Back to School 2026: Supporting Students Across New Canaan Public Schools
Three ways our Touch A Life Fund and Community Behavioral Health Fund help students start the year ready to learn.
The backpacks are packed, the buses are running, and classrooms across New Canaan are full again. A new school year brings plenty of excitement, but for some students and families it also brings real challenges, from covering the cost of supplies to finding support when a child is struggling.
That is why the New Canaan Community Foundation works closely with New Canaan Public Schools (NCPS) all year long. Through our Touch A Life Fund and our Community Behavioral Health Fund, NCCF helps make sure every student has the same choices at lunch, the right supplies on day one, and timely support when they need it most. Here is a closer look at three programs making a difference this fall.
The Cookie Program
What started as a pilot in the 2022-23 school year is now entering its fifth year, and it has become one of the largest programs powered by our Touch A Life Fund.
Through our partnership with NCPS, the Cookie Program adds funds to the meal cards of students who qualify for Free and Reduced-Price Meals. That means these students can choose from the same options as their classmates in the lunch line. It may seem like a small thing, but being able to pick up an extra cookie or snack alongside friends can make a meaningful difference in a student's sense of belonging.
Back to School Kits
This summer, our Touch A Life Fund underwrote 34 complete school supply kits for students in need through the NCPS Angel Fund. Every child who received a kit started the year with the same tools as their classmates and walked into the classroom ready to take on the year ahead.
Dr. Zoe Robinson, Principal of East Elementary School, shared what this support means for her students:
"This gift ensures that every single one of these children starts the school year equipped with the tools they need and the equal opportunity to thrive alongside their classmates."
The Assessment Program at Silver Hill Hospital
In 2022, the Foundation helped launch The Assessment Program at Silver Hill Hospital, and our Community Behavioral Health Fund continues to support it today. The program connects children, adolescents, and adults with an expert psychiatric assessment, often within 48 hours, along with a tailored referral. It is available at no cost to any New Canaan resident.
NCPS is the program's largest source of referrals, and those referrals tend to rise each fall as students settle into the school year. To make sure students and families can get help quickly, NCCF meets with NCPS counselors at the start of every school year so they know about both The Assessment Program and the Touch A Life Fund as resources they can share. Because this support is already in place, families do not have to wait when it matters most.
Since its launch, The Assessment Program has served more than 320 New Canaan residents.
Each of these programs exists because of the generosity of our donors, who allow NCCF to steward resources to where they are needed most. Thank you for helping every student in New Canaan start the year ready to learn.
Have questions about these programs? Reach out to Meg at msoffen@newcanaancf.org.