In March of 2020, the Community Foundation created the Neighbors for Neighbors Fund in response to the coronavirus epidemic.

Chef Tomm Johnson of the local nonprofit Whalers Helping Whalers has been making meals for those in need since the beginning of the pandemic from the organization's workspace provided by the New London Elks Lodge 360.

As the COVID-19 crisis has heightened inequities in our communities and made life even more difficult for already-vulnerable populations, over 150 grants totaling $1,472,322 from the Neighbors for Neighbors Fund have helped people access the most basic human rights: food, housing, healthcare and education.

Following is a listing of the grantees from Round I, 2 and 3 of the Neighbors for Neighbors Fund. We anticipate future rounds of grantmaking through 2021 as the recovery phase unfolds.

Round 3 Grants: $483,050 (March 2021)

Regionwide

American Red Cross Connecticut Chapter | $1,500
Disaster Cycle Services during the Pandemic for Windham and New London Counties

Connecticut Cancer Foundation | $15,000
Cancer + COVID-19

Girl Scouts of Connecticut | $10,000
Girl Scouts of Connecticut: COVID-19 Relief for Camp Laurel

Operation Fuel | $15,000
Emergency Energy Support for Families Impacted by COVID-19

Thames Valley Council for Community Action | $10,000
Diaper Distribution to Low-Income Families Impacted by COVID-19

Northeast Region

First Congregational Church of Woodstock | $4,000
Refrigerator for Community Kitchen

Interfaith Human Services of Putnam | $10,000
Daily Bread Food Pantry

Town of Plainfield, CT | $5,000
Recreation and Senior Center Technology Upgrades and Programing

United Services | $15,000
General Operating

Norwich Region

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich | $8,000
Intensive Case Management/Emergency Basic Needs

Martin House | $8,000
COVID-19 Deep Cleaning

Norwich Youth & Family Services | $10,000
Training Recovery Assistance for Determined Employees (TRADE)

The Salvation Army of Norwich | $7,000
COVID-19 Response and Recovery

St. Vincent de Paul Place | $20,000
Served Meals and Food Pantry

Tele-Health Access for Seniors | $1,300
General Operating

Thames River Community Service | $10,000
General Operating/Resident Rent Support

United Community & Family Services | $6,000
Tele-health Support Equipment

Southeast Region

Always Home | $15,000
Early Eviction Prevention of Low-income Single Mothers with Minor Children

Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut | $10,000
Childcare General Operating

Children First Groton | $4,000
Community Meals and Flexible COVID-19 Family Emergency Relief Funds

The Cove Center for Grieving Children | $1,500
Family Program - Stonington Location

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center | $10,000
Neighbors & Nature Scholarships

East Lyme Giving Garden Association | $6,000
COVID-19 Response

Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association | $5,000
Growing Fresh Vegetables for Donation to the Hungry

FRESH New London/TSNE | $14,000
Food to the People - Delivery Food Pantry in New London

Immigration Advocacy & Support Center | $10,000
General Operating

Ledyard C.H.A.I.N. | $2,000
Pet Food Assistance Program

LifeFAQs | $5,000
Goal Positioning System and the Distance Learning Center

New London Area Food Coalition | $20,000
Feeding the Food Insecure 2021

New London Community Meal Center | $5,000
General Operating

New London Homeless Hospitality | $20,000
Direct Financial Assistance

New London Youth Affairs | $6,000
NL Dominican Association COVID-19 support through Parent Leadership Courses

OutCT | $5,000
General Operating

Project Oceanology | $12,000
Healthy Campers 2021

Riverfront Children's Center | $10,000
Scholar Dollars - Childcare Tuition Funds for Low- to-Moderate Income Families

Safe Futures | $25,000
Providing Essential Services During COVID-19

Salvation Army of New London | $12,000
COVID-19 Response and Recovery

Shiloh Development Corporation | $3,500
Complex Pantry

S.W.E.E.T. Potato Society | $15,000
General Operating Helping Hands

Town of Groton Department of Human Services | $5,000
Rental Assistance for Eligible Groton Households

United Way of Southeastern Connecticut | $4,200
Food Pantry

Whalers Helping Whalers | $10,000
General Operating

Yellow Farmhouse Education Center | $2,000
Share the Bounty

Windham Region

Covenant Soup Kitchen | $25,000
General Operating - Emergency Food Pantry Expansion/Accessibility

First Baptist Church of Mansfield | $1,050
Little Free Pantry

GROW Windham | $9,000
Windham Community Growers Corps

Holy Family Home and Shelter | $3,000
COVID-19 Support

Horizons | $10,000
Keeping Connected to Keep Safe

Our Piece of the Pie | $5,000
Supporting Youth Through COVID-19 and Beyond

The Salvation Army of Willimantic | $12,000
COVID-19 Response and Recovery

Windham Region No Freeze Project | $25,000
Diversion and Housing Funding

Round 2 Grants: $502,755 (October 2020)

Regionwide

Connecticut Cancer Foundation | $7,000
General Operating: Cancer + COVID-19

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding | $5,000
Financial Aid Program

LEARN | $12,000
Connecting through Technology

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England | $15,000
PPE Stockpile Project

United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut | $10,000
Critical services for persons with disabilities

Northeast Region

Community Kitchens of NE CT | $1,500
PPE equipment program & winterizing our program

EASTCONN | $10,000
Adult & Community Programs COVID-19 Technology

Norwich Region

City of Norwich - Recreation Dept. | $10,000
HYBRID School year program - P.R.E.P.

Lee Memorial UM Church/Community Outreach Center | $12,000
General Operating

Madonna Place | $15,000
General Operating

St. Vincent de Paul Place | $15,000
Served Meals and Food Pantry

Southeast Region

Alliance for Living | $10,000
COVID-19 education, supplies and testing

Always Home | $15,000
Early Eviction Prevention of Low-income Families with Minor Children

Care and Share of East Lyme | $5,000
Emergency Assistance Program

Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut | $15,000
General Operating

Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut | $12,000
General Operating and Programmatic (AYUDA) Support

Jewish Federation of Eastern CT | $7,000
Assist New London residents with food and providing emergency services

LEARN | $1,775
LEARN@Lunch

Martin House | $7,000
Basic Needs - Food Security

New London Community Meal Center | $5,000
General Operating

New London Homeless Hospitality | $20,000
Direct financial assistance to individuals impacted by the COVID-19 crisis who cannot access other sources of support

New London Recreation | $20,000
New London Hybrid School Support Program

New London Senior Center | $10,000
Emergency Funding for New London Residents (55+ yrs. of age)

Niantic Community Church Children's Center | $12,000
General Operating

Reliance Health | $4,800
Laptops for Interns to Expand Teletherapy Offerings

Riverfront Children's Center | $10,000
Tuition for High Quality School-Age Child Care for Low to Moderate Income Families of Southeastern Connecticut

Safe Futures | $18,000
Providing Essential Services During COVID-19

Shiloh Development Corporation | $5,000
Shiloh Complex Food Pantry

Southeast Connecticut Community Center of the Blind | $2,000
General Operating

The Southeast Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence | $15,000
Kitchen-Compliance Update

St. James Episcopal Church | $10,000
The Lord’s Pantry

Stand Up for Animals | $2,500
Neighbors Helping Furry Friends

S.T.E.P.S. | $3,000
Support for Girls at Risk

S.W.E.E.T. Potato Society | $12,000
General Operating

Thames River Community Service | $10,000
General Operating (Resident Rent Support)

Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) | $4,000
Food, PPE & Other Essentials for Clients Receiving COVID-19 Community Resource Coordination

Town of Groton Department of Human Services | $15,000
Rental Assistance for Eligible Groton Households

United Community & Family Services | $10,000
Tele-health Equipment

Whalers helping Whalers | $12,000
General Operating

Yellow Farmhouse Education Center | $4,680
Share the Bounty

Windham Region

CLiCK | $18,000
CLiCK Food Rescue Program

Horizons | $10,000
Reopening - General Operating

The Neighbor Fund | $12,000
Project Represent

Perception Programs | $7,500
Mental and Behavioral Health Care Services Support

Willimantic Public Library | $8,000
Increasing free access to the internet in Willimantic

Willington Human Services Department | $2,000
Emergency Assistance

Windham Area Interfaith Ministry (WAIM) | $15,000
General Operating

Windham Region No Freeze Project | $15,000
General Operating

Windham Regional Community Council | $25,000
General Operating

Round 1 Grants: $486,517 (May 2020)

Regionwide

The Arc Eastern Connecticut | $11,500
PE for staff and residents of 22 supported group homes for persons with IDD

Chrysalis Center | $2,745
Community Supportive Housing COVID Impact Fund

Connecticut Legal Services | $25,000
General Operating and Increase Technology Capacity

Connecticut Veterinary Medical Foundation | $2,500
Emergency Funding for Veterinary Care

Health Education Center | $5,000
Qualified Medical Interpreters and Assistance for Medically Underserved Residents

Nurse-Family Partnership | $2,000
Supporting First-Time Mothers and Public Health Nurses During COVID-19

Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters | $12,000
Virtual Mentoring Program

Northeast Region

Access Community Action Agency | $6,000
General Operating

Ashford Social Services | $5,000
COVID-19 relief fund

Interfaith Human Services of Putnam | $6,000
General Operating-Program Expenses

Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group, Inc (TEEG) | $8,000
Covid Relief Fund

United Services | $3,000
Client and Family Emergency COVID-19 Support

Norwich Region

CASTLE | $4,000
General Operating

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich | $4,000
Intensive Case Management / Emergency Basic Needs

Madonna Place | $15,000
Capital/equipment and PPE to improve Madonna Place Program Delivery and Safety

Martin House | $6,000
Basic Needs - Food Security Program

Norwich City Hall/Norwich Human Services | $3,000
COVID19 masks for camp, RCSC

Norwich Human Services | $25,000
Covid Relief Fund: Direct assistance for residents

The Salvation Army | $5,000
COVID-19 Crisis Response - Norwich Corps

St. Mary Food Pantry | $8,000
General Operating

St. Vincent de Paul Place | $15,000
Served Meals and Food Pantry

United Community & Family Services | $6,000
Rosalyn Allen Food Pantry Expansion

Southeast Region

Alliance for Living | $3,500
Essentials for Living Food Program

Always Home | $5,000
Homelessness Prevention/Shelter Diversion of Families Impacted by COVID-19

Bill Memorial Library | $1,992
Physical Distancing Modifications Necessary for Library Reopening

Community Speaks Out | $5,000
Sober House Living Support Program

Covenant Shelter of New London | $3,000
General Operating

Culture SECT Economic Recovery Fund | $20,000
Support for the Arts Recovery Fund

Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association | $5,000
Feeding the Community

Fairview Odd Fellows Home of CT | $7,000
Technology to Manage Spread of Infection

FRESH New London/TSNE | $12,000
General Operating

Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut | $7,000
STARFISH: COVID-19 Emergency Humanitarian Response

Immigration Advocacy & Support Center | $7,880
Client Support for USCIS Fees

Jewish Federation of Eastern CT | $7,000
General Operating

Ledyard Food Pantry | $5,300
Increase program capacity

The Lighthouse Voc-Ed Center | $3,000
iPads to Provide Program Delivery

New Life Christian Fellowship | $4,000
For the community increase and demands placed on our food pantry

New London Area Food Coalition | $9,000
General Operating

New London Homeless Hospitality | $15,000
Community Resource Center

Noank Community Support Services | $3,000
Young Adult Homeless Shelter

OIC of New London County | $5,000
Generating Operating

Project Oceanology | $10,000
Healthy Campers 2020

Riverfront Children's Center | $6,000
Tuition for High-Quality Child Care for Low to Moderate Income Families of Southeastern Connecticut

Safe Futures | $4,000
Providing Essential Services During COVID-19

The Salvation Army | $8,000
COVID-19 Crisis Response - New London Corps

Shiloh Development Corporation | $3,000
Shiloh New London Complex Temporary Food Pantry

Southeast Connecticut Community Center of the Blind | $2,000
General Operating

St. James Episcopal Church | $12,000
The Lord’s Pantry

S.W.E.E.T. Potato Society | $5,000
Helping Hands Food Service Pantry

Thames River Community Service | $5,000
Resident Rent Support

Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) | $7,000
Emergency Client Assistance Program Response to COVID-19 Crisis

Town of Groton Human Services Department | $12,000
Rental Assistance for Eligible Groton Households

Windham Region

Community Companion and Homemaking Services | $4,100
Personal Protective Equipment for Home Care Workers

Covenant Soup Kitchen | $10,000
General Operating

GROW Windham | $9,000
Cooperative Community Food Share

Holy Family Home and Shelter | $10,000
General Operating for periodic deep cleaning; elevator modernization

Horizons | $8,000
General Operating

MARC, Inc. of Manchester | $7,000
General Operating

Our Piece of the Pie | $7,000
Supporting Youth through COVID-19 and beyond

The Salvation Army | $8,000
COVID-19 Crisis Response - Willimantic Corps

Windham Area Interfaith Ministry | $21,000
General Operating

Windham Region No Freeze Project | $20,000
General Operating

Grantmaking from the Neighbors for Neighbors Fund was administered in collaboration with the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut & the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut.