The B&O Station was home to the 5th Annual WRTA Holiday Lights Awards on Monday evening, with the organization holding a public vote to help decide the area's Non-Profit of the Year.

The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) honored 10 non-profits for their "outstanding and consistent dedication to the Mahoning Valley community," with ACLD School and Learning Center being crowned Non-Profit of the Year at the dinner event. 

ACLD School and Learning Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of individuals with learning and/or developmental difficulties

"A few years ago, we wanted to do something to help the community during the holiday season," Dean Harris, CEO of the WRTA, said. "We were able to give these non-profits a chance for better exposure to help them get donations and maybe volunteers to help their organizations." WRTA provided all honorees with a shared regional awareness campaign on TV, social media and bus ads.

The non-profit organizations that were honored included:

  • ACLD School and Learning Center
  • Friends of the Mahoning River
  • Game Changers
  • Hopewell Theatre
  • Mahoning Valley Historical Society
  • OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science & Technology
  • Silver Lining Cancer Fund
  • Youngstown Area Jewish Federation
  • Youngstown Playhouse
  • Youngstown Press Club

Harris explained how the three co-chairs of the awards, Barb Ewing, Makenna Ozenghar and Josh Aikens, helped decide which organizations would be honored at this year's event based on the applications received.

The ACLD School and Learning Center will receive a custom individual TV advertising campaign from Spectrum Reach, a targeted social media campaign from Farris Marketing and StategiX Social and a $1,000 donation from a First National Bank.