Susan Boston is not the type to just wish people well. She wants to be involved in helping people and her community in as many ways as she can. "I'm wholly invested as a person," says the New Canaan native and longtime resident. "Too often, people can write a check, but we have to teach our children to give back to this town and this country."
That's why Boston, 50, throws herself into endeavors to help and educate people. Her biggest role may be her involvement with the New Canaan board of A Better Chance, an organization that brings minority children from urban communities to schools and towns with better academic resources. ABC students stay with resident directors in town and visit with host families every Sunday and one whole weekend during the school year. Boston's parents, John and Molly Burnap, were involved with ABC in the 1970s.
Boston said she works with ABC students to help children directly improve their lives. She also wants to enrich the lives of her four children by having them meet people of different racial backgrounds.
"The more we appreciate each other's differences, the better off we are," she said. "It's a hand up, not a handout."
Boston also founded the Jack Jacob Congressional Medal of Honor Award with the New Canaan Community Foundation. The scholarship award is given to a New Canaan High School senior for his or her community service throughout their time at NCHS. This is in addition to her work with the New Canaan Girl Scouts.
"Whatever I've done, I have tried to empower kids to be better people," she said. "We all have a gift and we have to find out what that gift is. We have to use those gifts to better this town and this country. "
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