Lincoln Financial Foundation is supporting adult literacy, preparing low-income individuals for the job market and providing financial literacy training through $80,000 in grants to five Hartford nonprofit organizations. These grants are a portion of nearly $804,000 in charitable funds that the Foundation has allocated for Hartford in 2014.
Knox Parks Foundation received $20,000 for the AmeriCorps Green Crew program, which provides 15 economically disadvantaged and disconnected Hartford youth with life skills, work readiness, green job training and career counseling. The Green Crew program, which is the only youth conservation corps in Hartford, mentors young adults to self-sufficiency and independent, productive living while making a significant impact on Hartford’s environmental and economic health through restoration of the city’s tree canopy, the creation of community gardens, and the ongoing beautification and improvement of the city’s parks and green spaces. Putting unfocused, inner-city youth at beautification and green projects in their own neighborhoods improves self-esteem, creates civic pride, and fosters good citizenship in a way traditional classroom training programs cannot. The Green Crew’s work lays the foundation for Hartford’s economic revival by combing clean, safe, tree-lined streets with well-maintained green spaces, which attract investment and skilled workers.
Other economic and workforce development grants awarded include:
- $20,000 to Billings Forge Community Works for its Culinary Job Training at the Kitchen program, which provides 50 economically disadvantaged residents of the Frog Hollow neighborhood with basic culinary job readiness classes and intensive on-the-job training.
- $20,000 to Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford for the Digitally Literate and Job Ready program, which provides 875 adults annually with a digital literacy curriculum to help them reach their educational and career goals.
- $10,000 to Center for Urban Research Education and Training for the Adult Literacy and Numeracy program, which provides literacy classes and job-search support services to 175 adult learners in the north end neighborhoods of Hartford.
- $10,000 to Dress for Success for the Job Readiness program, which provides job search, coaching and support services to 50 women seeking employment.
About Lincoln Financial Foundation
The Lincoln Financial Foundation, established in 1962, is a nonprofit organization formed and supported by Lincoln Financial Group. Under the Foundation guidelines, grants are made in the areas of arts, education, human services and economic/workforce development. The Foundation allocated nearly $804,000 to support nonprofits in Hartford in 2013. Since 2006, the Foundation has contributed nearly $11.1 million to Hartford nonprofits.
About Lincoln Financial Group:
Lincoln Financial Group provides advice and solutions that help empower Americans to take charge of their financial lives with confidence and optimism. Today, more than 17 million customers trust our retirement, insurance and wealth protection expertise to help address their lifestyle, savings and income goals, as well as to guard against long-term care expenses. Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its affiliates. The company had $215 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2014. Learn more at: www.LincolnFinancial.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter (@lincolnfingroup), LinkedIn and YouTube.
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