2022 Community Grant Recipients

It is with great pride that we share our Community Giving Grant Committee’s Board-approved list of grantees for 2021-2022. A total of 35 organizations will receive $140,000 in grants.

This is a record amount of funding resulting from our very successful LobsterFest!

A Better Chance of Westport

A Better Chance is a national program that refers academically talented inner-city students to some of the nation’s finest independent and public schools.  Since opening their doors in 2002, A Better Chance of Westport has been transforming lives through educational opportunity.

Adam J. Lewis Academy

Founded in 2013, Adam J. Lewis Academy operates an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school in Bridgeport.  Families only pay as much as they can afford with tuition covering 5% of operating expenses.  The goal is to provide an enriching educational environment setting a foundation of future educational success for students that would not otherwise have such an opportunity.

Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders (“BCYL”)

BCYL provides under-served youth with sports, educational and civic direction to help them build the self-esteem and character need to reach their full potential.  The goal is provide sufficient support necessary to help them remain in school and graduate from High School.

Builders Beyond Borders (“B3”)

B3 provides an opportunity for high school students to build character, responsibility and leadership by participating in local and global community service.  B3 allows students to work along-side residents both domestically and internationally to build facilities that provide essential services.

Burroughs Community Center

The Burroughs Community Center offers affordable space to non-for-profit organizations with socially focused missions.  Burroughs works with their partners to promote education, civic engagement, employment preparation and English language skills.

 Caroline House

The mission of Caroline House is to enable women and children to reach their full potential through education in English language and life skills.  Programs educate and encourage children from inner-city Bridgeport households.  One special focus is providing preschoolers with sufficient English skills to allow them to thrive in English only kindergarten.

 Carver Foundation of Norwalk

Carver strives to close opportunity gaps for children by providing after school and summer activities and by collaborating with school districts, community organizations and parents.  In 2020, Carver serves more than 2500 children in 17 Norwalk public schools, Carver Community Center and Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport.

Center for Children’s Advocacy (“CCA”)

CCA was established to protect the legal rights of vulnerable children including their right to appropriate services from education, health, DCF and juvenile justice systems.  CCA attorneys are available at schools, hospitals and in the community.  CCA advocates both for individual rights and for reforms to protect the most vulnerable.

 Circle of Friends of Connecticut

Circle of Friends provides a wide array of innovative programming promoting a greater awareness and understanding of both the unique needs and the unique gifts of individuals with special needs while encouraging respect and empathy for those facing difficult challenges.  Circle of Friends matches teen volunteers with special needs individuals creating greater self-value and inspiration for both the volunteers and special needs individuals.

CLASP Homes, Inc.

CLASP serves adults with autism and related developmental disabilities in group homes and apartment settings.  Over 80 men and women are served in Westport, Fairfield, Wilton, Norwalk, Trumbull, Shelton and Stratford.  The primary mission to provide of the residential program is to establish long-term situations where people can feel safe, enjoy life and establish meaningful relationships.

 Connect Us, Inc.

Connect Us  brings together suburban and urban neighbors to improve the quality of outcomes for young people living in communities of concentrated poverty.  Youth programs include performing arts, preparation of older teens for the workforce and training high school students in leadership skills.

Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants

CIRI provides a compassionate array of high-quality legal, social, and educational programming for refugees, immigrants, and survivors of human trafficking and torture.

 Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Inc. (“DVCC”)

DVCC advocates for individuals who are experiencing abuse in personal relationships.  Services and staff support those experiencing domestic abuse by assisting them in building a safer environment for wellbeing of themselves and their families.  DVCC serves the communities of Stamford, Norwalk, Darien, New Canaan, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

 Earthplace

Earthplace is a nature discovery and environmental learning center and home to the largest open space and nature sanctuary in Westport.  The 74 contiguous acres offer children and families opportunities for nature discovery, exploration and outdoor fun.  The site includes 2.5 miles of trails.

Friends of Westport Senior Center

 The Friends of the Westport Center for Senior Activities (FWCSA) supports the Westport Center for Senior Activities’ mission of providing an activity-based “home away from home” for our senior community. FWCSA augments the programs offered at the Center with exciting speakers, programs, and events throughout the year. We hope you will join in and experience all that the Center has to offer.

 Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County, Inc (“Habitat CFC”)

Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County, Inc builds communities and improves lives by eliminating substandard housing and creating homeownership opportunities for families of low income. Habitat CFC provides volunteer opportunities, environmentally sensitive development and new homes for those in need of appropriate housing.

Homes for the Brave

Homes for the Brave provides housing, vocational training, and life skills coaching to help individuals leave homelessness behind. To date, we have worked with over 1,450 men and women, most of whom are Veterans.

Homes with Hope, Inc

Homes with Hope is devoted to addressing the special needs and problems of homeless families and individuals and people at risk of becoming homeless in Fairfield County.  Programs include a food pantry and soup kitchen, two emergency shelters and 47 units of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless.  Support services  are provided to provide life skills critical to preventing homelessness.

 Horizons at Norwalk Community College

 The program advances educational equity by building long-term partnerships with students, familites and schools to create experiences outside of school that inspire the joy of learning.

Horizons Notre Dame – Fairfield

 The program advances educational equity by building long-term partnerships with students, familites and schools to create experiences outside of school that inspire the joy of learning.

 Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services

IRIS empowers refugees and immigrants to become self-sufficient and integrated into their new communities. At the same time, newcomers enrich our communities, making this a better place for all of us

 Mercy Learning Center of Bridgeport, Inc. (“Mercy”)

Mercy provides basic literacy and life skills training women with low income using a holistic approach with a supportive environment.  Mercy provides a variety of programming for women including part-time tutoring, full-time classroom instruction, technology education. Holistic support services include childcare, nursing, citizen application assistance as well as providing food and diapers to all program participants.

 Mid-Fairfield Child Center, Inc. (“Mid-Fairfield”)

Mid-Fairfield serves as a safety net for lower- and middle-income families across the greater Norwalk region who cannot access or afford private mental/behavioral health services for their children.  Mid-Fairfield helps children and adolescents who suffer from severe behavioral health disorders due to stressful life events or traumatic experiences.

 My Team Triumph

My Team Triumph is a non-profit athletic mentoring program created for children, teens, adults and veterans with disabilities who would normally not be able to experience endurance events such as triathlons or road races.

Norwalk Housing Foundation

Founded in 2000, Norwalk Housing Foundation was established to raise funds for college scholarships and other educational services for families that live in public housing in Norwalk.  The goal is to help resident students get into college, stay in college and earn a degree.  The program is administered by Norwalk Housing Authority staff and as such all funds raised go directly to the students.

 Off The Streets

OTS Bridgeport serves the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless in the greater Bridgeport area by providing much needed security deposits directly to landlords for eligible individuals and families requiring this deposit to secure housing in modest apartments.

 Park City Prep Charter School

Park City Prep Charter School is a middle school designed to prepare students for admission to and success at, selective college preparatory high schools.  Park City Prep uses donations to support scholarships for students of strong academic potential but without the means to accept placement at top quality area High Schools.

 Positive Directions, Inc

Positive Directions provides behavioral health treatment and counseling to adults, adolescents, children and families experiencing mental health issues, substance abuse or other addictive behaviors. Positive Directions also spearheads programs designed to prevent under-age drinking in Westport, Weston and Wilton.

 Saint Catherine Center for Special Needs

 Saint Catherine Center for Special Needs fosters the educational, spiritual, and social well-being of young people with disabilities through a continuum of direct services in our Adult Services Program and Saint Catherine Academy. We also provide support for faith formation and inclusion in local parishes and Catholic schools.

 Staples Tuition Grants

Staples Tuition Grants provides college scholarships to Staples High School graduates that need financial assistance to attend college.  Originally established in 1943, Staples Tuition Grants helps close the gap between cost what students and their families can afford.

 Sustainable Westport

The mission of Sustainable Westport is to become a Net Zero community by the year 2050, where the community has reduced its impacts across energy, water and waste so that they are sustainably managed, using approaches that are economically viable, of social benefit, and environmentally responsible.

 Urban Impact of Black Rock, Inc (“Urban Impact”)

Urban Impact is a organization of volunteers that mentor and tutor at-risk youth in Bridgeport.   The mission is to offer at-risk youth educational, mentoring and perspective-expanding opportunities through in school and after school activities.  Often, simply encouraging and helping a student with homework can greatly increase a student’s ability to learn.

 Westport Book Sales Ventures

 Westport Library Book Sales are a long-standing community tradition, powered by a dedicated team of over 70 volunteers year-round, and over 200 additional volunteers who support our periodic book sale events. ​The book sales’ mission includes providing meaningful competitive employment and volunteer opportunities for adults with disabilities.

Westport Dept of Human Services

This program provides funding for summer camps based on need.  Camp Mahackeno and sleep away camps are two examples of places at which camperships have been provided.

 Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service

Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service provides ambulance service for the town of Westport.  The service is funded by a combination of user fees and donations from service organizations and individuals.