WOMEN UNITED Awards 2025 Grant to Middlesex County NAACP

Middletown, CT – Middlesex United Way’s Women United affinity group has relaunched its grant program for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. During Thursday night’s Power of the Purse fundraiser at the Middletown Elks Lodge, Women United Chair Michele Boutin announced that the 2025 Women United Grant would be awarded to the Middlesex County NAACP.

The $1,000 grant will support the NAACP’s WIN Reading Program for Girls, which provides African American and Latino girls ages 7–11 with opportunities to grow their reading and comprehension skills while building self-esteem, developing problem-solving abilities, and learning to advocate for themselves and their communities. According to the grant application, the program includes a four-week book club-style series with literacy activities and mentorship, culminating in a celebratory session. Additional monthly sessions address topics such as nutrition, self-care, anti-bullying, and family engagement.

Middlesex United Way President & CEO Shawonda S. Swain highlighted the power of collective giving in making the grant possible while addressing supporters at the fundraiser. “Because of your generosity and the success of last year’s Power of the Purse, and other Women United fundraisers, we were able to offer a grant opportunity in 2025 to support programs that uplift and empower women and children in Middlesex County,” she said while adding: “This is what it's all about.”

The Women United grant is separate from Middlesex United Way’s annual Community Impact grant opportunity, which provided approximately $300,000 in funding to local agencies last year. Boutin announced that Women United plans to launch its next grant cycle in September 2025.

Women United is a volunteer-led group focused on supporting local women and children through fundraising, grants, and hands-on service projects. The group will host a recruitment night on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Bergen House in Middletown. Anyone who might be interested in joining or learning more about Women United is invited to attend.

Middlesex United Way is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving lives and creating positive change within the community. Middlesex United Way’s Community Impact Council, made up of volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, awarded approximately $300,000 to 18 local agencies as part of the 2024-2025 grant cycle. Middlesex United Way also provided approximately $8,600 in funding for Connecticut’s 2-1-1 Helpline that connects callers with vital resources related to housing, employment, and mental health services. To learn more or volunteer, visit Middlesexunitedway.org.