CANTON − EN-RICH-MENT Fine Arts Academy has a polished and modern new home for its educational and after-school programming for local youth.

It still needs the public’s help with operating expenses so it can continue to give kids a place to eat and do homework after school while also teaching them dance, music, theater, media production, gardening and the visual arts.

That was the message of Betty Smith, executive director of EN-RICH-MENT, on Friday when she kicked off an effort to raise $100,000 by Jan. 31.

Donations of $100 can be made for a “square,” Smith said. The goal is to receive a 1,000 donations.

Squares will include the name of the person, family, agency, community leader, church or business that made the donation. Squares will be displayed in the lobby of the EN-RICH-MENT Arts Education Center at the site of the former Ziegler Tire building next to the Cultural Center for the Arts.

The campaign represents a “critical piece of the resources needed to sustain and expand EN-RICH-MENT, the only free program of its kind in the Stark County area,” a news release said.

For more information about the “1,000 Squares to Grow” campaign, and to make a donation, go to https://www.en-rich-ment.org/1000. EN-RICH-MENT also can be reached at 330-546-7724

So far, roughly $2,100 has been raised.

What will the $100,000 be used for at EN-RICH-MENT?

Funds will be used to support musical instruments, art supplies, technology, teaching staff, and “ensuring that every young person has access to a safe and creative space,” EN-RICH-MENT said.

Attending Friday’s event were staff and supporters of the agency, as well as local officials, including Mayor William V. Sherer II and Jeff Dafler, president and CEO of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce. Also present were State Rep. Scott Oelslager, R-North Canton, and a representative of U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, who represents Ohio’s 13th District, which includes part of Stark County.

New home for EN-RICH-MENTWhat is happening with the $1.75 million Ziegler Tire building project in downtown Canton?

EN-RICH-MENT’s new $2.1 million home opened in June

Smith gave the group a tour of the building, which includes a kitchen, classrooms, music room, rehearsal space, dance studio, art studio and offices.

Canton Bluecoats headed a $1.75 million fundraising campaign to extensively renovate the former Ziegler Tire building at 901 Market Ave. N. The entire project totaled $2.1 million. EN-RICH-MENT is an affiliate agency of Canton Bluecoats, an arts education nonprofit organization known for its drum and bugle corps, which won the 2024 Drum Corps International World Championships in August.

EN-RICH-MENT’s most recent summer camp enrolled nearly 190 children, up from 90 the previous year. Most children were from the Canton area, but others were from Malvern, Carrollton, Medina and Louisville, Smith said.

The agency serves children ages 5 to 18 who come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and low-income families.

“There’s still people who don’t know about us,” Smith said. “So spread the word. We have room for more kids. We want the classes to be full.”

Reach Ed at [email protected]. On X (formerly) Twitter @ebalintREP and Instagram at ed_balint