News

Youngstown hosts forum on arts shaping community future via WFMJ 6/17/26
Loop Youngstown Arts + Culture and the Mahoning Valley Civic Forum held a "State of the Arts" panel discussion at Penguin City Brewing on the expansion of the arts in the area. Christopher Colón, executive director of Thrive Mahoning Valley, which houses the Mahoning Valley Civic Forum, stated: "The arts are not a luxury — they are infrastructure. This conversation is about recognizing what we have, what we've built, and where we're going together." The panel was moderated by Karen Schubert, director and co-founder of Lit Youngstown and president of Loop Youngstown.

Valley Forum Returns with New Name, Renewed Vision via Business Journal Daily 5/6/26
Thrive Mahoning Valley launched the Mahoning Valley Civic Forum at Christman Hall at Stambaugh Auditorium. The series, formerly known as the City Club of the Mahoning Valley, was reintroduced as a space for community discussion, civic engagement and public input, aiming to bring residents together to discuss pressing issues and shape regional conversations.

Mahoning Valley Thrive in Youngstown, Ohio relaunches public forum program via WKBN 5/6/26
Thrive Mahoning Valley announced a relaunch of its public forum program, with local and community leaders gathering for the Mahoning Civic Launch Forum at Stambaugh Auditorium. The purpose is to create healthy dialogue with community members about civil, educational and regional topics.

Civic forum held for community to discuss hot topics, make change via WFMJ 5/7/26
Thrive Mahoning Valley held a series-opening forum at Stambaugh Auditorium, described as a rebirth of the City Club of the Mahoning Valley and designed to foster dialogue between people from different sectors on topics including politics, governance, neighborhoods, and civic infrastructure.

Immigration law center to expand with community support via WFMJ 4/29/26
A Mahoning Valley organization held a community fundraising event to provide legal aid for individuals involved with immigration cases in the area. Thrive Mahoning Valley's Immigration Law Center fundraiser drew 225 attendees — the organization's first large-scale fundraiser since its 2018 launch — with a goal of raising $60,000 to hire a full-time attorney and a DOJ-accredited representative. Executive Director Christopher Colón said the $60,000 goal would likely be achieved, and announced plans to make the event annual.

Thrive Mahoning Valley plans Immigration Law Center via WFMJ 4/28/26
A fundraising dinner the following evening would help make the new Immigration Law Center a reality, with Thrive Mahoning Valley aiming to raise $60,000 to establish the program and begin delivering legal services to immigrants in the region this year.

Thrive Mahoning Valley's Youngstown farmers market sets up shop via WFMJ 4/24/26
Thrive Mahoning Valley's Downtown Youngstown Farmers Market moved outside to set up shop at the Wick Avenue Library. The market, now in its first year in the city, had been operating out of the library's event center over the previous months.

Thrive Mahoning Valley to Launch Immigration Law Center via Business Journal Daily 4/3/26
Thrive Mahoning Valley announced it will host "A Legal Way Forward," a fundraising dinner on April 29 at the B&O Banquet Hall to support the launch of a new immigration law center. The center would provide guidance to individuals and families navigating complex immigration processes, with a fundraising goal of $60,000 to hire a full-time immigration attorney and begin delivering services in 2026.