News & Events
Opinion: Community health workers deserve their promised reimbursement
CT Mirror - The General Assembly made a fundamental commitment to the health of Connecticut families in 2023, enacting legislation requiring the state to reimburse for services provided by community health workers to Medicaid enrollees. Yet, more than two years later, Connecticut’s Medicaid program still does not cover community health worker services.
Delivery drivers push through lingering road conditions to bring meals to Hartford seniors
Fox 61 - Snow cleanup efforts continue across Hartford and the surrounding areas days after a major winter storm, and while some streets remain difficult to navigate, staying off them is not an option for essential workers. Delivery drivers with the Community Renewal Team’s Meals on Wheels program are still hitting the road to make sure seniors and others in need receive food, even as slushy streets, snow piles and icy intersections slow down travel.
Meriden approves $30,000 to fill a gap for the warming shelter helping unhoused residents
The New Haven Register - The city will be contributing $30,000 to help operate an overnight warming center at the Women and Family Center on Colony Street, run by United Way, though officials questioned if the city should be giving money to a nonprofit for this.
Norwich Cold Weather shelter to be ready soon. Here’s where it stands
Norwich Bulliten - As the weather gets colder, the Norwich cold weather shelter will soon be ready for service again. The shelter, with capacity for 16, will soon reopen at 307 Main St. As of the morning of Dec. 5, the Thames Valley Council for Community Action and the City of Norwich just need to sign a lease and the shelter should open that weekend, TVCCA CEO Josh Kelly said.
Hello Connecticut: CRT Toy Drive
WFSB 3 - Community Renewal Team's (CRT) Development and Marketing Director, Elana Bernstein, joined the Hello Connecticut segment on Fox 61 to discuss CRT's Toy drive CRT will be accepting Toy donations until December 12, 2025.
Norwich Public Utilities’ discount saved $370K on electric bills this year
The Bulletin - Norwich Public Utilities' Community Assistance Rate program has saved customers an aggregate of $370,418 on their electric bills over the past 12 months. The program is now in its second year. In 2025, 2,063 customers participated in the program, according to a community announcement. NPU is the first utility in Connecticut to offer a discount for qualified customers.
Hartford renews HEART team contract but cuts hours and changes access; council seeks funding details
The Citizen Portal - Hartford’s health director told the committee on Nov. 4 that the city has renewed its contract with the HEART team for Nov. 1, 2025, through Oct. 31, 2026, but that the program will operate with modifications because of decreased funding. "Modifications of the programming have been made because of the decreased funding," Ebony Jackson Shahid said.
Local food pantries and soup kitchens overwhelmed with influx of demand
NBC CT - Less than a mile down the street at Access Community Action Agency, an emergency food distribution pop-up took place Monday afternoon. The line stretched around the building as people waited to receive bags of food and other necessities.
Government shutdown threatens to delay home heating aid for millions of low-income families
ABC News - Jacqueline Chapman is a retired school aide who relies on a $630 monthly Social Security check to get by. She was navigating the loss of her federal food aid benefits when she learned the assistance she receives for heating her Philadelphia apartment may also be at risk. “I feel like I’m living in scary times. It’s not easy to rest when you know you have things to do with limited accounts, limited funds. There isn’t too much you...
At Journey Home in West Hartford, State Announces $8 Million Grant to Impact Homelessness
We-Ha - Thursday morning’s press conference, which included Gov. Ned Lamont, several state lawmakers, and other officials, was held at the West Hartford furniture bank operated by Journey Home, an area nonprofit that is one of five area agencies that will split $4.5 million in the grant earmarked to support cold weather emergency shelters over the coming winter.