KENT, Conn.—The Kent Community Fund, a nonprofit established in 2006 to “help individuals living in Kent meet emergency needs and to support community charitable programs serving Kent residents,” has issued a report of its activities over the past year.
The fund relies on contributions from full-and part-time Kent residents, including memorial gifts, as well as on support from churches and local organizations. No government funds are used and all assistance is confidential.
KCF has expended more than $710,000 to assist Kent residents of all ages since 2006.
Most referrals came from Kent Social Services Director Samantha Hasenflue and Renee Shappy, resident services coordinator at Templeton Farm Senior Housing. Forty-one grants were made in 2025 for emergency needs and general support for elders, families and children.
Payments were made directly to vendors or providers and included assistance with rent, car and home repairs, medical and dental bills, utilities and other needs.
Inflation in food, fuel and rental increases, as well as unanticipated health expenses, generated many of the grant requests, and most support went to people older than 55 living on limited incomes. The largest age group was people aged 65 to 80.
KCF provided scholarships for eight children to the town’s Camp Kent, supporting 24 camper weeks, as well as providing scholarships to the Kent Community Nursery School for the use of Kent families needing assistance.
In cooperation with Kent Memorial Library, KCF also sponsored the Imagination Library, providing books mailed monthly to more than 42 pre-school children enrolled with the program.
Changes and disruptions of the federally funded SNAP food program created major concerns in 2025 for the Kent Food Bank. Through its membership in Connecticut Foodshare, the state-wide food bank, KCF was able to access almost eight-and-one-half tons of free and low- cost food for the Kent Food Bank in 2025.
KCF also paid for the purchase of local farm produce as well as monthly purchases from Davis IGA. KCF’s annual contribution to the regional Sunday in the Country Food Drive provided holiday food for the Kent Food Bank and it handled the management of a $4,000 grant from CTFoodshare to purchase equipment for the food bank. It was granted credits of $3,750 to use in obtaining food from the state-wide program to help address disruptions to SNAP benefits.
It also turned its attention to promoting health for more than 10 Kent senior citizens who received assistance each month in covering the cost of their Lifeline emergency alert systems and promoted visits by RVNA Health nurses that benefited Kent residents, most of whom were older than 75. Referrals came from physicians, hospitals and local social workers.
Board members are Ruth Epstein, president, Catherine Bachrach, Hal Kamm, Catherine Mazza, George Potts, Lorry Schiesel, Joe Speranzo, Susan Strobino, and Mary Ann Van Valkenburg.
For more information, visit www.kentctcommunityfund.org.