Valley Community Foundation Awards Grants in First Competitive Application Process
Donors past and present to be thanked for $171,000
(Shelton, CT – September 22, 2008) James E. Cohen, President and CEO of the Valley
Community Foundation (VCF), announced today that the VCF has awarded approximately $171, 000 in grants through its first competitive grants process. Funding was awarded to a diversity of projects, including: an historical artifacts program, a healthy food project, a teen safety program, a War Memorial repair project, and a capital campaign for the Valley’s first Cancer Care facility at Griffin Hospital.
“It was very important to the VCF Board of Directors that grants reflect as broad a base as possible for this, our first competitive grantmaking process,” said Mr. Cohen
Approximately $150,000 was awarded from the Gates Fund, which was established at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven in the 50s by bequest of two brothers, Frank and Ross Gates, both natives of Derby, CT. Valley leaders and The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven created VCF in 2004 to increase charitable giving and provide a permanent source of support for nonprofits in Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, Seymour and Oxford, CT.
“The vision for VCF as a vehicle to inspire and raise the level of givingwithin the Lower
Naugatuck Valley has truly succeeded,” remarked Mr. Cohen. “Not only did VCF fund 31 nonprofits through its first competitive grants process, but we were able to include an additional $21,150 from 6 endowed Donor Advised Funds at VCF. We inspired these donors to join us and give to these important organizations that provide services to Valley residents. Without VCF, these DonorAdvised Funds would not have existed.”
“We wanted to supplement the grantmaking of the Foundation due to the number of excellent applications that were received,” remarked William Bassett, founder of the Bassett Family Fund which awarded a total of $5,000 to 3 organizations. Bassett is the president of theW.E. Bassett Company of Shelton, CT and a member of the VCF Board of Directors.
2008 Grantees
Valley American Red Cross
$3,000
To provide assistance to individuals and families faced with crisis situations
Ansonia Fire Museum
$2,760
To provide fire prevention and safety
Ansonia Public Schools f/b/o Ansonia High School Human Relations Club
$5,000
To assist in funding the Second Annual Community Prejudice Reduction Conference
Area Congregations Together, Inc.
$10,000
To provide funds to support the Spooner House Capital Campaign and the 11th AnnualWalk for Hunger and the Homeless
Birmingham Group’s Valley Substance Abuse Action Council
$5,000
To collect unwanted and expired pharmaceuticals in an effort to prevent second-hand use of prescription drugs, reduce identity theft, and prevent water supply contamination
Housatonic Council, Boy Scouts of America
$10,000
To provide boxes for collection and distribution of food to local food banks
Boys & Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley
$10,000
To partially fund the hiring and salary of a new Chief Financial Officer
Center Stage Theatre, Inc.
$5,000
To bring theater to Valley public schools
Crestview Ridge Tenants' Association
$2,500
To install a patio awning at Crestview Ridge Senior Housing in Oxford
Derby Historical Society
$7,500
To support the campaign to reduce the mortgage balance on Axon property purchase
Derby Neck Library Association f/b/o Valley Library Directors Network
$2,000
To support dissemination at Valley libraries of training and professional development resources for Valley child care providers and the community
Derby Public Library
$10,000
To inventory, re-house, catalog, and promote local history collection
City of Derby f/b/o Youth Service Bureau
$1,000
To assist teen saftey program designed to reduce youth deaths caused by automobile crashes
Doyle Senior Center Activities Committee
$1,500
To purchase table and chairs to improve the environment for area Senior Citizens
FatherMcKenna St. Vincent de Paul Society
$2,000
To re-supply their food bank with food through Spring 2009
Friends of Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center
$2,500
To complete a multi-year strategic plan for the Ansonia Nature Center
Griffin Health Services
$15,000
To assist the capital campaign for a new ambulatory care pavilion and community cancer center
Housatonic Valley Association
$2,500
To restore selected Valley shoreline and educate residents about buffers
Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut, Inc.
$1,500
To sponsor personal financial literacy classes at Bungay Elementary School in Seymour
Long Hill Burial Ground
$2,000
To restore LongHill BuryingGrounds in Shelton
Lower Naugatuck Valley ParentChild Resource Center Inc.
$7,000
To prevent escalation of behavioral disorders in children ages 2-12
OxfordHistorical Society, Inc.
$2,000
To fund town-wide mailing designed to increase public support of local non-profits
PlumbMemorial Library
$5,000
To assist in providing delivery of books, movies, and audio books to 3,500 housebound disabled residents.
Rape Crisis Center of Milford, Inc.
$2,500
To support advocate program for non-offending parents of child victims of sexual abuse.
Seymour Public Schools f/b/o Regional School Readiness Initiative
$750
To provide speaker for network of Valley elementary administrators regarding early childhood
Shelton Historical Society
$8,000
To improve climate control, storage capacity and conduct an educational workshop at the Shelton Historical Society
Sutter-Terlizzi Post 16 American Legion
$7,500
To support the renovation of the permanent War Memorial at Riverview Park in Shelton
TEAM, Inc.
$10,000
To support the renovation and equipment of a licensed Early Education and Family Support Center within the City of Derby
Valley Emergency Medical Services
$10,000
To purchase the purchase of a new emergency response vehicle
Valley United Way
$10,000
To support the Valley United Way Annual Community Campaign Challenge
Valley YMCA
$7,500
To support an instructional day care playground at new Boys & Girls project in Ansonia
The Valley Community Foundation carries out the mission of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven in the cities and towns of Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, Seymour, and Oxford. The VCF is dedicated to making the Valley a better place to live and work by increasing philanthropy, especially permanent endowments; connecting donors to needs and opportunities; and providing leadership on critical community issues. For more information about the Valley Community Foundation visit www.valleyfoundation.org.