Nominate Your Favorite Shelton Nonprofit to Win Cash Prize

By WENDY ANN MITCHELL (Patch Staff)

A Wilton auto dealer, Bruce Bennett Nissan, is holding a contest to help local charities win $500.

“We are approached by many charities and organizations looking for support and donations. We wanted to find a way to help as many as possible without having to choose favorites! Todd Bennett, the owner, came up with the idea to do it on social media and let people nominate and vote on the winning charities,” Marketing Manager Matt Wilson stated.

The company started the program in May of 2015 and has had 9 winning charities so far.

Past winners include Jared’s Journey, Hydrocephalus Association, Animal Nation, Help our Military Heroes, K9 Kastle, Ty Louis Campbell Foundation and Pitter Patter Feline Rescue.

• Click here to find out how to nominate your favorite Shelton charity in March. Nominations open March 16.

“First and foremost we’re a family owned business and a neighbor to everyone in the community – helping others is what it’s all about,” owner Todd Bennett told Patch.

The monthly outreach program awards nominated charities a one-time gift of a check for $500 as well as logo placement and recognition on their website for one month.

Here is a list of charities currently in the running for February’s contest:

Bethel

• Relay for Life
• Scotty Fund
• Ability Beyond
• Operation Vet Fit

Danbury

• Dream Come True
• Birthright
• The Bridge to Independence & Career Opportunities
• Danbury Animal Welfare Society- Danbury/Bethel

Darien

• Hands Offering Hope
• Tiny Miracles Foundation
• Person to Person- Darien, Norwalk, Stamford

Easton

• Help Our Military Heroes

New Canaan

• Bully Breed Rescue
• Halle’s Hope

Norwalk

• Norwalk Youth Symphony
• Creative Connections
• Bees Without Borders
• Circle of Friends
• Adoption Hope Foundation
• Two Wheels.org
• Reggie’s Pet Project

Ridgefield

• Sphere

Stamford

• Community Cats
• Domus
• Friends of Felines
• Animals R Family
• Boys & Girls Club of Stamford
• Star Relief & Pet Assistance
• Bella’s Equine Rescue - Cross River, NY/Stamford

Trumbull

• St. Vincen’ts Special Needs Services
• The Kennedy Center

Vernon

• Little Feet, Big Heart Rescue

Weston

• Wildlife in Crisis

Wilton

• Animals in Distress
• Wilton Family Y
• Wilton Go Green
• Woodcock Nature
• Wilton Education Foundation

New York

• Animal Rescue Ark- Patterson NY
• Bella’s Equine Rescue - Cross River, NY/Stamford
• Green Chimneys- Brewster, NY

Elsewhere

• American Cancer Society- Bark for Life
• Pink Concussions- Washington, DC
• Bones of New England- New Hampshire
• Havanese Rescue

Click here to vote. Each Facebook account is allowed one vote per day. Votes will be accepted up until February 29 at midnight. The organization with the most votes in the poll on February 29 at midnight will win $500.

Bruce Bennett Nissan said in a statement that they started the giving campaign in order to “bring additional attention and resources to a local 501(c)3 charity that provides services in the Wilton/Danbury area.”

Photo: Todd Bennett, Owner with Jenn and Mary from the Hydrocephalous Association