Grants Awarded in 2020

Area of Greatest Need

To provide nutritional weekend meals for 130 students in Waterbury’s south end. South Congregational Church collaborates with Washington Elementary School (the local neighborhood school), which provides the church with a number of students who have been identified as experiencing food insecurity at home. Through the Food for Hope program, volunteers assemble about 130 backpacks that are filled with food and bulk items (such as large jars of peanut butter or tuna fish) that help feed the children and their families.

To purchase a new roof, windows, and install a supporting framework for an emergency food pantry building originally purchased in 2015. The pantry, which is an external trailer, needs repairs and additional structural supports due to the weight of food storage and wear and tear on the building. GWIM provides emergency food to low-income and food insecure Waterbury families through their soup kitchen and emergency food pantry. During 2018, Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries provided 173,647 meals for individuals and families.

To support repairs to engine of a bus that provides medical transportation for older adult and disabled Naugatuck residents. Residents ride to physical therapy, chemotherapy, cardiac rehabilitation, dialysis, among other critical medical appointments.

To launch one of eight regional “100-Day Challenges” in early 2019 to address the critical issue of youth homelessness in Connecticut, focusing on the Greater Waterbury and Litchfield area. Facilitated by the Rapid Results Institute, regional teams start out by setting ambitious 100-Day Goals and developing innovative plans to achieve them. Insights about the issues being tackled stimulate and inform conversations among leaders to bring about long-term change.

Arts and Culture

Continued support and expansion of the Metamorphosis Project at Waterbury’s Children’s Community School in the fall of 2020. The 4-week program provides experiential hands-on learning that connects art, nature, science, writing, and social studies/ethics, and gives students a deeper understanding of nature and each other.

To provide backbone support to the Arts & Culture Collaborative of Greater Waterbury, which promotes, connects, collaborates and advocates for the arts in a 16-town region of about 300,000.

To support in-prison workshops, projects, and art supply distribution at Cheshire Correctional Institution (and possibly at Mason Youth Institution in Cheshire); assistance and opportunities for artists returning from prison; family connection initiatives through the arts; and research and collaborative partnering for a long-term exhibition and outreach plan, including at least one initial exhibition in downtown Waterbury.

To help reverse the trend in the state’s declining investment in the arts and work and to integrate arts and culture more effectively in state and municipal programs. This grant would help to fund the implementation of CAA’s strategic plan to increase the organization’s programmatic capacity, hire a full-time staff person, and build a stable and sustainable revenue stream.

For girls to utilize repurposed/recycled items, along with their ingenuity, to create innovative, sustainable art. Funding will support an additional program facilitator to assist this growing program.

To host a Native American Artist Series through which regional Native artists can showcase how they preserve, promote, and represent their heritage and traditions. The Museum will offer interactive and discussion-based events featuring contemporary Native artists from throughout the region, culminating with an exhibit featuring artwork from Native artists.

To support equity and wellness programs in Waterbury. LMD intends to provide the community with a series of open mic nights, art galleries, and intensive workshops.

To lead a hand-crafted art journaling class for the Children’s Community School’s third and fourth-graders in the fall of 2020. This program aims to teach artistic expression, social and emotional learning, and literacy through a fun and interactive journaling project, giving students the chance to hone their writing and creative skills. The program will include a professional development component.

For an artistic workshop (in collaboration with Judy Dworin Performance Project) designed to improve mental health and wellness of individuals who have experienced trauma and/or a mental health condition. Through proven techniques for improving mental health, including movement-based exercises, writing, and artistic expression.

For continued support during a time of organizational stabilization and to prepare for future growth.

To purchase tents for OHS’s annual FiberFest and other events for the general public.

To bring after-school acting classes—and the fun, skills and growth in self-confidence that comes with them—to students at Waterbury Public Schools (Driggs and Sprague) who would not be able to afford them.

To support Shakesperience’s work in the upcoming year.

For an intensive music education program for underserved students and their families, which uses music as a tool for personal development, community engagement, and social change.

Cradle to Career

To support the mentoring program within the region, matching 60 at-risk youth with 60 inspirational adult volunteers.

To provide youth with an opportunity to advance their problem solving, social, and multitasking skills through live broadcasting on digital platforms.

To reduce barriers to school attendance, school completion and employability by providing legal rights training and legal services to youth reentering from justice system facilities, undocumented youth and low-income youth living in homes that lack utility service.

To help fund the additional costs associated with preparing for NAEYC accreditation renewal including the site visit, extra staff time, portfolio production, NAEYC fees, and materials.

To give an abused or neglected child an independent voice in the child protection system, earnestly advocating for each child’s best interests- with responsibility to investigate and determine best interest for the child help secure safe and permanent placement.

To purchase a subscription to the 2nd Step program for the middle school.

To provide high-quality legal counsel to indigent children whose parents are embroiled in high-conflict family court disputes regarding custody and visitation.

To expand the listening tour of recent and relevant ConnCAN data of Waterbury schools as well as gather feedback from students and families.

To continue support to the Alliance, which works to (1) support early childhood providers as they grapple with the economic impact of COVID (2) inform local early childhood community of important policy to increase advocacy (3) raise awareness of the importance of the first one thousand days in a child’s life.

To support a monthly preschool director to ensure that Naugatuck and local area preschool directors, regardless of NAEYC accreditation, receive support, up to date professional development opportunities and all relevant state information to make informed decisions for their respected schools

To continue collaboration between Naugatuck teachers to ensure a smooth transition from preschool and kindergarten for students.

To prepare inner-city students for college and future careers in S.T.E.M. , legal, business and other fields

To fund the services of a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) for preschool students within the YMCA’s school readiness program.

To support the expansion of the YMCA’s childcare program to include infant/toddler care.

To support staff development through training that will provide social emotional intervention guidance in early childhood classrooms.

To support the evidence-based literacy intervention for at least 750 Waterbury children in partnership with local pediatric providers. 

To provide two new, high-quality books featuring BIPOC characters to each child in grades PK – 2 attending Waterbury Public Schools.

To support the outreach efforts of the Youth Council as well as support their travel to the national convention.

To support a college, career, and life readiness after- school program for high school youth, the majority of whom are African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino and almost all are from low income families.

To continue support of SGOF Leadership Academy & liberation on FYER programs, which support girls of color in Waterbury with culturally responsive and identity affirming programming.

To support 12 New Milford families in WeCAHR’s disability work and advocacy program.

To support a study of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (including Naugatuck Valley Community College) to determine feasibility. Note: These dollars will come out of the Cradle to Career Early Care and Education Fund and are not reflected above.

Economic Vitlity

To support the next phase of Brass City Harvest’s Food Hub.  The commercial kitchen represents one-half of the facility’s footprint and one-half of the workforce that BCH hopes to develop.  This project will enable the fledgling food hub to better pivot and adapt to a permanently-changed business environment while addressing the food security and food system needs of our population.

To provide job readiness training to unemployed adults with substantial barriers to employment, such as lack of formal education or a history of incarceration. This intensive program teaches workplace norms, leadership skills, and public presentation expertise. Participants develop professional goals, write resumes, practice interviewing, and receive placement assistance.

To support the CHD Hospitality Center in Waterbury, which helps people experiencing homelessness take care of basic needs so they can move toward stability. It offers guidance and resources to guests as they confront barriers and work to achieve a healthy, balanced life. 

To provide affordable, supportive housing and case management services to ensure that area individuals who are homeless (or at risk of homelessness) have safe and affordable housing along with the community supports needed to be economically self-sufficient. Clients include individuals living in poverty, veterans, women and children, and individuals struggling with mental health, addiction, and returning from incarceration.

To continue work to end homelessness in Greater Waterbury, through a shift in focus from work at the larger, regional level to a more focused municipal approach. The NW Coordinated Access Network (CAN), which oversees the homeless service system for the northwest corner of the state will still play a crucial role in this work, but CCEH will work in tandem with those providers, Sustainable CT, and municipal leadership on increased outreach, better youth engagement, public awareness building, and connection of municipal services with homeless response.  

To run the “JA Project Tomorrows” program with Waterbury Public Schools. During the 2020-21 year, JA will train teachers and volunteers to deliver virtual versions of JA’s financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship programs to over 2,000 K-12 students in Waterbury. The program will provide tools that these children can use to strive for financial success and fulfilling careers.

To improve lives in Greater Waterbury by cultivating literacy education opportunities for adults, with the assistance of trained volunteers and community partners. By increasing literacy skills, adult learners are more likely to gain or improve their employment, obtain U.S Citizenship, obtain their Driver’s License and achieve countless other goals to improve their quality of life.

To support the launch of Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs) in Waterbury, in partnership with New Opportunities Inc. and Naugatuck Valley Community College.  FOCs are a financial empowerment model that provide one-on-one financial coaching and education, employment and career counseling, and low-cost financial products that help build credit, savings, and assets for low- and moderate-income residents. They also connect clients with income supports such as SNAP benefits, utilities assistance, and affordable health insurance.

To hire permanent part-time bilingual staff to comprehensively support the needs of program participants, connecting them to workforce programs, workshops and job opportunities.

To support the collaboration of NHSW and Shekinah Christian Church on the adaptive reuse of a 6-story, 186,000 square foot warehouse building in the north end of Waterbury.   This feasibility study will indicate if NHS can move forward with the transformation of this building into 100+ affordable units and mixed-use commercial space. The restoration of this building will create economic growth in the area and provide a home and commercial/retail space to 400+ families/individuals.

To ensure that the Waterbury Family Emergency Shelter is sufficiently staffed. The grant will also provide funding to create and execute a robust staff training program that includes group workshops and education, webinars and individualized professional development plans, to ensure staff are equipped to fulfill the responsibilities of their jobs and better help people get housed. This year, the goal is that approximately 45 families representing 140 individuals will be provided shelter.  Over 10,000 bed nights will be used, and 24,000 meals will be provided.

To support the creation of a new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development District, which is required every five years.  The importance of the CEDS and the EDD is that it maintains the area’s eligibility and provides opportunities for economic development grants (which have totaled over $5 million in our region since its inception).

To support the Career Builders in Health-Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Program: a work skill readiness  program that provides the tools, support, work experience, and skills necessary for young people ages 18-24, who are not enrolled in an educational program and are unemployed or very under employed, to earn a CNA Certificate, secure a job, and receive on-going support to further their career in healthcare.

Environment

To provide eight weeks of training, mentoring, and summer internships in forestry to eight public high school students (supervised by one college-age Crew Leader) in the greater Waterbury area who are earning their Supervised Agricultural Experience hours through local vocational-agricultural schools.

To help land trusts and conservation organizations to address the lack of diversity within this sector. In this phase, CLCC will begin to address diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) from an internally-facing perspective, with the goal of guiding land trusts to broaden their outreach in traditionally underserved and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

to help Flanders bring interactive Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) programs to school classes virtually. Curriculum adaptation work, training and new technology equipment are needed to expand Flanders’ NGSS programs to reach more students.*

*Flanders is currently working with Waterbury Public Schools to virtually deliver its “Habitat Comparisons” program to all 1400+ 2nd Grade students in Waterbury this Fall.  This work will help to support the review/adaptation of 9 remaining NGSS program curricula. 

For HVA to partner with Beacon Falls and Trout Unlimited to complete permit-ready design plans for one priority culvert replacement in the Town of Beacon Falls. Design plans will lay the groundwork for replacement construction at a culvert that is fish-friendly and flood-ready.

To expand on the pilot project funded by the Foundation in 2018, which catalogued and mapped the near-lake stormwater structures in the Towns of Warren and Kent. The continuation of this project will include Washington, completing the goal to catalog and map all the catch basins and corresponding outfalls around the entire lake. Data will be shared with the larger Connecticut lake management community.

To support the recruitment and training of concerned residents working towards the clean-up and restoration of 7 properties directly affected by brownfield contamination. Year 2 community organizing work will provide residents in 3 neighborhoods in Waterbury and Naugatuck with bilingual training and educational opportunities to encourage the expeditious clean-up of these properties, as well as to develop a unified community vision for their adaptive reuse.

To continue the Partner Stewardship Intern Program for a third year and add a social justice component. College aged interns will be paired with high school apprentices to conduct trail maintenance, land stewardship, mapping, and inspections. Conservation partners throughout the CCF service area will be invited to apply for project-based support.

To use a team of 16 youth and two adults to work during the summer for 8 weeks to clean the Naugatuck River and remove debris and trash that gathers in the river. It is a rewarding summer job for local youth that also provides critical environmental lessons while they work.

To provide employment and environmental learning opportunities for students to encourage the next generation of environmental professionals and advocates. The program will foster a sense of responsibility for natural resources and civic engagement with on-the-ground, engaging initiatives that have a direct impact on polluted runoff abatement, pollution prevention and environmental education.

To support two Sustainable CT Fellows working with municipalities in the Foundation’s region. The Fellows assigned to this region will help these towns access and use the free technical assistance from Sustainable CT, assist local towns in registering for the program, and implement sustainability actions for towns seeking Sustainable CT certification.

Grassroots Leaders

To support a community building event for Waterbury residents during which community members are honored for their service. This event specifically supports single black fathers in the community who receive financial support to attend a parenting certificate program.

To provide virtual support for pregnant moms of color in Waterbury during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond given that many women are experiencing changes and challenges in their pregnancy routines. Dollars will also support the delivery and purchase of reusable cloth diapers.

To support meal distribution to families in need as well as connect parents and caregivers to educational supports available during the crisis. As local and state regulations change, parents will receive updated and relevant information detailing their rights and options during this time.

To support the building out of an infrastructure designed to connect individuals who have expressed an need for a service or product with other individuals who have identified themselves as being able to provide or supply the need. Dollars also go toward stipends for individuals in Waterbury who are triaging local phone hotlines looking for additional financial, nutritional, or medical support.

Healthy Communities

To host an educational program on mental health issues effecting the older population.

To support the Healthy Communities Coalition, which is the backbone for health interventions in Wolcott, Cheshire and Prospect.

To support added costs of telehealth, including purchasing phone cards for patients and supporting technology for staff in order to ensure treatment can continue remotely.

To purchase personal protective equipment, additional food for Waterbury locations and other necessities of operation during COVID-19.

To leverage the evidence base of the direct service food education program to create and implement solutions that celebrate the central role that food can play in whole-child development. 

To provide operations support where most needed during the shift to telehealth due to COVID-19.  

To support a six-week therapeutic riding session for nine riders that require Occupational Therapy from June- July 2020.

To continue health education services and to coordinate a series of trainings that include community support and information.

To locate low-cost and no-cost physical activity resources in the Foundation’s region, which will be posted on the COG online resource guide.

To support the YMCA’s services provided in the Foundation’s region.

To support operations where most needed while operating emergency childcare for medical staff and first responders.

Herbst Eye Research Fund

To improve the quality of life for Special Olympics’ athletes by optimizing their vision, eye health and visual skills through eye care.

Lois Livingston McMillen Memorial Fund

To provide long- term services and Rapid Responses, one-time interventions that provide children with information, safety planning, and referral services related to human trafficking.

To support the provision of domestic violence, crisis intervention, and long-term services for victims and survivors in 10 towns in the Foundation’s region.

To support extended shelter stays for single women who are victims or at risk of being victims of domestic violence between October 2020-May 2021.

To support crisis and support services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, transitioning them from crisis and dependency to safety, empowerment, self-sufficiency, and independence.

To support the Child Advocacy Center, an evidence-based trauma treatment mental health intervention for child victims ages 7-17.

To support services for victims of domestic violence, including emergency shelter, counseling, crisis intervention, victim advocacy services, safety planning and criminal justice/civil legal services in New Milford, Bridgewater, Washington and Roxbury.

Saunders Fund for the Sick and Infirm of Naugatuck

To distribute fruit, vegetables, whole grain and dairy products to food insecure households in Naugatuck.

To support low-income Naugatuck residents who receive services at the Center for Better Hearing, which provides high-quality audiology care.

To support Corps members to work in the Naugatuck Public School System in 2020-2021 and promote healthy eating and education.

To continue to provide afternoon medical transportation to Naugatuck residents, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that Naugatuck’s older adults can maintain independence and dignity at home for as long as possible.

To provide Livestrong, an evidence-based program, for adult cancer survivors reclaim their health and well-being following a cancer diagnosis and treatment and to cover the cost of new equipment as needed.

To provide local outreach in Naugatuck to new and current uninsured patients receiving dental care.

Town of Southbury

For Southbury bonus funds, prizes and marketing efforts during and leading up to the 2021 Give Local Campaign

To support families attending Camp Oakasha with scholarship assistance.

To provide fresh and nutritious meals for the Southbury and Woodbury Senior Centers. 

To provide a safe, drug/alcohol free celebration for seniors at Pomperaug High School.

To fund the purchase of quilting supplies that will be used to make quilts for Southbury cancer patients.

To provide Pomperaug High School staff with the RULER training from Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

To provide students in need of school supplies with backpacks of supplies corresponding to their teacher’s required list of supplies.

To take 30 youth from Southbury to Pilgrim Lodge (a camp) in West Gardiner, Maine on a trip to make repairs.

To provide financial support for families fostering cats by covering the costs related to veterinary services.

For continued support of S.M.A.R.T.’s outreach efforts, particularly the Local Prevention Council, Parent University and Community/School based initiatives. Activities are determined at the beginning of the academic year and reflect the concerns, trends and requests identified by the Council.

To support the Southbury Mobile Pantry that distributes fresh fruits, vegetables, and other groceries directly to residents of high poverty areas.

To provide the local food bank with financial support.

Technology for Organizational Development

To to fund the purchase of security cameras and monitors.

To  fund the purchase of hardware and software to serve clients through tele-health.

To fund the purchase of a Surface Pro for organizing efforts during COVID-19.

To fund the purchase of new computers, windows 10, IT service fees to work remotely.

To fund the purchase of new donor management system and data migration.

To fund the purchase of a smart whiteboard, cameras, and computers for online and future programming.

To fund the purchase of a new laptop for data tracking at the Client Choice Food Pantry.

To fund the purchase of new hardware and software critical to operations.

To fund the hardware and software necessary to offer TeleHeath options to clients.

Whittemore Youth Travel Fund

To support the travel to the national convention.

To attention the national convention in Orlando in October.

To take Waterbury youth of color on a tour of historically black colleges and universities in the South.

Women’s Fund

To build collaborations in greater Waterbury with after school organizations and schools in order to recruit teen girls to participate in the 2021 business and leadership skills programming.

To continue support of a Latina youth leadership and empowerment program, that provides positive health messages, promotes the development of self-esteem, advocacy and leadership skill in Latinas ages 10 to 18.

To continue support of leadership programs for pre-teen and teenage girls from greater Waterbury. Note: The Cradle to Career Committee also supported this grant, for total funding of $13,000.

To support the evidence-based program Girls Circle for girls between the ages of 13-27 from Goshen, Litchfield, Morris, Thomaston, Warren and Washington.

Pathway for Older Adults

To support a senior enrichment program that provides older adults with experiential nutrition and cooking programs specific to the dietary needs and behavior patterns of older adults.

To support 10 monthly luncheon for older adults in Goshen. Each luncheon provides a nutritious and hot meal with plenty ordered to take home extra as well as a brief (25-30 minute) educational or informational program.  

To support the older adults who attend the senior center to purchase materials used in refurbishing the costumes worn during Three Kings Day.

To ensure that chore workers are paid at a standard rate of $14/hour as they provide much needed services to older adults in the Litchfield Hills to help them age at home.

To continue support for MATT on the Go, which targets seniors who are housebound, in senior care facilities, or have limited mobility with artistic programs.

To support two staff positions, a program manager and shuttle van driver that are still providing services at the senior center.  

To help cover the costs of upgrading cardio equipment as well as paying for several instructors who work with the older adults that attend the senior fitness classes.

To support the cleaning out of six New Milford residencies that are hoarding and connecting them to appropriate community mental health support systems. .

To help prevent food insecurity by planting, maintaining, and harvesting produce from a community garden tended by OLLI members.  

to support the development of a video version of the in-person Connecting with Balance classes that can be distributed to senior centers and assisted living facilities. Funding will support the production costs of the project.  

To improve the quality of life for low-income seniors by improving living conditions and remedying home health and safety hazards through home improvement projects.

 

To provide operating funding to support the YMCA’s ongoing connection with Cheshire older adults during social distancing.

To support the increased cost of meals and staffing during COVID-19 in the following towns: Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Cheshire, Goshen, Litchfield, Middlebury, Morris, Naugatuck, New Milford, Oxford, Plymouth, Prospect, Roxbury, Southbury, Thomaston, Warren, Washington, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott and Woodbury.

To continue to coordinate and run evidence-based Live Well workshops in Waterbury, including Live Well with Diabetes, Live Well with Chronic Disease, and Live Well with Chronic Pain. The program will continue to conduct outreach and programming for Black and Latino older adult communities, which represent a higher portion of seniors living with chronic conditions.

 

To support weekly classes using Yoga4Change’s evidence-based chair yoga programing, provided in partnership with agencies currently serving seniors. 

Women’s Giving Circle

Madre Latina in Waterbury was awarded a $7,500 for its “Young Representatives of Waterbury,” a program geared toward Latina high school students in the city. Participants will learn leadership and civic engagement skills to make change in their communities.

Save Girls on F.Y.E.R in Waterbury received a $7,500 grant to support its “Girls on FYRE Leadership Academy” that motivates, inspires and empowers girls of color, ages 11-17, to become Future Young Educated Role Models (FYER) in the city.

LiveGirl in New Canaan was given a $7,500 for its new “Middle School Confidence Club and Camp” to address the COVID-19 mental health crisis at the Waterbury Boys & Girls Club and in a Waterbury middle school.  In addition, eight girls from Waterbury will receive scholarships to the 2021 LiveGirl Summer Camp.

Women’s Choice Charitable Association in Waterbury received a $7,500 grant for support of the Community Doula Piolet Project. It will provide free doulas to women of color birthing in Waterbury, who face financial challenges. This program will work alongside of prenatal care provided by local hospitals and obstetrician offices.

Greenwoods Counseling and Referrals in Litchfield and Literacy Volunteers on the Green in New Milford were each awarded a $1,250 grant to support general operating expenses.