Datahr Is Awarded Fairfield County Foundation Grant

BROOKFIELD — Datahr Rehabilitation Institute, a nonprofit organization assisting people with disabilities and health-care concerns to achieve their greatest independence, has been awarded a $10,000 grant from a donor-advised fund of the Fairfield County Foundation (FCF) to benefit Datahr’s Supported Independent Living Program (SIL).

The SIL program provides supported residential care to individuals in Fairfield County with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) by making it possible for them to live in apartments, condominiums, and houses, often sharing the rent with one or more roommates or housemates. Currently serving 90 individuals within Fairfield County, Datahr’s SIL offers staff support to aid with activities of daily living on an individualized, as-needed basis. The FCF funds will enable eight to 12 individuals between the ages of 22 and 50 who have an ABI to make a smooth transition from a structured living arrangement to long-term independent living. This donor-advised grant will facilitate the move by covering all initial moving costs, thereby allowing increased numbers of Datahr consumers to embark on a journey toward self-sufficiency, independence, and a life of enhanced freedom and dignity.

“Datahr is one of the only agencies that provides services in Connecticut and New York specifically to people with Acquired Brain Injuries. We presently have a waiting list for the SIL program of over 1,000 people in Connecticut, and the more funding we can obtain, the more consumers we can serve through SIL,” says Thomas H. Fanning, president and CEO of Datahr. “Thanks to the Fairfield County Foundation’s financial support, we’re well on our way to reaching our immediate goal of successfully integrating an additional 30 to 50 people with severe brain injuries into the larger community.”

Not only does the SIL program assist its participants in finding suitable residences, but it also teaches them the working and living skills necessary to live independently and to become contributing members of society. As Thomas Fanning stated, “By supporting our SIL program, the Fairfield County Foundation is helping to provide direct and measurable assistance that allows these individuals to resume productive lives.”

The Fairfield County Foundation is a growing community foundation with assets of more than $37 million in over 155 different donor funds established by individuals, organizations, families, and corporations to serve Fairfield County now and in the future.