Several Southington Causes Benefit From Health, Wellness Grants
Michael Lemanski; Southington Patch; Jun. 27, 2025
SOUTHINGTON, CT — A regional benevolence foundation recently doled out a significant amout of funding to help causes aiding the Southington community.
The Main Street Community Foundation out of Bristol recently awarded $724,549 in grants to six local organizations improving the health outcomes of Southington residents.
The grants were awarded from the foundation’s Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust, which was established in 1973.
The organizations awarded grants include:
- LiveWell for $150,000 to continue and expand the Dementia Positive Southington initiative.
The goal of the initiative is to pioneer a dementia [ositive community in Southington that promotes positive attitudes towards people living with dementia and advocates for brain health as a public health priority. - Prudence Crandall Center, Inc., in New Britain for $85,000 to support comprehensive domestic violence intervention and prevention services, including: community education and prevention, outreach activities, community counseling services, supportive housing placement, court advocacy, and the 24/7 crisis shelter and hotline.
- Senior Transportation Services out of New Britain for $113,127 to provide Southington residents who are age 50+ or disabled, one-on-one, curb-to-curb, reliable, medical transportation. The service provides free rides to medical appointments, pharmacy, hair salon/barber, bank or a care facility to visit a family member.
- The LEAF (Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm) for $60,000 to provide operating support for agricultural education programs in collaboration with the Southington public schools and the greater community.
- Programming includes planting and harvesting school gardens, farm field trips, farm to school lunch program, summer farm camp, the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, adult classes on healthy food preparation, and delivery of fresh produce to Bread for Life and Southington Community Services food pantry.
- Wheeler Health for $116,422 to continue the Southington Community Health Outreach Initiative, which enhances access to behavioral health services for Southington residents through social work interventions. This approach addresses community-wide needs, reduces barriers to care, and promotes better behavioral health outcomes across all age groups. By connecting individuals with appropriate resources early on, the program prevents the escalation of mental health issues that may require higher levels of care.
- Yale School of Nursing for $100,000 to establish a FINGER (FINish GERiatric)-based cognitive wellness clinic at LiveWell led by Yale clinicians and faculty. This 15-month pilot program will provide individual, small-group, and community education on brain health and dementia risk reduction, while offering continuing education for health care providers. The goal of this program is to support early identification and management of cognitive decline.
Since the foundation was appointed trustee of The Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust in 2004, it has awarded a total of $14.9 million, all to the benefit of Southington residents’ health and well-being.
Barnes Trust grants $725k to area health initiatives
Brian Johnson; The Bristol Press; Jun. 25, 2025
SOUTHINGTON — Six local nonprofits were awarded more than $724,000 in grants from the Bradley Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust at the Main Street Community Foundation.
Samantha Rajotte, scholarship and program officer with the Main Street Community Foundation, said a total of $724,549 in grants were awarded to organizations “working to improve the health and wellbeing of Southington residents.”
The Bradley Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust was established in 1973, and the Main Street Community Foundation was appointed as trustee in 2004.
The latest grant recipients include the following:
- LiveWell — $150,000 to continue and expand the Dementia Positive Southington initiative. The goal of the initiative is to pioneer a “Dementia Positive community” in Southington that promotes positive attitudes towards people living with dementia, and advocates for brain health as a public health priority.
- Prudence Crandall Center, Inc. — $85,000 to support comprehensive Domestic Violence Intervention & Prevention services including: community education and prevention, outreach activities, community counseling services, supportive housing placement, court advocacy, and the 24/7 crisis shelter and hotline.
- The LEAF (Lewis Educational Agricultural Farm) — $60,000 to provide operating support for agricultural education programs in collaboration with the Southington Public Schools and the greater community. Programming includes planting and harvesting school gardens, farm field trips, farm to school lunch program, summer farm camp, the Community Supported Agriculture program, adult classes on healthy food preparation, and delivery of fresh produce to Bread for Life and Southington Community Services food pantry.
- Wheeler Health — $116,422 to continue the Southington Community Health Outreach Initiative, which enhances access to behavioral health services for Southington residents through social work interventions. This approach addresses community-wide needs, reduces barriers to care, and promotes better behavioral health outcomes across all age groups. By connecting individuals with appropriate resources early on, the program aims to prevent the escalation of mental health issues that may require higher levels of care.
- Yale School of Nursing — $100,000 to establish a FINGER (FINish GERiatric) based cognitive wellness clinic at LiveWell, led by Yale clinicians and faculty. This 15-month pilot program will provide individual, small-group, and community education on brain health and dementia risk reduction, while offering continuing education for healthcare providers. The goal of this program is to support early identification and management of cognitive decline.
For more information on the Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust, or Main Street Community Foundation, call 860-583-6363 or visit mainstreetfoundation.org.
Bristol Hospital highlights efforts to reduce domestic violence on National Have Hope Friday
Kent Pierce; WTNH News 8; Jun. 6, 2025
June 6 is National Have Hope Friday. It’s a day when hospitals highlight efforts to reduce violence in their workplaces and their communities. Bristol Hospital highlighted efforts to reduce domestic violence.
Speaking at the press conference Friday was Naseem Walker. He and his brothers lost their mother Shenia Walker 12 years ago. Her boyfriend stabbed her to death in her Bristol apartment.
“A day that forever changed our lives,” Walker said. “There’s an emptiness in our hearts that nothing can ever fill. We still find ourselves asking why? Why did it have to be you?”
This was the first time Walker spoke publicly about his mother. He did so as part of Bristol Hospital announcing a partnership with the Prudence Crandall Center, which offers lots of help.
“Emergency shelter for those fleeing danger, transitional and long-term housing, counseling, court advocacy and more,” Barbara Damon, the Prudence Crandall Center President & CEO, listed.
Part of the partnership is that the Prudence Crandall Center will hold training sessions for the hospital personnel most likely to encounter victims of domestic violence. That includes training in how to spot domestic violence, what to ask suspected victims, and what to do if you identify a victim.
“All staff members who have been trained will be provided with a purple ribbon to place on their badges, and I have one of those on me today,” Christine Laprise, the vice president of operations for Bristol Health, said.
The goal is not just to help domestic violence victims, but to stop the violence itself.
“We must prevent it before it begins, and that means raising awareness, building resilience, and working hand in hand with out community,” Damon said.
Which is the only way to save children from going through what Walker-Jenkins and his brothers did.
“We just wish we had one more moment with you, one more chance to say how much we love you, one more hug and one more I love you,” Walker said.
Watch the full story HERE.
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