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Casey Foundation Awards $290,000 to Nonprofits Serving New Haven Children and Families

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New Haven, CT – The Annie E. Casey Foundation and its direct service agency, Casey Family Services, today announced the award of $290,000 to 13 nonprofit organizations serving New Haven’s vulnerable children and families. This year’s funding efforts focused on increasing the economic stability of families.

“New Haven is an urban city faced with challenges such as poverty, crime, and a lack of access to educational, medical, and financial resources for low-income families. As a result, the city’s most vulnerable children, youth, and families are affected greatly,” says John Padilla, a senior fellow responsible for the Casey Foundation’s work in Connecticut. “Casey has donated more than $1.5 million dollars over the past five years to assist New Haven and its nonprofits in building a stronger and more cohesive community.”

Habitat for Humanity and Youth Continuum were jointly awarded a grant for $75,000 to collaborate on a program that will train 30 young people in basic carpentry skills while building a home through Habitat for Humanity in New Haven. As part of the process, youth will develop workplace skills and receive academic supports, financial education, and preparation for moving into the world of work.

In addition to the collaborative grant, 11 other grants were awarded as follows:

• Achievement First Amistad Academy’s Saturday Tutoring Program ($25,000) will support extracurricular math and reading. Tutoring will be offered on Saturday morning for Amistad Academy’s middle and high school students.
• Boys & Girls Club’s Operation Connect ($25,000) will support technology education and application training programs for club members and their parents.
• Christian Community Action’s Promoting Education Preparation ($20,000) will support the transitional housing program with a series of educational programs.
• Collective Consciousness Theatre’s in- and after-school programs ($7,500) will provide workshops on violence prevention, bullying, civil rights, and justice to youth, as well as create opportunities for artistic expression.
• Hill Health Center’s Growing through Sewing Program ($15,000) will provide vocational training to enhance the employability of women of color in recovery.
• Hospital of St. Raphael’s Parenting Supportive Service Program ($25,000) will provide services to the parents of children with mental health issues being served at St. Raphael’s Day Hospital.
• Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services ($25,000) will provide employment case management, cultural orientation, and job skills to immigrants.
• New Haven Home Recovery’s Furniture Co-Op ($25,000) will provide furniture to formerly homeless and low-income families.
• New Haven Reads Community Bank ($15,000) will provide academic support and materials to children.
• Pequeñas Ligas Hispanas de New Haven’s Jovenes Polifaceticos ($7,500) will support athletic instruction, varied arts opportunities, and leadership development to youth.
• Yale University’s Integrated Treatment for Domestic Violence program ($25,000) will provide treatment to families affected by domestic violence.

Raymond L. Torres, vice president of the Casey Foundation and executive director of the New Haven-based Casey Family Services, is pleased with the grant program’s contributions to the city. “In the grant program’s fifth year, we continue to support innovative, community-based programs that help to ensure that children can grow up in strong, healthy families within a supportive community. With more than 62 applications received,” he added, “the decision-making was difficult, but I am confident that these organizations will deliver strong results.”

The Annie E. Casey Foundation is the nation’s largest private foundation devoted exclusively to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and families. It was established in 1948 by Jim Casey, a founder of UPS. In 1976, the Foundation established its direct service agency, Casey Family Services, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to offer quality foster care. Today, with divisions in both Bridgeport and Hartford and headquarters in New Haven, Casey Family Services offers a range of services aimed at preserving and achieving families for life for children in or at risk-of entering foster care throughout New England and in Baltimore, Maryland.