Simsbury SPIRIT Council & First Church of Christ Simsbury Receive Grant from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to Support Inclusive Housing Initiatives

The Simsbury SPIRIT (Site Problem Identification and Resolution of Issues Together) Council, through the First Church of Christ Simsbury, has received a $10,000 grant to support the engagement, education and organizing of residents on issues of housing segregation, housing choice, housing quality, and pathways to more inclusive housing development. 

“The Board of Selectmen will always support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in our community,” said First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis. “This is a great opportunity for our SPIRIT Council and First Church, as both are champions of inclusive housing. We thank the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for recognizing this.” Cheryl Cook, co-chair of the SPIRIT Council and project manager for the housing grant said, “The grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving will allow us to focus on the critical work of housing, leading efforts to engage, educate, and create meaningful change in pursuit of more inclusive housing in Simsbury.”

With the funds received from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the SPIRIT Council will lead a one-year community engagement and education process aimed at building public support for inclusive housing in Simsbury. This initiative will assess pre- and post-project perceptions among Simsbury residents, prospective residents, and other stakeholders about housing segregation and inclusive housing development in Simsbury. This work will be conducted through surveys and key stakeholder interviews.  In addition, the SPIRIT Council will seek to educate the community on inclusive housing through speaker events and community conversations, story sharing, curated library materials, and social media.

Launched in 2019, Simsbury SPIRIT Council represents the community at large, serving as Diversity Champions to help Simsbury become more inclusive – fostering awareness, action, and a community where all voices are welcome and each and every individual can live, work, learn, and play in a safe environment with meaningful and healthy relationships. Founded in 1697, First Church is an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding towns. Through partnerships, the Foundation seeks to strengthen communities in Greater Hartford by putting philanthropy in action to dismantle structural racism and achieve equity in social and economic mobility. Made possible by the gifts of generous individuals, families and organizations, the Foundation has awarded grants of more than $849 million since its founding in 1925.