The 7th Annual Teddy Foltz Memorial Poker Run was held on Sunday, June 25 at Papa's Sports Bar (1639 Poland Ave. Youngstown) in support of the family of 14-year-old Teddy Foltz and to bring awareness to the issues of child abuse and torture.

After a year of absence in 2020 due to COVID, hundreds participated in what has become a tradition in the community memorializing Foltz. Foltz endured years of abuse in his home, which ultimately brought his life to an end in 2013. 

This year, thanks to food, entertainment, t-shirts, vendors, a ticket auction and a 50/50, a total of $22,088 was raised for the Sojourner House Domestic Violence Shelter in Teddy's name, nearly double what has been raised in previous years.

Sojourner House is Mahoning County's domestic violence shelter. The shelter offers emergency shelter, advocacy, counseling and other supportive services to over 100 families each year escaping violence in their homes.

In 2021 alone, nearly 100 children have been sheltered at Sojourner House, as well as Daybreak Youth Shelter, a sister program for Sojourner for runaway and homeless youth operated by COMPASS. 

Sojourner House will be using funds to immediately impact the lives of those residing in the shelter, as well as non-residents receiving outgoing supportive services.