June 29, 2017 - Bringing history to life. Expanding early literacy. Meeting basic needs. 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 the towns of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott.

A total of 38 organizations representing a broad range of programs and projects received $125,060 in grant awards. This is the result of the Foundation’s 2017 General Competitive Grant Cycle, which saw the submission of 49 grant proposals.

The grants were awarded from 26 endowed funds established by donors to support the local community and the causes they care about.

“We are thrilled to be announcing over $125,000 in grants, thanks to the generous donors who have established and built these unrestricted community and field of interest funds to bolster our communities and help our neighbors,” said Susan Sadecki, President & CEO of the Community Foundation.

Sadecki also acknowledged the 24 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:

• Ability Beyond Disability - Updated design, photography and printing equipment for the Printability Internship program for young adults with autism (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Gnazzo/Reidy Charitable Fund)
• American Red Cross - Disaster Response and Relief Services including the Home Fire Campaign in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Jaspersohn Family Memorial Fund)
• Bristol Family Resource Centers - People Empowering People (PEP) program to teach parents to become community leaders (Fuller & Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education)
• Bristol Recovery Club - New website including a calendar of all ongoing events (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Paige Wartonick Laferriere Memorial Fund)
• Bristol Exchange Club - Matching grant for the Mum Festival for the Future program to digitize historical photographs (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Burlington Historical Society - Town History program for second graders attending Regional School District 10 (James R. Parker Trust )
• Connecticut Humane Society - Medical Support Program for pets impounded by municipal animal control agencies in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott (Elizabeth I. and Louis J. Matt Animal Protection Fund)
• Connecticut Science Center – Expansion of the Bristol Public Schools STEM program to include student programming as well as professional development for teachers (Fuller & Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education)
• CW Resources - Online work-readiness program to train adults with disabilities (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Ciccarelli-Vitale Community Advancement Fund)
• Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington - Kindergarten Readiness program for Southington children (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Fuller & Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education)
• Ferret Association of Connecticut - Veterinary care for senior ferrets (Elizabeth I. and Louis J. Matt Animal Protection Fund)
• For Goodness Sake - Feels Like Home project to provide families with basic household and hygiene supplies (Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund, Edward W. & Audrey K. Mink Memorial Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• GetUp Stage Company - Tuition support for summer musical theater program for teens and young adults (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, JoAnn & David Mills Family Fund, Jay & Elizabeth Tyrrell Fund for the Arts)
• Junior Achievement of Southwest New England - Financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship program in Bristol schools (City of Bristol Treasurer’s Fund for Financial Awareness)
• Kellys Kids Inc. - Farm animal and nature based summer camp program for school age youth from Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund, Merriman Family Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Lewis Mills High School –Regional School District 10 - Dugouts for the varsity baseball and softball fields (James R. Parker Trust)
• McCabe Waters Little League - To re-sod Frazier and Greenleaf fields (Malerbo Childrens Field Maintenance Fund)
• Meals for the Needy – Zion Lutheran Church - Grease Removal System for the soup kitchen (Ciccarelli-Vitale Community Advancement Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Eva M. Pierce Memorial Charitable Fund)
• Memorial Military Museum - Educational materials for the Bristol in World War I exhibit (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Middle School of Plainville - Colorsource spot light for use in the auditorium to enhance community and school productions (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• New Britain Museum of American Art - Access to the Arts program for Wolcott students (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• New England Carousel Museum - Transportation and admission costs for the Music-Art-Technology-History (MATH) pilot program for Bristol elementary school students (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Angela and Al Caruso Family Charitable Fund,Tedesco-Gallant Charitable Fund)
• Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters - Community Based Mentoring program in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Formagioni-Lodovico Family Fund, Ronald F. & Emilie P. Duhaime Family Fund)
• Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra - 2018 Educational Children’s Concert for third grade students in Regional School District 10 (James R. Parker Trust)
• Oak Hill/Chapter 126 - Mindfulness Group Classes and Workshops at Chapter 126 (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Calvanese Foundation Green & White Fund for Behavioral Health)
• Operation Fuel - Emergency Energy Assistance for residents in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Parent & Child Center at Bristol Hospital - Family Life Works program which provides comprehensive education and referral services to at-risk families (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Prudence Crandall Center, Inc. - Domestic and Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Outreach program at the Alta at the Pyne Center alternative high school in Southington (Calvanese Foundation Green & White Fund for Behavioral Health, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Reach Out and Read - Expand Early Literacy Partnership with local pediatricians to encourage parental involvement in reading and to provide books for children six months through age five (Bristol Savings Bank Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Turkus Family Fund)
• Safe Harbor Youth Services - Coordinator position for Safe Harbor Youth Services, which provides substance-free activities for students in Burlington (James R. Parker Trust)
• St. Philip House - Grant writing consulting support (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Bristol Savings Bank Fund)
• St. Vincent DePaul Mission of Bristol - Support for an Outreach Case Manager (Money in Motion Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Smith Family Charitable Fund)
• Tabernacle Christian Church - Food for those in need in the communities served by the Foundation (Bristol Savings Bank Fund)
• Terryville Plymouth Little League - Fence repairs at Janser and Worhunsky fields (Bristol Savings Bank Fund)
• The Agape House - Pantry items and supplies for the Agape Day Center for the homeless (Bristol Savings Bank Fund)
• The Salvation Army - Creative Arts and Music (CAM) program for Bristol youth in kindergarten through 12th grade (Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund, Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Margaret Haberman Memorial Fund for Music)
• Wolcott Citizens Against Substance Abuse - Social marketing campaign on the dangers of underage drinking (Bristol Savings Bank Fund)
• Wolcott Crossroads - STAR program which strengthens decision making and leadership skills in middle-school youth to discourage involvement with drugs and alcohol (Bristol Savings Bank Fund)