Building for Tomorrow : Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority

Building for Tomorrow: Helping Families Thrive

The Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA) provides an essential service to 25,000 Summit County residents each year – helping them find a stable home they can afford. Putting a roof over our neighbors’ heads is the first important step in helping families thrive. While a safe, affordable home is important for our families, it is not enough.

Education matters! At Building for Tomorrow, the non-profit arm of AMHA, we believe in the resiliency, talent and perseverance of our families. We believe in meeting families where they are and using education as a tool to develop self-dependency, fulfill dreams, build confidence, and break down barriers to opportunity. Education is the equalizer: to open doors to skills that families need to not just survive, but thrive. We do this with the generous support of our many community partners, foundations, vendors, volunteers, individual donors and staff.

Our Current Priority Areas:

Early Childhood Education

Digital Literacy

Community Building

Health and Wellness

Financial Self Sufficiency

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VOLUNTEER WITH US

Volunteers make up an important part of our program capacity. We could not do what we do without people like you. For more information about group and individual volunteering in AMHA buildings, contact Anna Custer at acuster@akronhousing.org.

Early Childhood Education

17% of 0-5 year olds in Summit County are in AMHA Housing. Our Early Childhood Initiative provides 2 home visitation programs that prepare kids for kindergarten, hold community events that encourage childhood development, facilitate maternal depression support groups, and make community referrals for our families with young children.

Community Building

BFT manages the Reach Opportunity Center at Summit Lake, a community learning center that hosts Headstart and APS classrooms, community classes, and more! We also hold community building events throughout our properties to facilitate stronger relationships, encourage community watch groups, and connect residents with community resources that help strengthen our neighborhoods.

Digital Literacy

Nationwide, only 54% of households in public housing have access to reliable high speed internet. AMHA’s ConnectHome Akron initiative bridges the digital divide by connecting residents with high speed internet access, low-cost digital devices, and digital literacy training. With more opportunities for digital literacy, our residents become better prepared for job searches, reaching educational goals, and participating in our increasingly digital world.

Health and Wellness

BFT addresses health disparities and social determinants of health for people in poverty & encourages healthy lifestyles by facilitating health and wellness events, exercise classes, community gardens, and contributing to nationwide health and housing initiatives.

Financial Self Sufficiency

BFT is committed to empowering AMHA residents to manage, save, and optimize their finances responsibly. We support two AMHA service coordination programs, hold regular financial empowerment events, and refer residents to external financial resources such as United Way's Financial Empowerment Center.

Building for Tomorrow

Our work is driven by individual donors who care deeply about Summit County. Your dollars go towards keeping our priority areas funded. It currently costs over 1.2 million dollars annually to provide BFT services to AMHA residents, and we couldn't do it without our amazing donors, volunteers, and residents.

To apply your donation to be used across programs, click here: