The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Online giving campaign raises $1.38 million
WATERBURY — Hailing from local towns and such far-flung places as China and New York City, 4,465 donors from around the world contributed a total of $1.38 million during Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills, the sixth annual 36-hour online giving campaign hosted by Connecticut Community Foundation. All donations supported the work of 257 nonprofits serving communities in the region.
Give Local rallied individuals, businesses, and media outlets to raise as much money and awareness as possible for local nonprofits. Connecticut Community Foundation and dozens of sponsors, including presenting sponsor Ion Bank Foundation, contributed more than $190,000 in bonus funds and $58,000 in competitive cash prizes that were awarded to nonprofits during the event.
“Once again, we’re in awe. It is an honor to be part of a community in which generosity runs so deep, and a joy to think of the good that will come from dollars raised through Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills,” said. Julie Loughran, president and CEO of Connecticut Community Foundation. We are grateful to everyone who gave during Give Local in support of the work that matters most to them, and to every nonprofit that works all year to improve lives throughout the region.”
Total dollars raised for each of the participating nonprofits can be viewed on the leaderboard of the Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills website at www.GiveLocalCCF.org. Leading organizations by the end of the campaign, which concluded at 7 p.m. on April 25, included Washington Montessori School, Wellspring, ASAP!, Lake Quassapaug Association and the Roxbury Land Trust.
Top five nonprofit organizations by number of gifts received were Wellmore Behavioral Health, Animal Welfare Society, Washington Ambulance Association, Washington Montessori School and the Connecticut Choral Society.
Learn more at www.conncf.org.
Webster Bank to host home loan event
Webster Bank, 1180 East Main Street, Torrington, will hold a home loan event at the branch on Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Visitors can learn more about home buying, refinancing, and home equity loans and lines of credit. Mortgage Banking Officers, local Realtors, Webster Financial Consul-
tants and other professionals can help with mortgage prequalification, explore local real estate listings, teach how to use the equity in your home for financial flexibility, and provide advice on planning for your financial future. Visitors will also receive special offers. For information, visit websteronline.com/openhouse
Women & Girls Fund supports financial literacy, job skills
The Women & Girls Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, has awarded $9,500 in grants in support of local organizations that are working to develop economic selfsufficiency for women by means of education, financial literacy and social services.
Family Strides was awarded $3,000 in support of a series of financial education workshops for at-risk, low-income mothers.
McCall Center for Behavioral Health was awarded $2,400 in support of the Hanson House Resiliency Group.
“The Hanson House program has a focus on clinical support and holistic treatment. Residents are empowered to heal and continue their recovery in a home-like setting,” said Sara Osborne, director of prevention. “Over the course of the four to six months … they gradually increase their independence, accountability, and at the later stages of the program, are encouraged to find work in the community and continue their treatment with the McCall Center or other recovery support systems in the community.”
Other recipients included CAFTA in Torrington, which received $2,500 to support Summer Art Camp scholarships for daughters of working mothers; and Kent Education Center & Nursery School, which received $1,600 to support scholarships to increase access to preschool.
Established as a giving circle in 1999 by a small group of women who shared a concern for the real-life needs of local women and girls, the Women & Girls Fund has awarded more than $60,000 to organizations that work to help women and girls develop skills, attain economic security and improve their quality of life.
In recent years, the fund has awarded grants to support child care scholarships for working mothers, assist unemployed women to enter the workforce, provide automobiles to working women who need transportation, and enhance economic opportunities and promote self-sufficiency for women leaving abusive relationships.
For more information about the Women & Girls Fund or to learn how to support its mission, visit northwestcf.org/womenandgirls
LARC fundraiser a ‘great success’
TORRINGTON — More than $33,000 was raised by the nearly 400 people who attended and the many event sponsors, auction and raffle donors who supported the Arc of Litchfield County annual Spring Wine Tasting, held April 6 at Chatterley’s Banquet Hall in Torrington, according to a news release.
The wine tasting, presented in partnership with The Cork Fine Wine & Spirits, featured a sampling of wines from international purveyors, as well as some of the finest American wineries. The event also included food tastings from Chatterley’s and local restaurants including Carbone’s, Applebee’s, Cakes Unlimited and Café 38. Guests participated in a wine toss, bid on silent auction items including themed baskets and fantastic getaways, and learned more about LARC’s services and programs.
One of two fundraisers held by LARC each year, the wine tasting event raises funds to support services provided by LARC. Presenting sponsors were Alliance All Trades and Thomaston Savings Bank.
The Arc of Litchfield County is a 50-year-old, nonprofit agency in Northwest Connecticut founded by families to support loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Guided by a vision of Community for All, LARC promotes individual empowerment, choice, respect and dignity.