Chelsea Groton grants $57,600 to nonprofits

The Chelsea Groton Foundation has announced the distribution of $57,600 to nearly three dozen charitable organizations in southeastern Connecticut and southwestern Rhode Island.

The grants bring to more than $1.4 million the amount of awards distributed since 2001 by Groton-based Chelsea Groton Bank's charitable foundation.

"Chelsea Groton is a very special bank with a reputation for giving back to the communities it serves that is second to none, said foundation President Eric Janney in a statement. "The grants the foundation awards twice each year play a critical role in bettering the local area."

Some of the major grants for spring 2012 included $4,000 to Mystic Area Shelter and Hospitality to support its emergency shelter program; $4,000 to the New London Community Meal Center for utility expenses, and $5,000 to United Way of Southeastern Connecticut to purchase food for the Gemma Moran United Way Labor Food Center.

Other large grants were $5,000 to the Waterford Country School to construct the Otto Graham Gymnasium; $5,000 to Odd Fellows Home of Connecticut for a development project, and $5,000 to the Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut to fund a part-time crisis counselor position.

A complete list of recipients, past and present, can be found at chelseagroton.com/foundation.php. Information about the foundation and applications for grants can be found at the same website.

Chelsea Groton and its employees gave more than $277,000 to the community last year and nearly 9,000 hours of service.

l.howard@theday.com

PARTIAL RECIPENT LIST

• Adult Day Care Center
of Westerly $500

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Connecticut $500

• Central Baptist Church $1,000

• Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut $1,000

• Denison Pequotsepos
Nature Center $1,000

• Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities $2,000

• Emancipation Proclamation Commemoration Committee $1,000

• Expressiones Cultural Center $500

• Horizons Inc. $1,000

• Lawrence & Memorial
Hospital $500

• Local United Network
to Combat Hunger $600

• Mystic & Noank Library $1,500

• Mystic Art Association $500

• Norwich Safety Net Team $1,000

• Norwich Youth
and Family Services $500

• Pawcatuck Neighborhood
Center $3,000

• Primera Iglesia Bautista
Hispana $500

• Reliance House $3,000

• Sacred Heart Educational
Center $500

• Sexual Assault Crisis Center
of Eastern Connecticut $1,000

• Thames Area Citizen
Advocacy Program $500

• Arc New London County $500

• Shoreline Soup Kitchens $2,000

• United Cerebral Palsy
of Eastern Connecticut $3,000

• Westerly Area Rest Meals $2,000

• YMCA of Mystic $500