Headquarters of the Darien/Stamford region, the Red Cross' mission is to provide blood services, disaster relief, health and safety services and medical transport. The branch offers classes in CPR, first aid, lifeguarding and disaster response. Donations by check and car donations are welcome.
Members of Darien Post 6933 are war veterans who work together to organize and coordinate a number of charitable programs for the community. The Veterans give back to Darien in a number of ways including hospital visits, Little League and Cub Scout sponsorship, fund-raising, foreign service education programs, medical and financial assistance for veterans and their families, and of course, marching in the Memorial Day Parade each year.
Friends of Animals is a non-profit, international animal advocacy organization headquartered in Darien. The primary goal of the organization is to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation.
All projects and services are entirely supported by membership contributions, bequests and grants.
Friends of Animals’ President is Priscilla Feral.
Information about programs, membership and donating is available on the FOA’s website.
Established in 2007, The Darien Technology and Community Foundation is an expansion of the Darien Technology Foundation, established in 1998. The Foundation works to fund capital projects and increase the financial resources for technology in the Darien community.
Part of a nationwide network, the Darien/Stamford chapter of the American Red Cross helps to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The organization is run entirely by volunteers and is supported by community donations.
In addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers a number of other services including CPR and first aid courses, blood drives, a teen babysitting program and a transportation service for senior citizens.
Darien office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Friday from 8:30am to 3pm but staff is available for Armed Forces Services communications and disaster emergencies 24 hours a day.
The Community Fund of Darien is an independent, non-profit organization. Run entirely by volunteers, the Fund assists people in Darien, Stamford, and Norwalk with fund-raising, organization and strategy, and the fostering of collaborative efforts to meet community needs.
The group has a number of ongoing initiatives including CARE Darien, Aging in Place in Darien, and Creating Connections: A Directory of Mental Health and Support Services.
The office is located at 701 Post Rd. and led by Executive Director Kiki Karpen.
Founded in 1960, Darien Land Trust has been preserving and protecting open spaces in Darien for nearly 50 years. Over 189 acres of land is owned, conserved and protected by the Land Trust; this includes wetlands, marshes and forests.
The organization is overseen by Director Shirley R. Nichols, and is supported by an active Board of Trustees and over 500 members.
The National Veterans Services Fund (NVSF) provides social services and limited medical assistance to Vietnam and Persian Gulf War veterans and their families. The Fund’s focus is on those families with disabled children.
“War does not end on the battlefield,” reads the NVSF website. The NVSF recognizes that the experience of war can affect an entire veteran family. The Foundation helps these families get the health and social support necessary to heal.
Services provided by the NVSF include a national hotline, extensive information, economic assistance, discounts at many businesses and social services such as therapy.
A Better Chance is a national, nonprofit organization. ABC provides talented, minority students with educational opportunities at good schools, which they would not otherwise be able to attend.
Darien’s chapter was established in the fall of 1981. Six students are enrolled in the program at any given time. The students attend Darien high school and live together at 11 Brookside Rd. The First Congregational Church owns the property and leases the house to ABC for $1 per year.
Family Centers is a nonprofit organization, which offers education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. The Center’s services fall into five major areas: early childhood education, counseling for families in crisis, independent living resources, healthy aging, and workplace resources.
The Darien/New Canaan chapter has an office in Darien.
The Tiny Miracles Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping families with premature infants in Fairfield County.
The Foundation offices are located in Darien. Their support programs are currently provided to parents in Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport hospitals and to anyone who needs support by calling the office, or by personal referral from all over Fairfield County. A small staff and over 100 volunteers (who are parents of premature babies themselves) provide the emotional support, educational information, and hard to find supplies to the families of premature babies, during and immediately following their hospital stay all free of charge.
The Tiny Miracles Foundation relies on volunteers and philanthropy to support its programs. Information on how to donate or volunteer is available on the Tiny Miracles Foundation Web site.
The YWCA Darien/Norwalk is a registered 501(c)(3) charity and relies on support from memberships, individual donors, corporate donors and foundation grants to achieve the goals of the association.
Founded in 1975, the organization is a member of the National YWCA, the oldest and largest multicultural women’s organization in the world. There are 300 local associations comprised of two million members in the US, and across the globe it has more than 25 million members in 122 countries.
The YWCA Darien/Norwalk is dedicated to giving women the support and tools they need to transform their lives, be confident in their choices and raise healthy families. It creates opportunities for growth, leadership and empowerment for all women and families.
The organization provides numerous offerings, both community service-oriented and social, to benefit local residents, including Job Search Support, computer classes in Microsoft Word, Excel and more and one-on-one assistance with the job search process such as resume writing and interview coaching.
Also available are book clubs, gardening classes, seasonal sports and fitness classes, paddle tennis, golf, organized playgroups, Newcomers Club, Parent Awareness programs which encourage healthy and positive development, child enrichment programs such as drop-off Toddler Time and Summer Fun for two-year-olds that include free play, story time, arts and crafts, music and outdoor play and more.
To donate, visit us online or call us at 203-655-2535.
Founded in 1953, the Darien Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting materials of local historical value. It is a private, nonprofit membership organization located next to the Goodwives Shopping Center.
The society maintains the 18th century Bates-Scofield Homestead, which was acquired in 1964 and restored as a museum and reference library. The 1827 Scofield Barn has recently been reconstructed on the property and serves as a beautiful multi-purpose exhibition and meeting space.
The Darien Historical Society is a valuable repository of Darien history. The archives contain maps, photographs, and important town and genealogical documents. The society also maintains an impressive collection of books, furniture, art, period costumes, quilts and flags. The facilities are open to the public throughout the year for research, educational programs, school tours, exhibitions and special events.
The Center for Hope, a division of Family Centers, offers resources for bereavement and critical illness support.
The Center also offers individual, group and family counseling, support groups and meditation groups. Other services include Hearts of Hope, a program for those affected by heart disease and community education programs.
All counseling, support, and education services are facilitated by highly trained professionals.
RE Children's Project is an organization that aims to increase awareness of Rasmussen's Encephalitis (RE) in order to help find a cure. RE is a rare neurological disease that typically affects children between the ages of two and ten years. It is characterized by epileptic seizures, paralysis of half the body and cognitive deficits. To obtain informational resources or make a donation, visit the website.
The purpose of the ITP Foundation is to raise awareness of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a blood disorder that affects the immune system.
With headquarters in Darien, the ITP Foundation actively raises awareness on both a local and national level. This is achieved primarily through sponsoring endurance athletes who raise funds for the ITP Foundation.
Money raised by the ITP foundations helps provide families affected by the disease with financial assistance, and further ITP research.
The Darien Arts Center is a non-profit community service organization that has been an important part of cultural life in Darien for over 30 years. The center was founded in 1975 and is run by a volunteer board of directors and a number of committees and boards who are dedicated to supporting the visual and performing arts in Darien.
Located at the Town Hall, the Arts Center offers a number of dance, music, visual arts, and theatre classes. Close to 800 students take part in the DAC’s programs each week. Hundreds more are involved with the center’s various performance groups including the Darien Players and the Cabaret.
The Darien Arts Center is funded exclusively by tuition, ticket sales and donations.
Organized in 1957, the Darien Chamber of Commerce (COC) supports the business community and quality of life in Darien. The COC is a non-profit business, which relies on membership dues for financial support.
There are a number of ways the COC works with its members to better the business community. These include: providing legal information and networking opportunities, promoting and broadening awareness of Darien's business community, and the coordination of the sidewalk sales. The Chamber also works with the citizens of Darien to address their requests for specific products or services.
The Darien COC President is Carol Wilder-Tamme.
Located in Darien, Veterans of Foreign Wars post 6933 is an organization comprised of local veterans who offer the community a wide variety of programs, including fundraisers, sponsorships, food drives, outreach and more. The Darien VFW additionally offers its upstairs facility for rent. For more information, be sure to call the telephone number or visit the website provided.