Main Street Community Foundation recently awarded a total of $724,549 in grants to six local organizations improving the health outcomes of Southington residents. The grants were awarded from the Foundation’s 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 include:

• LiveWell for $150,000 to continue and expand the Dementia Positive Southington initiative. The goal of the initiative 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. for $85,000 to support comprehensive Domestic Violence Intervention & Prevention services 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 for $113,127 to provide Southington residents who are age 50+ or disabled, one-on-one, curb-to-curb, reliable, medical transportation. The service provides free rides to medical appointments, pharmacy, hair salon/barber, bank or a care facility to visit a family member.
• The LEAF (Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm) for $60,000 to provide operating support for agricultural education programs in collaboration with the Southington public schools and the greater community. Programming includes planting and harvesting school gardens, farm field trips, farm to school lunch program, summer farm camp, the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, adult classes on healthy food preparation, and delivery of fresh produce to Bread for Life and Southington Community Services food pantry.
• Wheeler Health for $116,422 to continue the Southington Community Health Outreach Initiative, which enhances access to behavioral health services for Southington residents through social work interventions. This approach addresses community-wide needs, reduces barriers to care, and promotes better behavioral health outcomes across all age groups. By connecting individuals with appropriate resources early on, the program prevents the escalation of mental health issues that may require higher levels of care.
• Yale School of Nursing for $100,000 to establish a FINGER (FINish GERiatric) based cognitive wellness clinic at LiveWell led by Yale clinicians and faculty. This 15-month pilot program will provide individual, small-group, and community education on brain health and dementia risk reduction, while offering continuing education for healthcare providers. The goal of this program is to support early identification and management of cognitive decline.

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 $14.9 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.