The Darien Foundation

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The Darien Foundation provides grants for technology and capital initiatives which create opportunity for Darien’s youth, support our town’s safety and security services, and enhance the overall quality of life.

10/06/2026

Sneak peek alert! 👀✨

Here’s a preview of the new Teen & Tween Library at Darien Library—a library-within-the-library made just for middle and high schoolers. 📚

It’s been amazing to watch this project evolve from whiteboard sketches into a physical reality: the inviting blue Ribbon wall, cozy reading nooks, collaborative study areas, a programming lounge, and creative spaces that come together into a state-of-the art hub for ages 12 -18.

Want to be part of the story? Please join us in helping to create a space where teens can connect, learn, imagine, and just be themselves: http://darienlibrary.org/teen-center-give 💙

A huge thank-you to every donor who has already helped make the Teen & Tween Library possible. 🙌

We can’t wait to see teens fill this space with big ideas, new friendships, and plenty of creativity. 💫

Graphic Renderings: Dattner Architects

10/01/2026

Time to get on the Nice List. 📜✨

Our annual Darien Foundation Breakfast with Santa and the Animals at the Darien Nature Center has become a beloved holiday tradition—and we can’t wait to celebrate with our friends, both human and animal! 🎄🐾

🗓️ Please save the date - Sunday, December 13! We will host two shifts at 9-10 am and 10-11 am with Santa and the Animals.

Each year, our valued donors enjoy an early invitation to this special tradition, which books up quickly! Their support makes it possible for us to fulfill our mission of providing impactful grants that benefit our community. And this year, they’ll have even more to see at the Darien Nature Center!

The Darien Foundation served as Lead Donor for their capital campaign to transform the Animal Room into an educational Connecticut forest experience. Our grant funded Blinken and Luna's owl tree habitat and provided additional funding to help bring this exciting project to completion. 🌳🦉

A hollowed-out tree branch will intersect the room, while new murals bring the forest to life on the walls, creating an immersive environment where animals and visitors can experience the wonder of nature together.

We’re so grateful to support the Darien Nature Center and the wonderful people who create meaningful and educational experiences for Darien’s children and families year-round. 💙

We’ll see you in December for some holiday magic—and plenty of furry, feathered, and scaly friends! ✨

📸 Photo Credits: .Photography

09/29/2026

We are thrilled to welcome the newest members of The Darien Foundation Board 💙💚, from left to right:

Jun Takayasu currently serves as an Assistant Chief at the Darien Volunteer Fire Department. Jun’s real-life experience and expertise will inform our commitment to Safety—a pillar of our mission. Jun also brings a breadth of financial savvy to our Board, having worked in corporate finance across several industries.

Colleen Davenport offers a broad perspective shaped by an early career in finance, current involvement in interior design, and years of community service. She has served as a coach, director, and board member for Darien Youth Lacrosse and as a member of the Blue Wave Booster Club Board. During the pandemic, she also revived the Caring Ministry at St. John’s Church, leading outreach efforts to local seniors.

Beth Morgan contributes a wealth of legal expertise to the Board, having worked for 14 years in both structured finance law and litigation. As an involved parent, Beth has served on the executive boards for the PTOs at Ox Ridge, Middlesex, and Darien High School, as well as the boards for Darien Youth Hockey and OPUS.

Alyssa Mahoney joins our Board with over two decades of event-planning experience and a commitment to community involvement. She has led fundraising efforts for St. Thomas More Church, Holmes School, and OPUS, and has served as a Girl Scout troop leader, Darien Junior Cheer coach, and school room parent. Alyssa also served two terms as an elected representative on Darien’s RTM and the Park and Rec Committee.

Our volunteer Board of Directors reflects the many constituencies of Darien, thoroughly evaluates grant requests, and assists grant recipients in achieving their goals.

We look forward to another year of community collaborations and grants invested back into our town. Together, we are moving Darien Forward! 🚀

Photo Credit 📸 .photography

09/16/2026

Back to work! The Darien Foundation Board held our first meeting of the 2026-2027 year at the beautiful Mather Barn: the Elizabeth W. Chilton Education Center. The Darien Foundation was a lead sponsor of the Barn, which was completed in 2020 and has served as a welcoming, airy community destination ever since. 🤝

It was great to be back together, connecting with our community and reviewing some exciting potential grants. 🌟

Since 1998, The Darien Foundation has been proud to work alongside local organizations to create OPPORTUNITY, drive INNOVATION, and make a positive IMPACT in Darien. 💡🚀

Here’s to a great year ahead for Darien! 💚💙

Photo Credit 📸 .photography

09/10/2026

Save the date for a Family Volunteering event! 🧸

Join The Darien Foundation and The Tiny Miracles Foundation on Tuesday, November 3 at 10 AM. With school out for Election Day, bring the family to make Build-A-Bears that will be given as presents 🎁 for preemies in the Tiny Miracles community.

Together, we’ll spread a little comfort, create something special, and share a whole lot of love. 🐻💕

📅 Tuesday, November 3, 2026
📍 Tiny Miracles Office: 1540 Post Road, 2nd Floor, Darien CT
⏰ Two shifts: 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM; 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

More details coming soon! Mark your calendars!
Registration will open in early October and will be required as space is limited.

09/08/2026

REPOST from

Have you seen the gorgeous digital projection wall at Darien High School’s auditorium? If you haven’t, you will this year, as our teachers and staff from Visual Arts, Music, Theater and Technology all gathered recently for a workshop to learn how to utilize it in both classroom learning and extracurricular activities and productions! The workshop was taught by Shawn Boyle, Design Lecturer at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, who has worked with digital projection in shows and productions for theater companies across the globe.

Our teachers learned about the wall, its capabilities, and softwares for animation, motion graphics, and video design, which will take all of our already amazing Darien shows and productions to the next level!

A huge shoutout to our friends , whose generous donation made this wall a reality in the DHS Auditorium. We are beyond grateful for this incredible technology that will inspire our students and provide endless possibilities for creativity to thrive in Darien.

Be sure to check out a show at DHS this year to see this wall in action!

📸 Photo Credit: Darien Public Schools

09/03/2026

$907,000 in grants. Countless collaborations. One incredible community. 💙💚

As we look back on our 2025–2026 fiscal year, we’re especially grateful for the opportunity to work alongside so many dedicated people and organizations who are committed to making Darien a better place for everyone.

This year, we were proud to support these projects:

🏫 Darien High School — Interactive Smart Boards for Classrooms | $298,000
🌿 Darien Land Trust — Olson Woods Trailhead & Enhancements | $100,000
📚 Darien Library — Teen & Tween Center | $314,000
🌳 Darien Nature Center — Animal Room Forest Experience | $20,000
👮 Darien Police Department — Crime Lab Modernization | $80,000
🚑 EMS-Post 53 — Special Operations Vehicle | $95,000

But these numbers only tell part of the story.

Behind every grant is a group of people with an idea, a vision, and a commitment to our community. We’re grateful for every conversation, collaboration, and partnership that allows us to help bring those ideas to life — and for the opportunity to meet so many people who are working every day to make a difference in Darien.

We’re proud to be a small part of something much bigger: a community that cares deeply about its people and its future. Thank you to all of our partners, supporters, and neighbors who make this work possible. We can’t do it without you.

Together, we’re moving Darien forward. 💙💚

Address

Darien, CT
06820

Website

http://www.darienfoundation.org/

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