The Amiel and Mary Anne Zak Public Service Fund at the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation has awarded twelve Suffield organizations grants totaling $94,008. The fund, formerly known as the Amiel P. Zak Public Service Fund, has a long history of supporting programs that benefit the community of Suffield. The Fund was established in 2002 by Mike Zak to honor the service of his late father, Amiel, a teacher at Suffield High School for 35 years who also served on numerous town boards and many civic and public associations. Michael’s mother, Mary Anne, passed away in 2022, and a provision was in place to change the name of the Fund to honor both parents. According to Mike, Mary Anne shared her husband’s love of Suffield, and both sought to support their community in a variety of ways.
To date, the Amiel and Mary Anne Zak Public Service Fund has made 206 grants for the Suffield community totaling $1,716,345.
2026 Grant Recipients
- 2-4-1 CARE, Inc. received a grant of $3,555 grant for nine scholarships for Suffield residents attending the 2026 youth sports-based development camp
- Boy Scouts Troop 66 received a $4,499 grant to purchase equipment for the Outdoor Skills and Program Capacity Initiative.
- Connecticut Landmarks received a grant of $15,000 for the Phelps-Hatheway House Entrance Stabilization and Accessibility Project.
- Junior Achievement of Southwest New England received a grant of $5,000 for the Junior Achievement Future Ready: College Credit program for Suffield High School students
- Nutmeg Senior Rides, Inc. received a $2,625 grant to print and mail postcards to Suffield residents to recruit volunteer drivers.
- Suffield Fire Department received a grant of $6,100 for the purchase of three thermal imagers and installation.
- Suffield High School Parents Association received a $7,754 grant for new wind screens for all tennis courts at Suffield High School.
- Suffield Historical Society, Incorporated received a grant of $9,000 toward the electrical upgrade for the HVAC system infrastructure project
- Suffield Players, Inc. received a $20,000 grant for the Mapleton Hall parking lot upgrade project
- Suffield PMC Kids Ride, using fiscal sponsor Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Trust, received a grant of $2,975 for the Suffield Pan-Mass Challenge Kids Ride
- Suffield Volunteer Ambulance Association, Inc. received a grant of $10,000 for the 50th Anniversary Gala
- The Friends of The Farm at Hilltop, Inc. received a $7,500 grant toward the public internet access project at Hilltop Open Space.