June 29, 2009

The Madison Foundation is a non-profit community foundation serving all of the residents of Madison, who share a common concern - preserving and improving the quality of life in Madison.

Foundation Announces "Neighbor-to-Neighbor Fund" Amid the deep recession of 2007-2009, Madison social services agencies have been overwhelmed by the increase in requests for help. Residents facing foreclosure may need legal advice they cannot afford. Seniors may need minor home repairs for their safety, or help with household chores. Families need assistance with fuel costs, food, and with personal care items they can't get at the Food Bank. And each week, an average of about 55 local families rely on the Madison Community Services Food Bank, with hundreds of different households using the Food Bank in the last year. Many of us are asking, "How can I help neighbors right here in Madison?" Now there is an answer! In June, a few concerned residents and Foundation board members have established a new "Neighbor-to-Neighbor Fund" within The Madison Foundation as a focus for our giving. The founders' initial donation of $3700 is the seed money to start the Fund, which seeks to raise $50,000 through community contributions. The Fund founders are also committing their personal energies to seeking sources for supplementary essentials that can be made available through the Food Bank. Want to help? Make a donation - large or small - to The Madison Foundation Neighbor-to-Neighbor Fund. We encourage student groups to organize innovative programs that raise awareness and support for neighbors who are in need. And we invite other community organizations to join us - especially those whose primary charitable missions could be an essential part of this Neighbor-to-Neighbor effort. By coordinating our efforts, we can multiply our impact. Contact The Madison Foundation through our website to offer your support, or direct your check to The Madison Foundation, Attn: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Fund, at: The Madison Foundation P.O. Box 466 Madison, CT 06443. One more thing! As you make your donation to the immediate needs of your neighbors, please also consider a contribution to our unrestricted fund, which helps us support the many other non-profit efforts that have been enriching Madison's educational, environmental, cultural, recreational and social life for over a decade. Thanks!

Grantmaking News Grants for the first five months of 2009 have reached $20,000, with approximately $11,000 of that for college scholarships for Daniel Hand High School graduates. Other organizations receiving grants include the Odyssey of the Mind, the Children's Fair for Juvenile Diabetes Research, Camperships for Camp Hazen, SARAH Foundation, Special Olympics of CT, and Operation Music Aid, to name a few. Non-profit organizations serving Madison are eligible for certain types of grants and we encourage anyone who is interested to review our grant guidelines on this website or speak with a board member of the Foundation to see if we might be of help to your organization.