Emilie Montgomery is the new director of the Community Renewal Team's Early Care and Education program. Montgomery began her post on Jan. 28 but will be formally introduced at a March 6 public reception from 3 to 5 p.m. at CRT's Hartford offices at 555 Windsor Street. CRT provides early child education programs to more than 1,400 pupils a year, including Head Start, in Hartford, Windsor, Bloomfield, Portland, Clinton, Middletown as well as delegates in East Hartford and Bristol.

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The Community Renewal Team Senior Services Gatekeeper Program relies on neighbors, family, mail carriers, hairdressers and others who encounter seniors to make referrals, then dispatches social workers to assess the situation and refer people to any services that are appropriate. The program includes education about signs of problems for people likely to come into contact with seniors, including postal workers, meals-on-wheels delivery workers, residential property managers, visiting nurses and seniors.

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While housing security is a larger problem in Connecticut, Wilson and other advocates say it is especially compelling for veterans, some who have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I don’t think veterans who sacrifice for us should come home and be homeless,” she said.

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On the last Friday in January, 12 new clients signed up to receive food packages from the Open Choice Food Pantry at 781 Whalley Ave. So far, the pantry is on track to serve more people this winter than the 800 families served last year, said Isadora Del Vecchio, business development and program coordinator for the Community Action Agency of New Haven, which operates the pantry.

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On Jan. 25, staff members at shelters and transitional housing programs across the state conducted a point in time homelessness count. The count is an attempt to get a snapshot of the number of homeless people that state agencies and other agencies are trying to help.

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Terri LaBarre is working with the Lisbon Walmart to collect enough yarn to make at least 50 adult-sized hats and scarves and more than 100 child-sized hats, scarves, slippers and mittens to outfit children and their parents staying at the Thames Valley Council for Community Action family shelter.

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Free income tax help centers will open Thursday across the state. In Danbury, Mayor Mark D. Boughton, in partnership with the Greater Danbury Tax Assistance Coalition, the IRS, and the Connecticut Association for Human Services, announced their opening with U.S. Congressman Chris Murphy.

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Last fall, the federal government made drastic cuts to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps needy families obtain heat at little or no cost. Many families are at risk of simply running out of fuel.

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Waterbury, Conn.- New Opportunities' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is set to kickoff on Saturday, January 28th and run through April 4th at New Opportunities' Waterbury and Meriden locations.

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Two years ago, the Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) partnered its Head Start program with the Colchester school system, providing free preschool educational programs for 19 low-income families at Colchester Elementary School. Head Start provides staffing and materials, and Colchester provides the space. “It’s a necessity for the success of kids as they enter into kindergarten. They need that educational foundation,” she said. According to Flynn, in the 2005-2006 school year, about 55 percent of Colchester kindergartners had attended preschool.

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