Main Street Community Foundation recently awarded a total of $16,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations from its Men & Boys’ Fund. This Fund was established by the Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2016 to provide grants to organizations that address the needs of local men and boys in the communities of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington, and Wolcott. The grants awarded are:

• Boys and Girls Club of Bristol - $2,000 - Whisper Beyond the Noise youth empowerment program for teenage males, ages 13-18, to uplift, inspire and provide guidance through mentorship, storytelling and leadership development.
• EdAdvance - $1,000 - Father & Son Build-A-Better Sandwich Challenge hosted by Plymouth Family Resource Center to promote nutrition and foster meaningful father-son connections for boys and their Dads.
• Outside Perspective - $4,000 - Continuation of the Youth Excellence Project (YEP) providing at-risk male teenagers with adult mentorship in outdoor spaces to promote health and build resiliency to the challenges in life.
• Plymouth Parks and Recreation - $2,000 - Lunch and Learn for Senior Men providing monthly educational sessions with speakers, to improve mental and physical health and support cognitive function through mental stimulation.
• Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center - $2,000 - Veterans Program designed to include interactive and experimental unmounted horsemanship to support male military veterans promoting mental, emotional and physical benefits through hands-on engagement with horses.
• The Bridge Family Center, Inc. - $1,000 - Recreational and Educational Activities for the Specialized Trauma-Informed Treatment Assessment Reunification (STTAR) Program for boys in Wolcott’s Hastings House.
• Veterans Strong Community Center - $4,000 - Sleep Savants Program focusing on improving sleep in order to improve mental and physical health, reducing veteran suicide rates.

Many of the needs of men and boys, especially their social and emotional challenges, are often overlooked. MSCF’s Men & Boys’ Fund is dedicated to meeting those needs in the local communities. From promoting healthy, outdoor activities for youth, to offering parenting support for dads, the Men & Boys’ Fund is committed to support the social, emotional, and educational needs of men and boys.

Next year, MSCF will be celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the Men & Boys’ Fund and its mission to improve the quality of men and boys’ lives, increase their self-sufficiency, and assist them in making positive changes in their communities. Over $98,000 in grants have been awarded to local nonprofit organizations with the same shared vision since 2016.

To learn more about the Men & Boys’ Fund and what you can do to contribute to this mission, visit www.mainstreetfoundation.org/men-boys-fund.