Header photo of Ely Square 2021 Courtesy of Matt Lance
The Invest Elyria website is not affiliated with Invest My Town, Invest Lorain or any other organization that may have links to this page or any of our pages from their website. Website Disclaimer
Welcome to the IE Website
ABOUT US:
Invest Elyria (IE) is a 501(c )(3) non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers. Our group has a genuine desire to promote Elyria’s community as a great place to live, work, and raise a family. With a focus on the arts, food and commerce, we believe in keeping Elyria businesses thriving and improving the morale of our community. The organization also develops initiatives to encourage good citizenship and bring neighbors together. Invest Elyria supports and is actively involved with other community groups through contributions and volunteering. Invest Elyria has run the Elyria Farmers Market on 14 Saturdays during the summer for the past 7 years, promoting farm fresh produce with help from the Lorain County Public Health. In 2018 working with Our F.A.M.I.L.Y. (Fathers and Mothers Involved In Local Youth), and 2nd Harvest of North Central Ohio we initiated our Pilot Mobile Market program in order to deliver fresh fruit and produce to those in need that do not have transportation at 5 locations in Elyria. In 2019, working with the Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority we established a pantry located in Wilkes Villa. Be sure to visit our IE What We Do page for more information about us...Thank You!
This website was designed to not only tell you about us, but to keep you informed on what is happening around the city. We've included pages about subjects like the Community, Veterans, The City of Elyria, City Schools, a Kid's page and more. Take a look around our website and thank you in advance for visiting with us.
Invest Elyria (IE) is a 501(c )(3) non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers. Our group has a genuine desire to promote Elyria’s community as a great place to live, work, and raise a family. With a focus on the arts, food and commerce, we believe in keeping Elyria businesses thriving and improving the morale of our community. The organization also develops initiatives to encourage good citizenship and bring neighbors together. Invest Elyria supports and is actively involved with other community groups through contributions and volunteering. Invest Elyria has run the Elyria Farmers Market on 14 Saturdays during the summer for the past 7 years, promoting farm fresh produce with help from the Lorain County Public Health. In 2018 working with Our F.A.M.I.L.Y. (Fathers and Mothers Involved In Local Youth), and 2nd Harvest of North Central Ohio we initiated our Pilot Mobile Market program in order to deliver fresh fruit and produce to those in need that do not have transportation at 5 locations in Elyria. In 2019, working with the Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority we established a pantry located in Wilkes Villa. Be sure to visit our IE What We Do page for more information about us...Thank You!
This website was designed to not only tell you about us, but to keep you informed on what is happening around the city. We've included pages about subjects like the Community, Veterans, The City of Elyria, City Schools, a Kid's page and more. Take a look around our website and thank you in advance for visiting with us.
Check out our important links below for info about the City of Elyria, our special Community Page and much, much more:
Our Mission Statement:
"Invest Elyria inspires, equips and mobilizes the residents of Elyria through volunteering to take action that improves morale."
Discrimination Policy:
Invest Elyria does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
Invest Elyria's Pantry 2022 Recap: We are proud to announce the number of people we were able to distribute free food to in 2021 on the last Thursday of each month in spite of the safety issues we had to deal with during the pandemic. We would like to thank all our volunteers, Bendix for donating the Mobile Market van, Buckeye Health for their continued support, Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio for providing the free fruit/produce, and their support throughout the year, Discount Drug Mart for donation of bags used at our distributions, and LMHA for providing the space for us to run our food pantry in 2021...Thank You... Thank You...Thank You!
LOCAL AGENCY STATISTICAL REPORT:
With minor children Without minor children TOTALS
1. Number of Households 198 106 304
2. Number of Seniors Served (age 60+) 49 63 112
3. Number of Adults Served (18 - 59) 432 137 569
4. Number of Children Served (birth - 17) 457 0 751
5. TOTAL Number of People Served 938 200 1138
LOCAL AGENCY STATISTICAL REPORT:
With minor children Without minor children TOTALS
1. Number of Households 198 106 304
2. Number of Seniors Served (age 60+) 49 63 112
3. Number of Adults Served (18 - 59) 432 137 569
4. Number of Children Served (birth - 17) 457 0 751
5. TOTAL Number of People Served 938 200 1138
- Total Number of meals provided: 10242 with an average of 9 meals per person
- 75% of people served were Children and Seniors.

Mobile Market/Pantry:
We are proud to have helped out folks in need in 2020. Some statistics on what we've been able to do in the short time that we worked with the 2nd Harvest Food Bank of N. Central Ohio & Our F.A.M.I.L.Y (Fathers and Mothers Involved with Local Youth):
- 1905 People Served
- 17145 Meals Provided
- 486 Families Served
- 927 Children & 119 Seniors Served (55%)
Thanks also to Bendix, Buckeye Health, LMHA & Northwest Savings Bank for your support
We are proud to have helped out folks in need in 2020. Some statistics on what we've been able to do in the short time that we worked with the 2nd Harvest Food Bank of N. Central Ohio & Our F.A.M.I.L.Y (Fathers and Mothers Involved with Local Youth):
- 1905 People Served
- 17145 Meals Provided
- 486 Families Served
- 927 Children & 119 Seniors Served (55%)
Thanks also to Bendix, Buckeye Health, LMHA & Northwest Savings Bank for your support
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems donates Van to Invest Elyria; Feb. 2, 2018
Thank You so much Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems for your generous donation of a van to help us expand the scope of what we will be able to do for our community. A special thanks to Belinda Van Keuren, a technical writer at Bendix, that heads the company’s Local Core Team in working with nonprofits, Wayne Leftrict and Maria Gutierrez for their guidance and hospitality. We are truly humbled by your generosity.
In 2020 along with running our pantry each month we worked with Our F.A.M.I.L.Y (Fathers and Mothers Involved with Local Youth) through The Mobile Market Senior Delivery Program providing free home delivered meals to Elyria residents from mid-October through December. Funding courtesy of the City of Elyria CARES Act.
In 2020 along with running our pantry each month we worked with Our F.A.M.I.L.Y (Fathers and Mothers Involved with Local Youth) through The Mobile Market Senior Delivery Program providing free home delivered meals to Elyria residents from mid-October through December. Funding courtesy of the City of Elyria CARES Act.
*Elyria Farmers Market 2022 ScheduleWe are once again excited to start a new season at the Elyria Farmers Market. Our hours this year: 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. This year the market is at Ely Square in downtown Elyria.
Please note schedule is tentative and weather permitting.(Check back for updates) The Elyria Farmers Market will be open every Sat. Starting June 25th through September 10, 2022 Kids Day is July 30,2022 where we will have a free lunch for the kids along with games, and other entertainment. August 13, 2022: Colon Cancer/Breast Cancer Awareness Day August 27,2022: MHARS and the Lorain County Health Department will be at the market. Please note schedule is tentative and weather permitting.(Check back for updates) |
Elyria Farmers Market 2022 Location: Ely Square in downtown Elyria, OH
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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Elyria Farmers Market was cancelled in 2020
Mural: Before I Die I Want To... Completed Sept. 1, 2015

This wall mural was inspired by Candy Chang who lost Joan, a mother to her for over 15 years who had told Ms. Chang before her death about her dreams: to travel to Paris, learn to play the piano, and see the Pacific Ocean. Ms. Chang began to reflect on her life , her dreams, and her aspirations. She realized after opening up herself more to neighbors and people she met that there were many other folks out there who often reflected on their own lives. With the help of some friends they created a wall similar to this on an abandoned house in New Orleans in 2012,. Those visiting the wall used chalk to write what they wanted to do before they died. Invest Elyria volunteers finished the chalkboard painted mural located at 356 Broad St. Elyria, OH on Sept. 1, 2015. We invite you to stop down and write your thoughts, dreams, and aspirations. To watch video of the mural go to our Media page/Videos.