Branford Community Foundation

It's Fund Friday! Today's highlighted fund is our newest, the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Medical and Wellness Endowment Fund. Twenty-one years ago, local volunteers joined together to create the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter (DCAS). At the time, it was a unique idea – a municipal animal shelter devoted to both public safety and to pet adoptions, with regional reach and support. Today, DCAS has grown beyond what anyone might have imagined two decades ago. Each year, 500-1000 animals come to the Shelter, are cared for, and adopted to loving families from across the Shoreline and Beyond! More than 20,000 people visit the Shelter each year! In 2023, after extensive renovations and an expansion, the Shelter re-opened, now including an adoption center and a wellness wing. In the past few years, the DCAS has seen such a huge increase in the number of animal surrenders, abandonments, and neglect cases and many of them arrive at the shelter requiring medical care. Unfortunately, the cost for Veterinary care for all these animals has increased dramatically over the last few years. These animals now often require surgery, medical care and/or physical therapy and wellness care before they can begin their journey of adoption to a loving family. DCAS provides extraordinary care to all of these animals and we want to ensure the same care for all of their animals for years to come. DCAS has partnered with the Branford Community Foundation to create the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Medical and Wellness Endowment Fund. With your help, we can grow this fund to our goal of $2,000,000 so that DCAS can care for the animals that will come to the shelter in perpetuity. #branford #branfordcommunityfoundation #bcf #communityfoundation #fundfriday

It was such a joy to join the Blackstone Library team, members of the Branford Rotary Club, and local children and their families for the official unveiling of the Toy Library at Branford’s Blackstone Library on Monday! This wonderful new resource for Branford and beyond adds toys to the library’s collection – check them out the same as you would a book! BCF is proud to partner with Branford Rotary, Traveling Toys, Inc., and the Blackstone Library to make this Toy Library a reality. Photos by Tricia Bohan Photography #BranfordCommunityFoundation #BCF #blackstonelibrary #branfordrotary #travelingtoys #toylibrary

We are thrilled to share that BCF has a new fund – The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Medical and Wellness Endowment Fund! In the past few years, the shelter has seen such a huge increase in the number of animal surrenders, abandonments, and neglect cases and many of them arrive requiring medical care. Unfortunately, the cost for Veterinary care for all these animals has increased dramatically over the last few years. These animals now often require surgery, medical care and/or physical therapy and wellness care before they can begin their journey of adoption to a loving family. The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter provides extraordinary care to all of these animals and wants to ensure the same care for all of their animals for years to come. In partnership with BCF, the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Medical and Wellness Endowment Fund was created. With your help, this fund can grow to our goal of $2,000,000 so that the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter team can care for the animals that will come to the shelter in perpetuity. #BranfordCommunityFoundation #BCF #dancosgroveanimalshelter #dcas #dcasmedicalandwellnessendowmentfund

Last Thursday, the BCF family came together to celebrate and thank our incredible donors, Board of Directors, volunteers, and ambassadors at our 2024 Gratitude Event. It was truly a special evening! Thank you to all who joined us for the event and for all that you do to support BCF. #branford #branfordcommunityfoundation #BCF #nonprofit #communityfoundation #givelocal #gratitude #thankyou

The East Shore District Health Department wants to hear from you!   The East Shore District Health Department (ESDHD) is conducting a survey about residents and their health. The Community Health Assessment is conducted every four years in the towns of Branford, East Haven and North Branford to help the ESDHD understand how residents are managing their health, and to look for trends.   The survey is anonymous and will help with decisions about the Department’s programming priorities. Results will be presented to the towns and residents when it is complete. The survey will be available on-line and at the town halls and libraries to respond to until the end of November. We encourage everyone to participate! Paper copies are available to the public at town halls and libraries in Branford, East Haven, and North Branford.   Surveys are available at the following links, which are also posted on our website and social media accounts. It will take you no more than 15 minutes to fill one out.   English link: https://lnkd.in/dgn5uzY9 Spanish link: https://lnkd.in/dTmJ9NNj   Thank you for your time and for helping us make the District stronger and healthier! #BranfordCommunityFoundation #BCF #EastShoreDistrictHealthDepartment #CommunityHealthAssessment

The Cove Center for Grieving Children received $5,000 in ARPA funding from BCF and the Guilford Foundation. This organization provides free grief support services to children and their families. They have five site locations across Connecticut for family programs; one is at the Guilford Community Center. Cove is one of three organizations in the state providing these bereavement services. As demand grows year-to-year, they now have waitlists for their programs. Thanks to BCF Program Director Jennifer Mullett, TGF Board Chair Alex Sulpasso, Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey, Cove Executive Director Allison Gamber, and BCF Executive Director Liza Janssen Petra for celebrating this milestone funding. #BranfordCommunityFoundation #BCF #branfordct #TheGuilfordFoundation #ARPA #communityfoundation

As we approach Election Day, we want to help empower Connecticut voters with the resources they need to make informed decisions. Linked below is a non-partisan voter guide from the state, a crucial tool for helping community members navigate the voting process. This guide provides a detailed overview of candidates, including direct links to their websites, along with essential deadlines and important voter information. It is designed to equip voters with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions on Election Day. We encourage you to share this resource broadly to ensure that your community is well-prepared to participate in the election. https://lnkd.in/dHEbU4uN #branfordcommunityfoundation #BCF #branfordct #electionday2024 #empowervoters

Check out this wonderful new program from the MLK Heritage Foundation - “Meals for Minds.” The MLK Heritage Foundation was one of our ARPA funding recipients! It’s hard to hate with your mouth full. That’s the simple yet powerful idea behind this groundbreaking new series of bi-monthly evenings where 10 people from different backgrounds - whether cultural, racial, ideological, or generational – share a meal, talk, and simply get to know each other. Launched by Branford’s Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Heritage Foundation, the goal is to break down the barriers that have increasingly come to separate us, said Foundation President Mary Fitz-Perry. Those interested in being a future dinner guest – the next one will be in November - or those who want to join or donate to the MLK Heritage Foundation, should email [email protected]. https://lnkd.in/diKWhbvh Photo: Patch & The MLK Heritage Foundation #branfordcommunityfoundation #BCF #branfordct #mlkheritagefoundation #mealsforminds

BCF is proud to partner with GSB to sponsor North Branford Rotary’s Fall Fling & Auctions! North Branford Rotary’s Fall Fling & Auctions presents: Death of A Gangster (A 1920's Mafia Marriage Live Murder Mystery). Join North Branford Rotary for a dinner and a murder on Friday November 15, 2024 at Woodwinds in Branford, CT! The event includes a sit down dinner choice of chicken or vegetarian. Death of A Gangster  is a live murder mystery performance where the audience has to figure out whodunit! For more information email [email protected], call Melinda at 203-988-0883, or follow this link: https://lnkd.in/eW9A2rUD #branford #branfordcommunityfoundation #BCF #communityfoundation #northbranford #rotaryclub #northbranfordrotary #rotaryfallfling

We celebrated Shoreline Arts Alliance's ARPA awards from BCF ($7,000) and TGF ($18,000) at the Connecticut Hospice, where a selection of juried photographs from the 2024 IMAGES exhibition hangs. The mission of SAA is to transform lives through art by creating supportive communities in which artists thrive through recognition, mentorship, networking, education, and professional development. During COVID-19, SAA provided pandemic-focused informational webinars and resources for arts-related organizations and artists. Like other nonprofits, their participation levels in programming and donations declined. The ARPA funding went to SAA's operating budget to increase staffing hours, expand outreach, and deliver pre-COVID service levels. Our celebrants include Hannah Righter (CT Hospice), Amy Etzel (BCF Board), Eric Dillner (SAA), Liza Janssen Petra (BCF), Matt Hoey (Guilford First Selectman), Jennifer Mullett (BCF), Judith Meyers (TGF Board), and Jamie Cosgrove (Branford First Selectman). Visit shorelinearts.org to learn more. #BCF #branfordcommunityfoundation #arpa #arpafunding #shorelineartsalliance #theguilfordfoundation #guilfordct #branfordct