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Milton Puryear, executive director of the Mill River Collaborative, joins colleagues in saying a $40,000 grant from the Fairfield County Community Foundation will be put to good use, helping to expand the group's fundraising efforts. The grant will allow MRC to bring a development professional on board to support Capital Campaign efforts, according to a press release from the organization.
"Supporting the collaborative's capacity to engage in private donors is central to our core mission and responsibilities," said Puryear in the release.
The capital campaign's goal is $20 million. The collaborative, a nonprofit public-private partnership, has a 10-year contract with the city of Stamford to develop, maintain and operate Mill River Park and Greenway. The project includes restoring and creating aquatic habitat, restructuring the parcel into a more environmentally friendly space, and providing recreational areas for children and adults. So far, $3.25 million has been raised toward the project. Supporters include individuals, foundations, corporations and more than 400 MRC members.
The grant will help the group reach its goal, said the collaborative's chairman, Arthur Selkowitz.
"How often does a city the size of Stamford get the opportunity to create a major public park in the middle of its downtown? To succeed, we will need the support of a broad cross section of the Stamford community. Fairfield County Community Foundation's support will help us to accomplish that," said Selkowitz.
Susan Ross, the foundation's president and CEO, called the project "an urban oasis in the heart of Stamford," adding, "Projects such as these are vital to the quality of life in Fairfield County."
For more information about the project, visit the collaborative's website.
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