Five Connecticut Nonprofits Vie for $10,000 IMPACT Award from Red Sox Foundation; Fan Voting Ends Monday

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The major league baseball season has yet to begin, and its prospects remain in doubt.  But although Fenway Park has been largely silent this spring, the unprecedented circumstances in 2020 hasn’t prevented the Red Sox Foundation from moving ahead with plans for a competitive awards program for nonprofit organizations in the New England states, including Connecticut.

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As the official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation's mission is to serve children, families, veterans and communities in need through health, education and recreation opportunities across New England. Founded in 2002, the Red Sox Foundation is the largest team charity in all professional sports.

The deadline for fan voting is Monday, June 22 as five finalist non-profit organizations in Connecticut vie for a substantial award from the Foundation. Fans are urged to vote for “your favorite nonprofit that has demonstrated an impact on raising awareness and improving mental health outcomes in their community.”  Voting is open at www.redsox.com/impact

Each year the theme of the IMPACT Awards changes to respond to the evolving needs of communities, while staying aligned to the Red Sox Foundation mission. The organization with the most votes in each state will win a grant; $10,000 for first place and $2,500 for second place. Organizations were nominated last month and finalists were named on June 9, when online voting began.

Foundation officials note that as the spread of COVID-19 directly impacts non-profit organizations across New England, “it’s important now more than ever to take care of our mental health. As such, the IMPACT Awards this year will focus on organizations that have demonstrated an impact on raising awareness and improving the mental health outcomes of the people in their community.”

Connecticut contenders are:

  • Andover, Hebron, Marlborough Youth and Family Services, Inc., promoting and supporting the health and well-being of children, youth and families for themselves and for the greater good of the communities.

  • Healing Meals Project, in Bloomfield, is the only non-profit in Connecticut that experientially  teaches about healthy foods from ‘start to finish,’ preparing and delivering delicious, organic meals for families dealing with a serious health crisis, and cooking nutrient-rich meals prepared by youth volunteers working alongside Adult Mentors and our Executive Chef for the entire family for 12 weeks. 

  • Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation, named in memory of a Sandy Hook victim, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create safer and more loving communities through groundbreaking next generation social and emotional learning (SEL) programs that are suited for all stages of life.

  • Journey Found, providing behavioral, residential and other support services to individuals of Connecticut with pervasive developmental disorders and intellectual disabilities to enable each to become all they are capable of being.

  • Mental Health Connecticut, Inc., through advocacy, education, and service, empowers people to promote mental wellness, instigate meaningful systems change, and engage in mental health recovery furthering the mission to improve mental health for all Connecticut residents.

A recent poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that 45 percent of all adults believe the coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on their mental health.  In addition, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 6.5 million Americans aged 65 and older are dealing with some level of depression. With social isolation measures in place in much of the world, loneliness has become a familiar facet of everyday life, but especially for older Americans living by themselves, in nursing homes or retirement communities.

The 6th Annual “IMPACT” Awards (Inspiring More Philanthropy Across Charities Together) is presented by Ruderman Family Foundation. The IMPACT Awards provide Red Sox fans with the opportunity to nominate their favorite local non-profit organization for their chance to win a grant from the Red Sox Foundation. Out of all the nominees received, Red Sox Foundation names five finalists from each state – Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

First place finishers in each state will receive a $10,000 charitable contribution to the nonprofit/501(c)(3), On-field check presentation prior to a 2020 Red Sox game (hopefully!) and four (4) tickets to a 2020 Red Sox home game, along with recognition on redsox.com and redsoxfoundation.org and a custom Red Sox jersey.  Second place finishers will receive A $2,500 charitable contribution to the nonprofit/501(c)(3), four (4) tickets to a 2020 Red Sox home game, recognition on redsox.com and redsoxfoundation.org and a custom Red Sox jersey.

Last year’s top recipients from Connecticut were the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center and Greater New Britain Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Inc.  In 2018, Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut and River House Adult Day Center were selected.