Connecticut Community Foundation and the United Way of Greater Waterbury joined together during the onset of the pandemic to create the COVID-19 Response Fund. Thanks to a tremendous outpouring of support from donors throughout Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills, between March 2020 and July 2021 we deployed over $789,008 in funding to community-based organizations at the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak. The stories below offer several snapshots of the impact these funds had in the community.
Turn an Emergency Food Program into an Opportunity for Change
Turn an Emergency Food Program into an Opportunity for Change
With two grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund Naugatuck Valley Project worked with Waterbury Mutual Aid to provide weekly food baskets to over 25 families.
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House Homeless People Safely to Prevent the Spread of the Virus
House Homeless People Safely to Prevent the Spread of the Virus
Being able to place guests in the hotel gave a chance to decompress the shelter to ensure health and safety of staff and guests, but it also helped by opening up more bed space for others experiencing homelessness.
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Find New Ways to Connect Through Technology
Find New Ways to Connect Through Technology
With technology grants from Connecticut Community Foundation and considerable ingenuity, many nonprofits found new ways to serve the community despite needing to keep distance.
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Mental Health Connecticut Delivers 400 Meals per Week
Mental Health Connecticut Delivers 400 Meals per Week
A grant of $8,000 was able to provide fresh produce and healthier meal options. Without the grant, there would have been considerably fewer, less nutritious, meals.
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PPE for Frontline Workers
400K Pieces of PPE for 109 Nonprofit Organizations
Thanks to all who contributed to the COVID-19 Response Fund, nonprofits that received PPE through this distribution were able to continue their work while keeping people safe.
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Ending Hunger in Waterbury
Ending Hunger in Waterbury
Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries provides a 7-day-a-week soup kitchen and an emergency food pantry. Grant money made a difference with serving meals and keeping doors open during COVID-19.
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Brass City Harvest Battles Food Insecurity
Brass City Harvest Battles Food Insecurity
Brass City Harvest handles all of the farmer’s markets in Waterbury. The COVID-19 Response Fund made it possible to continue to operate during the pandemic in accordance with CDC regulations.
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Woodbury Food Assistance
Woodbury Food Assistance
With support from the COVID-19 Response Fund, the Community Services Council of Woodbury was able to invest in PPE and cleansing materials to help keep staff and clients safe and purchase additional food to address increased needs.
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Meals on Wheels Keeps Rolling Their Assistance for Seniors
Meals on Wheels Keeps Rolling Their Assistance for Seniors
The support New Opportunities received helped the Meals on Wheels Program quickly mobilize and get meals out to seniors and the new seniors who were enrolling in the program due to the pandemic.
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Childcare Homes Provide Lifeline to Childcare Access
Childcare Homes Provide Lifeline to Childcare Access
Child Care is Changing And Will Need To Stay Sustainable For Our Communities To Thrive
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Salvation Army Feeds the Most Needed in Difficult Times
Salvation Army Feeds those Most in Need in Difficult Times
Thanks to the COVID-19 Response Fund, the Salvation Army was able to house, serve, and feed more people and meet the increased demand for services.
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Childcare Relief for Frontline Workers
Childcare Relief for Frontline Workers
Easterseals COVID-19 Response Fund grant gave their Childcare Services Department the ability to provide additional equipment and a nurse at the site each morning to make sure that the children and staff were free from any symptoms.
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Utility Assistance in Winter is Crucial
Home heating costs for winter 2021 are going up!
The COVID-19 pandemic has meant more families than ever before needing support to stay current with their fuel bills. Connecticut Community Foundation has been able to support efforts with grants totaling more than $35,000.
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Gifts from Neighbors Provide Critical Community Support
Gifts from Neighbors Provide Critical Community Support
Read two stories of how organizations are using their grants to undertake critically important work and touch a multitude of lives throughout our community.
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COVID-19 Response Fund Is Making A Difference.
COVID-19 Response Fund Is Making A Difference
The pandemic world in which we’re living is changing fast. Thankfully, the COVID-19 Response Fund is responding just as quickly.
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Supporting the community during a crisis and well beyond
Supporting the community during a crisis and well beyond
Ron Garfunkel has made substantial grants from his donor-advised fund to the COVID-19 Response Fund early in the pandemic and as he saw community needs remaining high.
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COVID-19 Response Fund Grants
COVID-19 Response Fund Grants
Through July 20, 2021, the committee has approved $789,008 in grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund
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