Rep. McNally Announces $1K Grant for Inspiring Minds of Youngstown

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) today announces that over the weekend, ServeOhio, the state’s commission on service and volunteerism, celebrated their ServeOhio Day. As part of this initiative, Inspiring Minds of Youngstown received a $1K grant to support a community project in Rep. McNally’s district.

The event brought together 50 volunteers to maintain the urban garden at Inspiring Minds’ South Avenue site in Youngstown. Volunteers assisted with weeding, watering, and general garden care, while students from Inspiring Minds manage and sell fresh produce at a summer market. This effort fosters youth empowerment and expands access to healthy food in the community.

“Volunteerism strengthens our neighborhoods and brings people together for a common purpose,” said Rep. McNally. “I’m proud that Youngstown is once again at the forefront of service and civic engagement through Inspiring Minds and ServeOhio.”

ServeOhio Day takes place around the summer solstice in June—the day with the most daylight—to maximize volunteer participation. Projects across Ohio engage hundreds of residents in meaningful local service, promoting community development, civic pride, and economic impact. In the past year, over 2.8 million Ohioans volunteered a total of 182 million hours, equating to more than $5.7B in economic value.

ServeOhio supports these projects through public and private partnerships and administers both state and federal funds to grow national service and volunteerism across Ohio.

To learn more about ServeOhio Day and view other supported projects across the state, visit ServeOhio’s website at https://serve.ohio.gov/. 

To learn more about Inspiring Minds of Youngstown, visit inspiringmindsyouth.org