June 26, 2014 -Meeting the needs of our most vulnerable citizens. Strengthening education and development of our youth. Bolstering the arts. Preserving history and cultural heritage. Protecting the health and welfare of our animals.

That is what $75,000 in grants to 28 organizations is achieving, and it is the result of Main Street Community Foundation’s spring 2014 General Competitive Grant Cycle. The 28 grant recipients were chosen from among 37 proposals submitted, and represent a broad range of programs and projects to benefit the communities and residents of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott.

The grants were awarded from 21 endowed funds established by donors to support the local community and the causes they care about.

“We are thrilled to be announcing over $75,000 in grants thanks to the generous legacies of the donors who have established and built these unrestricted community funds and field of interest funds,” said Susan Sadecki, President & CEO of the Community Foundation.

Sadecki also acknowledged the 24 local residents that comprise the Community Foundation’s volunteer Distribution Committee. “The Distribution Committee reviews all proposals, conducts site visits and makes the final funding recommendations to the Board of Directors”, stated Sadecki. “Their thoughtful review of the applications to ensure viability and their commitment to honoring donor intent is unmatched.”

The following grants were awarded from the various funds as described below:

• American Red Cross - emergency response assistance in the Community Foundation’s service area (Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund)
• Animal Rescue Foundation - establishment of a spay/neuter program (Elizabeth I. and Louis J. Matt Animal Protection Fund, Edward W. & Audrey K. Mink Memorial Fund)
• Bristol American Legion Post 2 - purchase of new uniforms for the Bristol American Legion baseball team (Gnazzo-Reidy Charitable Fund, Edward W. and Audrey K. Mink Memorial Fund)
• Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble - purchase of a tympani system (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Margaret Haberman Memorial Fund for Music)
• Bristol Family Resource Centers – to support a bilingual Outreach worker to work with the families at the West Bristol School (Fuller & Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education, Ciccarelli-Vitale Community Advancement Fund)
• Bristol Girls Little League Softball - portable lime machine for field maintenance (Malerbo Childrens Field Maintenance Fund)
• Bristol Housing Authority - to support an eight-week summer program for parents and preschool children to prepare them for school (Fuller & Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education)
• Bristol Veteran’s Council, Inc. - to erect a monument on the Bristol Veterans Memorial Boulevard dedicated to those from Bristol that gave their lives in the Revolutionary War (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Burlington Cub Scouts Pack 23 - purchase of a multi-media projector and screen (James R. Parker Trust)Canton/Burlington Youth Football and Cheer - purchase of training and protective equipment for Burlington youth (James R. Parker Trust)
• Community Counseling Center of Central CT - support for “Nuturing the Artist Within”, a therapeutic art program in Wolcott (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Jim & Eleanor Frawley Community Fund)
• Connecticut Humane Society – expansion of the medical intervention program (Elizabeth I. and Louis J. Matt Animal Protection Fund)
• Connecticut Institute for the Blind dba Oak Hill - sports and start up equipment for the new facility in Bristol (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• DAR/City of Bristol Cemetery Commission – support for a Lantern Tour to highlight the historical aspects of West Cemetery (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Gnazzo-Reidy Charitable Fund)
• Environmental Learning Centers of CT, Inc. - to support a new turkey coop and viewing area for the educational programming (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Ciccarelli-Vitale Fund for Community Advancement, Merriman Family Fund, Turkus Family Fund)
• Forestville Little League - renovations of the kitchen and concession stand (Malerbo Children’s Field Maintenance Fund)
• Gaylord Hospital - “Paralympic Sport Club Day” at Wheeler Regional Family YMCA in Plainville to introduce interested individuals to paralympic sports (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Girls Inc. of Southwestern CT - Family Fun Events in Wolcott during the summer and school year (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Douglas and Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Girl Scouts of Connecticut - “Free Being Me” program in Bristol schools (Douglas & Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity - energy saving features for the 3 homes being built in Bristol (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, Inc. – program support for students at Hubbell School in Bristol (City of Bristol Treasurer’s Fund for Financial Awareness)
• McCabe-Waters Little League - field safety netting and back stop padding (Malerbo Children’s Field Maintenance Fund)
• Memorial Military Museum – support to conduct a collection assessment and creation of a document that will recommend appropriate preservation, storage and display guidelines (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• New Britain Museum of American Art - “Access to the Arts” program for students enrolled in Wolcott elementary schools (Douglas & Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund, Jay & Elizabeth Tyrrell Fund for the Arts)
• New England Carousel Museum - purchase and implementation of PastPerfect Database Software (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund)
• Prudence Crandall Center, Inc. - upgrades of the organization’s website (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Paige Wartonick Laferriere Memorial Fund, Eva M. Pierce Memorial Charitable Fund)
• Wrinn Preschool Center at Hatton Elementary School - indoor/outdoor therapeutic equipment for use in the preschool wellness program (Douglas & Noreen Schumann Special Interest Fund)
• Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church/Meals for the Needy - new chairs for the soup kitchen (Bristol Brass General Grant Fund, Angela and Al Caruso Family Charitable Fund, Ronald F. & Emilie P. Duhaime Family Fund, Formagioni-Lodovico Family Fund, Jaspersohn Family Memorial Fund, Tedesco-Gallant Charitable Fund)