Philanthropy Matters. Philanthropy Works. Anyone can be a philanthropist at any time, in any amount. Established by the Board of Directors in 1997, the Middlesex Enhancement Fund is available to all donors to make gifts of any size. Over the years the Fund has grown substantially with memorial, anonymous and other gifts. Grant making is the most direct and effective way the Community Foundation works with donors to support the community in which we live, work and play. This Fund supports grants to meet current needs and improve conditions in the county. The Community Foundation is limited only by your…
DonateA Lifetime of Music Leads to A Legacy for Middletown Students Santo Fragilio was well-known – and loved – for many reasons, but two will always stand out for those who knew him best: his joy at playing the violin and his desire to share music with his students at the Middletown Public Schools. The Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) only knows Great People Doing Great Things, and we are always honored when our friends and supporters begin thinking about the legacy they wish to leave their community. Several years before his death, Santo was thinking about the many children…
DonateA poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language. ― W.H. Auden Writing – in all its various forms – is empowering. It’s creative, expressive, illustrative, and informative. The act of writing is a gift of sharing, shaping experience and feeling into something others can read, hear, understand, and relate to. Susan D. E. Allison served the community through her creative skills, talents, and gentle ways. Her love for the arts in general and particularly the written word are legendary. Through her writing, she gave life and voice to Middletown and shared her abiding…
DonateConnecticut Heritage Productions established this Field of Interest Fund in memory of Dr. Louis and Eva Loffredo. Grants are determined by the Community Foundation’s Grants Committee on a competitive basis to support student performing arts initiatives in Middletown, Portland or East Hampton. Performing arts are defined as theater, music, and dance. Grants will be determined on a competitive basis by the Foundation’s Grants Committee. Grants may be made to support student programs, program scholarships, and public performances. “This Fund will provide a lasting tribute to the memory of Dr. and Mrs. Loffredo’s love of the performing arts and this community….
DonateThe Elizabeth Swaim Arts Enrichment Fund supports Middletown Public School arts enrichment programs for K through 12 students. Grants support the Elizabeth Swaim After School Strings Program, the Middletown Public Schools Cultural Council programming, and field trips, attendance at performances, and bringing artists/performers to the Middletown schools.
DonateCelebrating All Things ARTS Established in 1999, long-time Arts supporter, Derry D’Oench, established this fund to support the Arts countywide. The Arts Fund enriches the quality of life in Middlesex County by supporting programs and organizations offering participatory and audience-oriented artistic activities.
DonateLiz Petry has many descriptors – Middlesex County resident, attorney, journalist, author, and community volunteer … early CFMC Board member and founding member of CFMC’s Sari A. Rosenbaum Fund for Women & Girls. Most importantly, though, Liz is a person who embraces her family history and appreciates the love her parents had for the arts. She established the Ann and George Petry Fund, a memorial named fund restricted to supporting the arts. She purposely chose a Fund that will pool with other Funds at CFMC to provide grants to local arts programs and activities through the annual competitive application process….
DonateA Musical Legacy for Middlesex County For more than 30 years, the Community Music School (CMS) has been serving the musical education needs of shoreline residents and enriching the artistic life of the community. As a member of the Community Music School Board of Trustees and an avid fan of the school’s programs, Paula Merrick knew that the creation of an endowed fund would be a sound investment in the school’s future – even if it was fifteen years in the making. “I just love the Music School and my husband, Hap, and I always felt very strongly about ensuring…
DonateProviding Opportunities for Creative Expression York Butler, a gifted artist and copper craftsman, was fighting a battle with cancer in 2006. His sister Jill, an artist in her own right, was grappling with a sense of uselessness, an inability to do something meaningful to support her brother. As she sat with him, she asked a simple, quiet question – “how can I be of service to my brother during his illness?” What came was an inspiration, a command, to pick up a Sharpie pen. “I don’t draw people, but what came were these characters with things to say,” Jill explained. “I…
DonateHe has been a manufacturer, mayor of West Hartford, educational film producer, and president of the Connecticut Historical Society. She was a member of the Founders of Hartford, the Colonial Dames of America, volunteered in Hartford Hospital’s emergency room, and was active in many organizations and projects including Riverfront Recapture. It is no surprise that Ellsworth and Virginia Grant are considered life-long stewards of the Humanities and the Arts. Virginia was committed to the history of Connecticut and her connections to her community. She was an avid sailor and tennis player, spending many summers in Fenwick. Ellsworth has long been…
DonateA Lasting Memory for a Wonderful Friend, Teacher and Mentor Karen was a gifted pianist and dedicated and inspiring teacher and was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2009. Her expertise in performance, teaching and adjudicating were well established throughout Connecticut and beyond. Karen held degrees in Piano Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Yale School of Music. She continued her studies with Paul Baumgartner in Switzerland, with Leon Fleischer, and with Konrad Wolff. At the time of her death she was teaching students of all ages at her Westbrook studio, Brown University in Providence, and Choate…
DonateFRIENDS INSPIRED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A SPECIAL MUSICIAN THROUGH THE CAROLYN GREENLEAF MEMORIAL FUND Carolyn Greenleaf was a resident of Essex who was passionate about music and who worked tirelessly to promote music education in her community. Sadly, Carolyn passed away at an early age in 2004. Her friends and family wished to honor her memory and in 2007 established a merit award for students who show great dedication to and promise in their musical studies. This award was created to keep Carolyn’s legacy alive and to honor her celebration of and passion for music. In 2008 the Carolyn Greenleaf…
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