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The Ripple Effect of Community Partnerships

Every day, someone makes a decision to help through a gift, and every day at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC), we see the benefit of that gift. When taken together, those gifts spread throughout the community and create a broader impact through programs and services. We call it the “Ripple Effect of Community Partnerships.” By pooling funds from like-minded donors to support a shared area of interest, we are able to have far greater impact on initiatives that improve the quality of life in our local community. We do this in the form of grant awards to our nonprofit partners who work tirelessly to address specific needs across a broad spectrum of areas—the arts, animal welfare, education, human services, the environment, heritage enhancements, and much more.

One recent CFMC grant award illustrates the ripple effect of community partnerships in action. Vista Life Innovations is a full-service organization supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, including training programs that enhance independent life skills. Recognizing that more and more of everyday activities include an online component, Vista saw the need to provide Internet safety training to its clients. Learning the skills necessary to protect ourselves goes a long way in enjoying the Internet and protecting both our identity and our person, especially for our more vulnerable neighbors and friends. CFMC awarded a grant to Vista to support the program. Thanks to the generosity of the Hanna and Gerhard Krauland Fund, the Wiltsie Family Fund, and the River View Cemetery Fund, Vista is working with a local cyber-security consultant to develop a specific training program for this population. The sessions will cover the dangers and risks involved with sharing information on the Internet while teaching best practices for safety and privacy protection.

The ripple effect of community partnerships did not stop with Vista and its clients. Realizing that community safety is a shared responsibility, after talking with CFMC about its clients’ needs, Vista came up with a plan to share, to spread the impact, and create new community partnerships. Vista is continuing the ripple effect of community partnerships by inviting area organizations serving similar individuals to take part in some of the training sessions. We applaud its initiative to not only be proactive in addressing the needs of its clients but to also share a grant-funded program with individuals served by other organizations. It is the true essence of community partnership and a perfect example of how working together and leveraging resources can make a real difference in the lives of so many.

You know that every gift—regardless of size—improves the quality of life in our community. You share the same desire to work in partnership to help our local community thrive, today and tomorrow, and we are honored to help you put your passions into action in Middlesex County. We invite you to learn more by calling us at 860-346-0025 or visiting us online at MiddlesexCountyCF.org.