American Savings Foundation Announces Second Round of Community Grants

January 19, 2024

Conn. – The American Savings Foundation Board of Directors recently awarded 30 Community Grants totaling $104,739.  These grants are designed to meet a wide range of local needs throughout the Foundation’s 64-town service area, including Ashford, Berlin, Cromwell, East Hartford, Manchester, Plainville, Torrington, West Hartford, and Windham.

The Community Grants program is designed to meet the needs of local non-profits throughout the 64 Connecticut towns served by American Savings Foundation. In keeping with the Foundation’s mission, Community Grants support programs that strengthen the community through education, human services, and the arts, with a special emphasis on the needs of children, youth, and families. Grants awarded this past December support a wide range of services,  including mental health services, arts enrichment in schools, food and diaper distribution for those in need, and music and theater performances in our communities.  

“In the five years since its inception, the Community Grants opportunity has awarded nearly $1 million to 258 programs and services.” said Jenna Cowan, program officer at American Saving Foundations. “As we look ahead to 2024, our hope is to not just sustain existing programming, but welcome new applicants whose initiatives align with our mission.”

The Foundation accepts Community Grant applications twice a year. The next deadline for Community Grant requests is April 11, 2024, for decision in June.  Community Grant requests up to $5,000 can be submitted using the online application available at https://www.asfdn.org/grants/community-grants.  

The latest Community Grants announced by the American Savings Foundation include:

• $5,000 to A Little Compassion for a mentorship program in Middlesex County that connects neurodiverse individuals to established artists as they build skills to showcase and sell artwork.
• $5,000 to ACCESS Agency to make ADA compliant updates to their senior housing complex in Tolland.
• $3,000 to American Mural Project for their afterschool program that provides arts enrichment activities to students at Winchester Public School.
• $3,000 to Arts for Learning for their school-based arts program in Ashford.
• $5,000 to Connecticut Storytelling Center to bring language enrichment programming into New Britain classrooms through professional storytellers.
• $1,000 to Consolidated School District of New Britain to create a safe and welcoming space at the high school where students can receive mental health support from CMHA and Klingberg.
• $5,000 to Diaper Bank of Connecticut to distribute diapers to families with infants and toddlers in New Britain and Waterbury
• $4,500 to Farmington Food Pantry to purchase basic need items for individuals not covered under government programs.
• $1,500 to Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra for musical education and orchestral concerts for students at Farmington Elementary Schools and Farmington High School.
• $4,000 to Gilead Community Services for behavioral planning and training.
• $5,000 to Hospital of Central Connecticut to provide early detection education, screening, and diagnostic services for breast cancer for women in Meriden who are uninsured, under-insured, or have high-deductible health insurance.
• $3,000 to KidsPlay Children's Museum to provide free museum admission to low-income children for creative learning in Torrington.
• $4,000 to Klingberg Family Centers to provide food and resources at their onsite pantry in New Britain.
• $2,000 to Mud Multi Media Inc for a youth development program in New Britain that focuses on multimedia productions.
• $3,500 to Music Series at South Church for their 2024 concerts series highlighting artists from Connecticut.
• $2,500 to New England Chamber Choir for their 2024 Performance Season in Cromwell, Glastonbury, and surrounding towns.
• $2,500 to New Haven Symphony Orchestra to support free family concerts at the Russell Library in Middletown.
• $5,000 to Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater for their mainstage plays performed by teens and young adults in Middletown.
• $5,000 to Plainville Community Food Pantry to provide food and resources to individuals in Plainville and surrounding towns.
• $1,000 to Plainville Wind Ensemble for their 2024 concert season.
• $5,000 to Salvation Army in Waterbury to support families exiting shelter with case management services.
• $2,739 to SARAH Inc to connect parents of children in birth-to-three to free resources on autism.
• $3,000 to Save Girls on FYER to support a leadership program for girls from Waterbury.
• $5,000 to Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries to distribute food to food insecure individuals in Chester, Clinton, Essex, Killingworth, Madison, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.
• $2,000 to The Spott Unlimited to serve prepared meals through a weekly distribution at the CT Elks Lodge in New Britain.
• $3,500 to The University of Bridgeport for their mobile STEM program that provides elementary school students in Waterbury with hands-on activities during the summer.
• $2,000 to UR Community Cares to connect older and/or disabled residents from Middletown, Portland, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield with volunteers who complete tasks to enhance their quality of life.
• $3,000 to Veterans Strong Community Center to support upgrades to their donor and communication software system.
• $5,000 to Volunteers In Psychotherapy to provide individuals with private therapy sessions in exchange for volunteer work for the charity of their choice.
• YWCA Hartford Region that supports their summer program for girls ages 13-18 from the Greater Hartford area.