Collaborating for Education Equity

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, executives at the Stamford technology company Pitney Bowes recognized that many children in its community were struggling.

Rather than making a one-time donation to address the immediate problem, they aimed to do something much bigger.

So they invited other businesses in our community to take action.

The result is the Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity.

In addition to Pitney Bowes, this new initiative includes Bank of America, First County Bank, Gallatin Point Capital, Lapine Associates, Synchrony, Tudor Foundation and Xerox, which are working to help eliminate disparities facing Fairfield County’s most vulnerable pre-K through 12th grade students, parents, and guardians.

In addition to housing the Collaborative’s fund, the Community Foundation provides philanthropic and strategic advising services and project management support.

Together, Collaborative members have supported nonprofits working on issues such as distance learning, summer learning, kindergarten and college readiness, and food insecurity.

While the work they’ve done so far is inspiring, we are especially excited about what’s to come. The Collaborative shares our vision of ensuring every child who grows up in Fairfield County has an equal opportunity to thrive. Because of that, its members have committed to making the Collaborative a long-term effort in which businesses will work with the Community Foundation, nonprofits, and our community to foster educational equity in Fairfield County.

It’s a bold commitment – one that has an opportunity to change lives in our community for years to come.

To learn more, contact Rebecca Mandell at rmandell@fccfoundation.org.