John C. Jones to lead HOPE Toledo

Toledo, Ohio, October 6, 2020 — Wendi Huntley, Esq., chairperson of HOPE Toledo, has announced that John C. Jones will serve as the organization’s president. Jones previously served as community liaison for ProMedica Health System with its Social Determinants of Health office. In this role, he served the community through the development of mentoring programs, as well as training and placement of youth, young adults and other diverse individuals. He also focused on education, i.e., early education and beyond. Prior to that, Jones served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Toledo Urban League.

HOPE Toledo’s mission is to coordinate and deliver higher-quality educational experiences for children and youth, from birth to career, with the goal of creating generational economic change for the betterment of Toledo area families and our community.

The short-term goals for HOPE Toledo include:

• Planning and implementing a Pre-K pilot program;

• Developing and executing both a governance and staffing model for the Pre-K pilot program;

• Identifying requisite funding and funding sources to operate a full Pre-K program;

• Establishing and convening a “Birth to Five” consortium;

• Planning and launching a community education campaign around Pre-K.

In addition to this focus, HOPE Toledo is also managing the HOPE Toledo Promise Scott High School pilot that was started by Pete Kadens, with a grant from the Kadens Family Foundation. The Kadens Family promised to fund postsecondary education for the Scott High School graduating class of 2020 and also provide that same opportunity to a parent/legal guardian of those students. The program is inclusive of tuition, room and board, books and fees.

Currently, there are 66 HOPE Scholars enrolled in 13 postsecondary institutions. Of this number, 5 are parents. There are several more who will begin in the spring semester. HOPE Toledo has provided laptops/devices to 36 of the enrolled Scholars and they have conducted mentoring sessions to help prepare these students with the transition to postsecondary institutions.

About HOPE Toledo

The mission of HOPE Toledo is to work with the Toledo community to coordinate and deliver higher-quality educational experiences for all of our youth, starting with early childhood education, and continuing through postsecondary education, with the goal of creating generational economic change for the betterment of our families and our community.

This cradle to career to community approach will better serve our children and, in the long run, help our city progress towards a stronger, more educated workforce. To that end, HOPE Toledo is working with the Toledo community, through public/private partnerships and in tandem with Toledo Public Schools and Washington Local Schools, to develop a plan to deliver higher- quality educational experiences for all of our youth—starting with early childhood education and continuing through postsecondary education—with the goal of creating generational economic change. Currently, 36% of the people in the TPS district are living below the poverty line and only 18% of Toledo children enter kindergarten ready to learn.

About John C. Jones

John Jones is a proud alumnus of Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he received his undergraduate degree in 1996. He went on to receive his Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) at the University of Toledo in 2013. In 2016, he completed his Certificate in Diversity Management through the American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity.

John has been the recipient of numerous awards, including induction into the 2008 Class of “20 under 40” for Toledo and recipient of the 2010 Calla Lily Educator Award from the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. – Beta Gamma Chapter. He currently serves the community through numerous boards and church-related organizations including: The Toledo Zoo; Toledo Opera; American Leadership Council (Program Committee – Chair); Cherry Street Mission Ministries; Ohio Coalition of Community Schools; Toledo Christian Schools; Toledo Police Chief Advisory Board; The Ohio Baptist State Convention (Youth Director); and The Ohio New Life Baptist District Association (Youth Director). He is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated – Alpha Xi Lambda Chapter where he serves as Vice President.

John is an ordained minister and serves as an Associate Minister at the Christian Temple Baptist Church under the leadership and pastorate of his father, Rev. Charles E. Jones. John and his wife Charity reside in Toledo. He considers it an extreme blessing to have three beautiful children, Naomi Elise, Cathryn Elisabeth and John Michael.