CREC Foundation

October 2013

CREC is grateful to Connecticut Humanities for a generous grant of $1,500 for the launch of the first-of-its-kind education film series at Spotlight Theater in Hartford. The three–film series includes: The Curators of Dixon School; Who Cares about Kelsey; and American Promise. Participants will join the film directors and subjects of these three award-winning films as they watch and discuss the movies that tell their stories of educational sacrifice, dedication, and struggle. All three films highlight compelling stories about children overcoming educational and social challenges and the innovative educational practices that were used to help them find success.

July 2013

CREC is pleased to announce a recent donation by Farmington-based KBE Building Corporation (KBE) to the CREC Foundation's Musical Instruments Fund. The generous donation of $1,000 will support the purchase of musical instruments for students in CREC's elementary and middle schools. The Musical Instruments Fund was developed to encourage children to discover their musical talents. The fund accepts gently-used musical instruments or monetary donations through the CREC Foundation, and donations support the purchase of beginner violins, cellos, and other musical items. The goals of the program are to improve students' academic performance through the participation in music programs; to help students learn discipline and perseverance; to allow students to express themselves and build up their self-esteem; and to give students opportunities to practice their creative talents. "Sincere thanks go to KBE Building Corporation for their generous donation," shared Patricia Phelan, Principal of the CREC Greater Harford Academy of the Arts Elementary School. "Music makes the world a better place, and we plan to give all of our students the opportunity to learn an instrument and to make their own music."

March 2013

CREC recently received a generous donation of $1,000 from Delta-T Group to support the CREC Magnet Schools’ Middle School Interscholastic Athletics Program. Delta-T Group is a national broker and referral service for specialized healthcare professionals. The company’s local site is located in Rocky Hill. The CREC athletics program, started in the Fall of 2012, is still in its infancy and supported in large part by donations such as the one provided by the Delta-T Group. The donation will help further develop the program in CREC’s six middle schools. Delta-T Group’s relationship with CREC began when the company’s staffing services provided CREC with well-trained and experienced specialists and paraprofessionals for its schools in the Greater Hartford area. Recognizing the benefits of the work that CREC does for children and families, Josh Plourde, Delta-T Group’s Hartford Affiliate Administrator, looked for a way to further assist the organization.

October 2012

CREC's River Street School recentlyreceived a generous donation of $5,000 from the Mike Maloney & Pete Landry Memorial Golf Tournament. This is the third year in a row that CREC’s River Street School has been a fortunate recipient of the Maloney/Landry Tournament’s charitable giving. Each year, the funds go to support the school’s many quality programs and services that assist children and families throughout the region and state. In late September, Tim Maloney and Jack Maloney presented the check to Deborah Richards, CREC’s Director of Student Services, Tom Parvenski, Program Director at River Street School, and Jean Moura, Assistant Director at CREC River Street School.

September 2012

CBRE/New England made a thoughtful donation to the CREC Foundation. CBRE donated twenty-one backpacks, each generously filled with essential items for students in transitional situations. This is the fourth year that the CBRE has partnered with CREC to provide these much needed resources to children in the Hartford area. "This year we raised $1,200, which allowed us to fill these bags with the same quality items we buy for our own children," explained Anna Kocsondy, Senior Associate at CBRE New England. The backpacks will go to students in CREC’s Magnet Schools and Student Services programs whose families are currently experiencing homelessness.

July 2012

CREC received a generous $1,000 donation from Hartford Hilton to help aid GHAA's jazz choir, the "Real Ambassadors", make their trip to the 2012 London Olympics! The Real Amabassadors were asked by the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to perform at the Summer Games, where they were requested to perform an encore based on their amazing performance. You can read about the trip, aided by donations like the Hartford Hilton, on thier official blog.