Naugatuck Health Programs May Gain Up to $50,000 Annually

Starting this fall, a handful of Naugatuck‑based nonprofits will have a fresh opportunity to plug some of the town’s most pressing health‑care holes. The Healthbridge Foundation of Greater Waterbury is rolling out a competitive grant that can hand out as much as $50,000 a year to qualifying organizations.

What’s on the table? Programs that help residents actually get to doctors’ appointments, whether that means covering a bus fare, arranging a rideshare, or simply coordinating schedules. It also covers the less‑glamorous but equally vital work of getting people signed up for health insurance, keeping them enrolled, and even helping with out‑of‑pocket costs like copays and deductibles.

According to a release from the Connecticut Community Foundation, the grant can be awarded for up to three consecutive years. That means a successful applicant could potentially line up $150,000 to keep their services humming.

“We know the need is great,” said Ellen Carter, chair of the Healthbridge Board of Trustees. “That’s why we designed this grant to hit the real‑world obstacles—insurance gaps, transportation woes, and the cost burden that keeps people from getting care.”

Applications close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21. Interested groups can apply online via the Healthbridge website. If you have questions, Andrew Oravecz, the foundation’s senior community health and strategy officer, is reachable at aoravecz@conncf.org or 203‑753‑1315.

Healthbridge, founded in 2019, operates under the umbrella of the Connecticut Community Foundation and serves Naugatuck along with a dozen other Greater Waterbury communities. For many local charities, this grant could be the difference between a pilot project and a sustainable, year‑long program.