New Development Director for Valley United Way

SHELTON- Following months of strategic planning and then working with the community on Coronavirus Relief, Valley United Way is excited to announce the hiring of a new part time Development Director, Brian Mezzi of Clinton, CT.

Mr. Mezzi also currently works at United Way of Greater New Haven (UWGNH) as their Assistant Development Director.  Hearing of the good work he was accomplishing there, Interim President/COO of Valley United Way, David Kennedy, approached UWGNH to consider a work share scenario that would enable Mr. Mezzi to work for the Valley part time.  

“The shared services agreement we have entered into with UWGNH is the best of so many worlds,” Mr. Kennedy said. “We have been able to bring a very talented United Way development professional onto our team, while he continues to support corporate partnerships and United Way of Greater New Haven’s workplace campaign.”

With 10 years of non-profit experience, primarily with United Ways in Connecticut, Mezzi has spent most of that time cultivating and creating relationships with workplaces that are looking to contribute to local needs. Last year, Mezzi worked with a diverse portfolio of local businesses to successfully raise over $1 million for the greater New Haven community.

He is also no stranger to giving back to the community.  An avid fencer, Mezzi is the former Head Coach for the North Haven Fencing team and is the Co-Chair of the CT High School Fencing Association.  He has won awards for his roles in service and leadership through organizations like Americorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Though relatively new to the Valley community, Mezzi notes, “I look forward to engaging with individuals and partners throughout the Valley. I make it my goal to inspire others, both in and out of the workplace, to give and get involved in their community. I look forward to working together in a ‘United Way’ to change what's possible for the Valley. “

As Valley United Way is still working remotely due to Coronavirus, it was not the typical “orientation” for the new employee.  Brian Mezzi started at Valley United Way on Monday, July 13^th and will continue working remotely, along with other VUW staff until further notice.  

For any questions related to Development and Workplace Giving for Valley United Way, Mezzi can be contacted at:  Brian.Mezzi@valleyunitedway.org.

(This is a press release from Valley United Way)

Valley Non-profits Raise Nearly $300K during the Great Give

 

DERBY- The Valley Community Foundation (VCF) is proud to announce that with the help of Valley residents, employees and VCF donor advised fund holders during The Great Give® 2017 nearly $300,000 was raised for nonprofit organizations located in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour or Shelton. The total amount includes $25,000 in matching funds and prizes provided by VCF and others, which were shared during the fifth annual celebratory ice cream social on May 25.

“Of the nearly $1.3 million raised in The Great Give® 2017, approximately twenty-five percent will be specifically distributed for the benefit of Valley residents,” said Sharon Closius, President and CEO of the Valley Community Foundation. “It is truly inspiring to see this level of sustained support for local nonprofits, especially those here in the Valley.” For the fifth consecutive year, VCF has been the second largest sponsor of the event, incentivizing giving by matching funds and offering prizes to participating organizations.

This year, Valley-based organizations won multiple special prizes awarded throughout The Great Give® 2017, which was announced at the ice cream social. A total of $25,000 in prizes were awarded by VCF during The Great Give® 2017 to organizations located in the Valley. VCF awarded two prizes, the first to the Valley Independent Sentinel for greatest total number of Valley donors and the second to St. Mary-St. Michael School for the greatest number of new Valley donors. Both organizations also received additional prizes. The Valley Independent Sentinel received $250 as an Early Bird prize and St. Mary-St. Michael School received an additional $750 as a result of two hourly prizes. For the second year in a row, the Liberty Bank Foundation sponsored a prize in the amount of $2,000 for the Valley-based organization supporting basic needs that attracted the greatest number of individual donors during a specified time, which was presented to TEAM, Inc.

Center Stage Theatre was awarded a second place overall Grand Prize from The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven for most money raised by an organization with less than five full-time staff in addition to a $1,000 Early Bird Prize. BHCare was also awarded a second place overall Grand Prize for the most money raised by an organization with more than five full-time staff. Derby Day Care, Shelton High School Robotics Team and Shelton Historical Society also received money as a result of competitive hourly prizes.

The Great Give® is the annual online giving event on giveGreater.org®, a local resource for learning and giving created in 2010 by VCF’s partner in philanthropy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to increase philanthropy in the Greater New Haven region of South Central Connecticut. Overall, The Great Give® 2017 generated nearly $1.3 million, including matching funds and prizes from the two foundations and other generous community sponsors for nonprofits serving the 20-town region of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, which includes VCF’s five-town service area. There were more than 8,000 donors who gave more than 11,000 gifts.  To see participating nonprofits and prize information, visit www.thegreatgive.org.

About the Valley Community Foundation

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of grant dollars each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. In addition to grantmaking, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (TCF), to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton and receives funding from The Gates Fund and other preference funds at TCF. To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, please visit the website at www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President, Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162.

(This is a press release from Valley Community Foundation)

Valley United Way Exceeds Fundraising Goal

SHELTON- After 10 years of nearly reaching the Campaign goal, Valley United Way is happy to announce they have met and exceeded the 1 million dollar goal set for the 2016-2017 year. Valley United Way has raised over $1,050,000, $50,000 over the Campaign goal.

“Thanks in part to all those who contributed to the Valley United Way, we have reached our $1 million Campaign goal this year. I am grateful to all those who supported our efforts, and our community will be better - and stronger - ​because of it,” said Jimmy Tickey, the Valley United Way Campaign Chair.

“The Valley United Way makes a difference in the lives of hard working people who ​struggle to make ends meet, senior citizens who need assistance, young people who are being prepared for a bright future and communities who are responding to crisis’, said Tickey. ‘The Valley United Way is working each and every day to alleviate these concerns, and is thinking strategically about their work so there are more long-term solutions.”

​Valley United Way has been in the community for 49 years and thanks to the generosity of donors, Valley United Way has been able to invest over $35 million into helping youth, providing basic needs and working to prevent crisis. “The Valley is a caring community and it is not surprising that the community is so generous. Congratulations to the dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly on the Campaign,” said Sharon Gibson-Ellis, President & COO of Valley United Way.

Valley United Way has many great programs that exist and are successful because of the community’s generosity. They aid in food insecurity for Valley families in need with programs such as Harvest House and the Grow Your Own program. Grown Your Own allows low income families to have a support system to grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables and Harvest House is a house made from food and that is given to five food pantries in the Valley. The Back to School Program, another great program, provides clothing and school supplies that are needed for the initial start of the school year. The Corporate Volunteer Council is credited for the Harvest House and Back to School Program.

If an individual or company would like to find out more information on how to participate in either donating funds, volunteering time or donating in kind donations, please contact Valley United Way at 203-926-9478 or email: sharon.gibson@valleyunitedway.org

For more information on Valley United Way, their funded partners and the programs and services they provide please visit www.valleyunitedway.org and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Below is a clip of the meeting on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY7k3KXSaEw&feature=youtu.be

(This is a press release from Valley United Way)

A perfect day for lemonade, fund-raising in Derby

Derby residents Alexis Pudimat, left, and Shannon Cobaugh sold lemonade Saturday for the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research at their Alex's Lemonade Stand on Derby Day. The girls sold the lemonade on the Derby Green and said by mid-afternoon they had almost reached their fund-raising goal.

Oxford Historical Society to take part in giving challenge

OXFORD - The Oxford Historical Society will participate in the Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills online giving program.

This event is sponsored by the Connecticut Community Foundation.

Twitchell-Rowland Homestead /Photo from website

The challenge seeks to inspire people to support local nonprofit organizations during a 36-hour online giving period between 7 a.m. Nov. 12 through 7 p.m.Nov. 13.

Historical Society Preservation Chair, Dorothy A. DeBisschop said the Society looks forward to participating in the challenge.
The Connecticut Community Foundation will amplify every penny of every dollar donated during the 36 hour campaign with matching funds and prizes.

"Our next major project will be the paving of the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead driveway," DeBisschop said.  Last winter, the Society had to cancel some scheduled open houses because the driveway was too muddy for parking.
Through public support of the Give Local Online Giving Challenge, funds will be raised so that the Museum is accessible in all weather.

The online donation challenge is important because the Connecticut Community Foundation will cover all the processing fees. Every penny donated will go directly to the Society.
Joining CCF in this effort are the Naugatuck Savings Bank as Presenting Sponsor, Crystal Rock as Website Sponsor and WATR as Media Sponsor.


This is a press release from the Oxford Historical Society.