New London — The Day Publishing Co.’s charitable foundation will dole out nearly $109,000 in grants to 51 nonprofits in the region, a 7 percent increase over the total distributed last year.

Created by the will of Theodore Bodenwein, a former publisher of The Day, the Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation benefits organizations that help needy children, families and individuals and support the arts.

Gary Farrugia, The Day’s publisher, announced the latest grant recipients and amounts Monday.

“The Day is one of a handful of independent news organizations in America owned by a nonprofit foundation,” Farrugia said. “Being the funding source, the Bodenwein Foundation is a bedrock mission for us. Over the years, the Bodenwein has donated more than $12 million to regional nonprofit groups. A lot of good will come to the region from the public-service organizations that won grants this year.”

The largest grant, of $5,000, is to be set aside for the New London Homeless Hospitality Center’s financial assistance program. Two organizations will receive $4,000 grants: the Covenant Shelter of New London, for case management and shelter services, and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic, for its “Habitats, Everyone Needs a Home” program.

Ten other grants ranging from $3,000 to more than $3,400 will be awarded. The average grant is $2,134.

The list of recipients follows:

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich, Emergency Basic Needs and Case Management, $3,000; Center for Hospice Care Southeast Connecticut Inc., Special Care Fund, $3,000; Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut (BP Learned Mission), New London Day Nursery and Early Childhood Development Center (Groton), $2,000; Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, Star Lab Program, $1,000; City of New London, Teens in Action Program, $1,000; City of New London, New London Senior Center, $2,000; Connecticut Association for Human Services, Family Economic Success Project, $2,000; Connecticut College, Sounds in Motion Program, $1,400; Connecticut Landmarks, Our Legacy, Our Future: Connecting Kids to History Program, $2,000; Connecticut Lyric Opera, OPERAtunities Education and Outreach Program, $1,000; Connecticut Storytelling Center, Littlest Listeners Preschool Storytelling Program, $1,000; Covenant Shelter of New London, Case Management and Shelter Services, $4,000;

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Habitats–Everyone Needs a Home Program, $4,000; Eastern Connecticut Ballet, The Nutcracker Ticket Initiative, $1,000; Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association, The Giving Garden at Coogan Farms Program, $3,000; Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Ticket Initiative for Students and Active Military Personnel, $1,000; Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, The 10th Annual Young Playwrights Festival, $2,000; F.R.E.S.H. New London, Food Education, Training and Advocacy Programs, $3,000; Flock Theatre Company, The Delivery of Benedict Arnold’s Leg Program, $3,000; Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut, Construction on 43 Summer Street, $2,000;

Higher Edge, College Access Program, $2,000; Historically Black College Alumni, College Preparatory Program, $2,500; Hygienic Art, Do The Write Thing/Picture My World Program, $2,000; Lyman Allyn Art Museum, Educational Program, $2,000; Madonna Place, Family Support Center Program, $2,000; Martin House, General Operations, $1,000; Mystic Area Shelter & Hospitality, Rapid Re-Housing for Homeless Families Program, $2,000; Natchaug Hospital, Vocational Skills and Work-Readiness Program, $2,000; New London Area Food Coalition, Food Pantry, $1,000; New London Community Boating, Sailing Lessons , $1,000; New London Homeless Hospitality Center, Financial Assistance Program, $5,000; New London Maritime Society, Support for Lighthouse History–Educational Waterfront Signage, $3,429;

New London Music Festival, 2015 Season Production Support, $2,000; Noank-Mystic Community Band, 2015 Annual Summer Sounds Concert Series, $500; Opportunities Industrialization Center of New London County, Basic Skills Readiness Course, $1,000; Safe Futures, Genesis House Emergency Shelter Program and Alternative Shelter Solutions, $3,000; Saint Francis House Inc., Hearing Youth Voices, Youth Organizing Program, $1,000; Sea Research Foundation, Where the City Meets the Sea Program, $2,000; Shoreline Soup Kitchens, Pantry Food Distribution, $2,000; Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition, The Rising Tide Series, $2,000;

Thames River Community Service, Child Development Program, $2,000; Thames Valley Council for Community Action, Emergency Client Assistance Fund (for individuals in the New London area), $2,500; The ARC of New London County, Community Life & Advocacy Program, $2,500; The New London Community Meal Center, General Operating Support, $4,000; The Riverfront Children’s Center, Polliwogs Classroom Renovation, $2,000; The Salvation Army, New London Corps’ Summer Camp Program, $1,000;

United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut, Disability Support Program, $3,000; United Community And Family Services, Services for New London Area Uninsured and Underinsured Residents, $3,000; United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, Project Warm Up, $2,000; Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut, Foot Care Clinics at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, $3,000; Waterford Country School, Special Education Program Field Trips, $2,000.