Manchester panel gives nonprofits grants

Austin Mirmina, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·3 min read

Jul. 5—MANCHESTER — The Manchester Greater Together Community Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving said it has awarded its first grants to nonprofit organizations serving the local community.

Eight Manchester organizations received funding in this inaugural grant-making cycle, with individual grants ranging from $365 to $5,000, the fund's advisory committee members said. The funds will be used to address an array of community needs.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: The Manchester Greater Together Community Fund and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving awarded its first grants to nonprofit organizations serving the local community.

HOW MUCH: Amounts ranging from $365 to $5,000.

The $5,000 grant awards include:

—Building Healthy Families, which will quadruple the number of families served by the group's community garden located at Main Street and Hartford Road.

—Gentle Love Diaper Pantry, to help purchase and distribute two pallets of diapers to Manchester children and families in need.

—Manchester CT HOPE Initiative, to support Manchester families of individuals dealing with opioid addiction, distribution of NARCAN, and training on its use.

—Operation Fuel, to support emergency fuel and utility bill assistance efforts for Manchester residents.

—Rebuilding Together, to support the group's efforts to rehabilitate the houses of lower-income homeowners in Manchester.

—Second Congregational Church, to support the purchase of food items not available through other partners and the installation of an internal ramp for volunteers to safely offload pallets of food/supplies.

—Trinity Covenant Church Hope 4:10, to support the purchase of cleaning supplies and toiletry items for distribution through the group's food pantry.

The grand distribution also included $365 to the Manchester Women's Club to help support a community garden plot at the Spruce Street Community garden with produce donated to a local food pantry's community kitchen.

"We're thrilled to support these eight projects that together address a broad range of critical needs in the Manchester community," Bambi Mroz, chair of the fund's advisory committee, said last week in an announcement of the grants. "The committee sought to support projects particularly aimed at addressing basic needs, food insecurity, diversity and equity, mental health and health promotion, and youth, among others. The selected projects each address multiple focus areas, and we hope these investments will make a strong, positive impact on the lives of Manchester residents."

The advisory committee, which manages the selection process, said it struggled to narrow the large application pool to the eight selected projects. The next grant cycle will begin in early 2023.

Molly Devanney, executive director of Rebuilding Together of Manchester, said her organization would use the grant to purchase necessary materials to complete emergency repairs for local homeowners. Since National Rebuilding Day on April 30, the organization has received many applications for emergency work, Devanney said.

"From ramps to electrical repairs, we are working now only because of the funding we received from wonderful community partners such as the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving," she said.

In 2019, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving established $100,000 Greater Together Community Funds for each of the 29 towns in the Foundation's region, which includes Manchester.