The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has established a $100,000 Greater Together Community Fund for the Town of Somers.

The purpose of the Greater Together Community Funds program is to:

  • support the community in taking ownership around the needs in their towns
  • encourage broad and inclusive civic engagement and
  • anchor the Hartford Foundation in each town.

Somers Greater Together Community Fund Grant Awards

2023:

  • Scantic River Watershed Association ($5,723) - to support an expansion and continuation of the “Scantic Stream Team” project which provides a hands-on experiential activity for those students interested in environmental science, field-based-science, and/or citizen science.  It also provides water monitoring of the Scantic River.
  • Somers Elementary School ($9,000) to hold an after-school technology program that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) opportunities such as coding, robotics, and maker mindset activities.   
  • Somers Department of Veterans Affairs  ($6,000)- to fund outreach and support of Somers Veterans.   
  • Somers Fire Department  ($4,500)- to expand public access AED program by locating additional AEDs, along with basic first aid and stop-the-bleed kits, in more public parks. The request also includes new infant CPR manikins to aid in public CPR/First Aid training.
  • Somers SafeGrad ($750) to provide a safe, alcohol free event on graduation night for the 2023 senior class of Somers High School.
  • Somers Village Players ($5,900) to produce a staged production in May 2024. 

2022:

  • Scantic River Watershed Association ($5493.44) to support a hands-on experiential activity for those students interested in environmental science, field-based-science, and/or citizen science.
  • Somers Fire Department  ($3000)- to purchase heated AED cabinets to install public access Automated External Defibrillators 's at Field Road Park and the Field behind the Somers Town Hall. 
  • Somers Little League ($10,000) to install a well and sprinkler system to allow irrigation of the playing fields and restore them back to safe playing conditions for the Somers Little League program.
  • Somers Recreation Department ($7000) to install a Disc Golf Course at Field Road Park. 
  • Somers SafeGrad ($2500) to provide a safe, alcohol free event on graduation night for the 2023 senior class of Somers High School.
  • Somers Youth Services ($5000) to purchase games and equipment for the new youth after school drop-in center.

2021:

Any questions can be directed to members of the advisory committee at Somers@hfpgcommunityfunds.org.

GTCF Committee Members

The role of the Committee is to design and lead an inclusive process to identify the needs in your community, and design a grantmaking process aimed to ensure that the Community Funds can have the greatest impact for the benefit of town residents.

The Committee members for Somers:

Edward DePeau, Teresa Mancini, ​Gail Tishler, Kathy Schiessl, Alicia Smith, and Melanie Stevens

Click here to read the Committee Conflict of Interest Policy

For media inquiries, please contact Chris Senecal at csenecal@hfpg.org.