With origins in both Stark County, Ohio and southeast Florida, the Foundation often works to link these geographic areas, bringing seemingly disparate groups and interests together to form innovative and ground-breaking technologies and theories. Coupled with outreach and media exposure, these advances lead to new ways of thinking about issues and means to solving our most challenging issues.
CURRENT FEATURED PROJECTS
Continuing the Study of Neurodegenerative Disease and Algal Blooms
Focus Area: Science
2020 – Scientists at the University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank will continue to study the linkages between BMAA, a blue-green algal toxin, and neurodegenerative disease. By analyzing donor brain tissue, this study will build upon long-term funding from HWHF investigating the link between blue-green algae and brain disease.
Using Satellite Imagery to Analyze Toxic Algal Blooms
Focus Area: Science
2020 – Dr. Joseph Ortiz at Kent State University, in partnership with SkyTruth, receives funding to monitor toxic algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee utilizing Google Earth Engine and spectral decomposition methods. Toxic algal blooms can unexpectedly shock a community and disrupt its ability to obtain clean water, as these blooms can lead to liver disease, kill pets, and even cause neurodegenerative disease. With this technology, communities can receive notice further in advance as to whether to expect a toxic algal bloom so they can take action to protect themselves as well as action to prevent additional algal blooms in the future.
Stark Sustainable Soil Initiative
Focus Area: Environment
2019 – HWHF is providing funding to The Ohio State University to conduct groundbreaking soil health research under the direction of world-renowned soil scientist Rattan Lal in Stark County. On-farm studies will assess the impact of agronomic management for restoration of soil health on crop yield and nutritional quality. Improved management practices, including conservation agriculture with and without cover crops, and with and without use of farmyard manure, will be implemented. The project will produce globally relevant outcomes by adding new insights to the literature on assessing the carbon footprint of small landholder production systems.
Assisted Sexual Reproduction of Corals
Focus Area: Science
2019 – Funding was provided to Nova Southeastern University to collect the spawn and rear the larvae of corals rescued ahead of disease in the Florida Reef Tract. Funding was used to build a mass-scale larval rearing system that will be used in efforts to restore coral reefs for years to come.
North Canton Heritage Trail
Focus Area: Community
2019 – Funding was provided to the North Canton Heritage Society for the installation of seven permanent signs spread throughout the city of North Canton. These signs showcase important historical events and contributions of local residents and organizations throughout history, including the impact of The Hoover Company and family.
Keeping the S2S Mobile Classroom Rolling
Focus Area: Environment
2019 – Funding is provided to continue the Sea 2 Shore Alliance’s H2O Bus on the road. The bus is a state-of-the-art mobile learning center is a 27-foot Chevy Goshen with a high-efficiency diesel engine that is “biodiesel capable” equipped with a mini-laboratory, audio- visual equipment, and educational displays about aquatic species, environments, and the role humans play in keeping our waterways clean. Since the program’s founding, the team has attended 156 events in eight counties engaging nearly 23,000 people. Fifty-five clean-ups have been held in four counties with more than 3,200 volunteers removing more than 6,600 pounds of marine debris from both coasts. The mobile classroom has been to 54 events and visited by more than 13,000 people. The program has made 37 school visits reaching nearly 8,000 elementary, middle, high school and college students throughout Florida including magnet and underserved populations.
Aerosolized Algal Toxins in Biscayne Bay and South Florida
Focus Area:
2018 – The Foundation supports the research of Dr. Larry Brand, at the University of Miami, studying the aerosolization of toxins released from Harmful Algal Blooms. This research looks at Biscayne Bay, where many people live and there is a high abundance of cyanobacteria due to land runoff of nutrients. Most previous Harmful Algal Bloom research focuses on the presence of these toxins in water and seafood. This novel research aims to give more insight into the human health risks of communities neighboring water bodies with Harmful Algal Blooms.
Our Water, Our Future
Focus Area: Community
2018 – Funding is provided to the Stark County ESC to develop ecological awareness of Stark County, Ohio students. Hands-on technology and non-fiction books are provided through the Stark County ESC’s Science and Math on the Move (SAMM) program. Additionally, presentations by leading scientists are given to students to illustrate the human-environment connection.
Discovering Where Tiger Sharks Give Birth
Focus Area: Science
2018 – Dr. Neil Hammerschlag at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is provided funding to use an innovative, non-invasive approach to determine reproductive cycles of tiger sharks, track pregnant individuals, and identify the exact timing and locations of gestation and pupping. (Photo Credit: Neil Hammershlag)
Bridging Stark County and Biscayne National Park – Championing Ocean Health Together
Focus Area: Education
2018 – HWHF provides funding to Malone University to allow groups of students to travel to south Florida to participate in world-class marine conservation experiences. Students observe manatees with Buddy Powell of Sea to Shore Alliance, collect and learn about the problem of marine debris in Biscayne National Park, and participate in shark tagging expeditions with Neil Hammerschlag and the University of Miami Shark Research and Conservation Lab. Upon returning from their trip, students share their experiences with Stark County residents, conveying how their lives in Ohio can impact the oceans.
Lettuce Provide Massillon City Schools Indoor Gardens
Focus Area: Education
2018 – HWHF provides funding for 5 Massillon City Schools to procure indoor hydroponic gardens and the tools needed to teach students about agriculture and its effect on personal, community, and environmental health. Using these hydroponic gardens, students plant seeds, watch them grow, harvest, and eat the food that they grew directly inside of their classroom. This experience allows students to see the entire life cycle of agronomy, from seed to salad. (Photo Credit: Kevin Whitlock)
Plastic Pollution in Our Backyards, Our Watersheds, and Our Dinner Plates
Focus Area: Education
2017 – HWHF funds research by Dr. Chelsea Rochman at the University of Toronto that examines how plastics contaminate food webs and humans, by developing a method that tests blood or tissue samples to determine plastic pollution via chemical tracers. Simultaneously, the Stark County ESC’s Science and Math on the Move (SAMM) program will work with students to teach them what plastic pollution is, how it enters our watersheds, and how plastics and chemicals can transfer and accumulate up the food chain. Students get to go out into the field to collect their own data, quantifying plastic pollution in the Stark County, Ohio region, and enter their data into a government database run by the NOAA Marine Debris program. Dr. Rochman will come to Stark County to meet with students and teachers and discuss their findings.
Creating “Media Building-Blocks of Environmental Knowledge” (MBEK) aka the “Ocean Health Voyage”
Focus Area: Education
2014 – HWHF funds the development and creation of the online course “Ocean Health Voyage,” an innovative educational online platform that weaves a modular syllabus with adventurous documentary-style films. The educational cinematic experience features marine researchers on-site from field locations, above and underwater, as they teach fundamental ocean science and shine a light on the real-life complexities of working with stakeholders, finding solutions for balancing resource consumption, and conservation. This course is offered to members of the Hemispheric University Consortium, bringing the course from the United States to 6 other countries – Universidad Austral in Argentina, Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in the Dominican Republic, Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, Tecnologico de Monterrey and Universidad de las Americas Puebla in Mexico, and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru.