The Main Street Community Foundation last week awarded its top grant to a Southington-based arts and cultural organization.
Main Street Community Foundation
SOUTHINGTON, CT — A regional, Bristol-based foundation that also serves Southington recently celebrated 30 years of existence by awarding $30,000 in grant funding, including one Southington nonprofit specializing in the arts.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Main Street Community Foundation (MSCF) welcomed a sold-out crowd of 380 guests to "The Main Event 30th Anniversary Celebration – Meet Us On Main Street."
The event took place at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville (Southington) on Sept. 13.
The night featured a variety of roaming entertainment, live and silent auctions, food, and a celebration of the history of the foundation and its founders.
Since its establishment in 1995, the foundation has become one of the leading grant makers in the Central Connecticut region, awarding a total of $32.7 million in grants and scholarships to support the communities of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington, and Wolcott.
“On behalf of MSCF’s Founders, Board and staff, we are so grateful to everyone who joined us in this celebration in recognition of the work we have done together,” said Susan Sadecki, president and chief executive officer of Main Street Community Foundation. “We can all make a difference in the next 30 years.”
The event featured a special “You Be the Grantmaker” program in which the attendees participated in the selection of 10 grants, totaling $30,000, to 10 local nonprofit organizations.
Finalists were chosen from an applicant pool that answered the prompt, “Our organization will make a difference in the next 30 years because we will...”
All 10 of these organizations do incredible work in our communities, but only one walkedaway from the event with the top grant of $10,000.
The recipient of the $10,000 Circa 1995 Grant was Southington Community Cultural Arts.
SoCCA is an organization that strives to create an environment in which people of all ages and abilities can have a place to create, exhibit, and welcome the arts into their lives.
In addition to their gallery and gift shop, SoCCA offers a variety of art classes for both children and adults, as well as their All Access program, which connects neurodiverse adults with learning differences and disabilities with their community.
The top Circa 1995 Grant will support SoCCA in their mission to connect all community members through art and the creative process.
The other Circa 1995 Grantees announced at the event were: American Clock & Watch Museum, Bristol, - $1,000; Memorial Military Museum, Bristol - $1,000; The Agape House, Bristol - $1,000; Thy Eagle’s Nest, Wolcott - $1,000; Veterans’ Strong Community Center, Bristol, - $1,000; PARC of Plainville - $2,500; Plymouth Community Food Pantry, Plymout, - $2,500; Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut, Bristol, - $5,000; and Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center, Bristol, - $5,000