Darien Forward campaign launched by The Darien Foundation as part of 2022-23 Annual Appeal

The Darien Foundation is kicking off its 2022-23 fundraising campaign with the release of its Annual Appeal, which arrived in mailboxes throughout Darien this week.

This year’s appeal is centered around the theme Darien Forward and invites residents to join The Foundation in supporting opportunities that will enhance the quality of life for the entire Darien community, in the present and for generations to come. 

In the last year, The Darien Foundation funded more than $400,000 in projects that benefit Darien, including:

• Accessible Van for At Home in Darien — $82,000 was granted for a hybrid, side entry accessible Toyota van, now used for At Home’s ride service for seniors and persons with disabilities.
• Darien Library Café — $45,000 to fund the equipment and technology for the new cafe which opened in February 2022 and is staffed by Abilis Adults. This grant also included equipment for the soon-to-open Darien YMCA Cafe, also to be staffed by Abilis Adults. 
• State-of-the-Art Theater Lighting for Darien Art Center — $100,000 was granted for a professional-grade state-of-the-art lighting system for the DAC Weatherstone Studio, greatly expanding their performance range of offerings that includes classes and performances, and their repertoire of internal and visiting performing groups. It also allows the DAC to offer Darien High School theater tech internships.
• K-12 Robotics Grant for Darien Public Schools — $213,000 for a K-12 robotics initiative to all seven Darien Public Schools, enhancing STEM education, robotics, and teamwork.
• The Darien Heritage Trail — $40,000 contributed to creating this trail in partnership with the 2020 Bicentennial Committee. The trail highlights nine historic sites with colorful interpretive markers around Darien featuring the town’s rich history.
• Darien Library Virtual Catalog & Website — $49,000 funded the launch of a new interactive catalog and website that offer personalization and other benefits to enhance the Library member experience.

“This year’s theme, Darien Forward, is a call for us to look ahead. The Darien Foundation continues to invest in projects that will make life better for every Darien resident — present and future,” said Darien Foundation Chairman, Ward Glassmeyer.  “We’re proud of the work we have done in our 24 years as a foundation. Moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting our past, but rather building on our past achievements and carrying them forward to the next level.”

The Darien Forward campaign also asks community members to participate in a fun social media activity using the final page of the mailer, which is a detachable “game piece”. The Darien Foundation invites residents to take a photo with the piece at their favorite community assets and share what they think makes Darien such a wonderful place to live, work, and play. Those participating are asked to share the photo on social media with the hashtags #DarienForward #DarienFoundation. 

“We look forward to seeing what people spotlight as their favorite community asset or place in town,” said Executive Director Sarah Woodberry. “This is also a celebration of our community.”

Those wishing to make a donation may visit darienfoundation.org/donate, or mail a check mail to:

The Darien Foundation
PO Box 1714
Darien, CT 06820 

Checks dated December 31 or earlier will count for the 2022 tax year.