Investing in Familes

The Boys & Girls Club at Trinity College

Located in the new Ann and Thomas S. Johnson Building at 1500 Broad Street and adjacent to Trinity and the Learning Corridor, the Boys & Girls Club at Trinity College is dedicated to promoting the character, health, and well-being of children ages six through 12 and emphasizes social, cultural, and educational growth. The Club, which opened in February 1999, is the first to be affiliated with a college or university. The Club’s facility is owned by Trinity College, and the program is managed by the Boys & Girls Club of Hartford. Experienced personnel provide the Club with quality supervision and staff training. Trinity students assist in the operation of the Club through work-study programs, internships, and volunteer opportunities.

On June 11, 1998, General (ret.) Colin Powell, Chairman of America’s Promise (a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of the nations’ disadvantaged youth), joined community leaders, neighborhood residents, Trinity’s staff and faculty, and local business and industry leaders to dedicate the Boys & Girls Club at Trinity College. General Powell also designated Trinity College a "College of Promise" for "working collaboratively with the community and representatives from the community schools to develop an environment where young people can learn, grow, and achieve their fullest potential." Trinity is only the second college or university in the nation to receive this honor.

Progress to Date

• Trinity raised over $2 million for construction and operation of the Boys & Girls Club.

• The program and construction of the building have been funded by: Trinity College Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas S. Johnson, Class of 1962, and his wife, Ann; Boys & Girls Clubs of America; the Annie E. Casey Foundation; the City of Hartford; the Davenport Family Foundation; the Ensworth Charitable Foundation; the Hartford Courant Foundation; Hartford Steam Boiler; the Forrest C. Lattner Foundation; the George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation; Phoenix Home Life Mutual Insurance Company; Trinity College; and anonymous donors.

• Dedication of the building took place in June 1998.

• The construction has been completed, and programs for neighborhood youth have been underway since February 1999.

Aetna Center for Families

The Aetna Foundation has donated $1 million to establish the Aetna Center for Families, which will be housed on or adjacent to the Learning Corridor campus. The Center will work in collaboration with Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford Hospital, and community service providers to serve as an important educational and family resource for residents in the neighborhood.

The Aetna Center will focus on home outreach services and will seek to develop school readiness in young children in the Frog Hollow/Barry Square area. It will serve as a training center for home day-care providers and day-care professionals,and will provide comprehensive services addressing child care, parent education, wellness, and adult learning.

Progress to Date

• A collaborative, community-based planning team has been established.

• A needs assessment and a feasibility planning process have been completed.

• A mission statement and goals for the project have been developed.

• Potential sites for the new facility have been evaluated.