Coming Together to Strengthen Democracy in Our Region

Most residents would agree that voting is a quintessential aspect of our democracy. But did you know that recent social science research indicates increases in voting and other civic engagement activities are correlated with increases in personal physical and mental health?* Getting involved is good for us and the country!

With that in mind, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is inviting donors and partners to join us in a collective effort to strengthen democratic ideals and civic activity in our region.

We believe our county is stronger when more residents of our community are engaged in activities like voting, attending public meetings, volunteering, or speaking out.

You can get involved in several ways.

John Warburg, a trustee of the Apple Pickers Foundation, is one of a growing number of donors who are supporting civic engagement efforts like Your Vote = Your Power — our 2022 public awareness campaign aimed at inspiring more Fairfield County residents to vote.

“I’m a strong believer in getting more people engaged in our elections – not just showing up at the polls, but also becoming better informed about their voting choices,” Warburg said. “I support the foundation’s Get Out the Vote efforts because when we collectively do a better job of voting, we will make more progress on the broader issues we face.”

This spring, we invite you to experience The Practice of Democracy: A View from Connecticut, a traveling exhibit made possible by FCCF and community partners. The exhibit, which you can visit at Norwalk Community College through June 2nd, is a great opportunity to learn more about our history and ways to get more engaged locally. Our partnership in this work underscores our expanding commitment to civic engagement.

In the months ahead, you’ll receive more details about upcoming civic engagement initiatives, including our 2023 Get Out the Vote campaign and our new Community Incubator, which will deliver financial resources and leadership support to local people and organizations pursuing solutions to community challenges. And that’s just the start! Join us in working to preserve and nurture our regional democracy — and help us create a stronger, more vibrant Fairfield County.

Want to engage further with FCCF’s advocacy and community engagement work? Contact Elaine Mintz, VP of Strategy & External Relations, at EMintz@FCCFoundation.org.

*Nelson, Christopher, Jennifer Sloan, and Anita Chandra, Examining Civic Engagement Links to Health: Findings from the Literature and Implications for a Culture of Health, RAND Corporation, RR- 3163-RWJ, 2019. As of May 7, 2023: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3163.html