More than $17,000 donated to local food pantries to fight food insecurity
CLINTON, Conn., Dec. 19, 2024 — Connecticut Water, through its employee led charitable giving team, awarded approximately $120,000 among more than 70 charitable organizations, most locally-based in the company’s Connecticut service area.
The company’s Charitable Giving Committee, along with countless employee volunteers, regularly seek out opportunities to be a force for good in our communities, whether through volunteering, reviewing community requests or identifying causes to support.
“At Connecticut Water, our employees frequently demonstrate their passion for our communities extends beyond just providing water service. They generously donate time, skills and funds in support of a wide range of causes in the communities where we serve, live and work,” said Connecticut Water President Craig J. Patla. “The charitable organizations we support make our communities a better place and, like water service, are integral to healthy and thriving communities.”
Food banks and pantries received $17,500 in 2024. Other causes supported by the committee include local schools and fire departments, social service agencies and youth programs. The Connecticut Water team also led drives for toys and items for the Connecticut Veterans Home and Hospital.
All donations are funded by the company and do not come from the water rates paid by customers.
Among the food pantries receiving donations this year:
|
Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantry |
Enfield Food Shelf |
East Haddam Food Bank |
|
Community Fund of Middlesex County |
Connecticut Foodshare |
Town of Lebanon Social Services |
|
Seymour-Oxford Food Bank |
Hockanum Valley Community Council |
Community Kitchens of Northeast CT |
|
Southbury Food Bank |
Cornerstone Foundation Food Cupboard |
Friends of Assisi Food Pantry, Danielson |
|
Plymouth Community Food Pantry |
Hebron Interfaith Human Services |
Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group |
|
Thomaston Community Pantry |
Living Proof Church, Ashford |
St. Mary’s Food Pantry |
|
Ellington Food Bank |
Naugatuck Valley Soup Kitchen |
Enfield Loaves and Fishes |
Connecticut Water also funded more than $15,000 in grants to local fire departments in 2024. Departments used the grants to fund a variety of needs including training and equipment such as the purchase of slow-close hydrant valves, backflow preventers, isolation valves, water handling equipment or other firefighting tools and educational materials. Founded in 2020, the Firefighter Support Grant Program has awarded more than $82,000 in grants to thirty-six departments across the state.
Also in 2024, more than $10,000 in touchless water bottle filling stations for local schools helped promote the use of refillable water bottles. With the eight filling stations distributed in 2024, the program awarded 56 units to schools in 20 districts since 2020 – a value of more than $80,000. Schools report counters on school filling stations show they filled the equivalent of more than 650,000 single-use plastic bottles! Applications are currently being accepted for both programs for 2025 donations.
For more information on the company’s charitable giving program, or to submit a funding request, please visit www.ctwater.com/giving.