There is no wealth but life.
-John Ruskin

Message from the Foundation President

The wealth of life is something that money can't buy, but at times a little financial assistance can add to the richness of experience that makes up a good life. Especially for the less fortunate…a new van for transportation, providing swimming lessons, a new phone system, supplying food services, baseball and soccer programs, vision testing… these are just a few of the programs that the Greater Hartford Jaycees Foundation has supported in the past thirty-five years.

As state and federal funding for nonprofit organizations decreases these organizations look to the Greater Hartford Jaycees Foundation for support. However, as the need for support in the community increases, the Foundation faces increasing challenges. To assure our success into the future, we the Foundation need to diversify our fundraising efforts so that we can continue the great work for which we are known. As members of our community, there are many ways that you can make contributions to guarantee our success:

• Volunteer Grants – Many corporations will make a donation to a charity for your volunteer hours. The time spent volunteering with the Jaycees can also lead to a contribution to the Foundation.
• Matching Gifts – Your donation to the Foundation may be matched by your company because we are a 501(c)(3).
• Honor/Memorial – Recognize a friend or family member's birthday,
• United Way – Although we are not listed as a charity, the foundation can be written in as a designated charity.
• Birdies Fore Charity – Run through the Travelers Championship, you can make a pledge for how many birdies are hit during the tournament. You not only take a chance to win a prize, your pledge helps us give money to charities.
• In the Mix Martini Tasting – Organizations and individuals have an opportunity to support our 2nd Annual event, by sponsoring and/or attending the martini tasting. Learn about the Jaycees and how to become a member!
• Mail a donation – Who says you need a reason to give to charity!

Jaycees can give of their time by becoming involved in the many funding areas of the Foundation:

• Children’s Fund – this funding area funds nonprofits with programs designed to improve the health, education, and welfare of children aged infant through seventeen in the Greater Hartford Area starting at $50,000
• Grants – this funding area oversees programs for children, disabled, disadvantaged and/or elderly seeking funding for no more than $20,000
• Special Projects – this funding area oversees the direction of unusual or special funding programs that do not fall under any of our other funding areas
• Development – this area oversees the direction of fundraising programs

With the help of the members of the Greater Hartford Jaycee Foundation and the community, we can strive to create a legacy of distributing larger dollar amounts to worthy causes so that they can provide goods and/or services to people of need. In the past, the Foundation has worked with the Greater Hartford Jaycees to distribute funds significant enough for us to be honored with a named boathouse at Riverfront Recapture and a named teen activity room at the Boys and Girls Club of Hartford. Legacies such as these can continue into the future, but only with your support.

In the Jaycee Spirit,