Columbus Youth Foundation

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Background

The year was 1955 – and a group of local business leaders banded together to bring professional baseball to Columbus.  This distinguished group included Robert L. Barton, Wayne Brown, George Byers, Sr., Tom Carroll, Don Casto, Sr., Harold Cooper, John W. Galbreath, Floyd Gooding  W.C. Harrison,  Harry Jameson,  Frederick E. Jones, Robert Lazarus, Sr., and James Visentine.  Together they established the Columbus Jets, a minor-league baseball club and the forerunner of the Columbus Clippers.

The Columbus Youth Foundation was among the organizations established to aid the club’s development, with its primary function being to buy and hold legal title to what was then known as Jets Stadium.  In return, the team’s profits were distributed to the Foundation for the awarding of grants to agencies serving sick, underprivileged, and disabled youth of Columbus.

This unique relationship in the world of baseball continued for nearly two decades while the Columbus Jets played host at Jets Stadium on West  Mound Street.  When the ball club dissolved in 1975, the stadium was sold to Franklin County.  The proceeds of the sale increased the Foundation’s funds for assisting young people. The Columbus Youth Foundation became a supporting foundation of The Columbus Foundation in 1976.

Current grantmaking focuses on providing Franklinton and other urban youth opportunities to participate in sports and recreational activities. The Foundation always welcomes contributions from donors with similar interests in supporting youth recreational activities.

Columbus Youth Foundation Best All-Around Students Awards

Since 1984, the Foundation has sponsored the annual Best All-Around Student Awards at Cooper Stadium and recognizes a male and female student from each of Columbus City Schools’ middle and senior high schools.  Since the award program began, nearly 2,000 students have been recognized. 

The awards event begins with a picnic for the students and their families, followed by recognition of their achievement on the Cooper Stadium field. In 2007, OSU Alumni and basketball great Lawrence Funderburke offered his congratulations and words of wisdom to the students.

Grantmaking

Since its inception, the Foundation has approved grants totaling more than $2 million.  The Foundation uses an online competitive application process with one deadline per year.

Board

Catherine T. Willis, chairman; Archie M. Griffin, vice chairman; George W. Byers, Jr.; Ellen E. Julian; and Robert Lazarus, Jr.

Staff Contact

Interested in more information about the Columbus Youth Foundation? Contact Tami Durrence by e-mail or at 614/251-4000.