Community group launches campaign to develop Litchfield greenway

Willimantic, CT (05/22/2020) — Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway is seeking broad support from the community to raise $15,246 to construct a 140-foot span of boardwalk along the town's greenway. The fundraising deadline is June 15, and donations will receive a dollar-for-dollar match from the Sustainable CT Community Match Fund, raising a total of $30,492 for the project.

Since 2014, Friends of Litchfield Community Greenway, Inc. has been working to create a greenway that links the center of Litchfield to the borough of Bantam - a route following the historic Shepaug Railroad bed. Community support will continue to move this project forward and provide a safe, accessible and non-motorized route for people of all ages to travel on by foot, bike, stroller, etc. from the center of Litchfield to Bantam.

"There is no truer statement about our effort than 'greenways connect the places we live with the places we love,'" said Berta Andrulis Mette, vice president of Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenway. "Our volunteer group has endless energy and intention to bring Litchfield and Bantam together on this route and for all ages to enjoy one of our community's greatest assets."

Sustainable CT is an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University meant to assist communities in becoming more resilient and sustainable. The Community Match Fund provides a dollar-for-dollar match to donations, doubling local investment in projects. Sustainable CT is funded by the Hampshire Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank.

To learn more about the project and todonate, visit https://ioby.org/project/litchfield-community-greenway-boardwalk-project

About Sustainable CT and the Community Match Fund

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 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. Sustainable CT is funded by the Hampshire Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank. Find more information at www.sustainablect.org.

###