Location:Centerville, Ohio
Company:The Connor Group
Once the Centerville, Ohio–based Connor Group finds a mission and a group of people it believes in, it applies all the lessons it’s learned in 20 years of investing and operating. The firm, which operates roughly 14,000 units in eight markets, helps improve the planning, procedures, and bottom line to maximize the impact for the charities it supports.
With more than 450 employees and 25 partners, the 22-year-old company has developed certain criteria that fit its philanthropic model. That’s where The Connor Group Kids and Community Foundation comes in. In addition to supporting charities, the foundation has established its own programs, including an annual toy drive. Every year, the company solicits donations from vendors and asks residents to buy toys for needy children.
The foundation also funds the Montgomery County College Promise Program, which offers college scholarships for poverty-impacted students, and has launched a new after-school program at an inner-city school in Dayton.
Beyond its ongoing programs, the foundation also tackles projects such as the renovation of Sandalwood Park just north of downtown Dayton. Employees, vendors, and volunteers came together to invest $75,000 in a walking trail, rehabbed shelter, resurfaced tennis courts, and more.
