Sports Commission Announces Beneficiaries; Partnership with Stamford Hospital
Grants of $2,500 awarded to three county youth organizations
March 24, 2010
The Fairfield County Sports Commission announced today the three county youth organizations that will benefit this year from Commission financial support as well as a new prominent community sponsor that will enable the Commission to continue to expand its fitness awareness programs.
In 2010, the Commission will donate money and time to develop partnerships with the Stamford Youth Foundation, the George Washington Carver Center in Norwalk and the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport. To enhance its growing community resources to these organizations and others throughout the county, the Commission has signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Stamford Hospital to be its major health care partner.
“Today we are taking a significant step forward in our efforts to have more of a far-reaching impact in our communities, particularly with the young people of Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport,” said FCSC executive director Tom Chiappetta. “Joining forces with such a well-recognized leader in health care as Stamford Hospital extends our resources immensely and also elevates our stature through their endorsement of our goals and programs.”
Stamford Hospital will have a presence at many of the Sports Commission’s events throughout 2010-11, most notably its annual Sports Night Hall of Fame awards dinner in October. The hospital will sponsor the Local Sports Persons of the Year portion of the dinner, where the Commission recognizes a member of the sports community from each of the 15 cites and towns it serves.
Other key elements of the sponsorship will be collaborative efforts that will include using Stamford Hospital’s vast health care programs and its facilities to conduct clinics, panel discussions and educational seminars. Stamford Hospital already has a working relationship with the Stamford Youth Foundation that can now be expanded with the addition of FCSC resources.
With the three youth organizations, FCSC is also making a two-year commitment to each of them. In 2010, the Commission will donate $2,500 to each of the groups as well as work with their staff to develop a mutually beneficial event that will be supported by Commission resources. The Commission also will provide financial support in 2011, with the amount to be determined.
Additionally, the Commission will work closely with all of the other county communities to support its efforts in Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport to provide a wide-range of resources and experiences for those youngsters.
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The George Washington Carver Community Center of Norwalk is celebrating 70 years of service to Norwalk families. Beginning in elementary school, the Carver Center’s goal is to motivate students to reach for a post-secondary education and to provide the support they need to do so successfully. The Center serves youth from Kindergarten through high school in its daily after-school programs at the Center and has recently expanded its middle school program to serve an additional 100 students at West Rocks and Nathan Hale Middle Schools. The Center’s three core programs serve elementary, middle and high school students by providing educational, recreational and enrichment programming.
The Cardinal Shehan Center is a non-profit organization located in Bridgeport, CT. The Center’s mission is to enrich lives through learning. The Shehan Center offers a variety of programs and activities that address the educational, recreational, cultural, and social needs of moderate and low-income families and young people. Programs include homework help, tutoring, photography, dance and karate, summer day camp, basketball leagues for 5th 6th 7th & 8th grades and a summer and fall high school basketball league.
Stamford Youth Foundation creates and operates quality programs accessible to all of Stamford’s children through its unique ability to link resources, while seeking to inspire attributes that develop sound character, build a connected community and motivate our youth to achieve their personal best. In school year 2008-09, over 2,500 students participated in 12 SYF programs. Core goals of SYF are to develop programs that (i) bring together students in our diverse neighborhoods to play together and work towards common goals, and (ii) energize our students and develop in them habits that promote confidence, commitment, a strong work ethic, and respect for others & themselves.
The Fairfield County Sports Commission is a 501c3 non-profit organization that is the one-stop resource for the sports community in the area, with a mission of promoting fitness and personal development through sports. The Commission, with the exception of the executive director, is an all-volunteer group that gives financial support and its resources back to its communities, primarily focused on the 110,000 school age youngsters it can reach with its fitness awareness education programs.