New & Noteworthy
Hartford Foundation Awards Nearly $850,000 to Greater Hartford Summer Programs
More than 7,200 school-age children and youth will participate in summer programs.
While many children eagerly await the coming of summer, parents and other caregivers often dread securing reliable care for their children. For low-income families, the challenge of finding an affordable childcare can feel insurmountable.
Fortunately, more than 7,200 school-age children and youth across Greater Hartford will participate in free and reduced-cost summer learning programs this year, thanks to $848,909 in grants from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. The grants will support 33 programs, including enrichment, tutorial, and counselor-in-training programs. Many of these opportunities run from four to eight weeks, with shorter sessions available.
The Hartford Foundation targets funding to support summer programs serving Hartford youth and those with disabilities from throughout the Greater Hartford region. These summer programs provide young people with an opportunity to explore new environments, learn new skills, and make new friends.
Summer learning programs provide thousands of Hartford families with the opportunity to ensure that their children have a safe and enriching summer experience while allowing parents and caregivers to continue working,” said Hartford Foundation Senior Community Impact Officer Kate Piotrowski. “Summer programs also offer youth with paid employment and skill-building opportunities to enhance their academic, social, and emotional well-being.”
Foundation support for summer programs advances the Foundation’s interest in increasing employment opportunities for Black and Latinx residents in two ways: by offering employment skills and career exposure to youth and by removing a barrier to employment for families through quality, reliable childcare. Summer programming for people with disabilities serves youth and adults. Foundation funding offers people with disabilities from low-income families an enriching experience that would otherwise not be affordable and provides respite to family caregivers who often juggle employment and full-time care for their loved ones.
In addition, older youth benefit from access to quality summer programming to mitigate summer learning loss, improve academic engagement, and experience an overall positive out-of-school/summertime structured activity. The Foundation summer program grants contribute to a range of programs to enhance their academic, social, and emotional well-being. Partnerships with the 4-H Center at Auerfarm, Connecticut Science Center, Hartford Public Library and Goodwin University have made additional enrichment options accessible to the participants.
To assist families in applying for summer program opportunities, the Foundation supports the Connecticut Afterschool Network’s 2023 Summer Program Directory, which can be found at ctyouthdirectory.org.
The Hartford Foundation has a long history of supporting summer programs, with grants dating back to the 1930s. More than $5 million has been awarded for these programs just in the last six years.
2023 Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Summer Program Grant Recipients
| Organization Name | Project Description | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4-1 CARE, Inc. | 2-4-1 Care Inc., plans to foster physical literacy and social emotional development of youth through play and learning the tenets of sports, teamwork, and leadership. The program plans to serve 240 children and will offer paid CIT positions for youth ages 14 - 18. | $25,000 |
| 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm | 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm aims to provide workforce development skills in agriculture and STEAM-based programming to individuals with disabilities. The program will serve 176 participants with disabilities across the Greater Hartford region. | $42,000 |
| ActUp Theater, Inc. | Actup Theater’s Arts Academy (ATAA) counselor in training (CIT) and Enrichment plans to enhance Hartford youth's writing, performance, and dance skills while building community. The program plans to serve about 45 Hartford youth, including 2 with reported disabilities. | $35,000 |
| American School for the Deaf | American School for the Deaf's campership and tutorial programs aim to decrease summer learning loss and provide recreational and educational opportunities to enhance teamwork and communication skills among the deaf and hard of hearing community. The program plans to serve 260 participants, including 25 from Hartford. | $25,000 |
| Arts for Learning Connecticut | Arts for Learning Connecticut will provide an artistic space for youth to learn a new artform and engage in original creations, while developing their social and emotional learning skills and resilience. The program plans to serve 200 Hartford students. | $15,000 |
| Beyond The Limits Outreach, Inc. | KampUnlimited plans to offer programming centered around building life skills, exploration opportunities, and foster a safe place to explore mentally and physically stimulating and challenging situations and activities. The program plans to serve 50 participants, with 35 from Hartford. 12 participants will be supported through Foundation funding. | $20,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, Inc. | Summer Fun Club aims to empower youth through community and relationship building and enrichment and reduce summer learning loss. The program plans to serve 600 children and youth, with 450 from Hartford. 180 participants will be supported through Foundation funding. | $50,000 |
| Camp Courant, Inc. | Camp Courant plans to encourage positive youth development and social outcomes through varied fun and learning opportunities. The program plans to serve 900 Hartford children and youth, approximately 50 of which will have a reported disability. 100 participants will be supported through Foundation funding. | $45,000 |
| Community First School, Inc. | Build a Better Community Summer Enrichment program aims to empower and support school-age children and their families and minimize summer learning loss through community partnership and neighborhood resources. The program plans to serve 74 children, with 64 from Hartford. | $25,000 |
| Connecticut Science Center, Inc. | Science of Summer 2023 enrichment program will offer supplemental enrichment programming in the realm of science exploration to visiting Hartford-based summer programs. The program plans to serve 800 Hartford youth. | $13,580 |
| Futures, Inc. | The Career Exploration and Employment Enrichment program aims to support older youth with disabilities explore career opportunities and other postsecondary pathways. The program plans to seve 16 graduating seniors in high school, with at least 10 participants from Hartford. | $35,000 |
| Goodwin University | Goodwin University plans to introduce middle and high school students to manufacturing careers through its touring mobile lab. The program will serve 250 youth, with 180 participants from Hartford. | $10,000 |
| HARC, Inc. | HARC, Inc. plans to provide individualized academic and enrichment activities geared toward children and youth with disabilities that promote self-esteem, health, and literacy. The program plans to serve 35 participants, with 29 residents of Hartford. | $24,902 |
| Hartford City Mission | Camp Noah aims to decrease summer learning loss and provide enrichment and STEAM actiivities for Hartford youth. The program plans to serve 160 Hartford children and youth. | $35,000 |
| Hartford Friendship Kids Camp, Inc. | Raising The Bar Camp plans to enhance students' social and academic skills. The program plans to serve 58 participants, including 50 Hartford residents. Foundation funding would support 50 participants. | $25,000 |
| Hartford Neighborhood Centers | Camp Hi Hoti aims to increase Hartford youth's understanding of nature. The program plans to serve 50 children and youth, including 45 Hartford residents and 5 participants with a reported disability. | $13,000 |
| Hartford Public Library | Hartford Public Library aims to decrease summer learning loss and build children's excitement for reading and discovery. The program plans to serve 2,500 Hartford youth. | $25,000 |
| Hartford Stage | Hartford Stage Summer Studio aims to expose young artists with opportunities to participate in theatre and performance. The Summer Studio aims to serve 190 participants, including 20 Hartford residents and 5 individuals with a reported disability. 25 participants will be supported through Foundation funding. | $30,150 |
| Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation | Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation aims to enhance scholars' academic, leadership, and executive functioning skills. The program plans to serve 95 Hartford youth. | $15,300 |
| Horizons, Inc. | Horizons, Inc. aims to engage youth and adults with disabilites across the Greater Hartford region with enrichment and summer learning opportunities in a supportive and safe campership environment. The summer program plans to serve 448 participants, including 6 residents of Hartford. Foundation funding would support 30 participants. | $35,000 |
| Horizons at The Ethel Walker School | Horizons at The Ethel Walker School aims to improve long-term educational outcomes for girls in Hartford and prepare them for their high school education. The summer program plans to serve 150 Hartford girls. | $25,000 |
| Horizons at Westminster School | Horizons at Westminister aims to improve long-term education outcomes for Hartford youth and prepare them for their high school education. The program plans to serve 90 Hartford children. | $20,000 |
| McEIVR, Inc. | This program aims to provide youth with STEAM opportunities and exposure to specialized career skills. Makerspace plans to serve 80 youth, including 60 Hartford residents and 12 participants with a reported disability. Foundation funding would support 60 participants. | $30,000 |
| Organized Parents Make A Difference, Inc. | OPMAD Summer Fun 2023 aims to decrease children's summer learning loss and promote life skills through enrichment and academic topics. The program plan to serve 240 Harford children. | $45,000 |
| Real Art Ways, Inc. | Park Art plans to engage students in art activities that connect them to their community and others, build critical thinking skills, provide a creative outlet, and offer an opportunity to enhance employable skills. The program plans to serve 115 Hartford children and youth, including 30 participants with a reported disability. | $12,000 |
| Spectrum in Motion Dance Theater Ensemble, Inc. | Instruments of Culture intends to expose youth to dance as an art form, and as a way to understand themselves, others, and history. The summer camp aims to teach students in dance curriculum and choreography. The program plan to serve 250 children and youth, including 200 Hartford residents and 50 participants with a reported disability. 75 participants would be supported through Foundation funding. | $34,988 |
| Talcott Mountain Science Center | TMSC's Summer of Science Adventures intends to decrease summer learning loss and provide a collaborative environment for students to learn and explore. The program plans to serve 672 participants, including 45 from Hartford. Foundation funding would support 40 participants. | $10,000 |
| The Salvation Army | Salvation Army's summer programming aims to reduce summer learning loss and promote age-appropriate reading skills as well as expose youth to enriching outdoor activities that build resilience and a curiosity for the outdoors. The programs plan to serve 212 children and youth, including 108 Hartford residents and 26 participants with a reported disability. Foundation funding would support 130 participants. | $35,000 |
| Trinity College | Dream Camp intends to provide early work experience for older Hartford youth with intentional mentorship and individualized development to prepare CITs for the workforce. The camp will serve 175 participants through its programming, including 166 Hartford residents. Foundation funding would support the 12 CITs. | $16,389 |
| Urise Ventures, Inc. | Urise intends to promote entrepreneurship among youth while minimizing summer learning loss through an experiential curriculum. The program plans to serve 16 Hartford participants. Foundation funding would support 12 participants. | $20,000 |
| Watkinson School | SPHERE aims to provide youth with an opportunity to develop a passion for learning and take academic and social risks in a supportive environment. The program plan to serve 75 total participants, including 55 residents of Hartford and 14 participants with a reported disability. | $11,500 |
| West Indian Foundation, Inc. | The Summer Enrichment Program plans to increase literacy and math skills and reduce summer learning loss while also promoting cultural pride and awarness in the West Indian community. The program plans to serve 50 Hartford participants. | $15,100 |
| YMCA of Metropolitan Hartford, Inc. | The Y's summer programming intends to address the growth and development of the whole child, including sprit, mind, and body. Programs aim to minimize summer learning loss and foster the growth of responsible and caring individuals. The programs plans to serve 245 participants, including 90 Hartford residents. | $30,000 |
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding towns. Through partnerships, the Foundation seeks to strengthen communities in Greater Hartford by putting philanthropy in action to dismantle structural racism and achieve equity in social and economic mobility. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $948 million since its founding in 1925. For more information, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.