To be eligible for assistance through the Comunale Cancer Foundation, you (or a family member) must be receiving active treatment for cancer; i.e., treatment within the past year. The applicant must reside OR be treated in Medina, Portage, Summit or Stark County, and show need of assistance by providing verification and documentation.
The Comunale Cancer Foundation provides assistance with rent or mortgage payments, utility bills (excluding non-essential utilities such as cable TV or internet connections), and other day-to-day financial needs determined on a case-by-case basis. Payments are made directly to the provider, not to the patient or family.
All applications must be submitted directly to the Comunale Cancer Foundation, either online or by mail. Incomplete applications will not be considered!
Verification of income, diagnosis and treatment must be provided with application. All applications must also be accompanied by copies of recent bills (pdf or physical copy preferred). Cellphone snapshots of documents will not be accepted.
They may be mailed or scanned and emailed to info@stephencomunale.org, or faxed to our office 330.835.5978. Once received, an independent committee of the Foundation will review your request and respond in a timely manner.
Send completed application to:
The Distribution Committee
Comunale Cancer Foundation
P.O. Box 13805, Akron, Ohio 44334
Helping families with everyday bills and more
"When patient’s start talking about their everyday bills, they often say things like, 'But that’s not anything you can help with, I don’t know why I am telling you that.'
"This is when I will take the opportunity to tell patients about the Comunale Cancer Foundation. Patients are usually surprised that there is even something out there like that available. I explain how the grant works and what is needed to apply for it. Often patients will say that we should just save that for someone who really needs it. I explain to them that this grant is here for a reason and to only help patients that are in this circumstance."
- R. Elek, Oncology Social Worker, Aultman Cancer Program