Bodenwein grants totaling $104,500 to help 60 groups

New London — The Day’s Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation will distribute $104,500 to more than 60 nonprofit organizations in the region this year, a 4 percent decline over the total distributed last year.

Grants vary in amount from $500 to $5,000, with most in the $1,000 to $2,000 range. The average grant is about $1,685.

The foundation is named for Theodore Bodenwein, publisher of The Day from 1891 to 1939. In his will, Bodenwein established The Day Trust, a split- interest trust that oversees The Day’s news- gathering and publishing operations and administers the foundation, whose funds come from The Day’s earnings.

This year’s top grant of $ 5,000 will provide general operating support for the New London Community Meal Center.

The Covenant Shelter of New London and the New London Homeless Hospitality Center will receive $ 4,000 awards for shelter services and case management and financial assistance for guests, respectively. The Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut and the B.P. Learned Mission of New London will receive $3,000 grants.

In 2015, the foundation awarded nearly $109,000 in grants to 51 agencies. Since 1960, the foundation has donated nearly $11 million.

The remaining recipients are: Healing With Horses at Wildrose Horse Farm Inc., Youth at Risk Equine Assisted Therapy programs, $1,000; Arts for Learning Connecticut, Theater & Storytelling with Carol Glynn, $1,000; Bill Memorial Library, Library on Display: The Treasures of a Community, $2,000; Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut Inc., B.P. Learned Meet the Animals/Under the Sea, $1,000; Connecticut Storytelling Center Inc., Littlest Listeners

Preschool Storytelling, $1,000; Eastern Connecticut Ballet Inc., The Nutcracker Free Ticket Initiative, $1,000; Eastern Connecticut Symphony Inc.,Young People’s Concerts funding for public school children, $2,000; Eugene O’Neill Theater Center Inc., 2016 Young Playwrights Festival, $2,000; Expressiones Cultural Center Inc., ArtVenture-Artist-in-Residence, $2,000; Also, Flock Theatre Company, Make We Joy, $1,000; Hygienic Art Inc., Do the Write Thing/ Picture My World/Artist Academy Jr., $1,000; Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, photo documentary of Jewish Farmers of Eastern Connecticut, $2,000; Lyman Allyn Art Museum, The Yellow Bus Fund, $2,000; New London Community Orchestra Inc., instrumental music lessons at New London Public Library, $1,000; New London Maritime Society Inc., updating of permanent Amistad exhibition & production of visitor hand-outs, $1,000; New London Music Festivals Inc., 2016 Season Support, $1,000; Noank-Mystic Community Band, 2016 annual Summer Sounds Concert Series, $500; Also, Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition, The Rising Tide Series, $2,000; The Colonial Theatre School Inc., Shakespeare To Go School Outreach Program, $1,000; Connecticut Legal Services, Legal Services Food Access Project, $1,500; A Better Way Foundation Inc., youth organizing program, $1,000; Connecticut College, improving early literacy outcomes for New London County-based disadvantaged 3- and 4-year-olds, $2,000; Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association, Feeding the Community in New London County, $1,000; Envision Kindness, New London County Student Kindness Arts and Letters Competition, $1,500; Higher Edge Inc., college access program, $2,000; Historically Black College Alumni Inc., college prep, $1,000; Also, Lighthouse Voc-Ed Center, Project Beacon, collaborative respite program for families with children with special needs, $1,500; Opportunities Industrialization Center of New London County Inc., Certified Nursing Assistant Career Technical Training Program, $2,500; Project Oceanology, Project Oceanology’s Ocean Explorer Academy summer marine science camp, $2,000; Read to Grow Inc., Read to Grow-New London region, $1,000; New England Science and Sailing Foundation Inc., New London Initiative-New London Community Boating, $2,000; Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Dig Into Nature, $1,500; Sea Research Foundation Inc., Where the City Meets the Sea: The Long Island Sound Curricula Outreach Program for New London, $1,500; Also, New London Area Food Coalition Inc., Feeding the Food Insecure, $1,000; Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, Weekender Backpack Program, $1,000; Riverside Park Conservancy Inc., Riverside Community Garden Expansion, $1,000; Shoreline Soup Kitchens Inc., pantry food distribution, $2,000; The New London Community Meal Center Inc., general operating support, $5,000; United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern CT, disability support program, $2,000; United Community & Family Services Inc., art therapy supplies, $1,500; Also, Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut Inc., foot care clinics at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, $3,000; Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich Inc., emergency basic needs and case management, $2,500; Covenant Shelter of New London, shelter services and case management, $4,000; Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut, 127 Jefferson Ave., New London, $1,500; Mystic Area Shelter & Hospitality, Shelter Diversion for Homeless Families, $2,500; New London Homeless Hospitality Center Inc., financial assistance for guests, $4,000; B.P. Learned Mission, New London Day Nursery and Early Childhood Development Center (Groton), programs of Child and Family Agency of SECT, $3,000; Also, Furniture Bank of SECT, purchase beds for families in financial need, $1,500; Horses Healing Humans Inc., Community Collaboration Initiative, $1,000; Madonna Place Inc., Fatherhood Initiative Program, $1,000; Martin House Inc., basic needs, food security program, $2,000; Safe Futures Inc., Phoenix House Transitional Living Program, $2,000; Thames River Community Service Inc., Supporting a Child’s Development, $1,500; Thames Valley Council for Community Action Inc., Multi-purpose Emergency Client Assistance Fund, $2,000; The ARC of New London County Inc., Elements of Ellen, $2,000; The Center: A Drop-In Community Learning and Resource Center Inc., Outlast Cascade Play Center, $1,500; The Riverfront Children’s Center Inc., door replacement, $1,500; The Salvation Army, New London Corps’ Summer Camp Program, $1,500; Waterford Country School, Project Connecticut’s Child, $1,500; St. Edmund’s Retreat at Enders Island, Collegiate Recovery Community at Enders Island, $1,500; Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Connecticut, Summer Brain Gain, $1,000; City of New London, Early Childhood Family Center, $1,500.