Main Street Community Foundation recently awarded a total of $539,095 in grants to seven local organizations improving the health outcomes of Southington residents. The grants were distributed from the Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust, which was established in 1973 with the express purpose of providing funds for organizations that work to improve the health and wellbeing of Southington residents.

The organizations awarded grants in this cycle are as follows:

• Arc of Southington - $40,945 to purchase and install emergency generators at three group homes in Southington in order to allow residents, many with medical fragility, to stay in their homes in case of an electrical outage.
• The LEAF (Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm) - $60,000 to provide operating support for agricultural education programs in collaboration with the Southington’s public schools and the greater community. Programming includes planting and harvesting school gardens, farm to school lunch program, summer farm camp, adult classes on healthy food preparation, delivery of fresh produce to Bread for Life and Southington Community Services food pantry, and much more.
• LiveWell - $100,000 to support the second year of the Dementia Positive Southington initiative, the goal of which is to pioneer a Dementia Positive community in Southington that promotes positive attitudes towards people living with dementia, and advocates for brain health as a public health priority.
• Prudence Crandall Center, Inc. - $95,000 to support domestic violence intervention & prevention services for Southington residents including: community education and prevention, outreach activities, community counseling services, supportive housing placement, court advocacy, and the 24/7 crisis shelter and hotline.
• Senior Transportation Services - $112,000 to provide Southington residents aged 50+ or disabled, one-on-one, curb-to-curb, reliable, transportation. The service provides free rides to medical appointments, pharmacy, personal care appointments, bank, or to visit a loved one in a care facility.
• Southington Education Foundation - $35,650 to support the Asset-Building Classroom (ABC) curriculum writing and implementation for 6-12 graders in Southington Public Schools, and to support student enrichment activities related to the ABC curriculum.
• Wheeler Health - $95,500 to support the Southington Community Health Outreach Project, which enhances access to behavioral health and substance use resources and services for residents of Southington through a full-time project coordinator based in the community.

Since MSCF was appointed trustee of The Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust in 2004, the Trust has awarded a total of $15.6 million, all to the benefit of Southington residents’ health and wellbeing.

For more information on the Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust, or Main Street Community Foundation, contact us at 860.583.6363 or visit mainstreetfoundation.org.