Schlink Foundation
Albert G. Schlink was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1885. Olive H. Schlink (nee Metz) was born in Norwalk, Ohio in 1887. They were married on August 4, 1914.
Albert was both a physician and a surgeon. Along with his brother, Dr. Henry Schlink, they founded the Polyclinic Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, Albert served as Chief of Pediatrics in the hospital having practiced medicine in Cleveland for more than 52 years.
Olive, a Norwalk, Ohio native, was one of the first nurses to graduate from St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland. She transferred to Cleveland Babies and Children’s Hospital where she served as supervisor for all Babies and Children’s branches and pharmacies throughout the Cleveland area.
On June 17th, 1966, Albert and Olive, along with John E. Wise of Citizens National Bank and Frank J. Hiltz and Robert A Wiedemann of the law firm of Hiltz and Wiedemann Co., L.P.A. of Norwalk, Ohio incorporated the Albert G. and Olive H. Schlink Foundation. The foundation was funded with stocks purchased by Olive with grocery money she saved (squirreled away) every week. The first grant made by the Foundation was $500.00 to the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Presently, the Foundation is managed by the law firm of Hiltz, Wiedemann, Allton and Koch Co., L.P.A. in Sandusky, Ohio. Under the thoughtful guidance of its board of directors, annual gifts have grown from the first grant of $500.00 to one nonprofit to more than $1,400,000.00 to over 50 diverse public charities in 2023. The current board maintains as a core, those charities the founders had personal connection with and expanding to fund the ever increasing demands of today’s community nonprofits. While the location of the foundation has changed from Norwalk to Sandusky, the focus remains in Ohio and the citizens of Erie and Huron Counties.