Nonprofit in Derby makes Easter bright for 100 needy families

These are some of the brightly wrapped Easter baskets that were distributed Tuesday at St. Vincent de Paul Helping Hands of the Valley in Derby./Contributed photo

Stay tuned for a story about the annual Easter distribution in the next issue of The Valley Voice newsletter.

Griffin Hospital in Derby to host 'Aging with Grace' workshop

Griffin Hospital and the Connecticut Council of Parish Nurse Coordinators will host an informational workshop for area senior care support organizations April 16./Contributed photo

DERBY - Griffin Hospital and the Connecticut Council of Parish Nurse Coordinators will host “Aging with Grace,” an informational workshop for parish nurses, clergy, seniors, and caregivers from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. April 16 at the hospital dining room, 130 Division St.

The workshop will feature presentations from area senior care support organizations and information tables on area resources. 

Maria Tomasetti, South Central regional director of the Alzheimer’s Association CT Chapter, will present, “Healing Your Grieving Heart for Caregivers and People with Dementia.” 

Dr. Beverly Kidder, director of the Aging Resource Center at the Agency on Aging of South Central CT, will present, “Gift of Caregiving.” 

Suzanne Reilly, director of Elderly Services at TEAM Inc., will present, “Resources 101 for Seniors and Caregivers.” Tracy Parks, coordinator of Community Education and Training at the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services, will present “The Many Faces of Elder Abuse.”

The cost is $10 per person, which includes a box lunch and refreshments. 

To register, call St. Vincent’s Parish Nurse Office 203-576-5558. Deadline for registration is April 8.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

My Sister's Place in Ansonia partners with Helping Hands thrift store in Orange

Marie Gabriel, Matt Irizarry, and Nancy Cahoon of BHcare accept a check for $489.96 from Helping Hands Community Thrift Store owner Allen Klein, third from left, for items sold in the Thrift Store for the month of January./Contributed photo

ANSONIA - My Sister’s Place is a thrift store and donation center at 380 Main St. that has been raising money to support BHcare’s The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. 
The store relies on people dropping off donations and are not able to pick up donations, nor are they allowed to sell upholstered furniture. 

Helping Hands has partnered with My Sister’s Place in an effort to generate more funds for The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. 
Helping Hands will pick up your donations of furniture and appliances as well as large quantities of boxed and bagged items which will benefit My Sister’s Place.  

Helping Hands will accept your gently used upholstered furniture as long as it is not stained, torn or overly worn as well as your gently used mattresses and box springs.  Helpings Hands also does house cleanouts with the value of your donated items reducing the cost of the cleanout.  You simply need to call the Helping Hands warehouse at 203-782-4800 to arrange your pick up or to get a quote for a cleanout.

The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services is dedicated to increasing awareness of domestic violence and its effect on the community, empowering those victimized by providing advocacy and safe and effective services, and working for social change to eliminate domestic violence. 

UCDVS offers walk-in crisis services and a 24-hour hotline, emergency safe housing, Family Violence Victim Advocates and court based advocates, transitional housing, legal advocacy, community education, and much more.

Furniture Bank provides assistance

Helping Hands is raising money for over 150 nonprofits through its Thrift Store at 334 Boston Post Road, Orange, and is operating a Furniture Bank that provides furniture essentials to the clients of its social service partners.  

The Furniture Bank has helped people leaving domestic violence situations, homeless people moving into permanent housing, and many others. 
You can drop off your donations of clothing, housewares, knickknacks, and more at the Helping Hands Thrift Store and designate your donation to My Sister’s Place.

Together, My Sister’s Place and Helping Hands are making a difference for many people confronting domestic violence. Please consider donating your “stuff” to benefit UCDVS.  

You can check out Helping Hands at www.helpinghandsctfb.com or on Facebook. You can access info on UCDVS at http://www.bhcare.org/page/22595.

If you are in crisis, call 203-736-9944 or 203-789-8104. The toll-free number is 1-888-774-2900.

This is a press release from Helping Hands.

PKD Challenge for March: Day 23 ~ Spread awareness with photo

March 23

The average normal kidney is the size of a human fist. 

Polycystic kidneys can get as large as a football, weighing up to 30 pounds each. 

Share this photo to help spread awareness of PKD.