Kent Community Fund

Kent Community Fund 2022 Annual Report

 

The Kent Community Fund was established in 2006 to “help individuals living in Kent meet emergency needs and to support community charitable programs serving Kent residents”  Starting in March of 2020, a large portion of grants were Covid-19 related due to job losses, food insecurity and special needs. Those needs continued into 2022, but inflation and the high cost of fuel were greater concerns, generating more grant requests. Generous contributions from full and part-time Kent residents, churches and organizations enabled KCF to respond quickly to local needs. Most referrals came from Kent's Social Services Director, Samantha Hasenflue.

 

KCF has expended more than $510,000 since 2006 to assist Kent residents.
Over 325 Kent residents of all ages were served in 2022.

 

Grants for Emergency Needs and General Support for Families and Children

 

 ~ 48 grants were made in 2022. Payment was made directly to vendors or providers and included assistance with fuel and utility needs, rental assistance, car repairs, dental and medical bills and other needs. Rental assistance, utility/fuel payments and medical/dental bills were the greatest needs in 2022. Assistance to elders increased dramatically in 2022 as seniors again felt comfortable seeking medical and dental care and those living on fixed incomes were impacted by inflation and fuel costs.

 

 ~ With the re-opening of Camp Kent, KCF provided scholarships to ten children in six Kent families and supported the Town of Kent’s Santa Fund as well as an area-wide Thanksgiving food drive. KCF also provided scholarship funds to the Kent Community Nursery School to benefit local children, and in cooperation with Kent Memorial Library re-started Imagination Library, providing free books monthly to pre-school children. Through its membership in Connecticut Foodshare, KCF was able to access almost three tons of free food for the Kent Food Bank.
 

 

Services provided by local Visiting Nurse Associations with KCF Support

 

 ~ A total of eighty visits by nurses and other VNA staff benefited fourteen Kent residents, most over the age of seventy-five. Most of the monthly home visits were wellness or health promotion related, to monitor patients’ health. Referrals came from physicians, hospitals and local social workers. KCF also covered the cost of twelve VNA physical therapist visits not covered by Medicare or insurance. Eight Kent seniors received assistance in covering the cost of their Lifeline emergency alert systems throughout the year. 

 

KCF is a non-profit organization supported by  contributions from local donors.
No government funds are used and all services are confidential.

Board members: Ruth Epstein, President, Catherine Bachrach, Jim Blackketter, Hal Kamm,

 George Potts, Lorry Schiesel, Joe Speranzo, Mary Ann Van Valkenburg

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• The Kent Community Fund files a 990 report with the I.R.S. each year.  Please contact us if you would like to review a copy, or with any additional questions, at kentcommunityfund1@gmail.com.