Each year, Summit County Children Services counts on community donations to brighten up the season for children in agency custody by providing them with festive Easter baskets. This year donations are once again needed -- especially for school-aged and older boys.

Monetary donations are certainly welcome -- but for those preferring to donate already-completed baskets, here are some suggestions. For school-aged boys’ baskets: small sports balls or outdoor toys; cars and trucks; coloring/activity books and markers, books, candy and chocolate bunnies. For pre-teen boys: hand-held games, chapter books, action figures, gadgets, small games/puzzles, candy and chocolate bunnies.

Filled, wrapped baskets should be labeled with the child’s age and gender and delivered between March 23 and 26 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to Summit County Children Services, 264. S. Arlington Street, Akron.

In just one week, six people were murdered in Akron. Between this and the Copley and Craigslist shootings, some in the faith community are saying "enough is enough" and taking a stand against crime in our area by gathering together in prayer.

Twenty-six murders were committed in the city this past year alone. "That's 26 mothers without sons," said Serita Terrel, who lost her 24-year-old son last May, due to a gunshot to the head.

Police officers, pastors and city officials were among those who arrived to pray at Mount Calvary Baptist Church on Bell Street and address the recent violence in the city.

(This is the second in a two-part series. Click here to read part one.)

Greg Milo and Jason Horinger don't view their homeless outreach as a once a week mission. They have made it a lifestyle. They give the local homeless they meet in the woods, under bridges and near train tracks, their phone numbers, and Horinger even invited some to his wedding.

"When they're standing on the street corner flying a sign, people look through them or past them or just give them money," said Horinger, director of Service and Outreach at Hoban High School. "Like Greg said, in a very distant basis. We go out and start conversations. It's about developing those relationships. It's about talking to them, letting them feel like an individual for that part of the day. Then doing that on a week to week basis."

This past fall I journeyed out into the city and woods with the teachers and students after school. I arrived home around 10 p.m. that night with my eyes opened a little bit more to the reality that many people across our nation, and in our world, are living every day.

It was a cool, fall evening when I joined four students, a teacher and the Director of Service and Outreach at Hoban High School to venture out into the city to meet the homeless.

This group goes out every Wednesday after school year-round to serve food and stir up conversation with the less fortunate. Local, grassroots efforts to meet the homeless where they're at and offer help and friendship have been on the rise lately.

All were busy baking pizza, tossing salads and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to be given to those they met that evening. Greg Milo, a Social Studies teacher, and Jason Horinger, director of Service and Outreach, take the teens into a world that is unknown to many: the tent cities and other places homeless dwell.

Alec wants to travel the world. Devon is good at memory games. Heaven watches “Degrassi” and likes fashion. These are just three profiles out of more than 60 featured on the Summit County Children Services website.

Throughout the month of November, cutout figures, symbolizing all of the waiting children in these profiles, are visible on the front lawn of the agency’s building located on Arlington Street. November is National Adoption Awareness Month, and the agency hosted an event earlier in the month to celebrate.

The cutouts were created by the Construction Trades Program students at Ellet High School and hand-painted by agency staff and volunteers. The event featured Magistrate Diane Stevenson from Summit County Probate Court and two couples who recently adopted, Doug and Carol Hausknecht and Jerry and Pam Kusar. At the event, the two families “ceremonially” removed two cutouts to signify the two children who were adopted.

Brenda June Cares, a charitable organization based in Akron, has been founded with the mission of raising awareness for prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in men. The group will host its first fundraiser Oct. 27 at Firestone Country Club.

“Our ultimate goal is a world without prostate cancer. The way to achieve this is by raising awareness and impressing upon men, and the women in their lives, just how important it is to be tested,” said June DeAngelis, RN, executive director, Brenda June Cares.

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2011 approximately 240,890 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 33,000 men will die from the disease.

A number of area children are looking for permanent homes with a foster or adopted family. Summit County Children Services is sponsoring a free Foster Care and Adoption Information Meeting Sept. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the agency, located ta 264 S. Arlington St., Akron.

Those attending the meeting will learn more about foster care and adoption, including: what and how long the process is; what kind of support is provided by the agency; and the costs involved with adopting a child. Agency staff will also share basic information about the children coming into care.

Guests will also view the agency's recruitment DVD that features children in permanent custody who are waiting to be adopted, and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the entire community and reservations are not needed. For information, call (330) 379-1994.

The South Akron Neighborhood Council Block Club celebrated the 28th Annual National Night Out (NNO), a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), earlier this month, along with other Southeast Akron organizations, like East Akron Community House, Byrd’s House Groceries, F. Lee’s Tax & Accounting Services, Inc., Akron Summit Community of Action, Inc., The Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Akron and Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic.

Involved since 1984, this year’s Southeast Akron site hosted an array of activities, including an Anti-Crime Walk sponsored by the South Akron Neighborhood Council Block Club, starting from Cole Avenue and continuing throughout the neighborhood. Also provided was information about safety and health issues, along with music, activities, games, door prizes, back-to-school giveaways, food and refreshments. Anti-crime signs were available, along with Block Watch sign-up information.

A-Minus brings positive entourage to ‘A New Way’ presentation

The students of Hope Academy were full of energy; it was the final day of classes at the Arlington Road charter school, and the children were raucous as they packed the gym, waiting for local hip-hop artist A-Minus to perform.

But this rap concert would be much different that many of them anticipated. It would be a showcase featuring motivational speakers, positive messages and even a segment where the students themselves displayed their talents through performance.

The mentoring showcase, A New Way, was created to tap into the interests of area youth through music.

Neighbors who know one another better tend to build safer overall neighborhoods, according to the city of Akron, which encourages each area to promote their own event for the fifth annual Neighbors Day. The celebration takes place May 28, Memorial Day weekend, and centers around residents getting to know their neighbors better.

This year's theme is Living Together Better: 5 Years of Strengthening Neighborhoods. Once residents decide their preferred activity,  city officials encourage organizers to choose a location, adding they may want to host it on their porch, front yard or driveway. Neighbors Day Akron is designed to help residents get to know one another, especially those in closest proximity.