NEW BRITAIN, CT -- The American Savings Foundation Board of Directors recently awarded 28 grants totaling $77,498 through the Foundation’s new Community Grants program. These grants support a variety of programs throughout the Foundation’s service area, including Berlin, East Hartford, Manchester, Plainville, West Hartford, Southbury, Torrington and Windham.
In keeping with emerging best practices on responding to the Covid-19 crisis, these grants were awarded with as few restrictions as possible, and in many cases can be used to support general operations. The Community Grants program provides grants of up to $5,000 to respond to local community needs throughout the 64 towns served by the American Savings Foundation. In 2019, the first year of this program, the Foundation awarded 56 Community Grants totalling $190,567, part of its overall giving of $3.13 million in grants and college scholarships.
The Foundation conducts two review periods for Community Grants each year. Applications are currently being accepted for the program’s next deadline of October 15, 2020. Awards will be announced in December. The Community Grants application, as well as information about the Foundations other giving programs, are available at www.asfdn.org.
Community Grants announced in Spring 2020:
- $1,500 to Arts Escape for the Threads, Weaving Words and Art program in Southbury which engages older adults as artists and writers.
- $1,000 to Autism Families CONNECTicut in Newington, to provide children on the autism spectrum an opportunity to develop social skills and have fun on the weekends.
- $3,000 to Berlin High School for Berlin Upbeat, to provide a leadership development workshops.
- $2,500 to Bike New Britain, Inc. where youth refurbish bicycles for donation to clients of partner social service agencies.
- $2,500 to Catholic Charities the Archdiocese of Hartford for the 2-Generation family literacy programming at their Child Development Center in Waterbury.
- $5,000 to Covenant Soup Kitchen to support their soup kitchen and food pantry in Willimantic.
- $1,000 to Creative Living Community of Connecticut in Manchester for an arts program for adults on the autism spectrum.
- $1,500 to Farmington Food Pantry to provide personal care items to clients.
- $1,000 to the Friends of Music at Emanuel Church in Manchester for a chamber music series.
- $3,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Waterbury for Brush with Kindness, providing home improvement for low-income homeowners in Waterbury.
- $500 to the Barbershop Harmony Society - Hartford Chapter for Everyone in Harmony, promoting appreciation of a capella barbershop harmony singing in New Britain.
- $4,000 to Horizons, Inc. to provide respite care during the summer at their Windham camp for individuals with developmental disabilities.
- $1,500 to KidsPlay Children's Museum to provide creative learning opportunities for low-income children in greater Torrington.
- $3,500 to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford for a career pathways training program to help unemployed or underemployed adults train for jobs in the food service industry in East Hartford.
- $3,500 to Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven for adult literacy programming in Meriden.
- $2,500 for the Mental Health Association of Connecticut to provide essential basic needs for homeless individuals in Waterbury and Torrington.
- $1,000 to NAMI Connecticut for a skill building and support group for young adults in Clinton.
- $4,998 to the New Britain Public Library for one-to-one tutoring and homework help during the school year.
- $5,000 to No Boundaries Youth Theater for a year-round theater arts programs for children from New Britain and surrounding towns.
- $1,500 to the Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra for two annual Children's Concerts for 3rd graders in Avon, Bristol, Burlington, and Torrington.
- $4,000 to PARC, Inc. which supports children with developmental disabilities from Plainville and surrounding towns.
- $5,000 to Plainville Community Food Pantry Food serving Plainville and surrounding towns.
- $4,000 for Rebuilding Together New Britain to support household repairs for homeowners who are low income, elderly, or living with disabilities in New Britain.
- $5,000 for South Church Music Series, an annual music series consisting of three community performances at various venues including South Church in New Britain.
- $2,000 to Wheeler Clinic to provide Naloxone to patients at risk of overdose and their families as a life-saving emergency treatment.
- $2,500 to the YMCA of Greater Hartford for a 5-week fun and educational summer day camp for students in grades K-6 for underserved students in West Hartford.
- $2,000 to the YMCA - Northwestern Connecticut for equipment for their childcare center.
- $3,000 to the YMCA of Greater Waterbury for support for youth to participate in youth development and recreation programs in Waterbury.
American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment which provides grants to local nonprofit organizations, and college scholarships to area students. Since its inception in 1995 the Foundation has contributed over $61 million in total grants and scholarships in central Connecticut. For more information, call 860-827-2556 or visit the Foundation’s website at www.asfdn.org.
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