Locals to receive Women & Girls Fund grants
By Brian Johnson; Bristol Press; Jan. 19, 2026
BRISTOL — The Main Street Community Foundation’s Women & Girls Fund will announce $59,150 in grants to area 12 organizations at DoubleTree by Hilton.
The grantee reception will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the hotel and banquet facility at 42 Century Dr. The event will include refreshments and networking opportunities as well as the grant presentations.
Samantha Rajotte, scholarship and program officer with the Main Street Community Foundation, said the recipient organizations and programs are all “working to improve the lives of women and girls in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott.”
“They will be awarded grants and honored for their commitment to their mission,” she said.
Rajotte said the presentation and program will begin at 6 p.m. that day. The majority of the grantee organizations, she said, will be present to speak about the impact that the grants will have.
“Join the Women & Girls Fund in celebrating Main Street Community Foundation and all the ways we partner together to make it possible for women and girls to improve the quality of their lives,” she said.
Here is the grantee list:
Boys & Girls Club of Bristol – $5,000: SMART Girls: Giving Girls Confidence program for girls ages 8-12 to teach responsibility and to develop a healthy attitude and lifestyle by engaging in discussions and activities that reinforce positive behavior.
Bristol Family Resource Centers – $7,000: Expansion of the Girl Up! program, a targeted small-group intervention to build leadership skills in girls ages 6-12 in three Bristol Public Schools: Greene-Hills School, South Side School and West Bristol School.
BristolWORKS! – $6,150: Ready to Rise: Confidence, Leadership & Wellness for Rising Women, a series of interactive workshops for early-career woman that combines leadership development, confidence building and wellness strategies.
Community Counseling Centers of Central Connecticut – $1,500: Holistic Wellness and Self-Care Retreat at Pillwillop Therapeutic Farm, a three-day immersive experience designed for women mindfulness practices, self-care workshops, and expressive arts sessions, participants will learn practical wellness tools to enhance emotional resilience, manage stress and support ongoing mental health and well-being.
Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut – $1,550: Women’s Outdoor Adventure Series at Indian Rock Nature Preserve, a four-day program to empower women and girls, ages 8 through adult, by providing opportunities to connect with nature and engage in a variety of outdoor activities
PARC – $5,000: Golden Gang Senior Women’s Program, a year-round program designed to increase and improve the quality of life for senior women with developmental disabilities.
Plainville Youth Services – $4,000: A Space to Shine program which will empower young girls to reach their fullest potential and develop confidence, leadership and coping skills using arts and humanities workshops.
Plymouth Community Food Pantry – $2,500: Access to Personal Care Items for Senior Women (APCISW) program to provide senior women with personal care products falling into four categories: hygiene, incontinence, dental and other, which SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase.
Prudence Crandall Center, Inc. – $5,000: Domestic Violence Counseling and Support Groups for Women and Girls program offering counseling services focused on women’s mental health and wellbeing, providing emotional support and practical assistance to address the complex impact of domestic violence on their lives.
Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center, Inc. – $6,250: Women’s Equine Gestalt Group, an on-going program to strengthen mental health, well-being and self-esteem for mature women.
The Carousel Museum – $5,200: The OWL Society: Older Women Learning – New Skills, New Joy, Lifelong Learning, a six-month program to enrich lives of women 55 and older by fostering connection, lifelong learning and a sense of belonging.
The YWCA of New Britain – $10,000: The Sexual Assault Crisis Service program for women and girls provides free and confidential services to survivors of sexual violence. Services include: 24-hour crisis hotlines, individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, accompaniments and advocacy to medical, police, and court proceedings, campus services, information and referrals, state certification training for Counselor Advocates, prevention education for all ages/groups and outreach events in the community.
Read More