Paul Hagman says serving on the Youngstown Grant Making Committee has allowed him to grow as he helps the community to flourish

Paul Hagman, an architect with Faniro Architects Inc., lives in downtown Youngstown and views his role on the Youngstown Neighborhood Success Grant Making Committee as a way of helping the community.

"Serving on the very diverse SUCCESS Grants Committee has allowed me to meet peers from all over the Valley that I would otherwise not have gotten to meet.  Some of these peers serve on the Committee with me, and others are emerging as the leaders of some of the many grassroots groups to which we give assistance," he said.  "Attending events, volunteering time and otherwise getting involved in the efforts of all of these individuals has allowed me to grow as I help our community to flourish."

Hagman, a lifelong area resident, said the Mahoning Valley has long suffered from a lack of investment. "That lack of investment over the past several decades has lead to dis-investment, or a physical removal of goods, services and monies from the area," he said.

The Raymond John Wean Foundation, particularly through the Neighborhood SUCCESS Grants Program, has given individuals and grassroots organizations in Youngstown and Warren "the ability to invest in their community, and in some cases, has attracted outside investment in the these communities through matching funds and other services," Hagman said.