Darien Aims to Hold on to “Most Generous Town” Title against Friendly Rival New Canaan

The week before Thanksgiving, Darien and New Canaan will face off once again to see which town can capture the title of “Most Generous Town” by raising the most funds for either The Community Fund of Darien or the New Canaan Community Foundation.

This year, the competition begins on Thursday, November 18th and ends at midnight on Thanksgiving.  Donors can contribute to The Community Fund of Darien by texting DARIEN to 203-871-0808 during this time window or by visiting www.communityfunddarien.org. 

The winning town will own the “Turkey Trophy” and bragging rights for the year, and their residents will take pride in the knowledge that their community makes charitable giving a priority.  After winning the inaugural competition in 2017, Darien was edged out by a slim margin in 2018 but regained the prized title in 2019.  Both organizations benefited from the rivalry, collectively raising more than $300,000 in 2019 to support local nonprofits.  

Inspired by Giving Tuesday, the post-Thanksgiving global day of giving that kicks off the holiday charity season, the two organizations created the event as a way to use their residents’ competitive spirit to benefit our neighbors in need.  This much-needed financial support addresses critical local needs such as homelessness, hunger, mental and physical health, substance abuse, youth services and more.

“Taking a cue from the Blue Wave - Rams rivalry, The Community Fund of Darien and The New Canaan Community Foundation decided to create our own friendly contest to change our neighbors’ lives for the better,” noted Janet King, Executive Director for The Community Fund of Darien.  “By turning a sports competition into a giving competition, our entire community will benefit from our residents’ generosity.”