State and Federal Communications, Inc. is hosting its 11th annual Donuts and Cider Sale on October 29, 2021!

Become the favorite co-worker, and kick off Halloween weekend with a sweet treat for your office!

Krispy Kreme glazed donuts are $9 for a dozen and apple cider is $5 for a gallon.

All proceeds will benefit the good work of our friends at United Way of Summit and Medina.

Place your order by Monday, October 25, by contacting Joe May at jmay@stateandfed.com or calling (330) 761-9960.

Orders can be picked up on Friday, October 29, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the front of our office: 80 S. Summit St. in downtown Akron.

State and Federal Communications won the 2020 Healthy Worksite Bronze Award and attended the virtual awards ceremony along with several other organizations.

The Healthy Worksite Award program annually recognizes Ohio employers that have demonstrated a commitment to their employees’ health by providing comprehensive worksite health promotion and wellness programs.

Erin Victor from the Akron Snow Angels told us “there are children walking to school without socks. There are homeless people who brave the winter without the proper outerwear.”

As a response, State and Federal Communications held its Be and Angel for the Holidays drive from early December until January 15. We collected hats, gloves, scarves, and socks of all colors and sizes.

Enjoy this fun video about our 2020-21 holiday service project!

The staff of State and Federal Communications was recognized by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for their donation to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese COVID-19 Relief Fund in the name of President and CEO Elizabeth Z. Bartz.

The relief fund was established to “support those around the country who have been impacted by the current pandemic,” per the Archdiocese. “One-time grants of up to $2,500 will be made available to those who are facing extreme financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.”

Every July the staff celebrates the company’s anniversary. In light of the pandemic, they felt it was appropriate to honor Elizabeth with this donation in her name.

This would have been our 11th Donut and Cider Sale where we have raised money for the United Way and have fun with the community. With the pandemic the sale was impossible, but we still love donuts! For all the wonderful staff and National Guard at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, State and Federal Communications brought the great donut drop for a morning treat on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

State & Federal Communications was a proud platinum sponsor of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s annual Harvest for Hunger Campaign Kick-off Breakfast at the John S. Knight Center on February 26.

Harvest for Hunger, the Foodbank’s largest fundraising campaign, helps support food distribution across 21 counties in Northeast Ohio.

President & CEO Dan Flowers of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank said the organization’s 2019 goal is to provide more than 5.3 million meals to neighbors in need.

The law firm of Perantinides & Nolan challenged us to collect more than the 505 canned goods they collected in the NEO Can Challenge. We collected 610 cans to benefit the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank. Our friends at the Foodbank told us this weighed in at 545 pounds is the equivalent of 454 meals! Take a look at our video and see Elizabeth Bartz do an amazing magic trick…

The CASA Board Volunteer Association of Summit County held its annual fundraiser, “I Am for the Child” breakfast on October 25, 2018. The CASA/GAL (Court Appointed Special Advocates/Guardian ad Litem) Program of Summit County is a trained community of volunteers appointed by a judge to represent the best interest of an abused or neglected child in court. State and Federal Communications was proud to be one of the sponsors.

State and Federal Communications’ very own Research Manager Michael Beckett has been serving as chairman of the CASA Board. Beckett led the breakfast event with the compelling story of the many children in Summit County who need the services of CASA. This year’s focus was on the shocking problem of human trafficking in our own community.

“We had a great morning celebrating Signet’s David Bouffard as the 2018 Kannel Child Advocate of the Year and learning about how we can help victims of human trafficking here in Summit County. The immediate goal of the CASA/GAL Program is to provide each child victim of abuse and neglect with a trained CASA volunteer,” said Beckett.  “Thank you to Elizabeth Bartz and State and Federal Communications for facilitating and supporting my involvement with the CASA Board.”

Thank you, Michael Beckett and all of the CASA volunteers for the terrific work you are doing for the children of Summit County!

Pictured: State and Federal Research Manager Michael Beckett and President and CEO Elizabeth Z. Bartz

One of the great things about my job as Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility is I get the chance to be out in the community right where the action is. Yesterday I was a social justice facilitator at a historic community conversation called “It’s Time to Talk: Forums on Race.” The event was conceived and hosted by the Akron Urban League, Temple Israel of Akron, and the YWCA Greater Cleveland.

State and Federal Communications President and CEO Elizabeth Bartz and five of the company’s staff participated.

Three hundred and fifty people gathered at Akron’s Quaker Station to begin a dialog about racism, discrimination, and unconscious bias. I found the experience to be life-giving and life-changing.

We were provided five months of training under the leadership of Urban League President and CEO Dr. Sadie Winlock, Rabbi Joshua Brown, and Laurie Zuckerman of Zuckerman Consulting. Keynote speaker Dr. Jerry Sue Thornton set the tone and then the discussion at each table began.

There were feelings of pain, candor, hope and responsibility in the room: “We sit on the shoulders of leaders in our region who have had conversations, shared personal stories and continue to try and understand people and cultures different from their own. Today is one of several luncheons taking place across the country to discover and recover from core hurts and move our society into a cohesive and collaborative space.”

What did this event do for me? I have a new resolve to get out of my comfort zone, to do a whole lot more listening, and to make some intentional friendships with people who are different from me. I am so glad I had the chance to be a small part of it. Thank you, State and Federal Communications for making this possible!

Here is a great article on WKSU describing the event.

We’ve been Stock(ing) the Sleigh with socks for the homeless of Akron. A change of socks is one of the easiest and most profound ways to offer comfort to someone who lives outside and deals with cold, wet feet.

I am thrilled to report we have collected about 300 pairs of socks for the Haven of Rest, which serves hundreds of homeless people in the Akron area.

Thank you to the staff for their generous giving this holiday season!

There are more than 26,000 children in Summit County who experience food insecurity.

We have students in the Akron Public Schools who depend on the school meals for their sustenance and must do without during the holiday break.

The United Way of Summit County is answering that need by collecting food in their Holiday Snack Pack Drive.

We are proud to say we collected 588 individual snacks for those students as our way of sending love to the Akron community this holiday season.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Akron, Ohio has an amazing group offering comfort to some wonderful people in need.

Each month, members of the Women’s Philoptochos Society are creating lovely quilts for the military, special quilts for those in burn units, and for many other people in need! As well as being comfy, these hand-crafted quilts are works of art made with loving care.

State and Federal Communications is proud to do its part by sponsoring the cost of shipping for these precious gifts.

 
We are kicking off the holiday season with our Stock(ing) the Sleigh project for the Akron community.  This year we are collecting socks for the homeless. Our sock drive begins today and ends on Monday, December 18. All donations will benefit the Haven of Rest, which serves hundreds of homeless people in the Akron area.

Also, we are gathering snacks for the children in the Akron Public Schools with United Way’s Holiday Snack Pack Drive! It starts today and runs until Monday, December 11. You can be a champion for a hungry child in the Akron Public Schools by bringing in snack items – you can find the list of snacks here.

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, has long been a leader in corporate social responsibility and strategic philanthropy, as well as a fierce defender of her community. Spirit of Philanthropy has recognized Bartz by naming her as one of their “Game Changers” of 2017-2018.

The organization’s motto is: Elevate. Encourage. Engage. That sounds like Elizabeth Bartz to us!

Here is the article that appeared in their publication:

Success That Means Giving Back 

by Connie Swenson

When Elizabeth Bartz was hired in 1983 at State and Federal Associates in Washington, D.C. (founded in 1976), she had no idea that she would eventually own her own business.

“In 1993, I bought out my department, State and Federal Communications, from State and Federal Associates, and moved it to Akron,” she says. She relocated the government compliance division back to her hometown and now employs 40, including 12 attorneys, and says she has other positions open she would like to fill.

“We are a company that is unique and valued in our field,” Bartz says. “We are experts in lobbying compliance laws, political contribution compliance laws, and procurement lobbying compliance laws. We are a company with a strong commitment to helping our clients comply with these state and federal laws and regulations.”

Under Bartz’ leadership, the company offers quick access to online, up-to-date information provided on its website each day. She has over 100 clients, which now include GM, Honda, Walmart, Target and Lyft.

But that is not the only aspect of Bartz’ career and life that is unique. Philanthropy has been very important to her. “I grew up Christian. I learned the importance of helping others,” she says. “Outside of your job, what are you doing to make this a better place?”

Today, she is involved with many local charities and passes on the philosophy of helping others her employees. “Every year, all employees participate in the United Way Day of Action. We’ve been involved for ten years; we all get together and do it together,” she says.

“We participate with a lot of nonprofits in Akron and Northeast Ohio including the Akron Urban League, Project GRAD Akron and Akron Children’s Hospital.”

And Bartz wears Kent State University blue and gold proudly. A passionate alum of both the Trumbull and Kent campuses, she has provided funding for student scholarships—one to graduates of Howland High School, her alma mater, the other to promising incoming freshmen in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She also sits on WKSU’s community board and underwrites news programming focusing on election reporting. In October 2017, Bartz received the Kent State Advocacy Award.

“Philanthropy makes the community a better place to live,” she says. “I think it’s important to help people less fortunate. I’ve been blessed. I don’t feel the need to spend any more money on myself.”