Suffield Projects Awarded $68,375 by the Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund at the Hartford Foundation

Suffield will be celebrating the 350th anniversary of its founding in 2020. A wide variety of activities and projects are now in the works to recognize this milestone. To support these efforts, the Town of Suffield has received a $12,500 grant from the Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

The grant will be used to fund a variety of projects to commemorate Suffield’s 350th Anniversary including the creation of a Suffield Trivia Quest board game and a 350th Suffield Anniversary 16 -month wall calendar. Funds will be used to support the re-issue of the book, Biography of a Town: Suffield, CT (1670-1970) along with a new publication, 50 Stories for 50 Years, a book of the town’s recent history to be published as a companion volume to the original biography with assistance from the Suffield Observer, community organizations and town residents. Funds will also be allocated for the purchase of new energy efficient LED lights for the town’s Christmas tree, making for a more impressive holiday display using the same amount of electricity.

“These are only five of over 100 ideas for events, educational and entertainment programs, and arts and crafts projects that have been identified,” said Kacy Colston, chair of the Suffield 350th Anniversary Committee. “The Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund grant will be instrumental in increasing community engagement in preparation for the ongoing events.”

The Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund has a long history of supporting programs like this that benefit the community of Suffield. Established in 2002 by Michael Zak to honor the service of his late father, a teacher at Suffield High School for 35 years who also served on numerous town boards and many civic and public associations. According to Michael, his father often expressed frustration when the town did not have the budget to meet what he considered important community needs.

Other 2019 Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund grant recipients include:

  • Boy Scouts Troop 66 received a grant of $1,398  to replace aging tents and cooking gear to support their monthly and spring break camping trips.
  • First Church of Christ in Suffield received a $7,000 grant to purchase three Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and CPR/First Aid/AED training for approximately 80 Suffield residents as well as the church staff.
  • Network Against Domestic Abuse of North Central CT, Inc. received a $7,500 grant to support the expansion of its Community Youth Education Program for Suffield youth. The program supports healthy relationships and offers bullying and dating violence prevention education services to students in the Suffield school system. 
  • Partnering to Reach Aspirations received a $1,500 grant to support this newly formed nonprofit’s inaugural education program to raise awareness and educate the community around ways that they can understand and help residents living with Asperger’s Syndrome.
  • Suffield Little League received a $12,500 grant to purchase a new electrical scoreboard at Christian Field on Hale Street. 
  • The Friends of The Farm at Hilltop, Inc. received a $10,000 grant for the creation of the Hilltop Boardwalk Observation Area. Grant funds will be used to purchase a powerful binocular viewing scope for the boardwalk’s observation area as well as an LED lighting tower to expand programming opportunities. 
  • Town of Suffield – Suffield Parks & Recreation received a grant of $8,275 to support the purchase of adjustable basketball hoops at Spaulding School. These permanent adjustable hoops can be raised to 10' regulation height for community use in the evenings when the gym often sits empty.
  • Aces High First Robotics Team of Suffield and Windsor Locks received a $25,000 grant for the purchase of a CNC Router for robot component production. The CNC Router represents a significant equipment upgrade and is a vital tool in manufacturing components used in the creation of larger robots. The team competes at state, regional and national competitions.  This year's student participants include 17 from Suffield, 12 from Windsor Locks, one from Suffield Academy and three from surrounding towns.  

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, established in 1925, is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding communities. It is dedicated to putting philanthropy into action to create lasting solutions that result in vibrant communities within the Greater Hartford region. The Foundation’s grantmaking is made possible through generous gifts from individuals, families, and organizations. It has awarded grants of more than $758 million since its founding. For more information about the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, visit  or call 860-548-1888.