Community Foundation Catalyst Members to Hear from Finalists

Presentations to be Made this Week by Programs Seeking to Provide Services for Young Adults with Autism and their Families; Grant Award Slated for November

New Britain, Conn., September 18, 2018 – Representatives of three programs seeking to provide services for young adults with autism and their parents in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington will make presentations this Thursday to more than 60 members of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s Catalyst Fund, hoping to secure a grant award of up to $10,000 later this year.

The three finalists responded to the Catalyst Fund’s Request for Proposals issued in July and were chosen from among five applications received. Presentations will be made by Autism Services and Resources of Connecticut based in Wallingford, CCARC of New Britain and Plainville Community Schools. The RFP invited community-based programs and organizations to propose services that focus on either: 1) post-secondary transition services (vocational training, independent living skills, transportation and more) for adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); 2) support for parents of children of all ages with ASD focused on effective skill building, and; 3) building partnerships between organizations to provide opportunities in vocational training, and educational planning for those impacted by ASD.

The Catalyst meeting will take place on Thursday, September 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Stanley Black & Decker University, 1000 Stanley Drive in New Britain. Presenters will have 15 minutes to outline their proposals and answer questions from those in attendance. The chosen grant awardee will be decided by vote at Catalyst’s final meeting of the year on November 8 at Shuttle Meadow Country Club in Kensington.

Catalyst is a “giving circle” offering an ideal opportunity for caring citizens to join with their family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to socialize, enjoy refreshments and learn more about community needs in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. Members make a modest annual gift of $250 and come together three times per year to learn about a member-chosen issue facing their community. The group considers funding requests from charitable organizations addressing the issue. The year concludes with the group awarding a grant of up to $10,000. The issue for 2018 is “Services for Children and Young Adults with Autism.”

In its 15 years of existence, Catalyst Fund members have awarded more than $150,000 to a variety of programs meeting important needs and addressing difficult challenges in the community including alleviating homelessness for area families with children, repairing the homes of veterans in need and expanding services for senior citizens.

For information on attending Thursday’s event and about becoming a Catalyst Fund member, contact Joeline Wruck at jwruck@cfgnb.org or 860-229-6018, ext. 307. Discovery memberships are available (first-year only) for a $50 contribution.

Established in 1941, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain is “Where Good Begins” in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. Located at The Foundation Center at 74A Vine Street, New Britain, the Foundation works to inspire philanthropy, responsibly manage permanent charitable assets effectively, and partner to address key community issues through strategic leadership. For more information, visit www.cfgnb.org.