In the first quarter of 2011, Bridgeport, Conn.-based People’s United Community Foundation, the charitable arm of People’s United Financial Inc., donated $64,000 to nonprofits in Massachusetts.

People’s United recently acquired Danvers Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Danversbank, for approximately $493 million.

A dozen Massachusetts nonprofits were recipients of awards from People’s United, according to a statement. Grants in the amount of $5,000 were awarded to: Clarke School for Hearing and Speech, Henry Lee Willis Community Center, Oak HIll CDC, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc., Special Olympics Massachusetts, Springfield Rescue Mission The Gray House Inc., Top Floor Learning, Veteran Homestead Inc., Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund Inc. and Worcester Community Housing Resources. A $9,000 grant was given to Worcester East Side CDC.

"We are proud to support throughout our footprint nonprofit agencies that are working together to help build strong communities," said Hank Mandel, executive director of People’s United Community Foundation. "Their leadership and dedication is critical during these hard economic times when the demand for their programs and services are increasing and funding sources decreasing."

The People’s United Community Foundation awarded a total of $475,000 in grants to 61 nonprofit organizations in its service area for the first quarter of 2011. Its service area includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Westchester, N.Y.