MultiFaith Council of NW Ohio

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We create opportunities for lifelong learning, spiritual development, and community building to promote compassion, understanding and belonging in northwest Ohio.

10/20/2026

Sonia Flunder-McNair isn't just growing food. She's growing healthier communities, cultivating future leaders, and creating opportunities for generations to come.

We are thrilled to recognize Sonia with the Hero of Compassion Award at the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio's 2026 Annual Banquet, Many Faiths, One Community.

Sonia is a visionary community leader, entrepreneur, and agricultural advocate whose work brings together urban agriculture, holistic wellness, youth development, and economic opportunity.

As the Founder and Executive Director of Urban Wholistics, a Toledo-based nonprofit, and founder of SONIA Organics Products LLC and SOrganics®, Sonia is transforming how communities approach food access, education, and well-being.

Through Tatum Park by SONIA Organics, an urban farm established in 2017, she has transformed underutilized land into a vibrant space for growing fresh food, hands-on learning, workforce development, and community connection. Her innovative approach has gained statewide attention, with her urban farming model helping inform Ohio's Youth Farmer Initiative.

Sonia also serves on the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department Board of Directors, where she advocates for community wellness and health equity.

What makes Sonia's work so powerful is her belief that communities already possess the knowledge, talent, and potential to create lasting change. Her work is about more than addressing food insecurity. It's about giving people the tools, resources, and opportunities to build healthier, more sustainable futures.

Sonia reminds us that compassion is not simply about meeting immediate needs. It's also about empowering people and creating opportunities for generations to thrive.

Please join us in celebrating Sonia at the MFC Annual Banquet on Wednesday, October 28!

Reserve your seat: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-banquet-9

10/18/2026

Strong communities are built by people who show up, bring others together, and generously share their time and talents. Marilyn DuFour has been doing just that for the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio for many years!

We are delighted to recognize Marilyn with the MFC Distinguished Service Award at our 2026 Annual Banquet, Many Faiths, One Community.

Marilyn's connection to MFC began through Monroe Street United Methodist Church, where she met MFC co-founder Woody Trautman. Since then, she has been involved in numerous Council initiatives, including MultiFaith GROWS, the Compassion Games, the MultiFaith Women's Group, the MultiFaith Women's Book Study, and the Dances of Universal Peace.

This year, Marilyn stepped forward to lead the MultiFaith Women's Group, helping organize gatherings and strengthen relationships among participants. Her commitment to bringing people together reflects the heart of MFC's mission.

Marilyn also brings a lifelong dedication to community service and environmental stewardship. After a 31-year career with the City of Toledo, she retired last year, having served in both parks and environmental services. In 2017, she helped bring the National Wildlife Federation's Sacred Grounds Garden for Wildlife program to Toledo through collaboration with MFC friends and local environmental organizations.

Through her leadership, generosity, and willingness to get involved, Marilyn continues to help make MFC a welcoming and connected community.

Please join us in celebrating Marilyn at the MFC Annual Banquet on Wednesday, October 28!

Reserve your seat: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-banquet-9

10/16/2026

What does it look like when a workplace makes room for people of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds to belong? The SSOE Group Interfaith Alliance Employee Resource Group (ERG) is helping answer that question!

The MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio is excited to celebrate the SSOE Group Interfaith Alliance ERG as a Champion of Belonging at our 2026 Annual Banquet, Many Faiths, One Community.

The Interfaith Alliance brings employees together across religious and spiritual differences to foster understanding, education, and connection. As a voluntary, employee-led group, it creates a welcoming space where individuals can share their experiences, learn from one another, and feel valued without preference for any particular faith or belief system.

At a time when many organizations are stepping back from initiatives focused on belonging, SSOE is leaning in. Through its Employee Resource Groups, SSOE is creating opportunities for meaningful connection, diverse perspectives, and stronger workplace relationships rooted in mutual respect.

The Interfaith Alliance is co-chaired by Liz Robles and Lucy Young, whose leadership is helping cultivate a workplace culture where religious and spiritual diversity is welcomed and celebrated.

Please join us in celebrating the SSOE Group Interfaith Alliance ERG at the MFC Annual Banquet on Wednesday, October 28!

Reserve your seat: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-banquet-9

10/15/2026

Compassion in action begins when neighbors show up for one another. That's exactly what Abriendo Puertas Para Soluciones (APPS) is doing.

Formed in 2025, APPS is a grassroots organization supporting Spanish-speaking immigrants and their families in the greater Toledo area. Through advocacy, direct assistance, and community organizing, APPS mobilizes neighbors to help ensure immigrant individuals and families are met with dignity, care, and practical support.

Working alongside its sister organization, Toledo Immigrant Alliance, APPS is helping build a network of compassion and solidarity at a time when immigrant communities face significant uncertainty and challenges.

For its commitment to serving our neighbors and bringing people together in support of others, APPS will receive the Hero of Compassion Award at the MultiFaith Council's 2026 Annual Banquet, Many Faiths, One Community.

Please join us in celebrating APPS on Wednesday, October 28!

Reserve your seat: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-banquet-9

10/14/2026

We are thrilled to recognize Joseph Zielinski with the MFC Distinguished Service Award at our 2026 Annual Banquet, Many Faiths, One Community. This award honors an MFC member whose generosity, commitment, and service have gone above and beyond in supporting MFC’s mission, strengthening our community, and encouraging others through their example.

Joe was selected in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to MFC. Since becoming involved with the Council in 2004, after attending the organization’s third annual banquet, Joe has offered steady leadership, financial guidance, and generous support for MFC’s mission.

An accounting instructor at Owens Community College, Joe currently serves as MFC Treasurer and as a member of the Finance Committee, helping ensure that the organization maintains a strong financial foundation for the future. He has also been an active member of the MFC Men’s Group since its beginning and deeply values the relationships he has built through the Council as part of his spiritual and personal growth.

Joe’s commitment has helped strengthen MFC and sustain its work across many seasons. He continues to embody MFC’s vision of living peacefully with our neighbors and building a more compassionate community.

Please join us in celebrating Joe at the MFC Annual Banquet on Wednesday, October 28.

Reserve your seat: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-banquet-9

10/13/2026

The MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio is honored to recognize Reverend Melanie Forrey as a Champion of Belonging at our 2026 Annual Banquet, Many Faiths, One Community.

Pastor Melanie was selected for her leadership with Better Together: Faith Communities United for Pride, which she co-founded in 2024 with Reverend Megan Allen-Miller. Through this work, she has helped create spaces where LGBTQIA+ individuals and families can experience welcome and affirmation within faith communities across greater Toledo.

Pastor Melanie moved with her family from Montana to northwest Ohio nearly five years ago and has been grateful to share in ministry and dwell in community here. She earned her Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in 2022, completed a Chaplain Residency at Mercy Health St. Vincent in 2023, and was ordained to serve in the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in January 2024.

Deeply committed to inclusion and justice, Pastor Melanie believes the relationships and bridges we build are the way to peace and belonging — because we truly are better together.

Please join us in celebrating Pastor Melanie at the MFC Annual Banquet on Wednesday, October 28.

Get your ticket today: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-annual-banquet-9

10/08/2026

How can we teach about religion in ways that foster understanding, respect, and appreciation for diversity?

We were pleased to partner with The University of Toledo for a panel discussion exploring the role of religion in public education, religious pluralism, and the constitutional principles that shape how religion is taught in schools.

A special thank you to UToledo education faculty member Dr. Lynne Hamer for leading this important conversation, and to the other faculty members who helped plan and organize the event.

We are also grateful to our panelists for sharing their knowledge and perspectives:

Sarah Anjum, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at UToledo College of Law, sharing a Muslim perspective.

Rabbi Lisa Delson of Temple Shomer Emunim, sharing a Jewish perspective.

Mr. Clayton Sosa, social studies teacher at Lakota High School, sharing a Christian perspective.

Dipti Vyas, MultiFaith Council Board member, sharing a Hindu perspective.

Dr. Daniel Williams, Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Ashland University, bringing his expertise in Evangelical Christianity and perspective as a Christian.

Participant feedback highlighted the value of hearing diverse perspectives and engaging in thoughtful, balanced discussion. Attendees particularly appreciated the opportunity to deepen their understanding of religious pluralism, constitutional principles, and religion's place in public education.

At the MultiFaith Council, we believe that learning about our differences helps us build a community grounded in understanding, mutual respect, and belonging.

We look forward to continuing these conversations and offering more opportunities and resources for teaching and learning about religious diversity.

Thank you to everyone who made this meaningful conversation possible, including our engaged audience!

10/06/2026

What do you know about the Baha’i Faith?

Who are the Baha’is? What do they believe? What does faith look like in their everyday lives—and what might surprise you?

Exploring Our Faiths is an invitation to learn directly from our neighbors, ask questions, and discover more about the many religious traditions that are part of our greater Toledo community.

Join the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio and The Baha’is of Lucas County for an evening of learning, conversation, and connection.

📅 October 15
🕡 6:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 Franciscan Center (Board Room)

This event is family-friendly and open to people of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds. You don’t need to know anything about the Baha’i Faith before you come.

Just come curious.

Different traditions. Real conversations. Everyone is welcome.

ETA: This photo was taken by Behrooz Modarai at the 2026 Race Amity Picnic featuring members from the Baha'is of Sylvania and their friends.

Address

Toledo, OH
43606

Website

https://multifaithcouncil.org/

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