In Akron your first point of contact is Jennifer Thomas, Program Director / Akron and Northeast Ohio.
The 2009 Soul of the Community Survey explores the link between residents' emotional ties to where they live and the community's economic growth. Three main factors emotionally connect residents to Akron: social offerings (fun places to gather), aesthetics (an area’s physical beauty and green spaces) and openness (how welcoming a place is). The study also found that the Akron area needs to be seen as more open, particularly to young, talented college graduates who can help fortify the region’s economic future, to further encourage resident attachment to the area.
See survey details for Akron at http://www.soulofthecommunity.org/akron .