Next up on our gratitude list is the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. The Community Foundation consists of men and women who are genuinely invested in our community – specifically in the non profit sector.

Over the past 15 years The Community Foundation has supported Coram Deo in numerous ways. When we wanted to hire a new position – they helped us to develop the grant request and then approved it. When there were things I didn’t know I needed to know, they encouraged me to be a part of the ED forum to learn from the professionals they brought in, and my peers in the community.

The Community Foundation recognizes the great work that comes from non profit organizations such as ours and supports our efforts with more than just grant opportunities. They provide training and resources for Executive Directors that encourage growth and sustainability. They have created a ED forum for all non profit Executives to have a safe place to share experiences, ideas and questions.

When COVID hit, they immediately reached out to see what our needs were and financed the renovation of one of our floors for isolation during the worst of it.

More recently they partnered with us and American Savings Foundation to complete some major renovations on our homes. New Driveways and Siding and Windows and Roofs, oh my!

The Community Foundations success can easily be attributed to the caring staff – always available, always ready to help, and always invested in the well being of our organization. Thank you Community Foundation for all you have done for Coram Deo over the years!

I have a personal practice of practicing gratitude, of counting my blessings and the things that are right and good in my life. It generally starts with my family and moves to my inner circle of friends; those that have known me the longest and love me anyway. From there I circle around to what I have – or more accurately, what I don’t have to struggle with. I don’t struggle with homelessness, though I did at least once in my lifetime. I don’t struggle with inadequate food, though I grew up not always sure where my next meal would come from. I no longer struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol, though certainly that played a part in my past as well.

Invariably I move towards gratitude for my job. My job has taught me so much in the last 15 years, it has been extraordinarily humbling, to be sure. It would be difficult to share what the most important thing I have learned is – but definitely around the top of the list is this:

People Need People.

Human beings are designed to be in relationship with each other. That is true on a micro level as well as a macro level. In the last 15 years I have built all sorts of relationships. The ones I share the most about are with women in recovery. What I have not shared as much about is the Community Partners we have that have made the last 15 years possible.

In the coming months we will be highlighting our partners and sharing a bit about who they are and how they support us. Today we are starting with …

American Savings Foundation has supported us annually for the last 9 years with program grants that have added to over $250,000. Their support has been so valuable to us, allowing us to care for the women in our Recovery Homes in ways we would not have been able to otherwise. Their grant has gone to supply bedding, transportation, food, clothing and other essentials. They are heavily invested in our program – because they know and understand that we are heavily invested in teh community.

This year in addition to the program grant, they have also given us a grant of $130,000 for capital improvements. This funding will go towards siding, windows, roofing, and driveways for our properties. Much needed maintenance that has not made it into our normal budget. 

Be on the lookout for before and after pictures! We are very excited about all that is happening!