Who We Are

Our Roots

Garrettsville, a village in Portage County, Ohio, was first settled by Colonel John Garrett in 1803. He built a gristmill which became a local commerce center during the early 19th century. The village is best known as the home of the man who invented Lifesavers candy. In 1926, the Rotary Club of Garrettsville-Hiram, Ohio was established. By 2001, the Club's 75th anniversary year, membership had dwindled to ten members with lagging enthusiasm for the Rotary cause of Service above Self. Club officers decided they had to do something to better connect the Club with its community.

Amy Crawford, a Garrettsville businesswoman and Club President at the time, wanted a service project that would have a lasting, ongoing influence in the community. She reports that, "After several brainstorming sessions, the idea that caught fire with Club members was to recognize and celebrate the benefits that strong families offered our community. Everyone belongs to a family so if we did something for families we had the potential of reaching every person in the community."

In the spring of 2003, the Club sponsored a week-long community service project to celebrate, recognize, and honor the contributions strong families make to the community. This unique community service project, now known as Empower the Family, has become an annual event in the villages of Garrettsville, Hiram, and Windham, Ohio.

Vibert Kesler, chair of the first Empower the Family project, recognized the potential this service project had for other communities. World Peace Parents Foundation was organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity to refine and adapt Empower the Family as a "turnkey" project for prospective sponsors in other communities. Click here for information on becoming a Sponsor.