A Glastonbury group is bucking the economic currents by launching a nonprofit designed to serve children with social skills deficits.
Children’s Advancement Fund Inc. plans a January launch of its Recreational Services Program. Trained professionals will teach social skills to children in the program right at the recreation activity, as well as work with the children just before and after the activity. Children in this program will participate along with other children in their community. Groups of four or five children in the Recreational Services Program will participate in existing recreation activities offered in the community.
The fund seeks to partner with community providers who offer a variety of activities, including art classes, martial arts, and play/movement classes. Individual services will not be available at this time. The community providers will work in conjunction with staff contracted by Children’s Advancement Fund, Inc.
“It may look like kids are just having fun while playing and participating in all those recreational activities, but they are also learning lots of essential skills they need to be successful in life,” stated Stephanie Bendiske, executive director of Children’s Advancement Fund, Inc. Social skills that we learn as we grow up allow us to maintain employment, have conversations, work as a team, accept constructive criticism and establish friendships. Public schools and insurance companies do not fund the training of adults to help children with social skills deficits participate in recreational activities.
Funding for the Recreational Services Program is provided by various foundations and private donations, the group says. For more information, visit www.cafinfo.org or call 860-967-3713.
Bank Foundation Aids Homeless
The Citizens Bank Foundation has awarded $55,000 grant to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness to help 36 emergency shelters across the state with the increased cost of heating their facilities this winter.
The grant was presented on National Homeless Person Memorial Day, Dec. 21, which is the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. The date is recognized by a number of national advocacy groups to bring attention to the problem of homelessness in the United States and to remember those who have died homeless in the past year.
Support from the Citizens Bank Foundation will be distributed by the CCEH to shelters across Connecticut with more than 1,500 beds available for men, women and children. The Citizens Bank Foundation is providing $346,000 to support more than 75 homeless shelters and emergency facilities across New England this winter.
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Suffield Grants Offered
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is accepting applications from Suffield groups for grants of up to $25,000 each through the Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund. The foundation expects to award between two and eight grants from the fund during 2011.
Grants will be considered for a broad range of community needs such as in the areas of education, recreation and health. The application deadline is Feb. 19.
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Girl Scouts Honor McAdam
Gloria McAdam, president and CEO of Foodshare, received a one-of-a-kind Girl Scout badge during a special breakfast event Dec. 10 at The Hartford Club. More than 200 friends and supporters were on hand to celebrate her work in the fight against hunger while supporting Girl Scouting’s programs for young women. This year’s Breakfast Badge event raised about $50,000 to help fund Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s educational, recreational, and personal development programs for girls.
McAdam received a unique Girl Scout badge entitled Changing Lives. “I tell people all the time that I learned many of the basic skills of leadership from my Girl Scout and 4-H experiences,” said McAdam in accepting her award. “These programs gave me the opportunity to learn new skills, to serve my community, and raised my sights about who I could become and what I could do with my life.”
