About The Merola Endowment Fund
At The Merola Endowment Fund, we believe in empowering underserved youth (boys and girls) through the transformative experience of Scouting. What makes us truly special is that our entire organization is run by dedicated volunteers. This means that nearly 100% of your generous donation directly supports Scouting Units through vital grants, with a small portion covering essential marketing and fundraising costs. Every dollar you contribute makes a tangible difference in the lives of young people.
We're proud to be recognized for our commitment to public service. In 2018, we received our Public Charity Exemption from the State of Connecticut, and the Federal Internal Revenue Service confirmed our status as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity. This important designation means that both individual donors and businesses can deduct their contributions to the Merola Endowment Fund on their state and federal tax filings to the extent permitted by law, state and federal regulations.
We want to extend a special thank you to Gabriel Tax and Accounting Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for their incredible generosity. Their donation of professional services has been invaluable to The Fund, and we deeply appreciate their commitment as a supportive small business and community partner.
Photo: Left to right, Dan McInerney, Business Manager for The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 488 with Dave Mestre President of The Fund, presenting the Community Leadership Award to Mr. McInerney.
The Fund’s Mission
“Inspired by the enduring legacy of brothers and devoted Scouters, Thomas and Nicholas Merola, The Merola Endowment Fund, Inc. was founded to cultivate enriching Scouting experiences for urban youth, ultimately strengthening our communities."
We're thrilled to share that The Fund’s Mission has grown! To reach even more underserved young people, not just in Bridgeport but across other towns and cities in Connecticut, we've expanded our focus. We now proudly support underserved youth – both boys and girls – in traditional Scouting Units throughout areas of Fairfield County, New Haven County, and a portion of Hartford County.
The Fund: Our Impact and Future Growth
In 2024, we were incredibly proud to award eight grants totaling $5,000 to Scouting Units right here in Bridgeport, Stratford, and Norwalk, Connecticut. Our Allocations Committee, comprised of community leaders and chaired by Board Member Attorney Joseph Corradino, carefully ensured these grants make the biggest difference.
We strategically invest all proceeds from our annual fundraising activities with the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven.
Through continued fundraising efforts and generous private and public donations, the top priority of The Fund’s Board of Directors is to substantially grow the Principal - the initial amount of money invested - in the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. Put simply, the larger the Principal, the greater the yield from investments. Such growth, will allow The Fund to award even more grants to traditional Scouting Units, reaching a growing number of underserved youth in towns and cities across Fairfield County, New Haven County, and a portion of Hartford County.
Some of Our Sponsors
The City of Bridgeport, Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders, Local Union 488 The Local Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Fairfield County Building and Construction Trades Council, The Work Place, Pullman & Comley Law Firm, and many more sponsors who care about the Youth of our area.