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GiGi’s Playhouse Canton is fulfilling the dream of the Down syndrome community of having a location where individuals with Down syndrome of all ages have a place to call their own, where they feel safe and can explore their abilities through proven programs with support and celebration. Parents no longer feel the anxiety of finding a place where their loved one will be unconditionally accepted and offered opportunity to become their best of all.

Each participant will grow with the programs at their own pace and interact with their peers in an environment of celebration and achievement. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio mails kids one free book each month until his or her 5th birthday. Any child in Ohio between birth and age 5 is eligible for the program, which is available at no cost to families.

Stark Library sponsors this program in Stark County.

Community safety net linking families to resources and social services.

• Community Support Services (Mental Health & Substance/Alcohol Abuse) – Identify, Link, and Support individuals and families through the mental health and alcohol and substance abuse system.
• Community Response Team (Trauma Care and Community Violence) – Refer, Assist, and Advocate for individuals and/or families experiencing trauma.
• Infant Mortality (THRIVE) – Identify and Support women through their pregnancies to reduce infant mortality.

Future Promise, Inc. is a Canton-based 501(c)(3) youth development and family support organization dedicated to empowering at-risk and justice-involved youth, young adults, and families through stabilizing services, skill-building, and community connection. Our mission is to close educational and opportunity gaps by providing safe spaces, structured programming, and access to resources that promote self-sufficiency, confidence, and long-term success.

Future Promise offers a continuum of services designed to meet youth and families where they are,

IDEA House is a K-12 year-round, private, faith-based school for children with Autism located in Canal Fulton.

Bridge Point connects people with hope by helping with everyday needs, providing learning opportunities, and equipping people for life.

Hope Card Program: Free personal care + household items for families in Canton Local, Sandy Valley & East Canton school districts.

Resource Center Hours:
Wed 4:00–7:00pm
Thu 9:00am–12:00pm

Thrift Store: Open to the public (most items not priced)—hours listed below.

EN-RICH-MENT empowers and uplifts youth, families, and community by providing access to education, arts, health, and life skills opportunities to inspire growth, creativity, and a brighter future for all. Please visit our website to learn more about our programs and Arts classes for youth ages 5-18.

The Stark County ESC had its inception in 1914 with the establishment by the Ohio Legislature of county boards of education.

Currently, the ESC provides shared services to 15 local and 6 city school districts, 1 exempted village, and one career center in Stark, Carroll, Summit, and Tuscarawas counties.  Together these districts enroll over 60,000 students.

The Stark County ESC is experienced in meeting the needs of a diverse population of students. 

The Legacy Project of Stark County provides mentoring programs inside partner school districts during lunch and on weekends/after school in Massillon and Canton for K-12th grade students. For more information about where our programs meet please visit lpstark.org.

In every program offered, a small group of students are paired with two adult mentors from their community.

Students are given a consistent, supportive space where they feel seen, heard,

Serving the Canton community with:

• Emergency food pantry
• Diaper/Feminine hygiene distribution
• To-go meals (soup kitchen/bagged)
• Rental/utility assistance (as funding allows)
• Showers
• Seasonal assistance (back-to-school supplies/Christmas help)
• Recreation + educational programs (adults & children)

Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG) is a workforce development and career readiness organization dedicated to empowering young adults in Stark County to achieve personal and professional success. Our Out-of-School Program serves individuals ages 16–24 who are not currently enrolled in school and are seeking to enter the workforce, continue their education, or overcome barriers to employment.

JOG provides GED preparation and support, helping participants complete their high school equivalency and build a foundation for future career or educational advancement.

Public school system in Perry Township.

Massillon Museum is an art and history museum in downtown Massillon. Admission is always free. The Museum offers free or low-cost classes, workshops, and events for all ages. A Sensory Room is available for guests on the Museum’s Lower Level.

Massillon Museum is proud to be a member of Museums for All, offering reduced membership pricing and program discounts to those receiving SNAP benefits, and Blue Star Museums, offering membership and program discounts to active duty military personnel and their families.

Career programs offered at Fairless, Tuslaw, Northwest, Louisville, Minerva and Malvern schools.

www.drage.stark.k12.oh.us

Offers mandatory career and educational guidance to Stark County youth and adults preparing to take the GED test through Ohio’s test voucher program.

4-H Youth Development located here, offering hands-on activities to help youth between the ages of 5 and 19 develop lifelong learning skills. Visit ohio4h.org for more information.

Stark Parks offers a diverse range of educational programs and specialized services focused on environmental stewardship, wildlife protection, and local history. Offerings are designed to be flexible, with many programs available at park locations or as outreach services at organization sites.

Elementary School: (330) 488-0392

Middle School: (330) 488-0334

High School: (330) 488-0316

Located in downtown Canton, the Campus is home to Goodwill offices and 20 other non-profit organizations that share collaborative outreach to the community and find efficiencies through shared space and services.

• Access Health Stark County
• Alzheimer’s Association
• American Red Cross, Stark County Chapter
• Beacon Charitable Pharmacy
• Canton Ex-Newsboys
• COMPASS, Inc. (Sexual Assault Education,

Public school district serving western Stark County.

A youth development organization that uses the game of golf to teach youth ages 5 – 18 essential life skills and healthy habits. They provide programs all year-round and also do after-school and utilize trained adult coaches that mentor the youth that attend classes. Programs and classes vary depending on the program and season. Scholarships are also available. Learn more: www.firstteecanton.org.

Lighthouse Ministries has devised a multi-pronged approach to supporting and empowering neighborhood children and teens:

1. The After-School Program provides a safe place for children to go after school, caring adult relationships, supervised play, tutoring, and a broad spectrum of arts-based enrichment opportunities (robotics, mindfulness, electronics, pottery, art, and entrepreneurship, to name a few), all in an effort to help students identify their gifts and strengths.

2. The Summer Activities Project offers two programs for parents to keep their children’s minds engaged over the summer.

FEMI’s mission is to provide services that unite and strengthen families and individuals.

• Diaper Days
• Infant mortality education and parent education
• Community food pantry
• Community Legal Aid
• Soul Food Sunday free community meal (first Sunday)
• 3rd grade after school reading program
• Line dancing class and other services as scheduled

Offers Adult Career & Technical Education

FREE Classes at Aspire of Stark County:

• Earn a High School Equivalency Diploma (GED)
• Improve English (ESOL-English for Speakers of Other Languages)
• Prepare for pre-employment testing
• Study for entrance exams
• Brush up on skills for success in college or training programs
• Improve your current job skills
• Help your children with homework
• Gain personal enrichment and satisfaction

Individualized education program for children with Autism and other developmental disabilities.

The Canton Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is a professional performing arts organization dedicated to enriching the Stark County community through live orchestral music, educational programming, and meaningful engagement opportunities.

Through our MasterWorks and Employers Health Pops concert series, the CSO presents world-class performances featuring professional musicians, guest artists, and conductors of national and international acclaim. These concerts are designed to inspire, challenge, and entertain diverse audiences in a variety of settings.

Beyond the concert hall,

Northeastern Ohio’s premier workforce development and training centers that connects job seekers with employers by providing numerous resources in a single location

Serving Stark County employers and job seekers with access to all community partner programs, education, training, counseling and employment opportunities.

Ensuring the accessibility of health services to all Massillon residents:

• Preventing communicable diseases
• Reducing pollution
• Health education programs
• Pest control
• WIC – nutrition education program that provides nutritious foods that promote good health for pregnant women, women who just had a baby, breastfeeding moms and infants and children up to age 5.
• Pop up food pantry third Tuesday of each month from 12-2pm: Flyer

Career programs offered through the Stark Career Compact:

• Biomedical sciences
• Business management
• Construction tech
• Culinary arts
• Interactive media
• Medical technology
• Pre-engineering
• Teaching professions
• Video production
• Welding

Education options for adults in Stark County.

Kids’ College: An education-based summer program designed to stimulate creativity and provide unique learning opportunities on a college campus.

Massage Therapy Clinic: Free once-a-month therapeutic massages offered to veterans through the Hands for Heroes program.

Career Technical Education – Helping students to develop professional skills and experience to prepare them for future employment:

• Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)
• Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)
• Skills USA
• Business Professionals of America (BPA)
• Educators Rising
• Junior Achievement

Free GED classes for students in Minerva. Register for classes Mondays at 9 a.m. (registrations may take up to three hours).

Volunteers working together to raise awareness, education and advocacy to protect and serve local victims of human trafficking. Learn more on Facebook.

We are a nonprofit that provides a local hub to collect, sort and distribute items to those in need.

Provides emergency shelter to the homeless and tools to help them get back on their feet and become self-sufficient

Also provides early care and education services to children that enhance their development and prepare them to be successful as they transition to kindergarten

To be placed in housing you must first register with the homeless hotline by calling 330-452-4363

Project launches, school-based partnerships and summer camps that empower middle school students to imagine the world as it could be and put those dreams into action.

The Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD) is a statewide nonprofit organization that serves families of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities in Ohio, educators and agencies who provide services to them.