Tag Archives: John Trunk

Celebrating John Trunk’s Legacy: Happy Retirement!

For the past 8 years, Summit DD has been lucky to call John Trunk their Superintendent. From the first moment we welcomed him to our county, we knew we were in good hands. In July, John announced his retirement and since then we’ve known that the final day would soon come. Over the past several weeks, the community has echoed our sentiments. Summit County Council recently presented John with a commendation, recognizing his work to make this community a more inclusive place for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Earlier this month, OACB presented John with the Kenneth Legats Award for Visionary Leadership in administration. Just last week, several staff and community partners gathered to say goodbye and good luck to John.

John is closing out a four-decade career in the developmental disability field! See the impact he’s made on those around him in the tribute video below. And be sure to check out the slideshow below of recent celebrations for John. Read More ›

Superintendent John Trunk smiling

A Message From the Superintendent

Many industries across the country and in Ohio have felt the impact of staffing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. The disability service industry has certainly felt this impact, as many provider Agencies are struggling to hire and retain Direct Service Professional (DSP) staff. Read the letter from many statewide partners about the impact of this workforce shortage across the state.  Read More ›

Artist rendering of new Cuyahoga Falls building exterior

Sneak Peek: Summit DD Facilities Renovation Progress

Pardon our Dust!

Renovations are underway at both the Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls facilities. As we shared in December 2020, Summit DD sold its 29-acre Tallmadge campus and is renovating our Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls buildings to provide staff  greater access to all of the communities of Summit County.

On May 6, 2021, Summit DD officially broke ground on the Cuyahoga Falls Center renovations. We celebrated by hosting a ceremony with many partners and community leaders, including Mayor Don Walters and County Executive Ilene Shapiro.

Progress at both locations is moving along nicely, with the expected reopening of the Barberton location to happen in late September and Cuyahoga Falls in December of 2021. We can’t wait!

“We all know at Summit DD that we cannot achieve our goal of helping create a welcoming community without our partners,” commented Summit DD Superintendent, John Trunk. “The ongoing support that we receive allows Summit DD to carry out our mission of helping more than 5,000 individuals with developmental disabilities achieve their fullest life potential one person at a time.”

See our Progress

Check out the progress below. And be sure to check back for updated pictures throughout the summer.

Barb Center 2Barb Center 3Barb Center1CF Center 1CF Center 2CF Center 3CF Center 4

Summit DD Grant Supports Local Disability Professionals Through Crisis

(Tallmadge, Ohio) – In an effort to support direct support professionals and front-line supervisors amid the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, Summit DD created a grant opportunity in April to help local disability agencies in Summit County.

  • A total of $100,000 was shared by nearly 50 local providers serving people with developmental disabilities. Providers ranged from small organizations with less than ten employees, to larger ones employing more than 250 people, with individual grant awards ranging from $75 to $10,000. Grant money was required to be used to support or incentivize direct support professionals and front-line supervisors who have continued to support people in their homes throughout this crisis.

Read More ›

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