Charita M. Goshay|The Repository
CANTON–For22 years,Coming Together Stark County hastackled issues dealing with racism,diversityand inclusion.
Last week, the executive boardvoted unanimously to dissolve the nonprofit. But it isn't disappearing.
Coming Together will transitioninto a mission under Goodwill Industries.
Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio,locatedatthe Ken Weber Community Campus at 408 Ninth St. SW, serves 10 counties in Ohio and West Virginia.
More: Here's who won awards at the annual Goodwill community breakfast
Coming Togetherboard President Connie Rubin saida combination of circ*mstances—fromthe pandemic tolosing itsexecutive directorto finances —made the idea appealing when it was proposed in June.
"We've had some strong successes in promoting diversity and inclusion," she said. "I think this is a good opportunity for us and the community. As a small nonprofit, you really have to be a small business. That's been a challenge for us."
Co-founding member Frank Fleischer said the transition will strengthen Coming Together's original vision.
"Itgives us a chance to spread the mission because Goodwill is a national organization," he said.
Co-founding memberLois DiGiacomo Jacobson urgedthat the nonprofit'shistory and related materials be preserved.Retired Temple Israel Rabbi Jon Adland agreed, adding that he also hopes that awards named for Temple Israel Emeritus Rabbi John Spitzer and the late Martha Lottman will continue to be awarded.
"Goodwill will take care of Coming Together Stark County's legacy;that I assure you," said Anne Richards, Goodwill President& CEOand chair of Goodwill International's Inclusion Committee.
Ellen McCarthy, a Coming Togetherboard member and director of employee training and development, will help facilitate the transition.
"I think it's going to be very dynamic," she said. "I think it's going to take some time to build, but that's OK. I think it's going to be a great partnership."
One of the last surviving such organizations in the U.S., the roots of Coming Together Stark County, go back to1998 when Spitzer and Ron Ponder organized the Town Hall on Race Relations,a series of discussions between members of the public and the Canton Police Department at the Memorial Civic Center.
"It was right after Bill Clinton came to Akron (1997)for their town hall onrace," Spitzer recalled. "In the beginning, everything we did was on a volunteer basis. It was extraordinary. The next turning point was when we joined Coming Together USA, which was sponsored by the Akron Beacon Journal. While race relations are important, we also realized the importance of the subset of diversity and inclusion."
In 2008, Coming Together Stark County broadened its scope toaddress issues of diversityand inclusion. In 2016, itbecame the first organization of its kind in the countryto have trainers certified bythe Institute for Diversity Certification.
Theyinclude currentboard members Tiffany Williams, Courtney Johnson, and LaFlovia Ginanni.
"The board has helped me to look within, which has helped me to train others," Williams said.
Johnson agreed.
"This is important work and very necessary work," she said.
Ginanni said undergoing training has helped her on her own job at the United Way.
"My participation with theboard was timely," she said. "I have benefited from my participation with the board and I hope it has benefited from me."
Spitzer said the training and conferences meant that Coming Togetherwent from talking about a problem to doing something about it.
"We actively created a mechanism to make changes," he said.
Rubin agreed, adding, "I think our diversity and inclusion conferences have been a wonderful training ground for professionals in our community."
Fleischer said he's proud thatComing Togetherhas adiverse board thatfrom its beginning included female, Black, Latino, Native American, Jewish, Christianand gay members.
"Coming Together Stark County has been doing inclusion and diversity work long before it was cool; it was started at a time when it wasn't the right thing to do," 10-year board member Eric Resnick said. "Organizations and businesses weren't thinking about it. It's the most important organization in getting the conversation started."
James Molnar said Coming Together Stark County was "all about change."
"People are now very aware of inclusion," he said, adding that the organization highlighted what society now understands is important.
Board member Joanne Smith, a member of Lenape Tribe, said Coming Togetherhelped to raiseher community's profile.
"I think it will be a good move if Goodwill continues to support the mission," she said.
Nicole Curet said Coming Together Stark County has always felt like a Goodwill mission.
"This is something I feel Goodwill can do a good job with because Goodwill has the resources to support the mission," she said.
Noting thatthings "wax and wane," Adland added,"In this case, we're not going out of business, we're transitioning. Canton's a small place, but the fact that this organization exists testifies to the kind of place Canton is."
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
Coming Together Stark County Executive Board:
Rabbi Jon Adland
Nicole Curet
Frank Fleischer
LaFlovia Ginanni
Lois DiGiacomo Jacobson
Courtney Johnson
Ellen McCarthy
James Molnar
Eric Resnick
Connie Rubin
Joanne Smith
Rabbi John Spitzer
Tiffany Williams
