Several Suffield Groups Benefit From Foundation Funds

SUFFIELD, CT — A total of 10 Suffield organizations have received grants totaling $85,210 from the Amiel and Mary Anne Zak Public Service Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

To date, the Zak Public Service Fund has made 162 grants totaling $1,424,394, with recipients for 2022 including:

• Boy Scout Troop 260, which received $1,300 to purchase a new canoe.
• Boy Scout Troop 66, which received a $2,368 grant to repair and upgrade a storage container.
• Network Against Domestic Abuse of North Central CT, Inc., which received a $10,000 grant to support its Community & Youth Outreach Program in Suffield.
• Oak Hill received a $8,546 grant to purchase assistive and smart home technology for the organization’s Suffield Group Home.
• The Suffield Firemen's Association received a $16,001 grant to support Operation Whetstone, a series of annual training classes.
• Suffield Girl Scout Troops 10981 and 10964 received a $1,495 grant for CPR and First Aid Training.
•The Suffield High School Athletic Booster Club (PTA) received a $5,000 grant toward the cost to install new bench enclosures.
• The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Trust received a $500 grant for costs associated with the Suffield Pan Mass Challenge Kids Bike Ride.
•The Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association, Inc. received a $15,000 grant for hardware upgrades to the Mass Casualty Incident and Special Events Trailer.
• The Friends of the Farm at Hilltop, Inc. received a $25,000 grant to support painting the “Big White Barn” at Hilltop.

The fund was formerly known as The Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund and it has a long history of supporting programs that benefit the community of Suffield. It was established in 2002 by Michael Zak to honor the service of his late father, Amiel, a teacher at Suffield High School for 35 years who also served on numerous town boards and many civic and public associations.

Michael Zak’s mother, Mary Anne, died last March, and a provision was in place to change the name of the fund to honor both parents. According to Michael Zak, Mary Anne Zak shared her husband’s love of Suffield, and both sought to support their community in a variety of ways.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding towns. Through partnerships, the foundation seeks to strengthen communities in Greater Hartford by putting philanthropy in action to dismantle structural racism and achieve equity in social and economic mobility. Made possible by the gifts of individuals, families and organizations, it has awarded grants of more than $894 million since its founding in 1925. For more information, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.

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