Norwich ― The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, which funds countless community-based organizations through an extensive, donor-driven grant program, held its annual celebration Wednesday at The Spa at Norwich Inn.

In front of hundreds of donors, politicians, nonprofit leaders and members of the foundation’s board of trustees, the foundation President and CEO Maryam Elahi presented special honors to two board members and highlighted three of its successes in that time.

One of the honorees was board Chair Peg O’Shea, who stepped down this year after two years heading the board. She had served on the board for a total of six years.

“In the last six years, Peg’s leadership, unwavering commitment to justice, and perseverance has made a lasting and significant mark on the trajectory of the foundation’s impact in our community,” Elahi told the crowd. “She will be missed terribly.”

State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, joined state Sen. Martha Marx, D-New London, and state Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville, to present O’Shea with an honorary certificate from the Connecticut General Assembly. Elahi presented her with two, one on behalf of the foundation, and another on behalf of U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, who could not attend the event.

Another honoree, Michael Rauh, who could not attend, spent three years on the board before stepping down this year.

“We are grateful for his leadership on the committee and for his insight on strategic planning,” Elahi said.

Both honorees had contributed to three of the foundations most notable achievements over the past year, which Elahi highlighted, beginning with its campaign to end child poverty.

“We have a very broad coalition of of 80 organizations that were a part of our partnership,” Elahi said.

Elahi said under leadership of those organizations, who are “advocacy champions” on child poverty issues, the foundation is committed to ending child poverty in the state.

The second initiative Elahi highlighted was the foundation’s work in coalitions that will offer people affordable housing opportunities, or as Elahi described it, “make housing a right.”

The third achievement was that the foundation is over two-thirds of the way toward meeting its fundraising goals for the Brighter Futures Fund, which supports programs for children and youth in Eastern Connecticut and the Fund for Racial Justice, which offers funds for racial equity.

“We’re very excited that in this year, we have raised over $700,000 for each fund,” Elahi said, adding the foundation’s goal is to hit a million dollars for each fund.

That will allow it to further open up its grant program to towns it hasn’t been able to serve before.

“This would help us support youth or racial justice work in say, Ledyard, or some parts of the region where we don’t have sufficient resources,” she said.

Though O’Shea is stepping down, she said she will be staying involved with the foundation to help in its goal to end child poverty in the state.

“I’m not just going to go off into the sunset. I’m going to stay very involved in this initiative to end child poverty in Connecticut. And as Maryam said, if we can’t do it in Connecticut, where can we do it?”

“The three people coming on are going to be wonderful,” she added about new board members joining the foundation.

They are: Cheryl Poirier, an active volunteer and two-year member of the foundation’s environmental grants committee, Amanda Arling, president of the Whaler’s Inn in Mystic and current chair of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, Lisa McGinley, a former deputy managing editor of The Day and current member of its editorial board.

Donations to the foundation allow it to provide funding for community organizations across eastern Connecticut. Anyone wishing to donate to the foundation can do so at https://cfect.org/donors/giving-options.

d.drainville@theday.com