The Greenwich United Way invested a total of $750,000 into local health, education and self-sufficiency programs across 17 partner agencies last month. Agencies with programs that received grants include Abilis, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut Inc., Community Centers Inc. of Greenwich, Family Centers, Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, Kids In Crisis, Liberation Programs, Neighbor to Neighbor, Pacific House, Pathways, Inc., River House Adult Day Center, Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG), YMCA of Greenwich, and YWCA of Greenwich.
Each agency applied for one program to receive a grant through the Greenwich United Way’s Community Investment Process. Each year, volunteers serving on the Community Investment Process committee review grant applications from human services agencies that serve Greenwich residents. The process involves reviewing grant proposals from local agencies and visiting program sites. Following this intensive dive into the financials, applications and other data, trained volunteers use their knowledge and expertise to recommend funding to the Greenwich United Way Board of Directors. The Community Investment Process is guided by the research of local needs as published in Greenwich United Way Needs Assessment Report and Executive Summary.
Greenwich United Way Community Investment grants are based on meeting the complete list of human service needs for at-risk individuals in the Greenwich community. Grants are made to programs in specific "Priority Areas". These areas are identified by the results of the comprehensive research conducted by the Greenwich United Way and documented in the Greenwich United Way Needs Assessment. These areas are Mental Health, Self-Sufficiency, and Early Childhood Education, and were selected in response to the 2016 Needs Assessment research.
At the Community Investment Grant Recipient Reception on Wednesday, February 7, Greenwich United Way CEO, David Rabin, talked about the collaborative success in working with agencies to provide critical programs for the local at-risk community. He said, "Greenwich United Way is best positioned to work with leading agencies that meet health, education and self-sufficiency needs in the Greenwich community. We know that no one organization alone is capable of meeting the diverse and wide range of needs in the Greenwich community. We are grateful to our partners for the work that they do in the community and we remain committed to continuing our support through research, development, and funding. We also appreciate the support of our donors who believe and support our mission. "
The following programs received a 2018 Community Investment Grant through the Greenwich United Way 2017-18 Annual Campaign.
Abilis
The Abilis Early Intervention Program offers collaborative, community-based supports for toddlers and children with developmental disabilities. The State of Connecticut refers parents to Abilis for initial evaluations to determine program eligibility. If a child qualifies for their Birth to Three program, then Abilis works with the family and other caregivers to create an individualized service plan. The individualized plans determine service funds, which range from 5-6 hours a month for a child with minimal delays to 35-40 hours a month on average for a child diagnosed with autism.
Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich
The After-School Program is open on weekdays from 2:45 to 9 pm during the academic year and from 8:30 am to 5 pm on school vacation days. Everything is included for an annual fee of $50 per child. On a typical afternoon a child will eat a healthy snack and rotate with their grade level for homework help, art and crafts, reading or computer time. The child may also enroll in swim lessons, yoga, cooking, flag football, Lego Robotics or character development. In summer, the Club offers camps to families.
Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut Inc.
The Child and Family Therapy (CFT) program provides a range of clinic-based assessment and treatment services for children and teens that improve daily functioning. By mitigating the harmful effects of emotional problems and trauma on future development and increasing parent confidence and competence in addressing the unique needs of their children. Clinicians conduct detailed intakes to assess the child’s development, family history, culture, and environment.
Community Centers Inc. of Greenwich
The Comprehensive Education Program builds upon existing school curricula and provides academic, social and emotional services that address the complex layers of personal and environmental influences affecting children. They offer Homework Clubs, a Summer Program, teacher-led Breakfast Club, one-on-one tutoring support, counseling, and academic enrichment services.
The Early Education Center of Excellence consists of The Grauer Preschool, The Gateway Preschool, Joan M. Warburg Infant Toddler Center and The Armstrong Court Preschool. As part of the center of excellence, their Early Care and Education program is an accredited, full day, year-round program for children aged 6 weeks through 5 years. It combines a high-quality educational experience with full day care for working parents.
Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County
The Food Bank addresses food insecurity by providing emergency food to agencies and programs to distribute such food to those in need. The Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization located in lower Fairfield County.
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich
Supermarketing for Seniors is a free, non-discriminatory, grocery shopping and case monitoring program for homebound Greenwich seniors. New clients may meet with a registered dietician and are matched with a trained, screened shopper.
Kids In Crisis
Safe Haven for Kids is a program where counselors answer Helpline calls from community members and children in crisis themselves. They assess needs and de-escalate crises by phone or in-person meetings twenty-four hours a day.
Liberation Programs
The agency provides services for youth, adults and families, including to inpatient treatment programs, outpatient services, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), specialized treatment programs for older adults and people living with HIV/AIDS. Also provided is treatment and resources for adolescents and their families, education, prevention, and wellness efforts in the community and permanent supportive housing.
Neighbor to Neighbor
The Food Pantry provides Greenwich residents (with income below 200% of federal poverty guidelines) with three days’ worth of food for each member of the family each week. Eligible clients are able to choose from a healthy array of food in their “client choice” pantry. A nutritionist designed their point system so that clients are assured that the food they receive will allow them to prepare healthy meals.
Pacific House
The Emergency Meals Program addresses homelessness by providing meals so that homeless individuals can focus themselves on the difficult process of finding housing and the economic and social resources needed to become self-sufficient. The program provides two hot meals free to clients staying overnight at the emergency shelter.
Pathways, Inc.
The Hot Lunch Grant and Fellowship Day Program provides all adult clients who are below the poverty line nutritious meals. The program will serve two hot catered meals a week at the Fellowship Program. Clients will participate in preparing menu choices and ordering hot, nutritious meals from local vendors to be delivered twice a week.
River House Adult Day Center
River House Adult Day Center is an accredited medical model adult day care center, open six days a week, providing medical support, personal care, emotional support and therapeutic recreation improving the quality of life for aging adults and those who care for them.
Sexual Assault Crisis Center
The Sexual Violence Response and Prevention program responds to sexual violence using the Empowerment Model and therefore strives to give people the tools they need to make informed decisions for their health and safety. Their emphasis on these main programs: 24-Hour Hotline, Short-term Crisis Counseling, Advocacy, and Prevention Education.
Transportation Association of Greenwich
The Municipal Dial a Ride Program provides approximately 16,000 trips to the seniors and disabled of Greenwich. The program operates Monday through
Saturday from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm. They sometimes pick up dialysis patients.
YMCA of Greenwich
The Early Learning Center Childcare Program serves children from six weeks to four years old and includes both full and half-day preschool programs. They
provide a developmentally appropriate learning environment to foster children’s socio-emotional, cognitive, creative and physical development.
YWCA of Greenwich
The Domestic Abuse Services Mental Health Counseling provides twenty-four-hour counseling. Callers are screened for safety and level of present danger.
Through a strengths-based, empowerment model of client-defined advocacy, counselors guide victims to set their own goals while moving toward independence.