2018 Grant Award Winners

Grant Awarded: $100,000
Stamford, CT

Mission: o deliver educational programs and resources that elevate student, educator, and parent success by bridging the gap between needs in the Stamford Public Schools and resources in our community.

Project Funded: Ready. Set. Shine! Program which transforms the lives of 150 Stamford children and their families who are disconnected from the Stamford Public School district by delivering quality preschool access for those who have not had a preschool experience, and by shepherding families through their transition into the SPS education system.

Grant Awarded: $100,000
Bridgeport, CT

Mission: To end homelessness in Fairfield County by advancing a collective impact approach through dedicated staff, committed partners and effective leadership. SHW implements cost effective system changes and aligns community resources so that no one is without a place to live for more than 30 days.

Project Funded: Vehicle for Change is a mobile van to address youth homelessness.  SHW has acquired and retrofitted a mobile van that will transform the way youth and young adults are identified and engaged so they can receive needed services to avert the catastrophic effects of homelessness.  An outreach van will meet youth where they are and remove barriers to services such as transportation, limited phone access, shame in asking for help and navigating a complex system. SHW expects to outreach and engage 200 unstably housed and homeless youth who will be provided trauma-informed, culturally competent, and developmentally and age-appropriate interventions.