Home Is Where Their Heart Is
Mark and Nikki Yanarella Concentrate Their Time, Talents and Charitable Dollars in Naugatuck
Growing up, raising a family and working in Naugatuck, you could say that Mark and Nikki Yanarella have a soft spot for the Borough.
“Being part of a community, you need to contribute any way you can,” said Mark. “If you can give financially, that’s great. If not, there are other ways.”
Giving to the community is something that Mark “just learned” from his parents and from his 41 years working at Naugatuck Savings Bank where he is president and CEO.
“My parents volunteered and it’s part of the culture I grew up with at the bank. In a small community like ours, there are a lot of opportunities to get involved.”
Friends of the Connecticut Community Foundation since 2000, the Yanarellas have been extremely generous to their hometown with their time, talents and charitable dollars. Mark served as a trustee from 2001 to 2006 and on the Audit, Evaluation and Executive committees. Nikki was a member of the Grants Committee.
“Of all the boards I have served on, the Foundation’s was the most interesting,” remembered Mark. “Everyone was very professional. I met nice people who brought a lot to the table.”
Through their donor-advised fund at CCF, Mark likes to support nonprofits that serve Naugatuck residents in health care, economic development and the arts. Nikki, who was a kindergarten teacher in Naugatuck for 20 years, is passionate about early childhood education and literacy.
A daughter of a builder, Nikki stated, “If you give children a strong foundation early in life, they can build from there. If they don’t have that, the foundation will crack as they get older.”
In 2003, CCF enlisted Nikki and Mark’s help to introduce the LitLinks early childhood education initiative to the Naugatuck community. Since then, LitLinks has awarded more than $31,000 in grants to provide professional development for preschool and kindergarten teachers and to improve literacy and kindergarten readiness in Naugatuck.
Grantees include Naugatuck Discovery, a program of United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls to help children succeed in their social, emotional and academic development.
Nikki served as chair of Naugatuck Discovery when it launched in 2002.
“When Nikki takes on something, she is passionate about it,” said Lisa Shappy, executive director, United Way. Nikki has demonstrated her passion every Friday morning for the last five years leading a story hour for preschoolers and parents at the Whittemore Library as a Naugatuck Discovery volunteer.
“It’s a win-win program,” said Nikki. “Children discover the joy of reading and parents get to connect with their kids.”
For Nikki, story hour is a win for her too.
“To have a small child hug you and say ‘thank you’ gives me joy. To see them smile and hear them laugh warms my heart. It’s all I need to make my day.”
