Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Foundation Awards Over $106,000 in Annual Grants

Pictured: 2025 Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Foundation Grantees 

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On Friday, April 25, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Foundation awarded a total of $106,169 in grants to 46 organizations to expand regional programs in support of children, families, and community economic development.

The celebration took place at the Chamber office/Regional Innovation Center in the form of check presentations.

“We are immensely grateful to the volunteers who make our fundraising possible, and to the funded organizations for delivering such impactful services across our region”, states Foundation Vice Chair and Chamber Vice President, Megan Gilbert.

“The need remains great, but the Foundation is proud to contribute to a wide variety of educational and economic programs that reduce and remove barriers to success for thousands of community neighbors in need.”

The 2025 recipients and their respective allocations are as follows:   

• Always Home, Inc., $2,000, to support families displaced with housing through emergency financial assistance and supportive case management services. 
• Anchor of Hope, $1,000, to purchase car seats for families impacted by trauma and domestic violence, helping ensure their children’s current and future safety during times of crisis.
• Care and Share of East Lyme, Inc., $3,060, to cover summer day camp for children of low-income families, giving them access to a safe, structured, and enriching recreational experience.
• Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, Inc., $2,500, to furnish classrooms in its Early Childhood Development Center in New London with educational supplies to support early childhood learning.
• Covenant to Care for Children, Inc., $2,000, to provide state-mandated essential items—like beds, cribs, and clothing —to prevent neglect and abuse by reducing stress on families with young children.
• Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, $2,000, to provide scholarships for their summer camps, including day care and after-school programs for children from low-income families, where they will experience hands-on environmental education and closer connection to nature.
• Eastern Connecticut Ballet, $1,000, to expand exposure to the arts through providing hundreds of elementary and middle school students complimentary admission to a live performance of their adaption of “The Nutcracker” hosted at the Garde Arts Center.
• Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, $5,000, to support wages and staff for a five-week summer employment program that serves income-eligible youth providing participants with the opportunity to learn about various workplaces in a real-world, hands-on setting.
• Friends of the Canterbury Public Library, $1,000, to fund a new children’s center computer with educational programs to support safe, offline learning.
• Goodspeed Opera House Foundation, Inc., DBA Goodspeed Musicals, $1,000, to host an immersive, multi-day Arts Education Collaboration with professional artists for 525 students in New London and Windham Counties.
• Goodwill of Southern New England, $1,000, to provide transportation and job readiness support to individuals with disabilities, helping them pursue education, training, and employment through the Individual Placement and Support model.
• The Granite Theatre, $1,000, to sponsor transportation and tickets for high school students to attend a performance of The Laramie Project, creating space for artistic engagement and meaningful conversation.
• Groton Community Meals, $2,500, to hire two chefs to prepare and serve free, nutritious meals twice a week, and to support its new mobile meals service program to support food-insecure residents in Groton.
• Health Education Center, $2,500, to purchase clinical supplies for its interprofessional health clinics, which leverages partnerships between social service centers, healthcare providers, and community volunteers to deliver coordinated care to patients in underserved communities.
• High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc., $2,000, to fund herd expansion, increasing the number of service horses to further develop their Parkinson's Program.
• Higher Edge, $2,000, to support their student-centered Decision Day and luncheon, celebrating first-generation College Access Program students for their scholastic achievements.
• Horizons, Inc., $2,400 to expand its previous pond revitalization project through the repair and upgrade of their dock, further expanding water accessibility to campers with developmental disabilities.
• Hygienic Art, Inc., $750, to fund an 8-week summer enrichment program for students grades K-8, providing them with art education, cultural and recreational activities.
• Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, $2,500, to deliver financial literacy and career readiness programming to students across southeastern Connecticut, encouraging students to explore careers, prepare for careers, and develop financially capable mindsets.
• La Grua Center, $1,500, to provide affordable and accessible art experiences for children and young adults through free, quarterly Youth Art Workshops for Pre-K to 8^th grade students.
• Lyman Allyn Art Museum, $1,500, to support the Museum’s Free First Saturday program, a monthly artmaking program that provides free, hands-on creative activities inspired by artworks on view at the Museum.
• Madonna Place, Inc., $3,000, to support major programs including Community Outreach Plus Education, Family Support Center, Great Beginnings, and Fatherhood Initiative.
• National Coast Guard Museum Association, $5,000, to develop hands-on STEM education programs and curriculum tailored for elementary grade students to enrich the visitor experience at the future Museum in downtown New London, set to open next year.
• New England Science & Sailing Foundation, $2,500, to deliver experiential STEM programs to youth and families in the classroom and out on the water to educate them about the local and global environment and provide resources to become positive stewards of our environment and community. 
• New London Homeless Hospitality Center, $2,500, to support its Ready to Work employment training program, which provides targeted support that helps individuals experiencing homelessness overcome barriers to employment.
• New London Youth Affairs, $2,000, to support their Diaper Bank, which addresses access to diapers and early childhood basic needs support items. The Bouvier Brigade, made up of team members from Bouvier Insurance, has collected diapers and baby wipes through their Casual for a Cause program, nearly doubling the Foundation’s donation. Staff member of Bouvier, Melissa Yuchniuk, also serves on the Foundation Board.
• Noank Community Support Services, Inc., $1,500, to provide girls in their shelters with access to proper hair care resources, professional services, and educational opportunities, empowering them to develop positive self-care habits and improve their overall well-being.
• Norwich Rotary Foundation, $1,000, to support their annual coat project, providing new warm winter coats to low income children in the greater Norwich area.
• Public Library of New London, $1,459, to increase accessibility and engage local youth with immersive education materials, through the expansion of its Library of Things collection with non-traditional items including: a mobile device charging station and virtual reality sets for the teen room.
• The Riverfront Children’s Center, Inc., $2,250, to defray the cost of essential communication devices (FCC-registered long-distance walkie-talkies) for their nonprofit early learning center, which serves low-income families from greater Groton-New London.
• S.T.E.P.S. Inc., $1,500, to support year-round leadership and self-empowerment programming for middle- and high-school girls in southeastern Connecticut through after-school programs, a Summer Enrichment/Leadership program, and more.
• Safe Futures, Inc., $3,500, to support Camp HOPE America, a trauma-informed summer camp that supports youth exposed to domestic violence and abuse, through providing subsidized program supplies and admission fees for participants.
• Southeastern CT Robotics, Inc., $1,000, to support the expansion of its hands-on STEM education programs, supporting general operating expenses, instruction materials and program development.
• Stonington Community Center, $1,750, to ensure free access for girls to participate in the Her Time to Play program, which delivers a comprehensive curriculum designed to use basketball as a tool to build life skills and address the societal challenges faced by girls.
• Thames River Community Service, Inc., $3,000, to provide safe housing and support services to individuals and families aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness in eastern Connecticut. Support will enhance employability skills, temporary housing options, and year-round shelter capacity, aiming to empower this vulnerable demographic and facilitate their transition to permanent housing within a year.
• The Center: A Drop-In Community Learning and Resource Center, Inc., $2,500, to offer programs that foster academic enrichment and provide opportunities for students to contribute to their communities along with mentors of similar cultural backgrounds.
• The Light House Voc-Ed Center Inc., $2,500, to provide free and low-cost access to assistive devices and technology, supporting students with the tools and confidence they need to learn and succeed.
• The Salvation Army, $2,500, to fund the Back to School program, providing new shoes to New London children from low-income households.
• The Samaritan House Inc., $2,000, to launch Amplify Voices, a 10-month mentorship program that empowers youth creativity through the cultivation of self-expression using technology and communication.
• The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, $1,000, to purchase non-perishable foods for distribution to families facing food insecurity across Lyme and Old Lyme.
• Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group, Inc., $1,500, to support the All-Star Teen Leadership Program, offering enriching and exciting summer experiences for children with emotional and behavioral health needs staffed with clinically trained professionals. Outcomes of this program foster entertainment, experiential learning, and social connections in a safe and supportive environment that ensures student success.
• UCFS United Community and Family Services, $5,000, to purchase fresh food and personal care items for the Rosalyn Allen Food Pantry and mobile delivery service, benefiting over 10,000 patients and families in the region – which is all volunteer run by UCFS.
• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Eastern Connecticut, $2,000, to implement a disability training program in 13 elementary schools across New London County from June this year into next summer. This initiative will increase students’ awareness of DEI and respective languages. Funding will support program preparation, oversight, marketing materials for staff and students, and travel expenses. 
• United Way of Southeastern CT – Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center, $5,000, to purchase fresh produce, dairy products, and meats/proteins to provide fresh, healthy foods needed for the 65 different feeding programs for low-income families in southeastern CT.
• United Way of Southeastern CT – Tommy Toy Fund, $10,000, to deliver literacy and play resources through books and toys to the region’s children and families.

To date, the Foundation has distributed over $2.1 million in grants to eastern Connecticut nonprofits.

The enrollment period for the annual grants cycle begins in the winter. Scholarship applications are now being accepted from local high school seniors at ChamberECT.com/foundation.  

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About the Chamber’s Foundation: 

The mission of the Foundation, a 501(c)3 overseen by a volunteer board with support from the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT, is to enhance and enrich education and economic opportunities, especially for children and families, in the Chamber’s service area. The Foundation provides local nonprofits with crucial resources, including funds for pilot programs, research, and program expansion, that improve the region’s overall quality of life. To learn more about our leadership and impact, please visit ChamberECT.com/Chamber-Foundation/.