Gaylord Specialty Healthcare Receives $7,000 Grant from The M&T Charitable Foundation to Support CNA Academy

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Academy is benefiting from a $7,000 grant from The M&T Charitable Foundation. This partnership strengthens Connecticut’s healthcare workforce and improves patient care across the state.

The funding has provided essential textbooks, educational materials, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for CNA Academy students participating in 2026 training cohorts.

The Gaylord CNA Academy was created to address a critical need in healthcare: building a skilled, stable workforce. The program prepares students with the hands-on training and real-world experience needed to succeed in patient care roles, and often serves as the first step toward a nursing career.

The program not only prepares individuals for the state certification exam and immediate employment but also contributes to long-term continuity in patient care. As more trained CNAs enter the workforce, patients benefit from greater consistency, stronger care teams, and improved overall experience.

“Support from The M&T Charitable Foundation helps remove barriers for students while strengthening the pipeline of highly trained caregivers,” said Caitlin Cote, MSN, RN, PCCN, NPD-BC, Director of Gaylord’s Center for Education.

“When we invest in education and workforce development, we’re ultimately investing in better outcomes for patients across Connecticut.”

The grant aligns closely with The M&T Charitable Foundation’s mission to partner with nonprofit organizations that improve quality of life and strengthen communities by supporting healthcare workforce development and expanding access to patients to receive the high-quality care they need.

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness or injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a long-term acute care hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient Services and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Gaylord's Milne Institute for Healthcare Innovation is a hub for accelerating world-class rehabilitative research, technology development and innovation to improve the quality of life and function of people around the world. Together, these entities deliver a complete continuum of rehabilitative care driven by clinical experience, innovation and human compassion.