Bridgeport DSSD Raises $5,500 for Downtown Mural Project
Willimantic, CT (03/06/2020) — The Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District (DSSD) and Sustainable CT are thrilled to announce full funding for a community mural project in Bridgeport. The "Color It In" project aims to leverage public art and events to boost local economic development, create a distinct neighborhood identity and improve quality of life for all members of the community.
The Bridgeport DSSD raised $2,750 from a crowdfunding campaign. The Sustainable CT Community Match Fund provided a dollar-for-dollar match, increasing the total funding for this project to $5,500. Sustainable CT is an initiative run by the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University.
The Bridgeport DSSD will now finalize the mural site, identify a local artist to create the mural design and enlist volunteers to assist with painting the mural, which is expected to be completed by the end of this summer.
"We are so excited to install a mural in downtown Bridgeport with support from our community, as well as Sustainable CT's fund-matching program," said Lauren Coakley Vincent, president and CEO of Bridgeport DSSD. "Downtown Bridgeport radiates with diversity and this mural project will add vibrancy to the neighborhood and spread color and joy through public art. In short, it will 'Color It In' with the gorgeous diversity that makes our place one of value."
About Sustainable CT and the Community Match Fund
Sustainable CT is funded by the Hampshire Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank. The Sustainable CT Community Match Fund is an innovative funding resource that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to all donations raised from the community, doubling local investment. The program is helping to bring projects across the state to life by providing fast, accessible funding as well as fundraising coaching and support to residents and organizations with great ideas to make their communities more sustainable.
Anyone in a Sustainable CT-registered municipality (more than 50 percent of the state) is eligible to receive this funding, meaning that schools, nonprofits, community groups and individual residents can all propose projects and access the matching funds.
To start a Community Match Fund project, visit WWW.ioby.org/sustainablect or contact Sustainable CT's Abe Hilding-Salorio at hildingsalorioa@easternct.edu or 860-465-0256.
"Through the Community Match Fund, we aim to put residents at the forefront of creating positive, impactful change," said Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager for Sustainable CT. "Match Fund projects are community led and community funded, demonstrating the power of people working together to make change in their communities."
Sustainable CT, an initiative by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, provides a roadmap of sustainability best practices for towns, technical assistance, funding and recognition through certification. Forty-seven towns and cities across Connecticut have earned the prestigious Sustainable CT certification, demonstrating accomplishments in nine impact categories including inclusive and equitable communities, cleaner transportation, vibrant arts and culture, natural resource stewardship and affordable housing. Find more information at www.sustainablect.org.
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The mission of the Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District (DSSD) is to "promote the preservation and development of the downtown business district; make the area more attractive and accessible; and enhance the public perception of downtown Bridgeport through overseeing and managing its appearance, security, and cleanliness." The DSSD is operated under the direction of a nine member Board of Commissioners representing property owners in downtown Bridgeport. www.colorfulbridgeport.com
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving 5,000 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 162 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 34 other states and 19 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 30 public universities in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2019 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 10 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
Eastern Connecticut State University
Michael Rouleau, (860) 465-0172, rouleaum@easternct.edu; Edward Osborn, (860) 465-5043, osborne@easternct.eduShare this Story
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