Last week, Mayor Chess announced the Mayor’s Do Good Fund, a nonprofit with a mission “to invest in opportunities that improve lives, remove barriers, and help Stratford neighbors thrive.”The fund comprises monies raised by local Stratford companies and individuals alike. One fund-raising activity is similar to the Mayor’s Charity Golf Tournament, but is renamed Stratford Charity Golf Tournament. This is to reflect its purpose: “…to support local grass roots programs and organizations. We are dedicated to help develop initiatives that support the needs of the community.”
Nonprofits established by mayors to help residents in the cities and towns they serve is more common than you’d think. Take New York City for instance, a city reported to have over 8.5 million residents in 2025, compared to our town of Stratford with over 53,000 residents in 2025. There is such a non-profit called Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, established in 1994, which works to “improve the lives of New Yorkers from all walks of life and across all five boroughs”, per their website.
As with the longstanding Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the current Mayor’s Do Good Fund is a concept that will stay long after Mayor David Chess leaves office. Why? Because no matter who the mayor is, residents, organizations, and companies remain and will always welcome additional help and resources to simply stay afloat. With over $33,000 raised, and approximately half already distributed, donations can be made here, and the grant application can be found here.
It’s not only New York City, but Los Angeles, Hartford, and other mayors who provide funds to specific causes and town/city issues like homelessness, food insecurity, and more. In Mayor Chess’s recent newsletter, he provided updates about what is happening in town, from the Aquarion water main break on Huntington Road to the Pilgrim picture in Town Hall. In his newsletter, he also said, “I ask people to please give up the Red and Blue and join the Stratford Party, where we study the facts and make decisions based on what’s best for our residents and the health and well-being of our community, both in the short and long term. It is time to leave the anger behind and work together to build the best town in Connecticut for everyone.”
Here’s to the Mayor’s Do Good Fund doing some good for the long term in Stratford.
