1991 – 2000: Dedicated to positive, impactful, and productive projects that contribute to the educational, civic, and intercultural growth of the Dayton community, Dayton (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated began a signature fundraising event – COOKIN’ Men in 1992 and established The Links African American Community Fund Scholarship Endowment to benefit Wilberforce University and Central State University students in 1993. Both COOKIN’ Men and the Scholarship Endowment continue as core components of our organization, enabling us to fund outstanding programs and support HBCU student matriculation.
2001 – 2013: Our Chapter serves the Dayton Community through Five National Program Facets: Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services.
As we continued to focus on all facets, the Chapter implemented several new initiatives – Education Across The Miles, Society for the Advancement of Culture & Welfare in Sierra Leone (SACSL), Links To Luggage, Linkages To Life, hosting the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and Smart Edge. The Chapter later moved to an Umbrella Programming framework with Books Alive 4 Kids at Wogaman & Louise Troy Elementary Schools. We have endowed scholarship funds to support students at Sinclair Community College, Central State, and Wilberforce Universities. Whether it is providing financial literacy programming with partners, AARP and Ally Financial, or partnering with other community organizations, such as the Boonshoft Museum, Dayton Art Institute, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, the American Cancer Society, Life Connection of Ohio, or Clothes That Work!, the Dayton Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, strives to improve the quality of life for the members of the Dayton community and to become the premier community service organization in the Greater Dayton area. We believe in the vision of our founders and the power of friendship and service – “Together, we’ll succeed!
2014 – Current: In 2014, we celebrated our 65th Anniversary. As part of the celebration, we hosted a “65th Anniversary Community Partner Reception”, where we recognized select community partners that facilitated educational, civic, social service, and cultural growth in the Miami Valley over the past 65 years. More than $65,000 was awarded to various organizations that perpetuated the ideals and purposeful work of The Links Incorporated.