Women’s Giving Circle at Connecticut Community Foundation Awards $21,000 in Mental Health and Wellness Grants to Help Women and Girls Thrive

The Women’s Giving Circle at Connecticut Community Foundation—which includes fifty women who are motivated to make an impact for women and girls in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills—awarded grants totaling $21,000 to six organizations serving the region. The grants are all for programs that support mental health awareness, treatment, and prevention.

The Women’s Giving Circle formed in 2017 so members could pool their dollars, study local concerns, and award grants together to nonprofit organizations tackling issues affecting women and girls in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.

“We believe in a community of hope, empathy, and inclusion where mental health challenges are addressed in order for women and girls to live their dreams,” said Karen Powell, chair of the Women’s Giving Circle. “Mental health is integral to women’s overall health and well-being. The programs we’re funding are really making a difference.”

In five years, the Circle has awarded over $120,000 to fourteen area nonprofits.

“There continues to be a lot of excitement about the Circle,” says Powell. “Given the ongoing mental health needs in our community, women and girls and the nonprofit organizations serving them need help. Now is the time for action. When we give together and pool our resources we can have a bigger impact.”

The Women’s Giving Circle’s 2022 grants include the following:

  • Madre Latina in Waterbury was awarded a $5,000 grant for its Young Representatives of Waterbury program focused on Latina high school students in the city. In addition to teaching leadership and civic engagement skills, Madre Latina will tap into its large network of partners to share and discuss mental health resources, mentor partnering and mindfulness training to decrease anxiety and depression while improving self-esteem.
  • Women’s Choice Charitable Association in Waterbury received a $5,000 grant to support its Community Doula Project. It will provide free doula services to women of color birthing in Waterbury who face financial challenges. This program works alongside prenatal care provided by local hospitals and obstetrician offices.
  • Greenwoods Counseling Referrals in Litchfield was awarded a $5,000 grant to support its financial aid program to help women pay for mental health care if they are underinsured or uninsured. The program helps ensure access to the care women need to build resilience, self-efficacy and wellness.
  • Hidden Acres Therapeutic Riding Center in Naugatuck received a $5,000 grant for its Equine-Assisted Trauma Survivors program that will provide services to women and children who are survivors of domestic violence and trauma. The life skills learned will help participants manage symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety and social isolation.
  • CNV Help, Inc. in Waterbury and Connecticut Renaissance in Shelton were each awarded $500 grants to support general operating expenses.

To learn about getting involved in the Women’s Giving Circle at Connecticut Community Foundation, visit https://conncf.org/womens-philanthropy/womens-giving-circle/.