Where Good Begins: Community Foundation Marks 75 Years of Community Leadership and Collaboration
Diamond Anniversary to be Celebrated in Coming Months with New Britain Bees Partnership, Support of Community Events and More
New Britain, Conn., May 11, 2016 – For 75 years, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain has provided critical grant funding to the area’s non-profit community, helped shape the conversation about issues impacting our community’s quality of life, and played a vital role in making Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington the best they can be.
In short, the Foundation has long been “Where Good Begins.” And now it is time to celebrate.
With its diamond anniversary at hand, the Foundation is announcing a series of collaborations and promotional initiatives marking the landmark anniversary in a manner consistent with the Foundation’s roots as a community leader and partner. The plans include a promotional partnership with the new hometown baseball team, the New Britain Bees, that will engage children and families; sponsorship support of a variety of signature community events in the Foundation’s four towns; and more.
“This is a major and significant anniversary not only for the Community Foundation, but also for the countless programs and organizations we have supported and partnered with over the years, and for the communities we serve as a whole,” said Jim Williamson, president of the Community Foundation. “Our goal in celebrating this anniversary is to engage the community and be true to our mission, and we believe these promotional plans do just that.”
New Britain Bees. To celebrate its anniversary the Community Foundation is planning four community nights this summer during Bees games at New Britain Stadium, one each for Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington, and sponsoring the distribution of 1,000 complimentary tickets for children and families of the four towns through local youth groups and organizations. The events will include pre-game on-field ceremonies, opportunities for children to take the field with the Bees, an in-game video about the work of the Community Foundation, post-game “pyrotechnic extravaganzas” and more. The dates are Friday, July 8 (Berlin Night, 6:35 p.m. vs. Bridgeport); Friday, July 29 (Plainville Night, 6:35 p.m. vs. Southern Maryland); Friday, August 5 (New Britain Night, 6:35 p.m. vs. Lancaster); and Friday, August 12 (Southington Night, 6:35 p.m. vs. Sugar Land).
Youth groups will be receiving a notification with details directly from the Bees.
Community Event Sponsorships. The Foundation will also be supporting a variety of signature community festivals and events over the course of this year with sponsorships and advertising support in recognition of its 75th anniversary. The program began last month with major sponsorship support for the New Britain Polonia Business Association’s Little Poland Festival, which took place on April 24. A
complete listing of additional Foundation-supported events in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington will be announced at a later date.
The sponsorships are part of the Foundation’s ongoing Community Sponsorship Awards program.
The Community Foundation kicked off its 75th anniversary last fall with a revamping of its mission statement and a complete rebranding, including a new logo and the launch of a new website. The Foundation’s updated mission statement is direct and powerful: “We inspire philanthropy, manage permanent charitable assets, and partner to address key community issues through strategic leadership.” Its accompanying updated vision statement adds succinct, big-picture meaning to the mission: “Our vision is to make our community vibrant and a better place to work and live.”
The Foundation’s new tagline – “Where Good Begins” – captures in three words the very essence of what the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain is all about.
The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, a 501(c)(3) public charity and one of the oldest community foundations in the nation, dates back to 1941 when The Stanley Works and New Britain Machine pooled $30,000 in gifts before World War II to begin what was then called the New Britain Foundation for Public Giving. Primarily a grant maker for many years, providing funding to support New Britain non-profits and their programs, the Foundation today is leading and collaborating to shape the Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington of tomorrow.
The Foundation today manages more than 185 charitable funds with an endowment of more than $40 million. For more information, visit www.cfgnb.org.