Simsbury Nonprofits Get $65K For Community Programs

SIMSBURY, CT — Several Simsbury organizations have been announced as the beneficiaries of a regional foundation's funding aimed at improving the community through multiple endeavors.

The Simsbury Greater Together Community Fund announced earlier this month the recipients of the 2023 grant funding cycle.

After a rigorous review process, The Simsbury Greater Together Fund has awarded $65,000 in grants to 12 deserving nonprofit organizations.

Officials said this year's grant funding program was competitive, with a record number of applications from organizations across our community.

The selection process was guided by the Simsbury Greater Together Community Fund’s commitment to supporting initiatives that address critical community needs and create lasting, positive change.

"We were incredibly impressed by the caliber of proposals we received this year," said
Christine Bilotti Peterson, chairperson at The Simsbury Greater Together Community Fund
Advisory Committee.

"Each of the selected organizations demonstrated a profound dedication
to our community and a clear vision for how their projects will make a meaningful impact."

The 2023 Grant Funding recipients are:

The Simsbury ABC House ($5,000) - The Simsbury A Better Chance Program (ABC) is a nonprofit
organization making a difference in the lives of academically talented young men of color from
underserved communities.

Gifts of Love ($8,000) – Gifts of Love is a nonprofit organization that helps meet the basic
needs of individuals and families in the Greater Hartford area experiencing a short-term fiscal
crisis so they can return to self-sufficiency.

Cory and Donna Gabel Foundation, Inc. ($2,500) – The Gabel Basket Brigade continues to grow
since it was formed in 2001 and is the primary driver of the non-profit foundation’s mission.
A grant was awarded to assist in purchasing food to fill a Thanksgiving basket for a family to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal.

The baskets are then distributed to families in need.

Healing Meals Community Project ($10,000) – Healing Meals Community Project (HMCP) is a
non-profit organization with a mission to provide healthy, organic meals to people who are in a
health crisis while fostering compassion and empowering youth and adult volunteers in our
communities.

Simsbury Volunteer Ambulance Association, Inc. ($8,500) – The Simsbury Volunteer Ambulance
Association is dedicated to serving the residents of Simsbury by providing efficient, effective,
and advanced lifesaving emergency medical care.

For All Ages - ($7,000) – For All Ages is a non-profit organization based in Simsbury with a
vision of a healthy community connected across generations. The organization’s mission is to
address loneliness and ageism.

Farmington Valley Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. ($10,000) – The Farmington Valley VNA, Inc.
has been a certified, licensed non-profit Home Health and Hospice Agency, serving the
Farmington Valley community.

Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center ($2,500) – SMPAC is a bandshell on 7 acres with a
capacity of 10,000. Originally intended to provide a home for the Hartford Symphony
Orchestra’s Talcott Mountain Music Festival, it hosts benefit concerts, sport and dance recital events, and community gatherings.

A grant was awarded which will give underprivileged youths and/or seniors the opportunity to attend the Circus Smirkus 2024 Big Top Tour in Simsbury.

Simsbury Historical Society, Inc. ($6,000) – The Simsbury Historical Society [SHS] preserves and
promotes the rich and diverse history of Simsbury.

McLean Game Refuge ($2,000) – The McLean Game Refuge, along with the McLean home, are
managed by the McLean Fund endowment. A grant was awarded for the purpose of updating
the Game Refuge visitor map and making tear-resistant copies available free of charge at town
offices, agencies, the Chamber of Commerce, and other locations.

Granby Simsbury Chamber of Commerce ($2,500) – The Granby Simsbury Chamber of
Commerce is the result of a merger of each town’s individual chapters which occurred in 2022.

A grant has been awarded to develop and market the chamber's newly created chamber guide.

Covenant Presbyterian Church/The Barn ($1,000) – Covenant Presbyterian Church, often
referred to as “The Barn,” is located on 40 acres of land in Simsbury.

A group of local disc golf enthusiasts recently constructed a partial disc golf course on the property, offering a free outdoor activity that is open to the public.

A grant has been awarded to provide funding to expand and improve the course to attract and accommodate more guests, make the course safer and more accessible, and highlight the natural beauty of the property.

For more information about Simsbury and its grant programs, visit this link.