Greenwich United Way Announces 2019 Community Grants
GREENWICH, Conn., February 6, 2019 – The Greenwich United Way will award its first round of grants to local health, education and self-sufficiency programs across 20 partner agencies at the Community Investment Grant Recipient Reception on February 13 at Greenwich Hospital. Grant recipients include: Abilis, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education, Community Centers Inc. of Greenwich, Child Guidance Center, Family Centers, Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Horizons, Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, Kids In Crisis, Laurel House, Liberation Programs, Mothers For Others, Neighbor to Neighbor, Pacific House, Pathways, Inc., River House Adult Day Center, Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG), YMCA of Greenwich, and YWCA of Greenwich. Grants are made to programs in priority areas – mental health, self-sufficiency and early childhood education – as identified by the results of comprehensive research conducted by the Greenwich United Way.
Greenwich United Way Community Investment grants are awarded to local organizations based on submission of grant applications and a rigorous review process by dozens of community volunteers. Greenwich United Way volunteers on the Community Investment Process committee review grant applications from human services agencies that serve Greenwich residents and visit program sites. Following intensive evaluation of the financials, applications and other data, trained volunteers recommend funding to the Greenwich United Way Board of Directors. The Community Investment Process is guided by the research of local needs as published in Greenwich United Way Needs Assessment Report and Executive Summary.
“Our Grants Reception is a great way for the community to learn how the Greenwich United Way’s Community Investment Process works and the impact their dollars have on the programs we fund at each agency in town,” said David Rabin, CEO of Greenwich United Way. “Each grantee shares stories of how the grants made by the Greenwich United Way impact their respective organizations. This is all made possible by the generosity of the people of Greenwich who believe in our mission and help us aid over 17,000 Greenwich residents.”
The following information details the specific programs receiving 2019 Community Investment Grants.
The Abilis Early Intervention Program offers collaborative, community-based supports for toddlers and children with developmental disabilities. The State of Connecticut refers parents to Abilis for initial evaluations to determine program eligibility. If a child qualifies for the Abilis Birth to Three program, Abilis works with the family and other caregivers to create an individualized service plan. The individualized plans determine service funds, which range on average from 5-6 hours per month for a child with minimal delays to 35-40 hours per month for a child diagnosed with autism.
Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich
The After-School Program is open on weekdays from 2:45 to 9 pm during the academic year and from 8:30 am to 5 pm on school vacation days. Everything is included for an annual fee of $50 per child. On a typical afternoon, children will eat healthy snacks and rotate with their grade levels for homework help, art and crafts, reading or computer time. Children may also enroll in swim lessons, yoga, cooking, flag football, Lego Robotics or character development. In summer, the Club offers camps to families.
The Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education
The Sexual Violence Response and Prevention program responds to sexual violence using the Empowerment Model and strives to give people the tools they need to make informed decisions for their health and safety. The organization’s emphasis is on its main programs: 24-Hour Hotline, Short-Term Crisis Counseling, Advocacy, and Prevention Education.
Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut Inc.
The Child and Family Therapy (CFT) program provides a range of clinic-based assessment and treatment services for children and teens that improve daily functioning. By mitigating the harmful effects of emotional problems and trauma on future development and increasing parent confidence and competence in addressing the unique needs of their children. Clinicians conduct detailed intakes to assess the child’s development, family history, culture and environment.
Community Centers Inc. of Greenwich
The Comprehensive Education Program builds upon existing school curricula and provides academic, social and emotional services that address the complex layers of personal and environmental influences affecting children. It offers Homework Clubs, a Summer Program, teacher-led Breakfast Club, one-on-one tutoring support, counseling and academic enrichment services.
The Early Education Center of Excellence consists of The Grauer Preschool, The Gateway Preschool, Joan M. Warburg Infant Toddler Center and The Armstrong Court Preschool. As part of the Center of Excellence, the Early Care and Education program is an accredited, full-day, year-round program for children aged 6 weeks through 5 years. It combines a high-quality educational experience with full day care for working parents.
Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County
The Food Bank addresses food insecurity by providing emergency food to agencies and programs to distribute to those in need. The Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization located in lower Fairfield County.
The Horizons at Brunswick Student Enrichment Program addresses the achievement gap in town by helping students from Greenwich Title I schools to improve their educational outcomes by providing academic and swimming instruction, enrichment opportunities, mentoring and guidance in a nurturing community of dedicated professionals and volunteers.
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich
Supermarketing for Seniors is a free, non-discriminatory, grocery shopping and case monitoring program for homebound Greenwich seniors. New clients may meet with a registered dietician and are matched with a trained, screened shopper.
SafeHaven is a program in which counselors answer Helpline calls from community members and children in crisis themselves. They assess needs and de-escalate crises by phone or in-person meetings 24 hours per day.
Laurel
House
The Laurel House Supported Education program is a free evidence-based
program that helps economically disadvantaged high school and college-aged
children living with mental health
conditions succeed in post-secondary education.
The agency provides services for youth, adults and families, including inpatient treatment programs, outpatient services, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), specialized treatment programs for older adults and people living with HIV/AIDS. Also provided is treatment and resources for adolescents and their families, education, prevention, and wellness efforts in the community and permanent supportive housing.
Mothers For Others
The Mothers For Others Diaper Acquisition and
Distribution program provides diapers for eligible families in need.
Neighbor to
Neighbor
The Food Pantry provides Greenwich residents with income below 200% of federal poverty guidelines with three days’ worth of food for each member of the family each week. Eligible clients are able to choose from a healthy array of food in their “client choice” pantry. A nutritionist-designed point system assures that clients receive food that will allow them to prepare healthy meals.
The Emergency Meals Program addresses homelessness by providing meals so that homeless individuals can focus on the difficult process of finding housing and the economic and social resources needed to become self-sufficient. The program provides two hot meals free to clients staying overnight at the emergency shelter.
The Hot Lunch Grant and Fellowship Day Program provides nutritious meals to all adult clients who are below the poverty line. The program serves two hot catered meals each week at the Fellowship Program. Clients participate in preparing menu choices and ordering hot, nutritious meals from local vendors to be delivered twice a week.
River House Adult Day Center is an accredited medical model adult day care center, open six days a week, providing medical support, personal care, emotional support and therapeutic recreation improving the quality of life for aging adults and those who care for them.
Transportation Association of Greenwich
The Municipal Dial-a-Ride Program provides approximately 16,000 trips to the seniors and disabled of Greenwich. The program operates Monday through Saturday from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm. They sometimes provide rides for dialysis patients.
The Early Learning Center Childcare Program serves children from six weeks to four-years-old and includes both full- and half-day preschool programs. It provides a developmentally-appropriate learning environment to foster children’s socio-emotional, cognitive, creative and physical development.
The Domestic Abuse Services Mental Health Counseling provides 24-hour counseling. Callers are screened for safety and level of present danger. Through a strengths-based, empowerment model of client-defined advocacy, counselors guide victims to set their own goals while moving toward independence.
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About Greenwich United Way
The Greenwich United Way (GUW) shares a name with approximately 1,200 other similar organizations across the nation, although the Greenwich, Connecticut division is a privately incorporated, locally governed, nonprofit agency. As a volunteer-driven organization, the Greenwich United Way exists to help identify and address the health, educational and self-sufficiency needs specific to its local community and to create and affect meaningful, lasting solutions. Through various fundraising efforts and on-going research, the organization is able to directly grant the funds necessary to accomplish this goal. The Greenwich United Way also invests in and conducts collaborative efforts to address broad-based community needs with partnering nonprofit agencies. For more information, visit https://greenwichunitedway.org, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.