There are things that make a town hum — roads, schools, government, the basics that keep us moving along. And then there are those extras that make it really sing, in a kind of symphonic harmony that reveals just how good we can be when we join together to lift lives. The Community Fund (TCF) of Darien is one of those — our community as one supporting those with less, those in formation, those in need, and those with nowhere else to turn in Darien, Norwalk and Stamford… pulling us to the best version of ourselves as our generation takes its turn to keep it strong.
Established 71 years ago by the Darien Council of Social Agencies at the request of the Board of Selectmen to consolidate fractured fundraising efforts among local nonprofits, the TCF has been taken up and championed by a parade of Darien’s leading citizens—people who have realized the power of combined giving to return multiples on each gift including the Zangrillo family, the Palmer family, Louise Tweedy, Edgar Auchincloss, Gordon Aymar, Rawls Deland, Joan Barksdale, Obie Harrington-Howes, Paul Johnson, Noel Bradley, Bob Harrel, Steve and Ann Mandel, Jerry Nielsen, Sue Okie, Ed Cosden, Ned Goodnow, Dave Campbell, Charlie Eaton, Joseph Viesta, Terrie Wood, Jayme Stevenson, Shedd Glassmeyer, Frank Huck, Shelly Skoglund, Bob Wells, Pete Wright, Kaye Barker, Monica McNally, to name just a few.
Learn more about this gem of Darien in this Q&A with TCF Executive Director Janet King.
Q: What is your mission?
A: TCF inspires people and mobilizes resources to strengthen our community. We serve critical, basic human needs in Darien, Norwalk and Stamford by funding the most efficient and impactful social service agencies in those towns. Since 1951, we have granted $26 million to local nonprofits and community initiatives that help end hunger and homelessness, support workforce development, give access to physical and mental health resources and support youth success. Our vision is for all community members to have the opportunity to reach their full potential as healthy, educated and self-sufficient individuals.
Q: What were your giving priorities in 1951? How have they changed over the decades?
A: TCF’s giving priorities haven’t changed since 1951. We help people right here where we live. We revisit our community needs on a regular basis. This past funding season we allocated more funding to youth mental health, and during COVID we focused on supporting Norwalk, Stamford and Darien residents with basic needs like food and shelter, especially for those who were unemployed or ill.
Q: You’ve been around a long time! To what do you attribute TCF’s staying power? What has propelled its success over the years?
A: TCF’s staying power is attributed to concerned, dedicated and passionate neighbors who support TCF’s mission. Volunteers have kept TCF going because they believe in creating a stronger local community by investing in helping people. Through the years, we have played a unique role in our community by capitalizing on the knowledge, skills and talents of people who care – both professionals and private citizens – mobilizing them to address health and human service needs.
Q: There are lots of new people in town, the next generation. What do they need to know about TCF?
A: There are so many worthy organizations in our community and so many areas of need. It can be daunting to figure out where to give, and where a gift will do the most good. TCF does this work for our donors. Our 60-person panel of Community Investment Volunteers spend 650 hours each year conducting on-site visits and reviewing funding applications. They, along with our our deep community connections and expertise, assure our donors that their gifts are going to fantastic organizations that help the people who need it most; right here. We pool together gifts to distribute larger sums, so a single donation to TCF helps thousands of people across Norwalk, Stamford and Darien.
Q: When did youth become a focus of TCF? How did that come about and why?
A: In 2008, much of the conversation at Human Services Planning Council meetings centered around Darien’s youth. As a result, TCF formed the Thriving Youth Task Force (TYTF), a volunteer coalition of mental health, substance use and healthcare professionals as well as leaders from the schools, police, town government and clergy dedicated to promoting and empowering positive youth development and mental health, with the goal of reducing teen substance use. The Youth Asset Team, composed of high school students, was also established to support TYTF’s work and provide a youth perspective about teen stress, struggles and substance use.
In partnership with Darien Public Schools, TYTF collects data on seventh to twelfth grade students to identify student strengths and potential areas of concern. The findings from the survey, which is administered every two years, are used to inform TYTF educational program planning and prevention initiatives.
Q: How else does TCF engage and support the town’s young people?
A: TCF also offers opportunities for middle and high school students to get involved in local community service, philanthropy, community-building, and public health initiatives through our four student groups. With their group leaders and mentors, students have participated in a variety of volunteer projects and have solicited and awarded grants at different local nonprofit organizations. They have also planned and participated in activities and exercises supporting mental health and substance use recovery.
Q: Why include Norwalk and Stamford in your grant making?
A: Community doesn’t end at a zip code. Caring for our surrounding communities impacts where we live and makes all of us stronger. We help families, uplift the vulnerable, improve educational opportunities and enhance community life.
To learn more about The Community Fund of Darien and how you can get involved, visit https://www.communityfunddarien.org/
