Annual Report July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026
Dear Friends of Mill River Park, What a great year it has been. In 2026, Mill River Park continued to grow into exactly what we always envisioned it would be: a place where Stamford comes together to play, learn, reflect, and celebrate. Every visit, every program, and every gift helped shape that story, and we are deeply grateful to be writing it with you. This year, the Park welcomed visitors from near and far to programs and events across every season. Families filled our fitness classes and summer programs, students explored nature through field trips and our after-school program at the Whittingham Discovery Center, and neighbors gathered to dance, sing, and simply relax along the river. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our individual and corporate donors, the leadership of our Board of Directors, the dedication of our staff and volunteers, and the support of our partners across the city. Thank you for believing in this Park, its activities and in what it means for Stamford. Looking ahead, we are more energized than ever. In 2027, we will continue expanding programming, deepening our youth and education initiatives, and moving closer to bringing the Community Commons, the cornerstone of the Park’s future, to life. We can't wait to see what we build next, together. See you at the Park! Sincerely,
Arnold M. Karp Board Chairman
Nette Compton President & CEO
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Cohen Skating Center
A Park for Every Season Every season at Mill River Park tells a different story, and this year, our community showed up for all of them. Here's a look at how the Park came alive, season by season.
FALL
WINTER
As leaves fell, we celebrated an annual tradition: our Halloween Trail, which drew over 5,000 people to the Park.
Winter brought the community to Cohen Skating Center to sip hot chocolate, skate, and shop local vendors at our Holiday Market. 4
Whittingham Discovery Center
There's something happening in this Park every single day of the year — that's what makes it feel alive. -Mill River Park Visitor
SPRING
SUMMER
Warmer weather and cherry blossoms in bloom gave people the perfect reason to meet up at the Park.
Our busiest season brought the Park to life with Summer in the Park concerts, swing dancing, cornhole, and a variety of outdoor events.
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Park Events This year, Mill River Park came alive with programming that brought neighbors, families, and friends together in the heart of downtown Stamford. Every season offered new ways to play, learn, and connect, proving that the Park is a true gathering place for our entire community.
Total Attendance Across PartnerHosted Events
25,290+
Festivals & Community Celebrations
7,430
Health & Fitness
12,045 Attendees at free MRPC-hosted events
(compared to 7,620 in FY25)
2500+ Seasonal Market
553
Arts & Culture
Photo Credit: PJ Kennedy
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Park Programming Movies in the Park Halloween & Easter Trails | 6,222 Attendees
Neighbors spread out blankets and chairs on the Karp Lawn for community movie nights under the stars.
Sunday Funday | 2,198
Halloween Trail Families followed a spooktacular trail through the Park, collecting treats, before celebrating at a carousel party finale.
Movies in the Park | 299
Swing in the Park | 102
Fitness Fun | 984
Fitness Fun
Free outdoor fitness sessions brought energy, wellness, and community together.
Open Mic & Silent Disco | 204
Fun Saturday Morning | 2,036
Swing in the Park Community members stepped back in time, dancing and relaxing.
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Volunteers
CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS
1,127
Gave Back to Mill River Park
PARTNER GIVING
$23K
Donated by our corporate volunteer partners
HOURS OF SERVICE
2,257
That's the equivalent of adding one fulltime landcare staff member to the Park. 8
Corporate Volunteers ADM AMG Bank of America Banner Life BDO Beiersdorf Clearview Capital CraneNXT Deloitte EY Freepoint Commodities Genworth Gridiron Capital Henkel
Keller Williams KPMG Life Time The Lockwood Group Morgan Stanley Philip Morris PwC Stantec Synchrony UBS Valitana Whole Foods Market – Darien Whole Foods Market – Fairfield
Community Volunteers BPLA Future 5 Hart School Liberation Program Main Street Garden Volunteers Mike Squires Stamford Adult & Continuing Education UConn Westhill High School Young Men’s Service League
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Out of School Programs
Mill River Park's Out of School Programs provide kids with an opportunity to learn, play, and grow whenever school’s out: weekday afternoons, school holidays, and all summer long. Our After School Program welcomes K-6 students five days a week to the Whittingham Discovery Center. Homework help comes first, and the rest of the afternoon is filled with outdoor play, seasonal ice skating, sports, cooking, and STEM. Vacation Camp offers full-day care from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. when school is closed, giving parents a reliable option on holidays and days off throughout the year.
Summer Day Camp filled the season with arts, sports, field trips, and time outdoors in the Park. Campers danced, built, explored, and made friends, and we launched a new Pre-K 4 group to welcome our youngest explorers, ages 4 and 5. Our generous donors make it possible for us to extend financial assistance to families in need, opening the door for more children to join in.
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36 students enrolled in our After School Program, our highest enrollment ever. (up from 25)
60 unique students joined Vacation Camp on days when school was out.
My son used to come home drained. Now he comes home with his homework done and a story about what he built that day. — After School parent
School holidays used to mean scrambling for coverage. Now I just sign her up and know she's having a great day in the Park. — Vacation Camp parent
104 campers attended Summer Day Camp (up from 93)
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Education The Park is Our Classroom Some of the best lessons don't happen at a desk. People of all ages came to Mill River Park to explore, ask questions, and get their hands dirty. Some came for a field trip, some for a first job, and some just to learn something new in the heart of downtown Stamford. Across every program, our Education Department proved that more than 33 acres can hold a whole lot of learning.
4,900+
50+
students on field trips and school visits
Teens building skills and giving back
150+
adults learning something new
Youth Workforce Development The Park is where teens start building their future. Through our Youth Workforce Development Program, made possible by generous grants and donors, Mill River Park Docents gained hands-on job skills and explored careers in the environmental field.
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Henkel Researchers’ World In 2021, Henkel and Mill River Park launched Henkel Researchers’ World at Mill River Park to bring hands-on science to local students. Researchers’ World is Henkel’s STEM education initiative designed for elementary school-age children to spark curiosity in science by putting them in the role of a researcher. In 2026, this partnership celebrated its fifth anniversary. With the Park as their lab, students ask questions, run experiments, and work through problems together, building curiosity and confidence that carry into the classroom and beyond.
Henkel Researchers’ World Stats
10K+
3,200
students served since launch
students served in 2025–26
95%
above our 2025–26 goal
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Dinner in the Park On May 7, 2026, friends, neighbors, and longtime supporters gathered for Mill River Park Collaborative's Annual Dinner in the Park Gala, an evening celebrating the people who make this Park possible.
Under the spring sky, guests came together to honor the partnerships that have helped transform Mill River Park into one of Stamford's most beloved public spaces.
This year, we were honored to recognize two leaders whose generosity and vision have left a lasting mark on the Park: Ilario Altamura, President of Parachute Concerts, and Robert J. Granata, former Chairman and CEO of First County Bank.
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Fiscal Year 2026 Financials
Operating Revenue City of Stamford
Total Operating Revenue $3,872,557 (Unaudited)
Total Operating Expense $3,554,202 (Unaudited)
Operations Tax Increment Funding
$1,163,000
Operations Grant
$500,000
Fee-for-Service/Programming
$455,726
Federal & State Funding
$29,523
Corporate & Foundation Giving
$1,414,665
Gala & Individual Donations
$309,643
Total Revenue
$3,872,557
Operating Expenses Program Expenditure/Park Maintenance $2,699,630 Administration
$639,445
Fundraising
$215,127
Total Expenses
$3,554,202
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Capital Funding Total Capital Funding $1,148,593 (Unaudited)
City of Stamford - Tax Increment Funding
$613,734
Corporate and Foundation Capital Donations
$470,499
Investment Income
$64,360
Total Capital Funding
$1,148,593
Capital Expenses Total Capital Expenses $602,354 (Unaudited)
Construction Management
$337,260
Capital Fixed Assets Increase
$227,511
Capital Construction in Progress
$37,583
Total Capital Expenses
$602,354
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Charitable Contributions Our Donors Legacy Grove Thank you to the donors who have given or pledged over $1 million over the Collaborative’s history.
Don & Lisa Brownstein City of Stamford Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Fairfield County's Community Foundation General Electric (GE) Karp Family Foundation The Suzanne McGraw Foundation Inc. McKeon Family National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Selkowitz Family Foundation Stamford Family YMCA State of Connecticut John & Paula Todd Andrew Whittingham & Family Michael Whittingham & Family
Cherry Blossom Society Thank you to the donors who have given or pledged $225,000 to $750,000 over the Collaborative’s history.
Charter Communications Marilyn Clements The Cullman Family First County Bank Foundation Inc. Dean & Laura Godown Henkel Corporation Vince & Linda McMahon Family Foundation Inc. Nestlé Waters North America Inc. David & Miriam Nissen Harley & Stephen Osman The Overbrook Foundation: Julie & Robin Graham Patricia & Robert Phillips Reckson, A Division of SL Green The Rich Family Foundation Charles & Deborah Royce The Herbert & Nell Singer Foundation Inc. Structured Portfolio Management Synchrony Thomson Reuters UBS Barbara & Fabrizio Zichichi
We want to acknowledge and thank all of our generous Park supporters who have given from July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026.
$1,000,000 to $50,000 The Suzanne McGraw Foundation Inc. Stamford Family YMCA Douglas M. Karp
$49,999 to $25,000 AMG Wealth Dean & Laura Godown
$24,999 to $10,000 Brian Cullen & Cynthia Ferreira Brownstein Family Foundation Castleton Commodities International Charter Communications The Edith and Herbert Lehman Foundation First County Bank Foundation, Inc. Freepoint Commodities LLC Julie & Robin Graham Julene & Simon Greenshields Arnold M. Karp Keitha Kinne Frank Mercede & Lori A. Mercede New England Investment Partners Parachute Concerts LLC Park Tower Stamford Association Inc. Susan Rapoport James Shapiro & Cristin Tierney Synchrony Barbara & Fabrizio Zichichi
$9,999 to $5,000 Andrew J. Whittingham Family Foundation Inc. Ashforth Properties Inc. Cynthia & Richard Blumenthal Henry Bubel Mary Burr & Ryan Salvatore Paula Callari Stephen Canna Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey, LLP Robert Granata Harbor Point Holding Company, LLC Kirmar Foundation Steve Micolo Phibro Renew Oil Reckson Selkowitz Family Foundation Shipman & Goodwin LLP Silver Golub & Teitell LLP Soule, Blake & Wechsler, Inc. Stamford Downtown Special Services District Stamford Hospital Foundation Tito's Handmade Vodka Wofsey Rosen
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$4,999 to $1,000
Stephen Lynch Mike Mallett David Messer The Michael Finkelstein and Sue-Ann Friedman Foundation, Inc. Willard Miley Jonathan Moffly Aaron Palash Joseph Pasquino Seelan Pather Alan & Lynn Pearce Ralph D. Russo Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Andreas Senie Sheldron Seplowitz Lawrence Siebert Meeghan Steele Robert Stein Elise Swanton Scott Therrien Katherine Tooke Andrea Valerio Janet & Peter Vanderwaart Waleska Williams Jennifer Young Barry Zischnag
Luigi Altamura BevMax George Boyce Luke Buttenwieser Brian Capone Land Services LLC Centerbrook Architects and Planners Claire L. Helsing Foundation Amy & William Clark Kathryn Corbally Kevin Cramer Cross Insurance Denise Doria EY Esta & Jay Feinsod The First Bank of Greenwich Anthony Gaglio Amy & Andrew George Emily Gordon Bill & Jevera Hennessey Stephen Hoffman Juanita James David Kooris & Jessica Kooris KPMG LLP Andrea & Martin Levine Nina & Norman Lotstein Malkins Holdings, LLC June & Ron Ahrens Jon Marcus Merlin Alper David Martin David Anderson Linda & Vince McMahon Avram & Rhoda Freedberg Fund Paul Mercado Sanford A. Bell Eileen Merrigan Stacy Bennett Nitin Mhatre Charlotte & Mark Bishop Michael Moore Robyn Blosio Thomas Muller Kathleen Bordelon NBC Universal Stamford Studios John Carberry Shelly Nichani Heather Cavanagh Jerry Nielsen Laurie Cingari O&G Industries, Inc. Andrew Cohen Barbara Pierce Lynne Colatrella John Polera Jeannette Compton RCR Engineering Group Leonard D'Andrea Residence Inn by Marriott Stamford Downtown Christelle Dorcil The Rich Foundation Fredric & Harriet Dulaney Christian Roth Joy Eller Signs of Success Dianne Farley Judith Steinberg May & Vagn Fausing Kristen Stops Robert Feilbogen Monica Swinney Garry Feldman Denise & Tom Walsh Vito Ferrucci William D. Watt Deborah Fins The Whitmyer Family Elizabeth FitzPatrick Adam Whittingham Jennifer Forman Louise & Michael Widland Eileen Gabriele
$499 to $100
$999 to $500 Stuart Adelberg Anne Bingaman Peter Cosenza Keegan Drenosky Kelly Fitzpatrick Robin Frederick Glenn Goldberg Marshall Goldberg Emily Grant Judith & Leonard Haber Patrick Hanna Nicole Henry David Hopper Holly & Howard Kurzrok Anderson Livingston
John Galvin Joseph Giancola Frances Ginsburg Peter Gistelinck Maya Gittens MaryGrace Giuliano Saul Goodman Ira Handa Daniel Hecht Jeffrey Hines Russ Hollander Marta Hryniszyn Elizabeth Huffine Jen Humphries Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk Inc. Jill Kanin-Lovers Steve Karp David & Lorraine Kweskin
Nick & Rebecca Lai Ishan Lamba Michael & Micki Lemieux Linda Leonard Abi Mathew Kay Maxwell Nancy Mazzei Martin McGrath Joel Mellis Elizabeth Mercede Al Mirin Dylan Moody Eric Morson James & Margot Mustich Tom Naiman Suzanne Olin Danielle Onsdorff Jonathan Orell Kurt & Susan Ostheimer Carl Palash John Putrino Joe Quinn Dr. Swati Ray Tyler Rich Janet & John Roemer John Rosenberg Daniel Schwartz Nolan Schwartz Jerome Silber Mike Squires Peter Steer The UBS Matching Gifts Program Joe Weaver Carl & Dana Weinberg Juliet & Matthew Weissman Lauren Wright Andy Zeitlin
Roger Nell Danielle Paluszek Gregg Penman Kathy Salgado Kandarp Shah Belisa Silva-Raffa Steven Teitelbaum Liza Tymchenko Vera Ulanovskaya Stephen Vesce Averie Vick Amy Vitale Catherine Warten Scott Werneburg Elise Zimmerman
In-Kind Donations Thank you to our corporate in-kind donors for the goods and services. AMG Beiersdorf Karp Associates New England Investment Partners Shipman & Goodwin LLP Student Conservation Association
Up to $100 Halimah Arif Gabrielle Baer Rich Beitler Vini Bono Megan Brown Lucia Castellana Edan Collymore Megan D’Aleo Virginia Day Alexandra Delucia Tara Doyle Greg Drillock Sean Dutra Bridget Fox Christopher Frison Michael & Sandra Garramone Teresa Gorbachevskiy Kelly Gordon Gail Grosso Hofmann John Gwardyak Todd Henke Paige Holsborg Geraldine & Mark Katz Spencer Kelley Charlie Klein Javier Lerones-Gallego Wendy Lewis Meredith Maclaine Dale Malloy Grace Markovits Cheyenne Mason Sybilla Mason Deirdre McCaffrey Mark Mendelsohn
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Board of Directors Arnold M. Karp, Chairman
Kathryn Corbally
Steve Micolo
George Boyce, Vice Chair
Keegan Drenosky
Matt Quinones
Jennifer Forman
Tom Walsh
Frank Mercede, Vice Chair
Bridget Fox
Adam Whittingham
Cynthia Ferreira, Treasurer
Lee Goforth
Michael Widland
Emily M. Gordon
Jennifer Young
Jim Shapiro, Secretary
Robin Graham
Fabrizio Zichichi
Ryan Salvatore, Assistant Secretary
Rep. Parker Johnson David Kooris
Nette Compton, President & CEO
Jon Marcus
Arthur Selkowitz, Founding Board Chair
Nitin Mhatre
As of November 1, 2026
Mill River Park Team Nette Compton President & CEO Mike Stake VP of Capital Planning Alicia Wettenstein VP of Development Marlie Saint-Surin Director of Programs and Administration Kristia Janowski Director of Education and Sustainability EJ Yu Director of Finance and Operations
Tiffany Wilson Senior Youth and Family Programs Manager Roselyne Opont Senior Private Events and Carousel Operations Manager
Kristy Schutzman Horticulture Supervisor Gabriel Gardino Landcare Technician Brandon Forlenzo Landcare Technician
Isabella Montenegro Development Manager
Felipe Dossou Park Ambassador
Rachel Grella Education Manager
Alex Nelson Park Ambassador
Cendall Carranza Marketing Communications Specialist
Jason Riendeau Park Ambassador and Maintenance
Vincent Piselli Senior Landcare Manager As of November 1, 2026
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Mill River Park Collaborative 1010 Washington Boulevard Stamford, CT 06901 For more information on the Park, visit millriverpark.org or call 203.989.0321 Find us on
SAVE THE DATE! DINNER IN THE PARK THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2027