Safety Grants
UA Police Division, Safety Town
2023: Grant by Don and Jane Leach, Bikes and Stop Signs
2023: Grant by George F. Renkert Fund, Bikes and Stop Signs
2022: $12,000, Foundation Grant, Concrete Sidewalks
Safety Town is a one-week summer preschool where children learn about all aspects of child safety, sponsored by the Upper Arlington Police Division. Children attend each year to learn to make wise decisions in potentially dangerous situations and emergencies. Students learn pedestrian and traffic safety by cycling about a miniature village complete with streets, sidewalks, buildings, stop signs, and a working traffic signal. Grants in 2022 and 2023 enabled the City of Upper Arlington to expand sidewalks at Safety Town to better teach participants about crosswalk safety and purchase new bikes and stop signs.
UA Police Division, Runaway Pets
2023: $1,041, Foundation Grant
The UA Police Division, with the help of a few caring community volunteers, works hard to connect runaway pets with their families. With a Foundation grant, the Division purchased two pet chip readers, leashes, collars, and animal carriers to ensure officers and volunteers can successfully reunite families with their furry friends.
UA Police Division, Police Night Out
2023: $5,000, Foundation Grant
National Night Out is a community-police awareness-raising event. The Foundation provided seed funding for the UA Police Division’s inaugural Police Night Out event, held on August 1, 2023, at St. Agatha Parish in Upper Arlington.
Safety Town Enhancements
2022-2023:
Foundation grants expanded sidewalks, added bikes, and updated signage at Safety Town — the beloved UA Police Division program where preschoolers learn traffic safety by cycling through a miniature village with real streets, stop signs, and a working traffic signal.
Ensuring Safety at our Parks
2020: Life-saving AEDs funded across seven city parks
A $15,000 investment placed automated defibrillators in key gathering spaces, prioritizing health and safety throughout the community.
Investments in Community Safety
2017-2018: Sustained investments made in community safety
Funding supported a new DARE Truck for the UA Police Division, and its 2024 replacement, and provided $13,000+ for thermal imaging and ultrasound equipment for UA Fire, equipping first responders with essential tools.