2022 News & Events
First Grant Awarded
The River Valley Fund for Families (RVFF), a Fund at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, is pleased to announce a $500 grant to Warm the Children Shoreline (WTC). The grant will be used to purchase new winter clothing and footwear for local children in need. Working with Youth and Family Services organizations, and in conjunction with Walmart in Old Saybrook, Warm the Children volunteer shoppers assist assigned families with the selection of warm and winter seasonal necessities. RVFF recently conducted the successful “Festival of Trees” fundraiser which helped fund the grant award.
The grant was awarded on December 14th and received by Beebe Miller, WTC Coordinator, who stated, “I am honored to accept this generous grant on behalf of Warm the Children Shoreline and want to thank everyone who contributed to the RVFF fundraiser, as well as the hundreds of people in our local communities who continue to support Warm the Children annually.” The award ceremony was included in the program at the RVFF Celebration of Volunteers held at the Essex Yacht Club. RVFF Coordinator Kaye Griffin stated that “Our volunteers worked diligently to make the RVFF first fundraiser a fun and financially successful community event. We are indebted to our many local retailers, vendors, creative community members, and RVFF volunteers who decorated, displayed, and sold or auctioned off twenty-eight holiday-themed trees. We are so pleased to provide a grant from the proceeds of the fundraiser to benefit Warm the Children Shoreline. This grant was a proud moment for all involved.” The RVFF Leadership Committee and the CFMC President & CEO, pictured in the photo accompanying this article, wish to extend a sincere “thank you” to all Connecticut River Valley and Shoreline Area citizens who purchased and/or bid on the holiday trees during the fundraiser event. RVFF volunteers are well known locally for their caring and generous ways, as are the citizens who live in our local communities and the visitors who support our charitable causes.
Pictured left to right: Dawn Boulanger, Cynthia Clegg, Beebe Miller, Kaye Griffin, and Pat Thompson
Festival of Trees – 2022
River Valley Fund for Family's first fundraiser featured holiday trees, decorated by local vendors, retailers, creative community members, and RVFF volunteers. These were displayed from Thanksgiving weekend through Saturday, December 10. Trees were available for purchase through a silent auction option and an onsite direct purchase option. The success of this event made the Fund's first grant to Warm the Children Shoreline possible.