Pequot Library Receives Grant From M&T Charitable Foundation

FAIRFIELD, CT — Pequot Library has received a $2,500 grant from the M&T Charitable Foundation to support its Passport to Pequot Library K–12 School Programs, the library announced.

The grant will help fund educational enrichment activities, including guided tours of the library’s Special Collections exhibitions and a live “Meet the Orchestra” concert presented in partnership with the nonprofit Music for Youth. The Passport to Pequot Library program served approximately 500 students during fiscal year 2025 and is projected to reach about 680 students in fiscal year 2026.

The M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank, has supported Pequot Library’s school programs since 2021.

Nelson North, the library’s interim director, said the funding has allowed more students to participate in hands-on learning experiences that combine history and live music.

"We’re grateful to M&T for their continued support," North said in a statement. "Their generosity has made an enormous impact on the thousands of schoolchildren who have been able to see history in action and to enjoy dynamic concerts here at the library."

Added Karen Galbo, regional manager for New England at the M&T Charitable Foundation, "The M&T Charitable Foundation is proud to continue our support of the Pequot Library. Since 2021, the Foundation has seen first-hand the meaningful impact the library’s Passport to Pequot Library: K-12 School Programs have had on school-age children in the community. By providing our future generations with access to enrichment programs, we are helping them explore the world around them and opportunities that can shape their path forward."

ABOUT PASSPORT TO PEQUOT LIBRARY:
All school programs incorporate Pequot Library’s Special Collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives, one of the most robust collections of any public library in New England. Since its inception, Passport to Pequot Library has reached underserved student populations in neighboring Bridgeport. In order to remove barriers to participation and increase access, Pequot Library offers Passport to Pequot Library at no cost to Title I schools, including bus transportation.

Passport to Pequot inspires curiosity, creativity, and a deeper understanding of history and culture among students who might otherwise have limited access to formal cultural institutions. A visit can expose them to new ideas, histories, and artistic forms—broadening their understanding of the world and helping build the background knowledge and confidence often expected in academic and professional settings. Stepping into a space that is often perceived as exclusive—and being welcomed, included, and engaged—can shift how students see themselves and their futures and spark the belief that they belong in academic and intellectual communities.