2026 Grant Award Winners

Grant Awarded: $100,000

Mission: Food Rescue US is dedicated to reducing hunger and food waste. Using our proprietary app, we engage volunteers and food donors to directly transfer nutritious excess food to social service agencies supporting those experiencing food insecurity. In doing this we change lives and critically address climate change by keeping food out of landfills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Project Funded: With only one full-time employee and a cadre of committed volunteers, Food Rescue provides surplus food to 190+ agencies reaching over 100,000 people facing food insecurity each year. Impact’s investment will strengthen operational capacity at Food Rescue US’ Fairfield County site by funding a full-time Co-Site Director. Building internal infrastructure allows the organization to meet escalating operational demands, more efficiently respond to rising food insecurity across Fairfield County, and increase long-term community impact. It will also allow Food Rescue to protect the environment by reducing waste and carbon emissions from surplus food. By increasing staffing capacity, over the next two years, Food Rescue projects it will more than double the number of meals rescued and pounds of food waste that is prevented.

Grant Awarded: $100,000

Mission: To provide youth with sports, educational and civic direction helping them build the character and self-esteem they need to reach their full potential and value in society.

Project Funded: Building on the hands-on mentorship and sustained encouragement that define all BCYL programming, Impact’s investment will allow the organization to launch Health Explorers, an initiative that introduces Bridgeport high school students to the healthcare workforce pipeline. With the Impact Fairfield County grant, BCYL will fund program staff, essential program supplies (e.g. laptops) and full tuition for up to eight Medical Assistant students annually, along with up to 15 health ambassadors who will engage in hands on learning with a variety of healthcare professionals.  This project will launch them into healthcare careers that increase their earning power and long-term self-sufficiency.