New executive director named at Adam's House in Shelton

Adam's House founder Allison Wysota, right, welcomes Ann O'Leary as new executive director./Contributed photo

SHELTON - Allison Wysota, founder of Adam’s House, Connecticut’s only free-standing grief education and peer support center, proudly announces the appointment of Ann O’Leary as executive director.

Driven by recent initiatives and potential for growth, Wysota recognized the importance of identifying a new executive director with a breadth of expertise in fundraising and strategic development, coupled with an authentic connection to the mission of Adam’s House.

O’Leary brings current expertise as the Principal of Nonprofit Strategy and Management to her role at Adam’s House, fostering compassionate connections and strategic partnerships to enhance mission impact and organizational growth.

“Ann is respected in philanthropic circles for her dedication to building relationships, her exceptional financial insight, and her thoughtful, team-oriented leadership style,” Wysota said.

Before joining Adam’s House, O’Leary held senior strategic and philanthropic leadership roles at United Way, YMCA, Audubon Centers, Stanwich School, and a national nonprofit media organization. 

She was honored with the Trustee Recognition Award from the Westport Y and is a two-time recipient of the Connecticut Audubon President’s Award.

O’Leary’s initial focus will be shaping and directing plans to ensure the organization’s continued success, starting with a Strategic Planning initiative that will begin in late 2025.

“Throughout my career, I have enjoyed tapping into the entrepreneurial energy of an organization to launch and expand programs, including fellowships that support leaders working to make a difference in the world,” commented O’Leary. “There is significant growth potential at Adam’s House, and I look forward to supporting grieving children through our much-needed programs.”

Wysota will continue to lead all programming. Her personalized grief education program, “Helping Hearts Heal” has helped transform the lives of more than 450 children and families since 2017. With O’Leary in place to oversee daily operations, Wysota will be able to focus on expanding and evolving the program offerings to meet the needs of grievers.

“Continued support from our friends and donors allows us to fulfill our mission to serve grieving children,” Wysota said. “With enhanced resources and planned program expansions, Adam’s House will remain a vital source of comfort and hope for families navigating loss.”

Griffin Health to honor Russ Foundation at annual Gala in Prospect

DERBY - Griffin Health will honor the Friend A. Russ Foundation for a century of support with its President’s Award at the 2019 Griffin Gala.

Since the early 1900s, the Friend A. Russ Fund has been an important benefactor of Griffin Health, starting with the construction of a home for nurses before 1920.  

Over the years, the Fund has helped to support expansion projects and purchase new technology to enhance the care Griffin provides to the community.   

The award will be presented to members of the Russ Fund Board at the Griffin Gala at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Aria in Prospect.

Russ was an industrial leader for the Lower Naugatuck Valley. 

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he came to Derby at the turn of the 20th century to settle the estate of a relative and became interested in the Robert N. Bassett Co. Russ joined the company as a laborer and quickly moved up the ranks to become its president. 

Under his leadership, the company became the largest manufacturer of steel and wire goods in the country. 
A longtime philanthropist, Russ contributed to many community organizations, including paying the mortgage for the Derby Lodge of Elks in 1915.  
Soon after the Russ Fund was established with a gift of $200,000 to serve the needs of the community.

Evening with the Stars

The 2019 Griffin Health Gala will be a star-studded event as top celebrity impersonators from Las Vegas bring glitz and glam to Aria.

Master impersonators, The Edwards Twins, will present An Evening with the Stars, a rollicking live performance of musical hits from legendary musical superstars. 

The Edwards Twins have performed all over the world and received rave reviews from national media, including NBC Today show, USA Today and The Boston Globe.

Tickets start at $195 per person. Black tie is suggested. 
Proceeds from the Gala will help develop and sustain essential programs and services that address the wide-ranging health care needs of the communities Griffin serves ensuring access to innovative, high-quality care in a healing, person-centered environment.

Tickets can be purchased at griffinhealth.org/gala. 

For more information on tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Griffin Hospital Development Fund, 203-732-7335 or at gala@griffinhealth.org.

Almost $300K raised for Valley nonprofits during The Great Give

DERBY - The Valley Community Foundation announced that with the help of Valley residents, employees, and VCF donor advised fund holders during The Great Give® 2017 nearly $300,000 was raised for nonprofit organizations located in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, or Shelton. 
The total amount includes $25,000 in matching funds and prizes provided by VCF and others, which were shared during the fifth annual celebratory ice cream social May 25.
“Of the nearly $1.3 million raised in The Great Give® 2017, approximately 25 percent will be specifically distributed for the benefit of Valley residents,” said Sharon Closius, President and CEO of the Valley Community Foundation. 
“It is truly inspiring to see this level of sustained support for local nonprofits, especially those here in the Valley.” 

For the fifth consecutive year, VCF has been the second largest sponsor of the event, incentivizing giving by matching funds and offering prizes to participating organizations.

This year, Valley-based organizations won multiple special prizes awarded throughout The Great Give® 2017, which was announced at the ice cream social. 

A total of $25,000 in prizes were awarded by VCF during The Great Give® 2017 to organizations located in the Valley. 

VCF awarded two prizes, the first to the Valley Independent Sentinel for greatest total number of Valley donors and the second to St. Mary-St. Michael School for the greatest number of new Valley donors. Both organizations also received additional prizes. The Valley Independent Sentinel received $250 as an Early Bird prize and St. Mary-St. Michael School received an additional $750 as a result of two hourly prizes. 

For the second year in a row, the Liberty Bank Foundation sponsored a prize in the amount of $2,000 for the Valley-based organization supporting basic needs that attracted the greatest number of individual donors during a specified time, which was presented to TEAM, Inc.

Center Stage Theatre was awarded a second place overall Grand Prize from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven for most money raised by an organization with less than five full-time staff in addition to a $1,000 Early Bird Prize. 

BHCare was also awarded a second place overall Grand Prize for the most money raised by an organization with more than five full-time staff. 

Derby Day Care, Shelton High School Robotics Team, and Shelton Historical Society also received money as a result of competitive hourly prizes.

The Great Give® is the annual online giving event on giveGreater.org®, a local resource for learning and giving created in 2010 by VCF’s partner in philanthropy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to increase philanthropy in the Greater New Haven region of South Central Connecticut. Overall, The Great Give® 2017 generated nearly $1.3 million, including matching funds and prizes from the two foundations and other generous community sponsors for nonprofits serving the 20-town region of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, which includes VCF’s five-town service area. 

There were more than 8,000 donors who gave more than 11,000 gifts. 

To see participating nonprofits and prize information, visit www.thegreatgive.org.

This is a press release from Valley Community Foundation.

Valley Community Foundation offers gift idea for Valentine's Day

DERBY -  The Valley Community Foundation today announced a new way to show your love for someone dear, and show your support for our local nonprofit community. 

When you give a gG card to someone in appreciation for their service or for a special occasion, you're showing that you care about them and your local community. 

Cards can be ordered at www.givegreater.org. 

A gG card allows recipients to designate the full value of the card to a nonprofit of their choice from a list of more than 340 local nonprofits on giveGreater.org^®, 260 of which serve residents in the Valley!  gG cards are available in $25, $50 and $100 denominations, so you can find the right gift for a teacher, coach or that family member who already has everything!

gG cards (also known as a giveGreater cards) were created by VCF's partner in philanthropy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. The two Foundations are helping to increase giving and awareness of local nonprofits serving Greater New Haven and the Valley. Each card is for one-time use. 

The full value of the card must be designated for a single organization profiled on  giveGreater.org^®, Greater New Haven's online searchable nonprofit database.

About the Valley Community Foundation

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of grant dollars each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. In addition to grant making, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton and receives funding from The Gates Fund and other preference funds at TCF.

To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, visit www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162.

This is a press release from Valley Community Foundation. 

Valley United Way allocates almost $475K to area nonprofits

Valley United Way's Board of Directors recently approved allocations of just under $475,000 to agencies providing a variety of health and human services in the Valley area. 

The decision came as the culmination to a thorough process where agencies submitted budget requests and program information followed by site visits and reviews from 20 volunteer members of the Allocations Committee co-chaired by Ron Villani and Ned Miller. 
The funding begins on June 1 and concludes on June 30, 2016.

After careful review, the committee made their funding recommendations to the full board which approved the following allocations:

American Red Cross (18,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters (4,000),  Boy Scouts - Housatonic Council (40,000), Boys & Girls Club (86,500), Catholic Charities (35,000), Christian Counseling Center (6,000), Derby Day Care Center (4,000), Domestic Violence Center (24,500), Family Resource Center (TEAM, Inc.) (9,000), Girl Scouts - CT Trails Council (4,000), 2-1-1 Infoline (10,000), International Institute (1,400), Julia Day Nursery (1,500), Meals on Wheels (TEAM, Inc.) (9,500), N.H. Legal Assistance (2,000), Parent Child Resource Center (48,000), Rape Crisis Center (20,000), Recreation Camp (7,000), SONCCA (500), Spooner House (26,000) St. Vincent DePaul (7,000), U.S.O. (450), Valley YMCA (1,500), Visiting Nurse Association of SCC (10,000), Volunteer Center (50,000), Wellmore, Inc. (9,000).

Jack Walsh, President & C.O.O. at Valley United Way praised the work of the committee, noting that making funding decisions when there is never enough money to meet the needs of so many worthwhile agencies and programs is never easy. 
"Our volunteers conduct a very comprehensive review of the agencies and programs and are very thoughtful and fair in their recommendations," he said. "The Board is thankful for their expertise and dedication in determining how best to make an impact which donors have earmarked for programs and services in the Valley."

Members of the Allocations Committee were Tom Christiano, Mark Daconto, John DeGray, Jim Geissler, Dave Grant, Jennifer Kalasardo, Rob Lesko, and Mary McNelis. Also serving were Ned Miller, Mary Ann Miskowicz, Allie Rafferty, Cindy Rinaldi, Brian Sexton, Michele Siu, Phyllis Sochrin, Bob VanEgghen, Rob VanEgghen, Ron Villani, and Tom Welch.

This is a press release from Valley United Way, the leading philanthropic resource for the towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community. United Way supports and creates initiatives addressing youth, families and people in crisis. Each year Valley United Way funds programs and organizations that make a measurable difference in the lives of people living and working in the Valley.

Valley Community Foundation: Gifts grew 51 percent over '14

DERBY – The Valley Community Foundation announced Friday the number of gifts made by Valley residents and employees during The Great Give® 2015 increased by 51 percent over 2014.

The information was shared during a celebratory Ice Cream Social Thursday at which VCF also announced winners of the VCF Great Give Grand Prizes for attracting the greatest number of donors who live or work in the Valley (Valley Independent Sentinel, $2,000) and attracting the greatest number of new donors who live or work in the Valley (Shelton High School Education Fund, $2,000).

“We couldn’t be more thrilled at the response of Valley residents and workers who came out in strong support of local nonprofits during The Great Give 2015. A 51 percent increase over last year in the number of gifts underscores that the Valley is a philanthropic region and its people know the importance of giving locally in a global world where so many charitable options abound,” said Sharon Closius, President & CEO of the Valley Community Foundation.

Outreach was creative
“Organizations were particularly creative this year in their outreach, which included a 36-hour live webcast hosted by the Valley Independent Sentinel and a collaborative Valley Great Give video that is available on the VCF website.”

Overall, a 43 percent increase in giving from Valley residents and employees, combined with matching grants and prizes, resulted in nearly $230,000 in Valley-related giving.

The Valley nonprofits raising the most dollars were: 
Center Stage Theatre, who also won a second place Grand Prize from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven for attracting the most donors, Boys & Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley, BHcare, TEAM, and Griffin Hospital. 
In addition to Center Stage Theatre and TEAM, organizations receiving the most gifts were Valley Independent Sentinel, Seymour Pink and the Shelton High School Robotics Team.

Also announced at the Ice Cream Social were the winners of special prizes awarded by VCF throughout The Great Give® including the Rifkin Family Fund Home Stretch Prize to Boy Scouts of America Housatonic Council, Valley Independent Sentinel and Center Stage Theatre. 
VCF Early Bird Prizes were awarded to Center Stage Theatre and Seymour Pink. A Cinco de Mayo Prize was awarded to the Valley Independent Sentinel and a VCF Golden Ticket to TEAM.

The Great Give® 2015 generated $1,291,096 including matching funds and prizes, for nonprofits working in the 20-town area served by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, which includes the VCF’s five-town region.

There were more than 7,000 donors who gave 9,611 gifts. 
To see all participating nonprofits and prize information, visit www.thegreatgive.org.

About the Valley Community Foundation
Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of grant dollars each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. In addition to grant-making, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton.

To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, visit www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President & CEO, Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162. 
Find VCF on Facebook or follow VCF on Twitter.


This a press release from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. 

Shelton High School, Valley Community Foundation partner to grow scholarship fund

Shelton High School Headmaster Beth A. Smith, right, presents a check to Valley Community Foundation President and CEO Sharon Closius. / Contributed photo

Shelton High School and the Valley Community Foundation are pleased to announce a new partnership in which the management of all scholarship and award funds will be entrusted to the Foundation.

The purpose of this partnership is to sustain and build a substantial scholarship and recognition program benefiting the students of Shelton High School in acknowledgement of their hard work and accomplishments as they move on to pursue higher education.

Beth A. Smith, Headmaster of Shelton High School, said, “This decision was made after very careful consideration and with the full support of the superintendent of schools and the Shelton Board of Education. Shelton High School is a learning community with high academic and behavioral expectations. We believe it is important to celebrate student achievement and to recognize those students who have met our standards. It is my firm belief that this move will achieve my goal of sustainability for our awards programs, which will continue to benefit the students of Shelton High School.”

School leaders routinely communicate to students the importance of community service and of giving back to their community. 
“The donors who have continuously supported the student recognition programs are a true testament to the importance of not only caring for our students but the future generation as well,” Smith said.

She added, “The Valley Community Foundation’s consistent average return will maximize the value of our scholarship and award donations. Instead of sitting in a savings account, our funds will now be professionally managed. Donors will have a choice to set up a permanent award or one that will be spent down over time. I want to emphasize that the criteria and selection process will not change. The Shelton High School staff will continue to coordinate the selection committees and recipient notification.” 

Sharon Closius, Valley Community Foundation President & CEO, said, “We are honored to partner with Shelton High School to ensure the scholarship and award funds remain a viable philanthropic vehicle benefitting Shelton students for years to come and to expand the opportunities to grow the pool. I am especially pleased that the Valley Community Foundation has the ability to assist people who want to give back to the community and benefit Shelton students.”  

An added benefit of this partnership is the Foundation’s capacity to accept different forms of assets to grow existing and new funds for the high school. 

With VCF’s relationship with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, gifts of securities, real estate and insurance policies can now be accepted. VCF can assist in estate planning ideas such as designating a scholarship or award as the beneficiary of a retirement plan, life insurance and/or bank accounts. Life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts are also options to help build the program.

This partnership with VCF is a major step of collective public philanthropy to support the quality of Shelton’s education programs. 
Superintendent of Schools Freeman Burr envisions a collection of philanthropic funds that will be dedicated to impacting the quality of education in Shelton. The funds provide financial support broken down into four pillars of investment: student award and scholarships; teacher creativity, innovation and resources; early childhood; quality time (such as before and after school programs, summer programs, etc.). 
This framework will allow interested members of the community to fund specific areas that they are passionate about and want to support.

If you would like to support Shelton High School, please call VCF at 203-751-9162. 

About the Valley Community Foundation:

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of grant dollars each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. 

In addition to grant-making, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton. 

To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, visit www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President, Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162.

This is a press release from the Valley Community Foundation.