Nine private family foundations in The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, National Association, announced grants totaling more than $6.5 million in 2022. Grants were awarded to organizations that focus on education, arts and culture, civic and community programs, health and human services, and community reinvestment activities that benefit low- to moderate-income earners, small businesses, affordable housing, financial literacy and workforce development efforts.

“It is our honor to guide the philanthropic foundations of so many families,” said Heidi B. Jark, senior vice president and managing director of The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank. “It’s a privilege to know they have entrusted this work to our office. In times of economic uncertainty, we work diligently to ensure these organizations fulfill their mission of giving back to worthy charitable causes.”

Cincinnati Children’s received funds from the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust for an expansion of its College Hill Mental Health Facility. As the largest inpatient mental health provider of any children’s hospital in the United States, Cincinnati Children’s is leading the charge to combat the devastating effects of mental illness. The College Hill campus is the hub for the medical center’s psychiatric services. Today, children and teens are impacted by unprecedented levels of depression, anxiety, PTSD and other serious ailments. Even more alarming, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds.

The experts at Cincinnati Children’s not only offer the best in clinical care, community programs and early identification of behavioral issues, they’re also advancing innovative research that one day may cure and prevent mental illness from developing. The impact of this revolutionary work will be felt locally, across the country and around the world.

“One in five children struggles with mental health,” says Dr. Michael Sorter, director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s. “And we want to make sure we don’t miss any of them. That simply wouldn’t be possible without the support of those who share our vision, like our friends at the Jacob Schmidlapp Trust. They’re helping us change the trajectory of the mental health crisis that’s plaguing our young people, and the impact will be felt for generations.”

ArtWorks received funds from the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust for its capital campaign. The money will help renovate a historic building in the Peebles Corner section of Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighborhood. The resulting creative campus, ArtWorks’ first permanent home, will bring separate facilities under one roof and include an art gallery, community meeting rooms, offices for administrative staff and multiple art studios.

Jeff Sperry, senior director of advancement for ArtWorks, said the ability to have functioning year-round studios will greatly expand ArtWorks’ capacity to employ under-resourced youth and provide on-the-job training to inspire and retain a diverse, creative workforce for the region. “Young artists need a dedicated space that provides year-round employment and fosters creative partnerships,” Sperry added. “A place where students can go after school to learn from experienced mentors, collaborate with creative executives, and earn a paycheck. This funding directly perpetuates focus areas of the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust – supporting the promotion of education and improving living conditions for area residents.”

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden received funds from the Helen G., Henry F., & Louise Tuechter Dornette Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee, in support of Dornette Kanga Klimb Aerial Adventure Course. The Dornette Foundation’s $1 million pledge, provided over four years, to the Dornette Kanga Klimb was instrumental to the project’s construction by helping fund preliminary site preparation – a significant achievement in transforming a steep hillside to an ADA-accessible, state-of-the-art habitats for kangaroos and little blue penguins.

When the pandemic unfolded, the Dornette Foundation’s commitment assured Zoo officials they would get back on track as soon as COVID-19 disruptions eased. Although complications from the pandemic affected the timeline, the Dornette Kanga Klimb was completed in the spring of 2021. The attraction has since become a favorite of children, adults and families who visit our Zoo.

“The generous $1 million gift from the Dornette Foundation in support of Dornette Kanga Klimb Aerial Adventure Course helped us realize our vision for engaging the next generation of Zoo visitors,” says Thane Maynard, zoo director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The concept is an exciting physical challenge with many ADA-accessible elements that exercises both body and mind, while surrounding participants in nature, and it reflects the Cincinnati Zoo’s desire to bring everyone close enough to care about wildlife and the planet.

The foundations and trusts accept letters of inquiry from qualifying nonprofit organizations seeking grant support from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 each year. For guidelines on the inquiry process, visit https://www.cybergrants.com/pls/cybergrants/quiz.display_question?x_gm_id=6990&x_quiz_id=8160.

The available funds are listed below with brief descriptions of their focus areas and the total amount distributed from them in 2022 to charitable organizations.

The Foundation Office

The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, National Association, serves as trustee, co-trustee or agent for more than 300 private and corporate foundations that grant millions of dollars annually to worthy charities across the United States. The foundations support a variety of causes, from education to the arts and from basic-needs organizations like shelters and counseling centers to environmental projects and animal rescue.

To learn more about The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, please visit 53.com/foundationoffice.

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