Here are a few ways that we have given back to the wonderful communities that we call home. It's extremely important to us that we leave the world a little better than we found it. We highly recommend that you take a look at these wonderful causes and support them if you are able.
Our Casual for a Cause initiative is simple. Every month, our employees contribute at least $10 to a fund which goes to a charity/cause that we select quarterly. This allows them to dress a bit more casually when coming into the office on Fridays and a catered lunch from a local business once per Quarter. We underwrite 100% of the catered meal so that 100% of the monies collected go directly to the charitable organization. The $10 is just the minimum; most of us contribute a bit more where we can because these causes are often important to us. It's a win all around and it has been a long-standing tradition in our agency for over a decade.
Here are some of the causes we've supported:
Looking Glass Animal Rescue is an award-winning nonprofit volunteer-based animal welfare organization dedicated to rescuing animals from high-kill shelters, hoarding situations, puppy mills, animal fighting rings and more. While we welcome all animals in need, we specifically focus on animals that are often overlooked due to age, breed, special need, illness or injury and frequently requiring immediate, often costly medical attention that shelters are unable to provide. Without a rescue outlet, these animals would otherwise be euthanized due to their issues. Looking Glass Animal Rescue looks past these issues, seeing these animals not for what they are today, but what they can become tomorrow – healthy, happy family members with tons of love to give.
Founded in 1992, Creative Connections is a non-profit international cultural education organization that fosters global competency in children. We do this by creating and facilitating innovative arts-based exchanges between classrooms in the United States and their peers around the world. Creative Connections has expanded from initially working annually with 300 students to over 10,000 students today. We currently have school partners on five continents in 23 countries. In the USA, we facilitate programs in 114 classrooms across eight states.
Note: During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the majority of our staff worked remotely. As a result, it was difficult to continue our Casual for a Cause program. Many members of our team continued to work on their own with different causes and charitable organizations as they were able. We also participated in several community service events with our bank partner Fairfield County Bank.
Kindness Over Muscular Dystrophy, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) organization with a mission to provide charitable giving to support Muscular Dystrophy research as well as benevolent assistance and advocacy to those in need. There have been great strides on the research front and Conner is participating in a mini-dystrophin gene therapy trial with Pfizer. We are happy to report that he has some improved muscle function – remarkable since the norm is consistent, steady decline.
Established in 1987, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death. AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide
The TOWN HALL FOOD PANTRY remains closed to both food donations and shopping. During 2020-21 Social services distributed over $200k in grocery gift cards to Ridgefield residents. During that time we also delivered approximately 500 boxes of food, we hosted an alternative summer nutrition program and hosted 3 programs focused on getting produce and healthy options to our residents. Over the last year we found that our consumers very much appreciate the ability to choose their own healthy and fresh food options using grocery gift cards. Offering gift cards also has reduced food waste. Please help continue to support the Ridgefield Food Pantry by donating online or mailing a donation. As always we are very thankful for Ridgefield's generosity
Danbury Animal Welfare Society, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals in our community and beyond. We promote responsible pet guardianship and the humane treatment of animals, and work toward ending animal overpopulation through education and a variety of programs. We take pride in the work we do – working to keep homeless pets safe, happy and sheltered.
The Association of Religious Communities (ARC) was founded over 4 decades ago for the purpose of facilitating interfaith cooperation in the greater Danbury area. Centered in our respective faiths, ARC continues to manifest the wisdom of the worlds spiritual traditions while enhancing the quality of life in the greater Danbury community.
FAITH Food Pantry of Newtown, Inc. was established in 1984 to help our neighbors in need. Our mission is to help provide one week of groceries to Newtown residents in need, once a month. We are completely volunteer and nonprofit. We are a 501(3) exempt organization.
To empower disadvantaged scholars to reach their highest potential and attain academic excellence by forming community partnerships, collaborating with regional colleges and universities, public, private and charter schools, libraries, youth based organizations, and churches.
At Ability Beyond, we discover, build and celebrate the ability in all people. Our organization is dedicated to empowering every person, no matter their ability, to have the opportunity to live, work and thrive as an integral part of their community.
The Prospector Theater is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing competitive and integrated employment to people with disabilities through the operation of a premium, first-run movie theater located in Ridgefield, CT. Employees of the Prospector, referred to as Prospects, are encouraged to sparkle, shine, and transform their passions into professions.
It is our hope and goal to continue to raise and distribute funds to fulfill our mission. This includes providing help to educate young people (especially in the sciences), help support those with chronic illnesses, and help to protect those affected by violence. The many great things that have been inspired by the lives and memory of Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela Petit are well known, which in turn has enabled us to follow their example and help more people each year. It is nevertheless an ambitious goal, and we implore all who care to help us attain these important goals.
We are a local community-based charity that really cares and our actions speak for themselves. Our membership is purposely limited to 50 guys. We’re just 50 guys from all different walks of life who volunteer their time and services to raise all the money, run all the events, and find all the recipients. By doing it all ourselves, we keep our percentage of money donated to 95%, a rare feat that not many other charities can claim. We respect human dignity and understand that a quiet helping hand can make all the difference in the world.
Since opening our doors in 2002, ABRI/Homes for the Brave has provided housing, vocational training, and life skills coaching to help individuals leave homelessness behind. To date, we have worked with nearly 1,200 men and women, most of whom are Veterans.Applied Behavioral Rehabilitation Institute, Inc. (ABRI), doing business as Homes for the Brave, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. ABRI/Homes for the Brave operates four programs: Homes for the Brave, Waldorf House, Veterans Service Center, and Female Soldiers: Forgotten Heroes, Connecticut’s first and only transitional housing program exclusively for homeless female Veterans and their children.
Today, Kids In Crisis provides temporary housing and comprehensive medical, educational and therapeutic support services for children of all ages in Fairfield County. It is the only Connecticut agency that can house children from newborn to age 18, of any gender, including a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ adolescents. In addition to providing an emergency shelter program, Kids In Crisis provides crisis counseling and community education programs for children and families dealing with a wide range of issues.
Founded in 1982, Connecticut Food Bank is a member of Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks. We partner with food retailers, growers, financial donors, and volunteers to source food and distribute it through a network of 500 food access points that include community-based pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and more, as well as our Mobile Pantries, Dairy Express, and Senior Supplemental Food Program. We serve Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, and Windham counties, home to 71% of the state’s population and to 65% of the state’s food insecure. Last year we distributed enough food to prepare more than 23.9 million meals.
Whether inside your home or facility, or at our home, the Center for Comfort Care and Healing, Regional Hospice provides exceptional, convenient, hospice care services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In either case, the Regional Hospice team comes to you, wherever you reside – your home, assisted living facility or a skilled nursing facility. Physicians, registered nurses, social workers, chaplains, hospice care aides and trained hospice volunteers follow customized, individual care plans designed to meet each patient’s needs for pain management and symptom control and special services such as speech, physical and occupational therapy. Please see the towns we serve for more information. We are proud to be the first – and to remain the largest – Nonprofit hospice in Western Connecticut. Every donor dollar raised goes back into providing patients with the highest quality end-of-life care.
Operation Homefront is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive — not simply struggle to get by — in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. For over fifteen years, we have provided programs that offer: RELIEF (through Critical Financial Assistance and transitional housing programs), RESILIENCY (through permanent housing and caregiver support services) and RECURRING FAMILY SUPPORT programs and services throughout the year that help military families overcome the short-term bumps in the road so they don’t become long-term chronic problems. Operation Homefront has consistently earned high ratings from leading charity rating services, including Charity Navigator, which gave Operation Homefront 4 Stars for 11 consecutive years for superior service and accountability. At Operation Homefront, 90 percent of expenditures goes directly toward delivering programs and services to the military families who need it most.
For at-risk youth, the path to lifelong excellence is often unearthed by clearing the obstacles they face. Maybe it’s worrying about their next meal ... or fatherlessness ... or struggling at school … or dealing with crippling anxiety ... or living in an unstable household gripped by abuse. Any of these challenges (and others) can derail youth, hinder their academic achievement, and prevent them from believing in their own potential. There’s no one-size-fits-all scenario when it comes to what challenges life brings. So there’s no one-size-fits-all way to rise above them. Jericho’s ministry to at-risk youth, and by extension their families, is designed to meet youth where they are, and – through relationship-building, creating a foundation of faith, and innovative 360-degree wholistic programming - address the things that stand between them and seeking a life of excellence, rooted in faith in Christ.
The Center for Empowerment and Education helps save and rebuild lives and create safer communities. Since our founding in 1975, The Center for Empowerment and Education has been a safe haven as the sole provider of services to victims of domestic and sexual violence in the Northern Fairfield and Southern Litchfield County areas. Each year, the Center serves over 30,000 individuals from our area communities. Our free and confidential services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The Center’s key areas of focus include emergency shelter and support services, counseling and advocacy, crisis intervention, and community education, primary prevention and training.
The CT Challenge (CTC) is a game-changing nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the 15.5 million cancer survivors in Connecticut and throughout the U.S. rebuild, improve and prolong their lives through exercise, nutrition, mind-body health and community-building support programs. The CTC opened the Center for Survivorship in 2012 as an incubator for best practices in cancer survivorship care. The CT Challenge Bike Event is the primary funding vehicle for the paradigm-shifting programs advanced by Mission. The programs funded by the CT Challenge Ride were renamed Mission in 2017 to position them as the flagship for cancer survivors everywhere. Our commitment to use these programs to equip all who battle cancer with the exercise, nutrition and mind-body knowledge, tools and community needed to live. life. vibrantly. remains unchanged.
The above quote perfectly encapsulates where we come from and what we hope to be for the 22q community. Our link to the past is our connection to The Dempster Family Foundation. Prior to the creation of our organization, we, like many of you, received support, guidance and a sense of togetherness from DFF. Their ideals of creating a community of those with shared experiences and raising awareness to better the lives of everyone affected by the disorder are something that we intend to continue as we grow. We are going to maintain and build upon many of the programs that many of us within the 22q community have come to rely on such as the 22q Education Station, the 22q Mystery Tour, and more. Our bridge to the future is that we intend to create new ways to connect members of our community, as well as work to make sure 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome becomes a household name.
We are a non-profit, volunteer-fueled organization dedicated to finding cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and improving the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. Since our founding in 1967, the Foundation has played a role in every major breakthrough in IBD research. We have invested more than $400 million into finding the causes, treatments, and cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. And we won’t stop until we realize our vision of a future free from Crohn’s and colitis. We operate at the highest ethical standards and we consistently meet guidelines established by charity watchdogs, including the Better Business Wise Giving Alliance.
Breath of an Angel raises the funds necessary to purchase specialty equipment used to support the transport of patients who are in need of ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) treatment for both Children and Adults. To date, Yale New Haven has successfully saved 3 children with the machines they have purchased.
We are advocates and changemakers; ambitious students and dedicated teachers; inspiring artists and seasoned policymakers; resilient mothers and feminist fathers; community organizers and business leaders. We come from many countries and backgrounds, but our differences are not nearly as important as what we share—a belief that every girl, no matter where she is born, deserves to be educated, respected, and heard. Girl-centered organizations open a world of possibilities for girls. Community-based organizations (CBOs) in particular create lasting change because of their cultural expertise, influence with local stakeholders, and hyper-local advocacy and intervention efforts.
We are a compassionate nonprofit serving Connecticut and Hudson Valley New York with professional counseling, support groups, wellness activities and educational resources. Thousands of people facing cancer come to us for support, all at no charge. We assist you and your loved ones to create a unique pathway through cancer that enhances your quality of life. Whether you are looking for support and resources for your cancer or for a family member’s cancer or would like to give back by donating your time or funds – welcome to our community.
While serving as a U.S. Marine during the Vietnam War, Ray Buchanan quickly recognized that accomplishing a mission required “commitment to something larger than yourself.” Later as a United Methodist minister, Ray embraced the vision of a world without hunger and co-founded Stop Hunger Now in 1998 alongside and with generous donor support from entrepreneur John Hewitt. Stop Hunger Now rebranded to become Rise Against Hunger in 2017.Driving Rise Against Hunger’s work is the recognition that ending hunger is more than just feeding people, which led Rise Against Hunger to focus its feeding programs in areas where we can have a real impact and expand its hunger-fighting programs beyond meal packaging and distribution.
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, with a mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2 billion in research funding since our inception, and spurred billions more from public and private sector partners to generate a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to research, advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is dedicated to creating and supporting life-changing connections. Since our founding by Donald Kauth in 1954, we’ve graduated almost 10,000 teams. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with all services provided completely free of charge. At Guiding Eyes, we rely upon the contributions of our generous donors to fulfill our mission. Guiding Eyes is an accredited member of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), the organization that establishes worldwide standards for the breeding and training of guide dogs. We’re proud to support their mission to improve and uphold worldwide standards for the breeding and training of guide dogs. Guiding Eyes also partners with other organizations, to ensure that exceptional dogs who are not suited to guide work, may go on to alternative careers in detection or as service dogs, or are placed in loving homes through our Youth Program or public adoption.
December 14, 2012 forever and unalterably changed the lives of the 26 families whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Since that day, we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness, love, prayers, and generosity received from the entire world. To simply say thank you is not enough to express our sincere gratitude. In the midst of our grief we have come to realize that we want our loved ones to be remembered for the lives they lived and how they touched our hearts. We have been uplifted by the support of so many people and we would like to keep that spirit of unity and love alive in all we do to remember those we so dearly miss. It is with this in mind that we have created the MySandyHookFamily.org website.
Cards for Hospitalized Kids(CFHK) is an internationally recognized charitable organization that spreads hope, joy & magic to hospitalized kids across America through uplifting, handmade cards. Anyone can get involved with us, from anywhere. Individuals and groups across the United States, and world, donate time and creativity to make handmade cards and send them to us for distribution in hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses across the nation.
Green Chimneys is a multi-faceted nonprofit organization helping young people to maximize their full potential by providing residential, educational, clinical and recreational services, in a safe and supportive environment that nurtures connections with their families, the community, animals and nature. Founded in 1947 and headquartered on a farm and wildlife center in Brewster, NY, with a second campus in Carmel, NY, Green Chimneys is recognized as a worldwide leader in animal-assisted therapy and educational activities for children with special needs.
YMCA Camp Greenknoll is more than just a day camp; we are a facility that offers campers ages 3-15 years a place where they can be themselves. We give our campers the chance to build confidence through skill building activities, positive developmental experiences and encouraging them to forge bonds with each other and staff. Campers experience a sense of achievement through opportunities in the outdoors and are welcomed to a physically and emotionally safe and stimulating environment.
The Dorothy Day Hospitality House is a private, non-profit organization that provides essential community services that would otherwise need to be funded by the City of Danbury. The majority of the homeless people sheltered here are natives of Danbury and its environs. Our shelter is designed to be a temporary base that both provides guests with critical daily resources (bed, shower, and laundry service) and incents them to take the necessary steps to get back on their feet and secure permanent housing and employment.
The Christopher M. Manno Memorial Scholarship for Academic & Athletic Excellence was established in memory of a young member of our community, Chris Manno, who was taken from us in 1999 at the age of 13. Each year, the Manno family in consort with the Ridgefield Scholarship committee awards one or more scholarships to a graduating senior from Ridgefield High School.
The mission of the New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare Society, Inc. is to offer refuge, medical care, and the opportunity for a second chance for life to needy dogs and cats; to protect animals from cruelty or neglect; to foster a public sentiment of humanity and gentleness toward all living creatures; to encourage and promote responsible pet ownership; and to reduce companion animal overpopulation through humane education and spay/neuter advocacy.
The Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation was established in 2004 by Todd Tango and Cathy Tango- Dykes in memory of their daughter Molly. Molly, a beautiful little girl, was born with multiple disabilities and required ongoing extensive medical care. Although non-verbal, Molly touched the lives of all who knew her with her sparkling smile and incredible spirit. Despite the many obstacles she overcame in her short life, Molly passed away in 2003 at the age of ten years old. To honor Molly’s memory, Todd and Cathy established the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation in 2004 to provide support to other families who care for children with special needs.
The TOWN HALL FOOD PANTRY remains closed to both food donations and shopping. During 2020-21 Social services distributed over $200k in grocery gift cards to Ridgefield residents. During that time we also delivered approximately 500 boxes of food, we hosted an alternative summer nutrition program and hosted 3 programs focused on getting produce and healthy options to our residents. Over the last year we found that our consumers very much appreciate the ability to choose their own healthy and fresh food options using grocery gift cards. Offering gift cards also has reduced food waste. Please help continue to support the Ridgefield Food Pantry by donating online or mailing a donation. As always we are very thankful for Ridgefield's generosity
DYS is the Youth Services Bureau (YSB) for the City of Danbury and a Licensed Agency through the Department of Children and Families (DCF). It Serves Greater Danbury Area Communities. No One is Turned Away for Inability to Pay. DYS Mission: Empower youth and families to build positive and fulfilling lives.
At New York-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital’s Cheryl R. Lindenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are devoted to providing you with the highest quality of comprehensive cancer care in a warm and nurturing environment. Cancer is a complex disease, and its successful treatment often requires the combined expertise of cancer specialists. Here at the Cancer Center, our multidisciplinary team of highly skilled and compassionate medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiologists, social workers, therapists and Magnet® nurses closely collaborate to develop a plan of care that is tailored to your cancer, its stage and your unique needs.
The Center for Empowerment and Education provides a safe and secure environment for victims of domestic and sexual violence. The Center’s 13-bed shelter, Elizabeth House, offers refuge for individuals and families fleeing from the danger of violence in their own homes. Emergency housing is provided for individuals and families on a 24-hour, 7 days a week basis for victims who are fleeing domestic and sexual violence. During their stay, residents receive counseling, advocacy and assistance in rebuilding their lives and planning their future.
ROAR was founded on the simple principle that we would provide animals in need with the same love, care and compassion we show our own family pets. Since we opened our doors in 2005, we have placed more than 5,000 neglected and unwanted cats and dogs in caring homes throughout Ridgefield and our surrounding towns. But our mission does not end at our shelter’s door. ROAR’s staff and volunteers are also committed to enhancing the remarkable bond between people and pets through our education and outreach programs, sharing information about the rewards of adopting a pet, responsibilities of pet ownership, and working with student groups in developing ways to “give back” to animals in need.
Whether inside your home or facility, or at our home, the Center for Comfort Care and Healing, Regional Hospice provides exceptional, convenient, hospice care services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In either case, the Regional Hospice team comes to you, wherever you reside – your home, assisted living facility or a skilled nursing facility. Physicians, registered nurses, social workers, chaplains, hospice care aides and trained hospice volunteers follow customized, individual care plans designed to meet each patient’s needs for pain management and symptom control and special services such as speech, physical and occupational therapy. Please see the towns we serve for more information. We are proud to be the first – and to remain the largest – Nonprofit hospice in Western Connecticut. Every donor dollar raised goes back into providing patients with the highest quality end-of-life care.
Our mission is to provide academically talented and highly motivated young women of color the opportunity to live in Ridgefield and to study at Ridgefield’s public high school. We provide educational, social, and cultural enrichment as we strive to prepare our Scholars to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in American society. These eight young women, grades 9-12, reside in the Ridgefield A Better Chance (RABC) house under the care of the Resident Director and Assistant Director, with the guidance of RABC Board of Directors, and with support from their host families and countless other volunteers. Since 1987, fifty-six RABC Scholars have graduated from Ridgefield High School and have gone on to major universities and colleges. RABC, affiliated with the national nonprofit, A Better Chance, operates as one of their 20 public Community School Programs and is a 501(c) (3) .
Family & Children's Aid (FCA) is a child-focused 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization offering high quality, innovative mental health care for children and their families. FCA operates under the belief that children are society's most valuable assets. For over 200 years, FCA has been providing children with safe homes and therapeutic support allowing children to lead healthier lives. FCA believes that seeking help is a sign of strength. We believe excellent care should be available to individuals and families in all walks of life, whenever needed. Effective and professional mental health care makes our children healthier and communities stronger.
LISA, Inc. (Living In Safe Alternatives, Inc.) is a, 501c3 not-for-profit organization. Our target population includes Connecticut teens in the custody of the Department of Children and Families. The programs and services we provide help young people develop healthy interpersonal relationships, acquire academic achievement, manage social and cultural interactions, facilitate the exploration of spirituality, and teach independent living skills.