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2005 Grants

2005 Competitive Grants Approved by the Board of Directors Recipient & Purpose Amount Focus Area Concora to fund a multicultural, interactive choral program in Middletown elementary schools. $2,500 Arts Essex Art Association to fund an open show to celebrate its 60th Anniversary. $2,690 Arts Oddfellows Playhouse to fund production expenses of Spoon River, performed by members of Oddfellow's Neighborhood Troupes and Teen Repertory Company. $1,500 Arts Tracy Art Center to help fund a program of recognition and mentorship for middle and high schools students and professional artists. $1,500 Arts Durham-Middlefield Youth & Family Services to fund an after-school program for middle school students. $3,375 Education Middlesex Coalition for Children to develop and disseminate a 2006 Children's Legislative Agenda for Middlesex County. $3,000 Education Middlesex Community College to purchase textbooks for a pre-freshmen math immersion course. $3,500 Education Middletown Adult Education-Even Start Program to offer educational family activities to strengthen parenting skills and increase parent involvement in their children’s education. $1,600 Education Middletown Public Schools to fund program which enables parents to become better advocates and leaders for themselves and their children within their communities. $5,000 Education Middletown School Readiness Council to purchase books for distribution through Middletown medical practices and to parents of newborns to promote early literacy. $4,200 Education Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council to fund workshops focused on developing student leadership skills to help prevent and reduce substance abuse. $1,500 Education Nutmeg Big Brothers/Big Sisters to expand the mentoring program benefiting at-risk and disadvantaged children in Middletown. $2,000 Education Arbor Garden Club of Clinton to create a late 18th - early 19th century garden, providing produce for the less fortunate. $1,000 Environment Camp Hazen YMCA to build an outdoor amphitheatre to enhance environmental education programs. $3,000 Environment Connecticut River Museum to offer an elementary education program which explores the Connecticut River's natural environment and cultural heritage. $3,500 Environment Connecticut River Watershed Council to fund intern to study the biological impact of consumptive water diversion and state water allocation policies. $2,500 Environment Essex Land Conservation Trust to develop a plan for a park along the Falls River in Ivoryton. $3,000 Environment Chester Historical Society to build portable display units to bring the Society's artifact collection into the community. $1,950 Heritage Enhancement Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution to create exterior interpretative markers for the Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in East Haddam. $3,000 Heritage Enhancement Haddam Historical Society to research and fund authentic 19 c. activities for a camp at which students experience life as a child during this period. $2,000 Heritage Enhancement Ivoryton Library Association to help fund a documentary on the ivory trade in Ivoryton and Deep River and to produce a complementary study guide for local schools. $4,200 Heritage Enhancement Russell Library to microfilm and preserve issues of the Middletown Press from 2001 to 2006, chronicling the life of citizens in Middlesex County. $4,700 Heritage Enhancement Essex Historical Society to create an historic marker for the Hills Academy in Essex Village. $500 Heritage Enhancement American Red Cross to provide gap funding for rental assistance and/or heating or electric bills for low income residents. $3,000 Human Service Estuary Council of Seniors to purchase a meal packaging machine for the Meals-On-Wheels program. $5000 Human Service FISH for Chester, Deep River & Essex, Inc. to provide free rides to medical facilities for Chester, Deep River and Essex residents who do not have other means of transportation. $500 Human Service Kuhn Employment Opportunities to provide peer support for persons with mental illness in obtaining and maintaining employment in the Middlesex County business community. $2,000 Human Service MARC Community Resources to fund recreation programs throughout the county for cognitively disabled children and adults. $3,500 Human Service Shoreline Soup Kitchens to fund a coordinator to work with other social service agencies and providers to coordinate services to people in need. $5,000 Human Service St. Vincent DePaul Place for the community assistance fund which is used as direct emergency assistance for rent, security deposit, medical expenses, utility bills and transportation. $2,400 Human Service Westbrook Youth & Family Services to fund a support group for teens facing sexuality and gender issues. $1,000 Human Service Nehemiah Housing Corporation to purchase appliances for two new apartments for homeless families. $2,000 Neighborhood Enhancement Northern Middlesex Habitat for Humanity to help defray costs of rehabilitation of 13-15 Huber Street, Middletown. $5,000 Neighborhood Enhancement Old Saybrook High School to provide funding for programming that combats prejudice and gender bias. $1,000 Safer Communities Children's Home of Cromwell to provide stipends and financial management instruction for at-risk girls working in the community. $2,000 Women & Girls Community Health Center to purchase furniture for the Battered Women's Shelter in Middletown. $1,800 Women & Girls Connection, Inc to purchase car seats and strollers for children residing with mothers enrolled in a drug rehabilitation program. $500 Women & Girls Estuary Council of Seniors to develop and pilot a comprehensive health education program for older women in the Valley Shore. $900 Women & Girls Girl Scouts, CT Trails Council to fund a program for girls, ages 8-14, designed to raise their self esteem. $2,300 Women & Girls Ray of Light Farm, Inc. to support a program which provides young girls with the opportunity to teach adults interested in learning horseback riding and animal care. $750 Women & Girls Rushford Center to support "Mother and Daughter Evenings Out" for Middletown sixth, seventh or eighth grade girls and their mothers. $1,750 Women & Girls Total Competitive Grants Approved $103,615