[Photo: Courtesy of GameTime]

Amy and Peter Barzach of West Hartford responded to the loss of their young son Jonathan by creating a playground for children of all abilities. Supported by two funds at the Hartford Foundation, including one established by Foundation board member, Bob Goldfarb and his wife Frankie, Jonathan’s Dream was built in 1996 in West Hartford at the Mandell JCC on the Zachs Campus.  Its success inspired Amy to lead a passionate team of parents and professionals to found Boundless Playgrounds, the first national nonprofit that helps communities develop inclusive playgrounds.  In 2002 the Barzachs and Naomi and Michael Cohen of Bloomfield started the Boundless Playgrounds Endowment Fund at the Hartford Foundation.  Last November Amy received the grand prize "Dreamers Into Doers Award" from the Martha Stewart television show in recognition of her accomplishments.

Fatuma Ahmed and Yasmin Musleh, refugees from Somalia, attend an English literacy and civics class at Hartford Public Library’s The American Place three times a week. [Photo: Courtesy of Hartford Public Library]

Created in 2000 with significant support from the Hartford Foundation, Hartford Public Library's The American Place is one of the most comprehensive programs in the region helping immigrants and refugees adjust to life in America by offering citizenship and language classes and life skills workshops.  The program also provides diversity training to community service providers working with immigrants in the region.  The American Place was recently recognized in a report by the presidential Task Force for New Americans.