PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release – June5, 2014

Community Foundation Awards Grants and Scholarships

Representatives from local not-profit organizations serving clients with special needs accept their grant checks and handprints symbolizing a connection to local children at the Community Foundation’s award coffee. Photo Credit: Valerie Stryker

The New Canaan Community Foundation (NCCF)made $882,000 in charitable investments in the local community this spring, culminating with their annual grant award event on May 30th. At that meeting, grant checks totaling $686,000 were presented to 62 local non-profit organizations working to improve the quality of life in the New Canaan area. Dave Hunt, President of the Board of Directors, welcomed over 125 guests and explained that NCCF hosts the event each year “to highlight the importance of community philanthropy and the local not-for-profit organizations whose work is so important to the vibrancy of our Town.” Since 1977, the Foundation has awarded over $9 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations. In 2013 alone, for the first time in their history the Foundation awarded over $1 million in high-impact grants and life-changing scholarships.

In addition to this event, the Foundation held a Youth Philanthropy gathering on May 7th at whichlocal high school students awarded $18,500 in grants to ten area non-profits that provide services to elderly residents in our community. Finally, the Foundationannounced scholarship funds of over $178,000 including awards to 65 New Canaan students and $20,000 to seven organizations with scholarship programs.

Lindsey Heron, the Foundation’s VP of Distributions, awarded the grants with Cynthia Gorey, Executive Director. Mrs. Heron thanked the 53 dedicated volunteers who worked with the Board of Directors to form grant review and financial evaluation teams. They volunteered many hours of their time and added important insight and expertise to thecareful and thorough grant evaluation process. Grant applicants are submitted in February and 17 review teams of board members and volunteers visit every one of the 70 applicant organizations. They evaluated the proposals and made funding recommendations which are presented to the entire Foundation boardin the decision-making process. This method is at the core of NCCF’s work and makes them unique as a volunteer based foundation. NCCF is committed to representing the interest of their donors and to making careful and considered investments in organizations that support our community.

Every year, NCCF’s grant-making goal is to provide funding for a wide range of important programs that have an impact in our community and improve our quality of life. This year’s62 grants support activities in six broadly defined categories: Arts, Culture, & Community Resources,Elderly, Health Care, Human Services, Special Needs, and Youth/Education.

Cynthia Gorey explained that this year the Foundation started a new tradition of “symbolically connecting some of the younger charitable residents in New Canaan with our grant recipients”. Earlier in the year, NCCF staff visited the Kids Care group at West School and a Girl Scout troop, and talked to them about the meaning of philanthropy. They spent part of the time helping them create handprints with benevolent messages on them. Those hands were presented with the grants to organizations working with children and families who were asked to tell their clients the story behind them. Mrs. Gorey noted that “kids in New Canaan care about their neighbors and send their best wishes to non-profits helping their peers in our area”. NCCF asked the recipients to have these symbols displayed and share photos of the hands at their organizations.

Detailed grants were made as follows:

Arts, Culture, & Community Resources: $104,000 to 13 organizations

  • Carriage Barn Arts Center
  • Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County
  • Merrie Bee Cabin, New Canaan Girl Scouts
  • New Canaan Historical Society
  • New Canaan Library
  • New Canaan Nature Center
  • Norwalk Symphony
  • Shakespeare on the Sound
  • Silvermine Guild for the
  • Stamford Museum and Nature Center
  • Stamford Symphony Orchestra
  • Summer Theater of New Canaan
  • Wildlife in Crisis

Services for the Elderly: $49,500 to 5 organizations

  • Elder House
  • Getabout
  • Meals on Wheels
  • New Canaan’s Department of Health and Human Services
  • Staying Put in New Canaan

Health Care: $84,500 to 7 organizations

  • AmeriCares Free Clinic
  • Child Guidance Center of Mid-Fairfield County
  • Child Guidance Center of Southern CT
  • Laurel House
  • Liberation Programs
  • Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care
  • Waveny LifeCare Network

Human Services: $207,500 to 17 organizations.

  • American Red Cross
  • The Center
  • Child Advocates of SW CT
  • Children’s Connection
  • Domestic Violence Crisis Center
  • Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse
  • Family and Children’s Agency
  • Family Centers
  • Family ReEntry
  • Inspirica
  • International Institute of CT
  • Kids in Crisis Neighbors
  • Open Door Shelter
  • Person-to-Person
  • Shelter for the Homeless
  • Workplace

Special Needs: $95,700 to 7 organizations.

  • Abilis
  • Arts for Healing
  • Camp Horizons
  • New Canaan Mounted Troop
  • St. Catherine’s Academy
  • South Avenue Cottage
  • STAR

Youth and Education: $144,300 to 13 organizations.

  • ABC
  • Carver Center
  • Child Care Learning Center
  • Domus
  • Earthplace
  • Future 5
  • Horizons Student Enrichment Program at NCCS
  • Mercy Learning Center
  • New Canaan CARES
  • Norwalk Grass Roots Tennis
  • REACH Prep
  • Voices of 9/11
  • Young Mariners

NCCF promotes community philanthropy and helps donors achieve their charitable goals. The Foundation helps all residents make their charitable giving personal, simple, and powerful. Local donors make a difference in New Canaan through the Foundation’s high-impact grants and life-changing scholarships. For more information call (203) 966-0231 or visit