TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - One of the partners in the new Old South End project is the John Henry Eldred Junior Foundation. It is a Toledo-based foundation focused on improving life for people throughout Northwest Ohio and beyond.
The John Henry Eldred Junior Foundation is focused on helping build solid foundations in communities throughout Northwest Ohio. It has awarded millions of grant dollars to local nonprofits in the last few years, money that is changing lives on a number of levels.
The foundation has helped create significant change in our community since 2023.
“We’ve given out over $8 million throughout the community. Which, really, I’m proud to be able to stand in front of that and behind that work. There’s going to be more that we can continue to build on and more impact we can have in the community,” Mike Deetsch, the executive director, said.
The foundation has awarded grants to more than 100 nonprofit organizations. Everything from Connecting Kids to Meals and the Sophia Quintero Art and Cultural Center to First Tee Lake Erie and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Toledo.
The mission is simple.
“We have a focus on housing stability, youth education, food security and small rural libraries,” Maria Iafelice, the community impact officer for the John Henry Eldred Junior Foundation, said. “Those are critical building blocks for any thriving community.”
“That can be anything from after-school programs to an urban farm to helping a family that is struggling to pay their utility bills on time,” Deetsch said.
The private foundation partners with organizations throughout Northwest Ohio.
“That’s the exciting part, looking for the partners already in it that already have their sleeves rolled up and how do we enable and amplify the work they are doing?” Deetsch said.
One of the foundation’s latest endeavors is a pilot project with housing providers. The focus is the Old South End.
“They are working on critical home repair, they are working on home ownership and they are working on new home builds. They are really thinking about all the lanes and avenues people are asking for and they are trying to be responsive to,” Deetsch said.
So, who was John Henry Eldred Junior?
“He started a company here called Midwest Tape, which is one of the largest distributors of AV materials to public libraries across the country. He unfortunately passed in 2021,” Deetsch said.
A man who will continue to make a difference in so many lives, long after his death.
“I feel part of the solution, instead of just being a passive observer,” Iafelice said.
“It has opened my eyes and helped me think about leaving a legacy in the same way John Henry Eldred Junior left his legacy,” Deetsch said.
The foundation’s main focus is Northwest Ohio, but its support of rural libraries extends far beyond Ohio’s borders to more than 20 other states.
If you would like to learn more about the work and impact of the foundation, click here.
https://www.13abc.com/2026/03/18/john-henry-eldred-jr-foundation-helping-build-strong-foundations/