Young people in Ashland crave connection and purpose, and the area needs the vision and energy of the next generation in order to move forward.

That’s why Ashland County Community Foundation provided seed money for the start-up of Ashland Young Professionals, a networking organization for young Ashland County career-minded individuals.

More than 100 young people attended the organization’s kickoff event in February 2018. Several people remarked they had never seen so many young people in one place in Ashland. Attendees said they found the gathering refreshing and exciting.

Since then, AYP has hosted several mixers, educational events and volunteer opportunities in the community.