News & Events
Data: Nearly Half of CT Residents Live in a ‘Child Care Desert’
Child care provider Tara Kennedy hears from more prospective families than she has the space to enroll. “I get several requests weekly from families looking for child care, either moving into the area or going back to work, or wanting their children to get back out into the socializing world after not seeing people for the last year and a half,” said Kennedy, the director and owner of Cedar Gables Preschool & Childcare in Danbury.
Help Available for Those Needing Help with Energy Bills
Globalized economic pressures, crippled delivery systems, depleted energy supplies, escalating inflation, and new COVID-19 challenges have catalyzed an increasing number of Connecticut residents to seek energy assistance this year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently projected 54% price increases for propane, 30% for natural gas, 43% for heating oil and 6% for electric heat. U.S. Census Bureau surveys indicate more than 21% of Connecticut residents were unable to meet their energy costs last year.
Hartford Finalizing Contracts with CRT, Wheeler for New Civilian Crisis Response Team
The city of Hartford is in talks with two local agencies about running a new civilian crisis intervention team to complement the police department, a program Mayor Luke Bronin initially hoped to launch this past summer. The mayor’s office said it may award contracts to both Community Renewal Team and Wheeler Clinic to implement the new Hartford Community Responders program, which will provide an alternative to an armed police response in certain non-violent situations.
Winter Heating Costs are Expected to Spike: How you can get Financial Help
With winter weather approaching and heating costs rising, Gov. Ned Lamont is reminding Connecticut residents about home heating assistance. Lamont and the commissioners of the Department of Social Services, the Department of Housing, and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spoke at the Human Resources Agency. The commissioners said their agencies have resources and programs for people who need help paying their heating bills.
Travelers Donates Car to CRT on ‘Giving Tuesday’ to Deliver Meals to Those in Need
On “Giving Tuesday,” a global movement that encourages people to give back to their community, Travelers made sure needy families get the help they need to put food on the table. Travelers donated a refurbished car to the Community Renewal Team. The CRT said the vehicle will be used to deliver meals to those in need across the state. "Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together through generosity and kindness.
To Keep Up with Increased Need in 39 Connecticut Towns, a Bozrah Commissary Gets a Remodel
Eugene Theroux, director of nutrition services for the Thames Valley Council for Community Action, has seen the need for area senior citizens' food access increase over the years. “We have more individuals that are retiring, because of the baby boomers, so as time goes on, that will only increase the number of people that will be in our service as they get older,” Theroux said. This increased need led the organization to revamp its commissary.
Free Weatherization Program to Help Residents Save Money Gets Funding Infusion
As the cold weather moves in and Connecticut braces for soaring home heating costs, a program to help low-income residents save money is getting a huge infusion this year. The recently passed federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill includes $3.5 billion earmarked for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), a federal program administered by the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. This is about 10 times what was allocated last year.
Annual Breakfast to Support TEAM Toys 4 Kids Made Magic Happen for Over 1,000 Children
The TEAM Toys 4 Kids event kicked off Sunday in Seymour, serving over one thousand children. In the season of supply chain struggles and COVID-19, these Valley residents went all in to make magic happen for the kids. The Yankee Clipper Barbershop owners Tom and Diane Baklik hosted their annual fundraiser breakfast to benefit the largest holiday toy drive in the region, TEAM Toys 4 Kids. Guests were asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy for donation.
As COVID Changes the Face of Need in CT, Poverty-Fighting Agency Doubles Space in Downtown Danbury
A poverty-fighting agency that serves families in need from Greenwich to the Massachusetts border has doubled its space in downtown Danbury to house new services and reach more people in time for the busy cold-weather season. The Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut now has room for its food pantry, for more case management and energy assistance cubicles, and for a classroom space with plans to run language and life skills programs.
Experts: CT Baby Bond Program Provides Kids Born Into Poverty with Brighter Future
Like most parents, Shondell Vann wants the best for her child. She doesn’t want her 2-month-old daughter, Maria Jackson, to grow up with limits or restrictions. So the Bridgeport resident was excited about the CT Baby Bonds program, which started July 1, and creates a trust for babies whose births are covered by the state’s Medicaid program. When those children are between the ages of 18 and 30, they can submit a claim to access funds from the trust.