COVID-19 Emergency Grants

New Britain, Conn. May 5, 2020 – Amidst the severe challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain has designated some of its resources and fundraised to provide other support for two funding options for local organizations serving the residents of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington.

The COVID-19 Initiatives Fund was created so nonprofits can request emergency community initiative funding of up to $5,000 for initiatives proposed to respond to community needs in order to help the most vulnerable during this crisis.

The Foundation is also providing grants for organizations that want the flexibility of general operating funds needed due to the unusual and unexpected financial strains the health crisis is causing in their non-profit.

The CFGNB’s Board of Directors has so far approved $131,400 in COVID-19 related grant funding, in an expedited process, since late March. Included is a $20,000 grant to the Hospital of Central CT and Hartford Healthcare, Hospital for Special Care, Berlin-New Britain-Plainville-Southington Police, Fire, and EMS, and the NB EMS Academy to fund the production of 22,000 face shields. The Foundation collaborated with OKAY Industries of New Britain and a team of community volunteers created an assembly line for distribution and use of PPE by health care workers and first responders in our region. With the help of many local donors, including other funding partners such as several Community Foundation Donor-Advised Funds, the American Savings Foundation, the Barnes Memorial Trust of the Main Street Community Foundation, and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving COVID-19 Fund, the 22,000 face shields were assembled in just eleven days and distribution of the face shields is almost complete.

Following is a listing of other recently approved COVID-19 related Foundation grants:

  • $3,000 to Autism Families CONNECTicut for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $900 to Berlin-Peck Memorial Library to create an newspaper advertisement or insert to promote the library’s digital services to residents during COVID-19
  • $7,500 to Bread for Life for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $5,000 to CCARC to purchase laptops and accompanying software, licenses and hardware that will facilitate remote work among employees and services for clients
  • $5,000 to Community Mental Health Affiliates to purchase the technology necessary to provide telehealth services

“Thank you for supporting CMHA’s request for COVID emergency funds. Being able to maintain our critical services through telehealth is so very important to our clients, particularly during these uncertain times.  We appreciate the Foundation’s swift response to the COVID crisis’ impact on our services and clients,” said Marie Mormile-Mehler, Vice President of Performance Improvement and Planning, Community Mental Health Affiliates.

  • $2,500 to the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition (CIRC) to support the basic needs of Syrian and other refugee families in New Britain who are in struggling due to the pandemic
  • $3,000 to CT Students for a Dream (C4D) to help meet the needs of undocumented youth and their families due to COVID-19.
  • $3,000 to Coram Deo Recovery to create a quarantine home for women in their program should they become infected with the virus or be exposed to someone who is infected
  • $5,000 to Family Promise for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $5,000 to Gilead Community Services’ Farrell Treatment Center to enable the agency to provide telehealth services and establish a quarantine environment for clients
  • $5,000 to Giving Back Food Pantry for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $7,500 to the Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $10,000 to Living in Safe Alternatives (LISA) 1) to help fund PPE, designated quarantine areas, medical supplies and enrichment tools to support the academic needs, social development and the emotional well-being of program residents and 2) for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $7,500 to Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $9,500 to the New Britain-Berlin YMCA for emergency operational support due to COVID-19, and to offset the cost of a ramp needed since the COVID-19 outbreak for the safety and health of employees and Members-In-Residence who live at the facility.
  • $2,500 to New Life II in New Britain to develop a safe and temporary quarantine environment for up men in its recovery housing.
  • $5,000 to Prudence Crandall Center for initiatives that will allow the organization to maintain the multi-family dwellings and communal living it provides for clients and minimize exposure to COVID-19.
  • $7,500 to the Southington-Cheshire Community YMCAs for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $2,000 to Southington Community Cultural Arts to create “art bags” for 40 All Access adults with disabilities that will provide this vulnerable population with structure, socialization, connection to their community during this health crisis.
  • $2,500 to the Sudanese American House in CT for emergency operational support due to COVID-19
  • $5,000 to the United Way of Central and Northeastern CT for Neighbors in Need COVID-19 Response

For questions on COVID-19 emergency funding, please contact Joeline Wruck at jwruck@cfgnb.org or Kaylah Smith at ksmith@cfgnb.org. To make a gift to the COVID-19 Initiatives Fund, visit www.cfgnb.org/donate-now or mail your check, made payable to CFGNB, to CFGNB, 74 Vine Street, New Britain, CT 06052 and write COVID-19 Fund in the memo portion.

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