Helen Stambaugh has served the Mahoning Valley as a true symbol of philanthropy throughout the past half century and has been a key contributor to Youngstown State University and the Athletics Department for many decades.
For YSU, Stambaugh, along with her late husband, Arnold, will forever be linked to the Athletic Department by the naming of Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium. The Stadium opened in 1982 and gave the football program its first on-campus home facility. Nearly 30 years later, it remains one of the top complexes at the FCS level.
She underwrites a scholarship endowment in the athletic department and contributed $150,000 for the YSU Marching Pride to get new uniforms in 2007. Stambaugh also provided the lead gift for the university’s Wellness and Recreation Center, which opened in 2005. On campus, the Stambaugh Room in Kilcawley Center is named in the honor of her husband and her. In 2005, she was named Penguin of the Year while being named a Friend of the University in 2008. Additionally, she helped contribute to the construction of the stadium’s East side and took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony in 1997.
Other notable awards for Mrs. Stambaugh include: Valley Legacy Award as an Outstanding Senior from Shepherd of the Valley; 2004 Outstanding Philanthropists Mahoning/Shenango Chapter; Greater Communicator Award from Youngstown Hearing and Speech Center; 2007 Distinguished Scouter Award by the Great Western Reserve Boy Scout Council; 2008 Helen Stambaugh Award from Shepherd of the Valley and 2007 Woman of the Year-Distinguished Citizen Award by the Federation of Women Club. Recently the lobby at Park Vista of Youngstown was named the Helen Stambaugh Lobby in recognition of her long-standing financial support.
In the past 15 years, the Arnold D. Stambaugh and Helen R. Stambaugh Charitable Foundation contributed more than $1 million in cumulative giving to the Park Vista Retirement Community and more than $500,000 to Shepherd of the Valley.
She has been involved with the YWCA, where she served on the Women of the Year Committee; she served as President of the Staff Club Chapter of the Federation of Women’s Clubs; Treasurer of the Federation of Women’s Clubs; Treasurer of the Quota Club of Youngstown; as a member of the boards of the Youngstown Hearing and Speech Center and the Salvation Army as well as serving as the Treasurer of its Women’s Auxiliary.
Mrs. Stambaugh has also served on the Executive Council of the Boy Scouts of America and been a member of the Service Corps of Retired Executives. She is also a member of the Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services Board, serving on its Planning and Communications Committee.
She is a resident of Park Vista. Helen is an avid gardener, whose beautiful dahlias in her villa garden are admired by all.
