The Valley Community Foundation Awards Grant Funds to Support Local Programs

VCF announces more than $17,000 in community grants to eight local community grants.

DERBY, CT (June 13, 2019) - VCF has awarded a total of $17,275 in its Community Grants Program to eight community groups serving the Valley. These grants will support youth, seniors, historical endeavors, and wellness initiatives in the region.

"With more than $17,000 in grant funding, these eight community groups are doing meaningful work in the Valley," said Sharon Closius, VCF President & CEO. "We are proud to be able to offer funding through our Community Grants Program to responsively support volunteer groups and nonprofits with very limited staff in our Valley's five towns."

Applications for the Valley Community Grants Program are considered through a request for proposal process. These grants are responsive to community groups that are volunteer or nonprofit in nature, serve Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and/or Shelton, and have less than two full-time or four part-time staff. Community Grants range from $250 to $2,500, and can be for new or recurring programs to support civic and community engagement efforts.

2019 Community Grant Recipients:

Annual Thanksgiving Basket Program - $1,250 to support the purchase of perishable and non-perishable food items and supplies for distribution of Thanksgiving baskets to families in need.

Derby Historical Society - $2,500 to support Valley schools to defray the partial cost of their transportation to "A Day in 1762", a hands-on living history program at the General David Humphreys House.

Music Mends Minds (Valley Chapter) - $1,500 to support the improvement of the lives of patients with dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and PTSD through the healing power of music.

Oxford Senior Center Singers - $2,110 to support the purchasing of a keyboard/synthesizer and accessories so that the Senior Center Singers will have accompaniment during their rehearsals and performances.

Seymour Soccer Association - $2,500 to support an indoor winter activity that promotes physical activity, education, and soccer foot skills such as dribbling and ball handling.

Shelton Historical Society - $2,415 to support an exhibit of rarely seen artifacts, photographs and documents throughout the Shelton History Center for the 50th anniversary of the Historical Society's founding as well as the 100th anniversary of the naming of the City of Shelton.

Shelton Youth Service Bureau - $2,500 to support sending high school students to the Youth to Youth Eastern States Conference in Rhode Island. The conference focuses on a comprehensive approach to drug education and information, personal growth through decision making, environmental change, and drug free fun.

Southford Falls Quilters, LLC - $2,500 to support demonstrations of techniques by members, and promotion and display of personal and charitable quilt making.

About The Valley Community Foundation

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes approximately $1.6 million in grants each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. In addition to grantmaking, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (TCF), to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton and receives funding from The Gates Fund and other preference funds at TCF that benefit the Valley. For more information, visit www.valleyfoundation.org.