PFD Foundation recipients

 The Peter F. Dalton Foundation set up a scholarship at Peter's alma mater Norwich University located in Northfield, VT.    Since inception we have given out 15 scholarships!

Their mission is to give our youth an education that shall be American in character—to enable them to act as well as to think—to execute as well as to conceive—“to tolerate all opinions when reason is left free to combat them”—to make moral, patriotic, efficient, and useful citizens, and to qualify them for all those high responsibilities resting upon a citizen of this free republic.

The distinctive terms and phrases found in this definition provide important clues in understanding the essence of this organization, and ultimately the directions we will seek and the outcomes we will require of our students. The most distinguishing terms are:

• American in character
• Global in perspective
• Mutual respect
• Service
• Thinking and acting
• Conceiving and executing
• Making moral and patriotic citizens
• Making useful citizens
• Qualifying graduates for responsibilities of a free republic

 Queens Centers for Progress is committed to providing person-centered services and supports to children and adults who have developmental disabilities.  The goal of these services and supports is to promote independence, community involvement, and quality of life.

Queens Centers for Progress will:

1. Provide individually-designed services and supports which will maximize:
   (a) independent decision-making capabilities;
   (b) integration into community life; and,
   (c) daily living, educational, and work-related skills.
2. Advocate for the rights and entitlements of persons with developmental disabilities.  Demonstrate our commitment to these rights by always treating those who use our services, and their families, with dignity and respect.
3. Engage in community outreach and public education to further awareness of the Agency’s services and the contributions made by persons with developmental disabilities.
4. Establish relationships with community and governmental organizations involved with services and funding for people with developmental disabilities.
5. Attract, train and retain staff who are committed to providing services of consistently high quality, who are compensated fairly for their work and who are treated with respect.
6. Operate the agency in a manner which demonstrates adherence to high ethical standards and assures financial stability and thereby protect the ongoing ability to carry out the Agency’s Mission.

The Pauline Baldwin Food Pantry in Madison, CT plays a vital role in the Madison community  helping to feed the needy. Formerly called the Madison Community Services Food Bank, the pantry serves some 110 families, which includes 70 percent seniors and 30 percent families with one or two children. Some 68 clients pick up their orders weekly.

In addition to the nonperishables, the pantry has three refrigerators that hold milk, eggs, and a variety of fruits and vegetables and a freezer for pork, beef, chicken and fish.

They also distribute personal hygiene items, including toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, feminine products and Depends.

From July through August, as part of the Summer Lunch Program, additional cereal, snacks, mac and cheese, canned tuna, Ramen noodles, peanut butter and jelly, chicken nuggets and juices are allotted to families who have children home for the summer.

  “I just feel really blessed that we have such fantastic volunteers and donors,” she said. “It is the lifeblood of us. It does take a village because we can’t do it alone,” Mary Hake, Manager of the pantry.

“There are so many big hearts out there,” she said. “It’s the ripple effect, just a little bit of generosity from one person goes an incredible distance.” 

Pauline Baldwin Food Pantry, 50 Mungertown Road, 203-245-3031; mailing address P.O. Box 148, Madison, Ct 06443; madisoncommunityservices.org

Xavier High School located in Middletown, CT is an all boys Catholic School. Peter's son and John's brother Pete attended before he suddenly passed away in 1985.  We have an annual scholarship given each year in his honor.

Since opening its doors in 1963, Xavier has remained true to its Xaverian tradition of fostering excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.

 This requires the commitment of a large community of alumni, parents, family, friends, faculty, coaches and staff. In that community, we all share a common bond of helping preserve Xavier as a top-tier private, all-boys Catholic high school that challenges its students to use their God-given talents in service to others.

We send out to the world outstanding young men prepared to meet any challenge. They step out from our community, their home for four years, and become even more engaged in the larger community, our world. Yet they never step away from Xavier. It is always home.

Says Bernie Hallums ‘81, a retired Manchester Police Officer who now is on the Board of Directors:

“The high standards set forth by Xavier more than prepared me for college and future successes beyond as a Xavier man.    A caring and supportive community truly made me feel like family … the faces have changed since my days at Xavier, but every time I walk in that building I am home.”

The school is home to nearly 10,000 alumni.