John Patrick Flanagan Foundation awards $31K in grants

The John Patrick Flanagan Foundation, a Fairfield nonprofit, announced it has awarded $31,932 in grants this year. The grants were awarded to nine charities in Fairfield and Bridgeport.

The Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield received $9,432 to fund the Trailblazers Program, which provides Bridgeport public school students with transportation to the nature center for field trips.

The United in Hope Scholarship Fund received $2,500 to provide college tuition assistance to recent high school graduates.

The McGivney Community Center received $7,500 to fund the center’s after-school program for kindergarten through 10th-grade students in Bridgeport by supporting staff salaries, providing school supplies and underwriting field trip costs.

The Wakeman Smilow-Burroughs Clubhouse in Bridgeport received $7,500 to help fund counselors providing after-school job and community service programs as well as high school and college prep courses.

New Beginnings Family Academy received $2,000 to fund a prekindergarten science-focused program that includes field trips to Beardsley Zoo.

Discovery Museum received $1,300 to help fund a science, technology, engineering and math accelerated program for high-achieving Bridgeport public school students.

High School Scholarship Foundation of Fairfield received $1,000 to fund an annual scholarship to a college-bound, high-achieving student with financial need at Fairfield Warde High School.

Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse received $500 to pay for referees during the league’s spring season.

Bridgeport Hospital received $200 to provide children’s books to the John Patrick Flanagan Foundation Children’s Corner, which was established in 2010 at the hospital’s cancer wing for children visiting or accompanying a friend or relative receiving treatment.

Since 2008, the foundation has raised $500,000 and granted more than $115,000 to programs that provide resources and opportunities to disadvantaged children and families.