July 01, 2015 - Viewing a musical or theatrical performance. Shopping at a food pantry. Attending educational or exercise classes. Those are a few ways that the recent grants awarded by Main Street Community Foundation will inspire, affect and touch the residents living and working in towns of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott.

A total of 29 organizations representing a broad range of programs and projects received $82,355 in grant awards. This is the result of the Foundation’s 2015 General Competitive Grant Cycle, which saw the submission of 39 grant proposals.

The grants were awarded from 20 endowed funds established by donors to support the local community and the causes they care about. In addition, two of the grants awarded were done so in partnership with The Stocker Foundation.

“We are thrilled to be announcing over $82,000 in grants thanks to the generous legacies of the donors who have established and built these unrestricted community, field of interest and donor advised funds to bolster our communities and help our neighbors,” said Susan Sadecki, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. “We are proud that this spring we were able to partner with The Stocker Foundation to provide grants that support preK – 3rd grade education programs focused on improving reading outcomes in Bristol.”

Sadecki also acknowledged the 28 local residents that comprise the Community Foundation’s volunteer Distribution Committee. “The Distribution Committee reviews all proposals, conducts site visits and makes the final funding recommendations to the Board of Directors”, stated Sadecki. “Their thoughtful review of the applications to ensure feasibility and their commitment to honoring donor intent is unmatched.”

The following grants were awarded from the various funds as described below:

• Alzheimer’s Resource Center - My Music for Life program for the residents (Edward W. and Audrey K. Mink Memorial Fund)
• Asbury United Methodist Church - weekend food backpack program during the school year for students in need (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Ciccarelli-Vitale Community Advancement Fund, Edward W. and Audrey K. Mink Memorial Fund, Eva M. Pierce Memorial Charitable Fund)
• Bristol Adult Education Center - Adult Education Diploma and Certificate banking program (Ciccarelli-Vitale Community Advancement Fund)
• Bristol Adult Resource Center - art supplies for BARC’s Art Studio (Angela and Al Caruso Family Charitable Fund, Paige Wartonick Laferriere Memorial Fund)
• Bristol Early Childhood Center – supplies and equipment for four listening centers and four library centers to improve reading outcomes for pre-k students (The Stocker Foundation)
• Bristol Family Resource Center - bilingual outreach worker at West Bristol School (Fuller and Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education)
  Bristol Historical Society - LCD projector and screen for community presentations (Angela and Al Caruso Family Charitable Fund, Formagioni-Lodovico Family Fund, Tedesco-Gallant Charitable Fund)
• Bristol Public Library - coffee house series at the Library (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Gnazzo/Reidy Charitable Fund, Jay & Elizabeth Tyrrell Fund for the Arts)
• Bristol Youth Services - Adventures in Peacemaking & Diversity program (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Burlington Volunteer Fire Department - Apparatus iPad Program to increase firefighters’ and EMTs’ response time and allow them to access up-to-date information (James R. Parker Trust)
• Environmental Learning Centers of CT, Inc. - bird and wildlife habitat and a wildlife viewing station at Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center in Bristol (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Ronald F. & Emilie P. Duhaime Family Fund, Merriman Family Fund)
• Friends of Sessions Woods - repair of the Summer House education facility (James R. Parker Trust)
• Girl Scouts of Connecticut - Free Being Me program in Bristol schools (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Hoppers Birge Pond - information brochure and map (Merriman Family Fund)
• Imagine Nation –Kaleidobar exhibit (Smith Family Charitable Fund)
• Living in Safe Alternatives - attendance of youth from the Plainville Group Home at the Girls for a Change: Innovations in Independent Living conference (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Memorial Military Museum - archival and display supplies (Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund)
• Mountain View School - Community Connections pilot program at the school (Fuller and Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education, Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund)
• New Britain Museum of American Art - Access to the Arts program for Wolcott students (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters - community based mentoring program (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Nutmeg Symphony - children’s concert for third grade students who attend schools in Regional School District #10 (James R. Parker Trust)
• Oak Hill/Chapter 126 - group exercise classes for people with and without disabilities (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Parent & Child Center of Bristol Hospital - Family Life Works program, which provides comprehensive education and referral services to at-risk families (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund, The Stocker Foundation)
• Plainville Choral Society - four body microphone units for the Choral Society and for use by the community (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Margaret Haberman Memorial Fund for Music)
• Plainville Community Food Pantry - Bread Van program (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund, Jaspersohn Family Memorial Fund)
• Plymouth Community Food Pantry - low-sodium and low sugar food for those with dietary restrictions (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Terryville High School - Reading Initiative to increase independent student reading (Fuller and Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education)
• The New Children’s Museum - Science Achievement for All program for students in Bristol schools (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• United Way of West Central CT - financial coaching initiative, which gives families needed tools to increase their economic stability  (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Formagioni-Lodovico Family Fund, James R. Parker Trust)
• Veteran’s Council of Bristol - United States flags to be placed on the graves of veterans (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Turkus Family Fund)