Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging logo

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging

Public charity · Grantmaker Uniontown, OH EIN: 34-1314654 Website

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities is a public charity based in Uniontown, Ohio. It provides long-term care choices and consumer protection for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers, with programs that support people in remaining in their communities.

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging at a glance

In short: Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging gave $3.4M across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $104K), mostly in Ohio. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$3,436,433
-4.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
33
-5.7% vs 2024
Average grant
$104,134
+1.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$32,268
Total assets
$32,258,306
+17.4% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
44% first-time grantees (14 of 32, 2025)
Primary geography
Ohio (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging

How to Apply

Direction Home’s 2026 RFP invited proposals for specified Older Americans Act services and care coordination. The submission period has closed. The organization’s website also lists the student scholarship as currently open.

Review Cycle
The 2026 RFP deadline was March 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Deadline
The 2026 RFP deadline was March 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Contact

Mailing address: 1949 Town Park Blvd, Uniontown, OH 44685
Phone: (800) 421-7277
Website: https://dhad.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Vantage Aging: $906KVantage Aging$906KAxesspointe Community: $585KAxesspointe Community$585KAlzheimer's Association: $226KAlzheimer's Association$226KThomas Lane Inc: $200KThomas Lane Inc$200KFamily & Community Services Inc: $171KFamily & Community ServicesInc$171KCasleo Corporation: $150KCasleo Corporation$150KPurfoods LLC: $130KPurfoods LLC$130KSimply Ez Home Delivered Meals of Northeastern Ohio LLC: $117KSimply Ez Home Delivered Mealsof Northeastern Ohio LLC$117KThe Salvation Army-Canton: $105KThe Salvation Army-Canton$105KJG Bahas Inc: $105KJG Bahas Inc$105K

The largest 2025 recipient was Vantage Aging ($906K). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

167 grants across all recorded years

114<$50K14$50–100K27$100–250K2$250–500K7$500K–1M3$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 167 (68%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2026 RFP and the student scholarship specify Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne Counties in Ohio. In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 4% to recipients in Iowa.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.

Cities

AkronCantonRavennaAllianceCopleyKentMinervaMacedoniaTwinsburgUniontownBarbertonDoylestownAnkenyNorth CantonOrrvilleWest SalemColumbusFairlawnHartvilleNorthfield

Is Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging open to new grantees?

44%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 14 of 32 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $97K; repeat grants $116K. How we count

Medians: $32K first-time, $51K repeat.

  • 41% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M21 grants2020 45 grants2021 32 grants2022 22 grants2023 35 grants2024 33 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.6M (2023) to $3.6M (2024). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $3.4M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Vantage Aging Akron, OHCongregate Meals, Counseling, SOCIALIZATION,RSVP, Farmer's Market$905,947
Axesspointe Community Ravenna, OHCongreagte meals, home delivered meals, sr companion, foster grandparents, rsvp, farmer's market$584,580
Alzheimer's Association Canton, OHRespite$225,667
Thomas Lane Inc Twinsburg, OHCongregate Meals$200,258
Family & Community Services Inc Ravenna, OHCongregate meals, home delivered meals, sr companion, foster grandparents, rsvp, farmer's market$170,950
Casleo Corporation Columbus, OHErs, Chore, Meals$150,084
Purfoods LLC Ankeny, IAMEALS$130,214
Simply Ez Home Delivered Meals of Northeastern Ohio LLC Akron, OHHome Delivered Meals$116,565
The Salvation Army-Canton Canton, OHCongregate Meals$105,419
JG Bahas Inc Akron, OHSR DINE$104,670
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$32,258,306$100,365,745$97,589,362$3,436,43333$582,454
2024$27,480,606$80,021,370$78,804,169$3,610,11135$322,412
2023$17,910,222$63,181,207$63,450,121$2,586,17522$122,724
2022$15,586,581$61,451,318$61,539,697$3,485,82332$7,087
2021$20,335,083$58,977,565$57,972,559$3,390,64045$27,366
2020$19,174,109$57,649,204$57,342,192$2,764,99121$72,903

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Direction Home’s mission is to provide older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers with long-term care choices and consumer protection so they can achieve the highest quality of life.

Its services include in-home assessments, care management, personal care, homemaker services, adult day services, emergency response systems, home-delivered meals, transportation, home modifications, and caregiver supports. The organization also operates an Ombudsman program that provides information, education, advocacy, and complaint investigation for consumers of long-term care services.

Its 2025 grants supported services including congregate and home-delivered meals, respite, senior companion services, farmer’s market programs, emergency response systems, and chore services. Among the organizations it funded, Vantage Aging describes its mission as promoting a positive perspective on aging and helping older adults live healthy lives with independence, purpose, and dignity. Family & Community Services says it seeks to strengthen and empower individuals and families through community-based services.

Grantmaking

In 2025, Direction Home reported 33 grants totaling $3,436,433. Grant amounts ranged from $5,070 to $905,947, with a median of $32,268.

The largest reported grants included $905,947 to Vantage Aging for congregate meals, counseling, socialization, RSVP, and farmer’s market services; $584,580 to AxessPointe Community for meal and other services; and $225,667 to the Alzheimer’s Association for respite. Other large awards included $200,258 to Thomas Lane Inc. for congregate meals and $170,950 to Family & Community Services for meal and other services.

Direction Home also offers the Joseph L. Ruby Student Scholarship for students pursuing education related to aging services and support for older adults and people with disabilities in Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne Counties. The scholarship is awarded annually.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists David B. Reynolds, MD, as chairman; Charles L. Greene and James Masi as vice chairmen; Julia T. DiFrancesco as treasurer; and Jack T. Diamond as secretary. Directors listed include Fran D. Rice, Pamela S. Banchy, Stephen Colecchi, Jennifer Drost, DO, and Iris E. Harvey. Jennifer Drost is also listed as chief medical officer.

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging is led by Abigail M. Morgan, President & Chief Executive Officer since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 9 of 30 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Abigail M. Morgan

    President & Chief Executive Officer

    Senior Vice President Business Strateg → Chief Operating Officer, 2021

    Chief Operating Officer → President & Chief Executive Officer, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $191K (2020) → $348K (2025)

  • Gary L. Cook

    Former President & CEO

    President & Chief Executive → President & Chief Executive Officer, 2021

    President & Chief Executive Officer → Former President & CEO, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $423K (2020) → $218K (2025)

  • David B. Reynolds MD

    Chairman

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lee S. Walko

    Foundation Board Chair

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Fran D. Rice

    Director

    Vice Chairman → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Harvey L. Sterns PhD

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Iris E. Harvey

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Karen L. Talbott

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lorrie A. Warren

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Pamela S. Banchy

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stephen Colecchi

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Keathley

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Horace Highland Sr.

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Julie M. Aultman PhD

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Charles R. Vignos

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeannie Flossie

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jodi Edmunds

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ljudmila Burchfield

    Chief Operating & Legal Officer

    Vice President Compliance & Legal Affa → Chief Operating & Legal Officer, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $194K (2020) → $275K (2025)

  • Matthew L. Reed

    Senior Vice President Communications

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $187K (2020) → $224K (2025)

  • Rebecca Newman

    Chief Financial Officer

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $209K (2021) → $295K (2025)

  • Samuel J. McCoy

    Senior Vice President Elder Rights

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $190K (2020) → $234K (2025)

  • Chris Fagerstrom

    Senior Vice President of Home & Communications

    Senior Vice President of Home & Community Based Services → Senior Vice President of Home & Communications, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $170K (2021) → $229K (2025)

  • Tracey M. Nauer

    Vice President of Home & Community Bas

    Vice President of Home & Community Based Services → Vice President of Home & Community Bas, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $145K (2024) → $180K (2025)

  • Brandi L. Chrzanowski

    Vice President of Strategic Planning & Performance Improvement

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $159K (2025)

  • Charles L. Greene

    Vice Chairman

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Deborah Rutherford

    Vice Chairman

    Director → Vice Chairman, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jack T. Diamond

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Masi

    Vice Chairman

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jennifer Drost DO

    Chief Medical Officer

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Julia T. Difrancesco

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (9)
  • Former: Matthew S. Wayne MD (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Patrick T. Clevidence (2022–2024) — Manager of Business Relationships
  • Former: Jon D. Oliverio Dpm (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Michael Novelli (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Nancy A. Istenes DO (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Keeven White (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Susan B. Sigmon (2020–2021) — Senior Vice President of Home & Community Based Services
  • Former: Barbara R. Palmisano (2020) — Director
  • Former: Charles R. Alderson (2020) — Chief Operating Officer & Chair

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Abigail M Morgan — President & Chief Executive Officer: $348KAbigail M MorganPresident & Chief Executive…$348KRebecca Newman — Chief Financial Officer: $295KRebecca NewmanChief Financial Officer$295KLjudmila Burchfield — Chief Operating & Legal Officer: $275KLjudmila BurchfieldChief Operating & Legal Officer$275KSamuel J McCoy — Senior VP Elder Rights: $234KSamuel J McCoySenior VP Elder Rights$234KChris Fagerstrom — Senior VP of Home & Commun: $229KChris FagerstromSenior VP of Home & Commun$229KMatthew L Reed — Senior VP Communications &: $224KMatthew L ReedSenior VP Communications &$224KGary L Cook — Former President & CEO (Retired 5/22/24): $218KGary L CookFormer President & CEO (Retired…$218KTracey M Nauer — VP of Home & Community Bas: $180KTracey M NauerVP of Home & Community Bas$180KBrandi L Chrzanowski — VP of Strategic Planning & Performance Improvement: $159KBrandi L ChrzanowskiVP of Strategic Planning &…$159K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $348K, to Abigail M Morgan (President & Chief Executive Officer). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging

How much does Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging give each year?

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging gave $3.4M across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.6M across 35 grants.

What is Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's typical grant size?

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's median grant in 2025 was $32,268, and its average grant was $104,134, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging that year got $97K on average.

Where does Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging give grants?

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging gives mostly in Ohio: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Akron, OH (11 grants), Ravenna, OH (3 grants), Canton, OH (3 grants) and Uniontown, OH (3 grants).

Does Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Sr Dine" (9 grants), "Congregate Meals" (6 grants) and "Transportation" (4 grants).

Who are Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's largest grantees?

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's largest 2025 grantees include Vantage Aging ($905,947), Axesspointe Community ($584,580) and Alzheimer's Association ($225,667), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging?

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging reported $32.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $100.4M.

What does Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging fund?

Direction Home’s mission is to provide older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers with long-term care choices and consumer protection so they can achieve the highest quality of life. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging?

Direction Home’s 2026 RFP invited proposals for specified Older Americans Act services and care coordination. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's EIN?

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1314654. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 17, 2021)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/direction-home-akron-canton-area-agency-on-aging-morg_3d30605b59e745a8b2db8b9b6b932552

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341314654_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/direction-home-akron-canton-area-agency-on-aging-morg_3d30605b59e745a8b2db8b9b6b932552},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-23. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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