About Us

Our Organization

We founded Stow Collaboration for Change, a 501(c)(4) organization, in 2020, after our President, Miguel Carvallo, called for Stow-Munroe Falls community members to write to the school board, since it refused to say that Black Lives Matter.

After receiving more than 40 letters, the board reluctantly read them aloud, during a virtual meeting, streamed over YouTube. While one board member read a letter, which talked about the suicide of a Black Stow-Munroe Falls student, another board member started laughing.

Understandably, community members were outraged, signing petitions to remove the board member, and calling on the board, and the City of Stow, to do something about the racism that pervades the community.

As alumni, we felt it was our responsibility to further this cause, and other social causes, in the city, and the Northeast Ohio region, so that future generations can lead safer, more validating, meaningful, and joyful lives.

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Our Mission

Stow Collaboration for Change advocates for public education, political leadership, and cultural life that empowers the people of Stow-Munroe Falls to build coalition, understand present-day injustice, and together, build a more just and joyful world.

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Our Work

To see our 2023 Annual Report, tap below.

We’re involved in a number of different activities, including:

• Partnering with the Initiative to Memorialize George Garrison, Jr., to honor a friend who died by suicide in 2003, by creating an endowed scholarship and memorial in his honor
• Fundraising for social justice initiatives, such as aiding the family of Jayland Walker, who was a Black man murdered by the Akron Police in June of 2022
• Helping plan events with Stow’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative, such as Dinner and a Fight (Dialogue), Juneteenth: Community Conversations + Reflections, and the John Lewis Bridge and Leona Farris Lodge dedication ceremonies
• Supporting political candidates, school policies, and ballot measures that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Supporting students who speak out about bullying and sexual assault at Stow-Munroe Falls High School
• Giving Stow alumni of color a space to talk about their experiences

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Our Team

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Disclaimer

Stow Collaboration for Change, EIN #87-3437046, is a 501(c)(4), social welfare organization, not a 501(c)(3), charitable organization. The IRS allows 501(c)(4)s to endorse political candidates, as well as support or oppose laws, or ballot measures. Because of this, donations to us are not tax-deductible, unlike donations to 501(c)(3), charitable organizations.

If you’d like to read more about what’s allowed and what’s not allowed, in terms of political activities for 501(c)(4)s, take a look at this document, which is hosted on the IRS’ website. Page 4, which is quoted below, mentions endorsing candidates and lobbying:

“IRC 501(c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) organizations may engage in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to candidates for public office provided that such intervention does not constitute the organization’s primary activity.”

Source: “Political Campaign and Lobbying Activities of IRC 501(c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) Organizations” — courtesy of IRS.gov.

“Organizations described in IRC 501(c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) may engage in an unlimited amount of lobbying, provided that the lobbying is related to the organization’s exempt purpose.”

Source: “Political Campaign and Lobbying Activities of IRC 501(c)(4), (c)(5), and (c)(6) Organizations” — courtesy of IRS.gov.

Political activities constitute roughly 33% of what we do, so they’re not our primary activity — see our mission, above, for the three areas that we focus on.

If you’d like to view our IRS tax exemption determination letter, you can find it here. You can also view our financial information, by tapping this link. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.