The northeast Ohio natives had the philanthropic power to make an impact, but as self-described contrarians, the couple looked to give where others didn’t — and where their values and roots aligned.
As the founder of Dots, Bob had created a national apparel chain focusing on affordable clothing for women especially in urban areas. JoAnn, an RN who practiced at inner-city hospitals, had seen community healthcare up close. Her mother was a nurse, and her father was a doctor who refused to practice at a hospital that didn’t accept Black patients.
“Like Hamilton — one last shot — we wanted to be sure the money was spent to do good, and we wanted to know there was an ROI on our investment, that people would really benefit from it,” Bob Glick said.