Fairfield County Foundation awards Fairfield University $15,000 literacy grant

Fairfield County Foundation awards Fairfield University $15,000 literacy grant

The Fairfield County Foundation's Board of Directors has approved a $15,000 discretionary grant to Fairfield University to support the University's and the Action for Bridgeport Community Development's (ABCD) new partnership with Housatonic Community College to enhance Housatonic Community College's family literacy program. The grant will enable Project Director Judith Primavera, Ph.D., of Fairfield University and ABCD to embark on a collaborative training relationship with Housatonic Community College. Under the supervision of Dr. Primavera, Fairfield University and ABCD's Adrienne Kirby Family Literacy Project will create three family literacy training modules for dissemination to the larger Bridgeport community.

The modules include: a) working with Housatonic's Early Childhood Laboratory School to create a literacy-rich classroom environment training model; b) developing family literacy/parent workshops for Housatonic Community College; and c) creating enhanced service learning opportunities for Housatonic students in the family literacy field.

This project is made possible by a grant from the Fairfield County Foundation (FCF), the county's community foundation. FCF is a growing community foundation with assets of more than $42 million in over 160 different donor funds established by individuals, organizations, families and corporations to serve Fairfield County now and in the future.

Through the Foundation, donors support programs for: the arts, children and youth, women and girls, community and economic development, the environment and health and human services. The Foundation was established in 1992 as a result of the merger of five smaller community foundations: Danbury, Greenwich, Stamford, Five Town and the Fairfield County Cooperative Foundation - part of the New York Community Trust.

In the past year, according to Fairfield County Foundation Chair Ann S. Mandel, the FCF has awarded grants to nonprofit organizations totaling $4.1 million - including grants of $1.7 million made from the Newman's Own Fund of FCF. In addition, the Fairfield County Nonprofit Loan Fund has provided approximately $9 million to nonprofit organizations since 1992.

For more information about the Fairfield County Foundation, call (203) 834-9393 or e-mail: info@fcfoundation.org .

Posted On: 06-15-2001 09:06 AM

Volume: 33 Number: 217