Making Progress Towards Expanding Opportunities

Dear Friend,

The Community Foundation’s success has always reflected the community we serve.

We could not support Fairfield County without the generosity of our donors, an exceptional board, a committed group of foundation and nonprofit partners and a community known for its creativity and resolve.

In my 11 years at the Community Foundation, I’m proud of what we have accomplished together. By downloading our Spring newsletter, you’ll learn how we’re working with individuals, businesses, philanthropy, nonprofits and government to make progress toward expanding opportunities throughout our community.

You’ll see how we’re partnering with local businesses through the new Fairfield County Business Collaborative for Education Equity. You’ll explore our work with foundations across Connecticut to achieve equity in social and economic mobility. You’ll learn about the emme coalition, which is empowering our next generation of women.

I’m incredibly excited about these emerging efforts, for they light the way for a new era at the Community Foundation — one that builds on the partnerships and progress we’ve made over the past decade.

That progress has been on full display in recent months.

We saw it on Fairfield County’s Giving Day, when nearly 12,800 donors raised $2.2 million to provide capacity and support to more than 400 local nonprofits.

We saw it at our Fund for Women & Girls Luncheon, where women’s rights scholar Anita Hill challenged us to continue the march toward gender and racial equity.

We see it every day through our partnership with Resilia, which is working to strengthen BIPOC-led and serving nonprofits and through the great work of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, which is strengthening organizations through training and support.

Together, we have come a long way. But our work is just beginning.

Soon, you’ll be learning more about the next phase of our work, which will challenge us to ensure everyone in our community has an opportunity to succeed.

I’d like to thank you for being an important partner — and for your continued support on the journey ahead.

With gratitude,

Juanita T. James
President & CEO
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation

Download our Spring 2022 Newsletter: Your Community, Your Impact.