton Town Center's high-profile public exposure and interaction, and is available to qualifying organizations on a first-come, first-served application basis.

The Easton Community Foundation is pleased to partner with the following Change for Charity recipients in 2008:

ArtSafe (January/February) - ArtSafe was established to provide programs, products and opportunities for agencies and communities to use the arts to create safe, nurturing environments for children, youth and families. ArtSafe's programs introduce youth to positive means of self-expression, provide role models and teach self-discipline, all while creating a path for participants to experience positive achievement and exploration of their own artistic ability. The heart of their mission is the knowledge that art can improve the quality of the lives for children and young people, and empowers them to translate what they experience through the arts into all other aspects of their lives. Visit ArtSafe online.

Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus (March/April) - Greater Columbus Habitat for Humanity (GCHFH) was established in 1987 as an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and since then has built over 182 houses throughout Greater Columbus and Franklin County. Their mission is to work in partnership with God and people to build affordable homes, empower families and develop communities. All of GCHFH partner families are first-time homebuyers who earn 25-50% of the median income for Franklin County and currently live in substandard housing. Visit Greater Columbus Habitat For Humanity online.

MAP Furniture Bank (May/June) - Material Assistance Providers' (MAP) mission is to serve the community by providing a free furniture bank for families and individuals in need. MAP distributes furniture and household items to thousands of families in need in central Ohio each year. All of their clients are referred to them from local churches, social service agencies, and other not-for-profit organizations. 74% of the families they help each year earn less than $10,000 per year. Visit MAP Furniture Bank online.

Mid-Ohio Foodbank (July/August) - Mid-Ohio FoodBank is dedicated to feeding hungry people by collecting and distributing food and grocery products, advocating for hunger-relief programs, and collaborating with others who address basic human needs.

Since 1980, Mid-Ohio FoodBank has provided more than 388 million pounds of food and other grocery products for hungry people in our community. Mid-Ohio FoodBank keeps the food shelves stocked for a network of more than 550 emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, senior dining centers, day care and after-school enrichment programs. Visit Mid-Ohio Food Bank online.

Jewish Family Services (September/October) - In 2008, Jewish Family Services (JFS) will celebrate 100 years of providing outstanding service to thousands in the Columbus community, via its mission of "helping individuals and families facing life's challenge." JFS provides a continuum of services, including career management, counseling, life skills training, case management to families and individuals with complex needs, and comprehensive services to at-risk populations including dislocated workers, low income earners, refugees and senior citizens. Visit Jewish Family Services online.

Homeless Families Foundation (November/December) - The Homeless Families Foundation is a family shelter in Columbus, Ohio. Its program includes shelter in separate apartment units and support services for homeless families with children and a Children's Education Center for after school and summer tutoring and enrichment for K-8 grade students. It operates as a Housing First agency: most families, with some help, are capable of living independently and can best work to address their issues when they are in a stable, long term home environment. Visit Homeless Families Foundation online.

In addition to direct support from the Easton Community Foundation, Change for Charity recipients receive the benefit of signage and plasma screen exposure around Easton Town Center, as well as the opportunity to schedule use of the Easton Town Center Community Booth during the months of the Change for Charity partnership. 

The Community Booth is a host location inside the Easton Station Building available for use by community groups who may be interested in Easton Town Center’s high-profile public exposure and interaction, and is available to qualifying organizations on a first-come, first-served application basis.

Applications for Change for Charity

Applications for the Change for Charity program are accepted through October 1st of the year preceding disbursement.  After the New Year, recipients are announced to the public.  Groups interested in applying for 2009 consideration should download the 2009 Change for Charity Request form and return it with development materials to Easton Town Center's Management Office at their earliest convenience.  

Past recipients of the Change for Charity program include:

• A Special Wish Foundation
• Adventures for Wish Kids
• Amethyst, Inc.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus
• Buckeye Ranch
• CASA of Franklin County
• Center for New Direction
• Childhood League Center
• Children's Hunger Alliance
• City Year Columbus
• Columbus Cancer Clinic
• Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence
• Columbus Literacy Council
• Columbus Metropolitan Library
• Communities in Schools
• Community Shelter Board
• COSI Columbus
• Directions for Youth & Families
• Franklin Park Conservatory
• Hope Street Kids
• I Know I Can
• Junior Achievement of Central Ohio
• King Arts Complex
• Rosemont Center
• Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Columbus
• Salvation Army
• St. Stephen's Community House
• St. Vincent Family Centers
• The Center for Child & Family Advocacy
• The James Cancer Hospital
• The YMCA of Central Ohio
• The YWCA of Central Ohio