Innovative Youth Programs among New Grants Provided by The Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin
New Britain, Conn. (January 18, 2011) – The Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin, Inc., has issued its final round of 2010 grants to local nonprofits. Many of the grants in this round of giving support important health and wellness programs serving the youngest citizens of New Britain and Berlin. A supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, the Community Chest funds programs and initiatives in the health and human service areas by providing program grants, general operating support and seed funding for new projects.
Cindy Antonacci, Vice President at Farmington Bank and Chair of the Community Chest’s Board of Directors comments, “The well-being of our kids has everything to do with the well-being of our communities—now and in the future. We were amazed by some of the unique and beneficial programs we were able to support with our funds. From play-based to pre-vocational programs, these grants will help all ages of kids in many ways.”
Boys & Girls Club of New Britain will receive $15,600 to continue “Triple Play”; a program designed to promote health and wellness for young people (ages 6 to 13) through three main components: Healthy Habits (focusing on healthy living); Get Fit (focusing on sports and fitness activities) and Play for Life (focusing on character building).
Capitol Workforce Partners will receive $7,500 to fund the coordinator position for New Britain Workforce Investment System (FWIS). The program was created in 2007 to improve employment training opportunities for youth and to develop a future workforce that will lead to a more competitive local economy. Over the last two years, the FWIS Coordinator has met with much success in engaging New Britain businesses in future workforce activities. This grant will help support the continuation of that position for FWIS.
Literacy Volunteers of Central CT will receive $8,554 to support Parenting for Academic Success, Family Science, a family literacy program that helps low literate parents support their children’s success in school. The PAS Family Science program is designed to improve language ability among parents and children; increase parental involvement in their child’s school; facilitate parents and children becoming partners in learning; and encourage families to practice literacy and educational activities at home. Parents have the opportunity to build their English language skills and in doing so, to increase their children’s chances for success.
Opportunities Industrialization Center will receive $25,000 to support the Hardware City Bicycle program, a program designed to prepare youth for the world of work by learning career competencies and the mechanics of bike repair, safety, racing and teamwork. OIC has operated the Hardware City Bicycle Program for the last two years, attempting to transition it from a loosely run drop-in program to a structured, pre-vocational training program for youth with measurable outcomes. OIC will now incorporate an entrepreneurial training component for the high school students four days per week using the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship curriculum. The middle-school students will be trained as bike mechanics four days per week by the high school youth and a part-time Bike Repair Associate. They will receive career competency instruction, academic support and hands-on bike repair opportunities.
YWCA of New Britain will receive $10,000 to support STRIVE E3 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) project targeting 20 girls enrolled in New Britain’s Roosevelt Middle School. This adds a new science and technology component to their existing after-school program dedicated to the healthy development of girls called STRIVE. The curriculum is interactive, highlights the work of female role models working locally in STEM careers, and incorporates activities that support math and science skill development associated with the state content standards, particularly those related to scientific inquiry.
Other organizations receiving Community Chest grants include: Central CT ARC ($15,000 to support their Personal Education Enrichment through Respite Services Program) and FoodShare ($20,000 to help support the distribution of food to 33 hunger-fighting sites in New Britain.
About the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin, Inc.
Known as the Community Chest since its founding in 1919, and most recently as the United Way of New Britain and Berlin, the Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin is now a supporting organization of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. A local and independent Board of Directors identifies and invests resources in programs and initiatives that benefit the New Britain and Berlin communities.