New London — The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut announced Tuesday that it will hand out more than $664,000 in scholarships to more than 260 students in the region.

In a release, the foundation said the college scholarship award total this year and into the future is "unprecedented ... made possible through the generosity of donors who believe in the power of education to change lives."

Forty-two communities in eastern Connecticut were represented in the award totals, some of which are for multiple years.

“We are very fortunate that our donors share with us a resolve to remove the financial barriers for area students as they pursue their educational dreams and to create opportunities where few to none exist,” said Maryam Elahi, president and CEO of the foundation, in a statement.

She said the foundation is focused on closing the “opportunity gap” among students by making higher education more accessible.

"Scholarships are one of the critical ways to close this gap, especially over the last decade when tuition costs have skyrocketed," the foundation's release stated.

Affiliated with Community Foundation Opportunity Network that was inspired by sociologist Robert Putnam, author of "Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis," the foundation forms partnerships with local donors, nonprofits and other agencies.

“Supporting the future of young people in our communities is fundamentally important to our success," said Govind Menon, chairman of the foundation's board, in a statement. "We are extremely pleased that our 103 scholarship funds enable us to make this important investment in our young people as they go out into the world and become the leaders of tomorrow.”

To see a full list of scholarship winners, go to bit.ly/cfectscholars.