The first cycle of 2024 grants from the Main Street Community Foundation’s Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust have been awarded to eight organizations serving Southington residents. The total amount awarded is $620,448, all of which will be used to fund programs or initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of Southington residents. The grants are:

• Bread for Life was awarded a $10,000 unrestricted operating grant in celebration of their 40th anniversary.
• The Hospital of Central Connecticut (THOCC) was awarded a $177,179 grant that will be used to support the relocation and expansion of the medical oncology and infusion services at Bradley Memorial Hospital, making the area more accessible and able to treat more patients. The expansion also meets the growing demand for these services and ensures that Southington residents do not have to leave town to receive them.
• LEAF (Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm) was awarded a $60,000 grant in order to support the organization’s school and community programs that work to ensure a healthy and sustainable food supply in Southington. Their programs include farm field trips for 6th and 7th graders, summer farm camp, adult classes on healthy food preparation, and delivery of fresh produce to Bread for Life and Southington Community Services food pantry.
• Mulberry Gardens was awarded a $12,000 grant that will be used to purchase exercise equipment for the Good Life Fitness program which serves over 90 senior residents of Mulberry Gardens, an assisted living facility in Southington. The new pieces of equipment are a NuStep recumbent cross-trainer and a Tricep/Bicep dual strength machine. The equipment will help improve both physical and mental health outcomes for the residents.
• Prudence Crandall Center, Inc. was awarded an $85,000 grant to support their comprehensive Domestic Violence Intervention & Prevention services, which include community education and prevention, counseling services, court advocacy, and the 24/7 crisis shelter and hotline. These programs benefitted over 230 residents of Southington last year.
• Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA was awarded a $54,840 grant that will be used to upgrade and modernize the existing main elevator in the lobby of the YMCA. This upgrade will ensure that all users can make it safely to the second floor where many health-related programs and activities are offered.
• United Way of Southington was awarded a $99,894 grant in order to support the Senior Transportation program in collaboration with Senior Transportation Services of New Britain. The service is available to Southington residents aged 50 and over, who need rides to medical appointments, pharmacy, hairdresser, bank or a care facility to visit a family member. The grant helps to subsidize the cost of the program, making it free for clients in Southington.
• Wheeler Health was awarded a $121,535 grant to support the Southington Community Health Outreach Project to enhance access to mental health and substance use recovery services. The program assists the community in recognizing signs of mental health and substance use challenges, helps to navigate resources, and reduces barriers to care presented by transportation, financial resources, stigma and other issues.

The Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust was established in 1973 with the express purpose of providing funds for local organizations that work to improve the health and wellbeing of Southington residents. MSCF was appointed trustee in 2004, and since that time a total of over $13.8 million has been awarded from the Trust to local organizations.