| Summaries |
Hartford's corporate and philanthropic community has committed $4.1 million - one third of a $12 million goal - to launch the Hartford Promise, programs and scholarships to encourage Hartford public school students to attend and succeed in college. Beginning with the class of 2016, the Hartford Promise expects to award up to $5,000 a year to every eligible Hartford resident attending a four-year college, who attended Hartford Public Schools, and who graduated with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Two-year college students would receive $2,500. The $4.1 million came from six contributors: The Travelers Foundation $2 million); Hartford Hospital $1 million); the Say Yes to Education Foundation ($500,000); Ramani Ayer, former CEO and chairman of The Hartford ($300,000); Newman's Own Foundation $200,000) and Robert E. Patricelli, chairman, president, and CEO of Women's Health USA ($100,000). Continued fundraising will be run by ten Hartford Promise "champions", including Messrs. Ayer and Patricelli, as well as Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra. For more information: David Medina, (860) 695-8862, MEDID001@hartfordschools.org. |
Governor hopes new agency will prepare children for the future Governor Dannel P. Malloy's new Office of Early Childhood (OEC) focuses on children up to age five and their parents. "Engaging in a comprehensive approach for the delivery of services to children and their parents means better, more focused programming, and is an important addition to the education reforms that are already underway," said Governor Malloy. The Office of Early Childhood brings together programs that were scattered among five different state agencies: the Department of Education's School Readiness program; the Department of Social Services' Care for Kids, Children's Trust Fund, and other childcare programs; the Department of Public Health's childcare licensing program; the Department of Developmental Services' Birth to 3 program; and the Board of Regents' Charts a Course program. Planning for the OEC was made possible with support from the 14-member Connecticut Early Childhood Funders Collaborative* and the Early Childhood Alliance. The Collaborative supported local and national research and technical assistance to the Planning Team from the BUILD Initiative. The work was an integral component of developing the recommendation for the OEC, a comprehensive early childhood system. It will phase in over two years. *Connecticut Early Childhood Funders Collaborative: American Savings Foundation; Children's Fund of Connecticut; The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; Community Foundation of New Britain; Connecticut Community Foundation; Fairfield County Community Foundation; Fund for Greater Hartford; William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund; The Grossman Family Foundation; Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; Liberty Bank Foundation; Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation; United Way of Central & Northeast Connecticut; Connecticut Network of Community Foundations. For more information: Carol Schofield, (860) 525-5585, cschofield@ctphilanthropy.org. |
Newman's Own gives $2.4 million to public broadcasting With its latest gift of $2.4 million, Newman's Own Foundation is nearing $10 million in grants to public broadcasting stations and organizations. According to NOF President Robert Forrester, some of the grantees will use the funds as challenge grants to supporters. Other grants will be used for programming or special projects, such as NPR's Military Voices Initiative, which broadcasts the experiences of military personnel, veterans, and their families. Connecticut Public Broadcasting and WSHU Public Radio in Fairfield are among the 13 national winners. For more information: Jan Schaefer, media@newmansownfoundation.org. |
Foundation launches "Campaign for Stronger Connecticut"
Among nearly $2 million in fourth-quarter grants, the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) is launching a new approach to eliminate discriminatory health care practices. |
Waterbury residents urged to "answer the (health) call" People who live in and around Waterbury can improve the health of the region by answering the phone the next time it rings. With a $25,000 grant from the Connecticut Community Foundation, the Greater Waterbury Health Improvement Partnership (GWHIP) will be calling households in the 18-town area with a 10-minute survey about where they get their health care and the current state of their health. GWHIP consists of representatives from the Waterbury Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Community Foundation, Saint Mary's Hospital, Waterbury Hospital, United Way of Greater Waterbury, Northwestern CT Area Health Education Counsel, Staywell Health Center, Harold Leever Cancer Center, and Brass City Harvest. The groups hope to use the survey and other results to prioritize and address the region's health needs. For more information: Kristine Mascoli, (203) 753-1315, kmascoli@conncf.org. |
New effort weaves children's mental, physical health care If all goes well, pediatricians and therapists will soon cooperate as never before for their young patients in northwest Connecticut. With a new $81,020 grant from the Foundation for Community Health, Sharon Hospital's pediatricians will work closely with psychotherapists at Community Mental Health Affiliates (CMHA). "Studies have found that 27% of pediatric patients may have behavioral health issues," said CMHA President CEO Raymond Gorman. "This is the way that care should be provided, but it is so seldom available." For more information: Amy Ogle, (860) 826-1358 x1692, AOgle@cmhacc.org. |
Roberts Foundation sponsors exhibits at Hartford's ArtWalk The current exhibit at Hartford Public Library's ArtWalk - "Three Women: Visions in Contrast" - is the first of four supported by a new $4,000 grant from the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation. On display until March 15, "Three Women" features the works of Linn Bae, Lindsey Fyfe and Nan Runde. The three other exhibits include: Joe Sam, from May 10 through June 8; Sed Miles, from October 4 through November 2; and David Borawski, from December 6, 2013 through January 14, 2014. The state-of-the-art gallery itself was made possible through the generosity of donors, especially the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation Fund at Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. For more information: Mary F. Crean, (860) 695-6360, mcrean@hplct.org. |
The current Survey: Greater New Haven residents have much to celebrate Four out of five people living in Greater New Haven are happy where they live, according to the 2012 Community Wellbeing Survey sponsored by a collaboration including The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and United Way of Greater New Haven . The survey of 1,307 residents asked about government services, education, and urban planning, as well as civic engagement, health, and family economics. "Results from this survey show that we have much to celebrate," according to Penny Canny, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Grantmaking & Strategy at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. "[A] solid majority of residents [gave] time or money to local initiatives within the past year, believing that their personal economic circumstances will improve in coming years, and feeling their neighborhood is safe, trustworthy, and able to organize itself for change if needed." For example, said Mark Abraham, executive director of DataHaven, the Wellbeing Survey has been simultaneously coordinated with a health survey of six lower-income neighborhoods in New Haven, to improve health conditions within the region. Results are expected in the coming weeks. For more information: Mark Abraham, (203) 500-7059, info@ctdatahaven.org. |
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Transitions and Announcements |
ALICE FITZPATRICK, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut announced that she is retiring after 18 years at the helm on June 30 of this year. During her tenure, Fitzpatrick has overseen a 10-fold growth in assets, $30 million given in grants, a merger that represents one-quarter of the state's cities and towns, and four women and girls funds. |
The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain saluted three retiring board members - and welcomed three newcomers - at a recent reception. |
The Connecticut Community Foundation based in Waterbury elected a slate of new officers, including JACK BAKER of Warren, chair; MARGARET W. FIELD, vice chair; and WAYNE MCCORMACK of Oxford, secretary. CHARLES BOULIER III of Wolcott continues as treasurer. Baker replaces RICHARD E. LAU, DVM, who served as chair of the board since 2011 and who will continue to serve as a trustee. |
The Main Street Community Foundation, serving the towns of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott, recently elected officers and four new board members. Officers elected to serve for 2013-2015 are JANIS L. NERI, Chairman; JOHN A. LETIZIA, Vice Chair; ROBERT M. CAIAZE, Secretary; JOHN D. SCARRITT, Treasurer; and WILLIAM J. TRACY, JR., Past Board Chair. |
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