Firm Kicks Off 2025 with Multi-Year Commitment to HOPE Toledo
TOLEDO, Ohio, February 12, 2025 – SSOE Group, an internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, announces a strategic partnership with the Greater Toledo Community Foundation to manage its charitable contributions through the establishment of the SSOE Foundation. SSOE strongly believes in sharing the advantages of its success in the communities where we operate through various programs, volunteerism, financial support, and donations—reinforcing the importance of this partnership and the firm’s vision to design and build the future for its clients, colleagues, and communities.
Partnering for Efficiency and Greater Impact
The collaboration between SSOE and the Greater Toledo Community Foundation aims to maximize the impact of the firm’s philanthropic efforts through the creation of a Donor Advised Growth Fund, termed the “SSOE Foundation.” This foundation offers flexible distribution of funds based on needs in the communities where SSOE’s offices reside.
“We’re enthusiastic about our partnership with the Greater Toledo Community Foundation in the development of the SSOE Foundation. Both of our organizations are committed to making a positive difference in the local community where we’re headquartered, as well as extending that influence to the other communities where our broad network of employees live and work,” said Vince DiPofi, PE, CEO of SSOE. “This partnership enables us to leverage our resources to benefit a broader range of charities and enhances our ability to more swiftly provide resources to organizations that can make a significant impact.”
Helping to Transform Toledo’s Future
The firm kicked off 2025 with a multi-year financial commitment to HOPE Toledo through the SSOE Foundation which will result in a minimum of $100,000 donated to the nonprofit. Through a comprehensive, inclusive, cradle-to-career education initiative, HOPE Toledo aims to be the catalyst that moves Toledo forward to a brighter tomorrow for the children, youth, city, and region.
“We’re grateful for the commitment of SSOE,” commented Rev. John C. Jones, President and CEO of HOPE Toledo. “I am personally appreciative of how SSOE continues to lean in and make the lives of our children and families in this community better. This critical investment not only serves children and families right now but builds a crucial bridge to long-term investment in education that will have real generational economic change for the betterment of the Toledo region.”
DiPofi continued, “Our commitment to the Toledo community is unwavering, and we’re dedicated to contributing to its growth and well-being. Through our charitable giving, we support local initiatives that address critical needs, foster education, and promote economic development. Our support to HOPE Toledo, Toledo Public Schools, the University of Toledo, and other local partners demonstrates SSOE’s dedication to the full cycle of education in the area. We believe in giving back to the community that has supported us for 76 years, where our world headquarters proudly stands and we employ the largest percentage of SSOE’s workforce.”
Commitment to Full-Cycle Education
In addition to supporting the educational efforts of HOPE Toledo, SSOE has a more than 35-year history working alongside and supporting Toledo Public Schools (TPS) through volunteer efforts, apprenticeship programs, and donations in support of the school system’s initiatives. These initiatives include the Pickett Elementary Community Hub Program, Partners in Education, Hawkins STEMM Academy, Junior Achievement of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Technology Academy, Lucas County Workforce Development MADE Program, and Escuela SMART Academy.
Pivoting from K-12 to higher education, SSOE has been a proud supporter of The University of Toledo for over seven decades. Most recently, in 2022, a combined gift was announced to the College of Engineering from DiPofi, his wife Sandra, and the firm. The following year, funds from that five-year contribution came to life during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of the SSOE / DiPofi Family Office of Student Success, Opportunity, and Engagement. Later in 2023, in honor of its 75th year in business, SSOE pledged $750,000 to Toledo charities over three years and an additional $750,000 over that time to charities in cities where the firm’s offices reside. In 2024, SSOE donated to more than 40 educational institutions benefiting students of all ages.
Kate Sommerfeld, President and CEO of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, provided her thoughts, stating, “The Community Foundation exists to foster and enable partnerships like this to drive our community forward, so we’re incredibly excited about the collaboration to establish the SSOE Foundation. By creating this fund and using the Community Foundation’s philanthropic infrastructure, the firm’s charitable giving can be most efficient, deeply effective and impactful to support SSOE’s corporative giving and for direct donations from their employee population.”
