Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital in Derby to host Baby Fair

 

Register now for a free tree at Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton

SHELTON - The Children's Department at Plumb Memorial Library is working with an organization called Neighborhood Forest so that families interested in celebrating “Earth Day” can register to receive a free native-species tree in April.

Registration is open until 3/15. Info and registration can be found here:

https://www.neighborhoodforest.org/registration-services/...

Plumb Memorial Library’s Children’s Department will be the pick-up location.

If there are questions, call the 203-924-1580 extension 3.

This is shared from Shelton Library System Facebook page.

Pancake breakfast at Derby Middle School to benefit Irving School field trips

 

New executive director named at Adam's House in Shelton

Adam's House founder Allison Wysota, right, welcomes Ann O'Leary as new executive director./Contributed photo

SHELTON - Allison Wysota, founder of Adam’s House, Connecticut’s only free-standing grief education and peer support center, proudly announces the appointment of Ann O’Leary as executive director.

Driven by recent initiatives and potential for growth, Wysota recognized the importance of identifying a new executive director with a breadth of expertise in fundraising and strategic development, coupled with an authentic connection to the mission of Adam’s House.

O’Leary brings current expertise as the Principal of Nonprofit Strategy and Management to her role at Adam’s House, fostering compassionate connections and strategic partnerships to enhance mission impact and organizational growth.

“Ann is respected in philanthropic circles for her dedication to building relationships, her exceptional financial insight, and her thoughtful, team-oriented leadership style,” Wysota said.

Before joining Adam’s House, O’Leary held senior strategic and philanthropic leadership roles at United Way, YMCA, Audubon Centers, Stanwich School, and a national nonprofit media organization. 

She was honored with the Trustee Recognition Award from the Westport Y and is a two-time recipient of the Connecticut Audubon President’s Award.

O’Leary’s initial focus will be shaping and directing plans to ensure the organization’s continued success, starting with a Strategic Planning initiative that will begin in late 2025.

“Throughout my career, I have enjoyed tapping into the entrepreneurial energy of an organization to launch and expand programs, including fellowships that support leaders working to make a difference in the world,” commented O’Leary. “There is significant growth potential at Adam’s House, and I look forward to supporting grieving children through our much-needed programs.”

Wysota will continue to lead all programming. Her personalized grief education program, “Helping Hearts Heal” has helped transform the lives of more than 450 children and families since 2017. With O’Leary in place to oversee daily operations, Wysota will be able to focus on expanding and evolving the program offerings to meet the needs of grievers.

“Continued support from our friends and donors allows us to fulfill our mission to serve grieving children,” Wysota said. “With enhanced resources and planned program expansions, Adam’s House will remain a vital source of comfort and hope for families navigating loss.”

Griffin Hospital in Derby to hold annual baby fair April 26

DERBY - Expectant parents, new parents, and their families can get a good feel for the area’s maternity and child care resources from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at Griffin Health’s Annual Baby Fair.

Held at The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital, this free event features many exhibitors, special offers and discounts, raffles, door prizes, tours of the Childbirth Center and information about the Center’s classes and support groups for before and after childbirth.

Griffin Hospital offers family-centered maternity care in an environment designed to best meet individual and family needs. 

The Center features private, family-friendly rooms, expert staff for maternal and newborn care, and lactation consultants.

The Fair is sponsored by Safe Kids Greater Naugatuck Valley, a nonprofit organization working to reduce unintentional injuries to children ages 0-14 and build equitable and sustained systems that support injury prevention.

Vendor tables are available. Vendor registration is $50 for a table and a raffle prize donation. Contact egossman@griffinhealth.org for more information.

About the Childbirth Center

The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital offers family-centered maternity care in an environment that best meets individual and family needs. The Center follows a patient-centered Planetree philosophy, and is committed to providing a warm, caring atmosphere for patients, care partners and visitors. 

The Childbirth Center’s attentive and highly skilled caregivers are devoted to every patient’s needs, and take the time to genuinely get to know patients and their families, ensuring a childbirth experience that is supported with compassion and understanding. 

For more information about The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital, call 203-732-7252 or visit griffinhealth.org/baby.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

St. Mary-St. Michael School in Derby to host open house

 

Seymour Oxford Food Bank seeks sponsors for Thanksgiving dinners

250 families [as of the organization's Oct. 30 post] have already signed up to receive a Thanksgiving meal from us. We are full of gratitude for all the donations our community has already contributed to fulfill the great need.

Please consider sponsoring a family meal or a portion of the meal.

Thank you in advance for anything you can do to help. You bring blessings to others with your contributions.
The Seymour Oxford Food Bank is at 20 Pine St., Seymour.

Click this link to donate.https://seymouroxfordf.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay...



This is shared from the Seymour Oxford Food Bank's Facebook page.

Seymour Oxford Food Bank seeks sponsors for Thanksgiving dinners

250 families [as of the organization's Oct. 30 post] have already signed up to receive a Thanksgiving meal from us. We are full of gratitude for all the donations our community has already contributed to fulfill the great need.

Please consider sponsoring a family meal or a portion of the meal. 

Thank you in advance for anything you can do to help. You bring blessings to others with your contributions.

The Seymour Oxford Food Bank is at 20 Pine St., Seymour.

Click this link to donate.https://seymouroxfordf.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay...

This is shared from the Seymour Oxford Food Bank's Facebook page.

TEAM: Toys 4 Kids serves 1,959 local children in December

The numbers are in!

Drumroll, please... TEAM Toys 4 Kids served *1,959 children* right here in our community over the holidays! That's a lot of happy kids and families.

Parents and caregivers were so grateful to be able to pick out special toys for their kids and make magical holiday memories together, rather than stressing over the cost of the season.

Toys 4 Kids really makes a difference - and its success is truly a testament to what our community can do when we come together.

THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, volunteers, and neighbors who pitched in to Make Magic Happen.

This is shared from TEAM's Facebook page.

Abundant Life Fellowship Ministries in Ansonia to host Father's Day program

Men! Join us on June 17 at 10:30 am. Come out and have a great conversation with our special guest panel!

This is shared from the Abundant Life Fellowship Ministries' Facebook page.

Santa, elves at St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank in Derby help make Christmas bright

Bob Lally, President Emeritus of the Board of Directors, joins in the festivities with thrift shop manager Cindy Barbian./ Contributed photo

Volunteer reindeer Will Lasse takes a break with Santa Claus a.k.a. pantry manager Jim Fedak./ Contributed photo

St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop manager Cindy Barbian shared information about this week's annual Christmas food distribution. 

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop and Food Bank are located at 237 Roosevelt Drive, Derby. 

"We had out give out today for 60 families, but we have been giving out Christmas food since December 1st. The need is real, more and more people seeking help.

"Today [Wednesday] we helped 60 families with 6 bags of food, a ham, milk, a bag of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and apples. The children also got gifts!

"Santa Claus was there handing out candy canes, the elves were busy with the gifts, and Mrs. Claus took care of all the paperwork.  

'It was a beautiful sunny, chilly day, with smiles and laughter, and joy."

Barbian thanked the many volunteers who helped to make the day a success.

Ansonia High School slates open house for Grades 6-8, families

 

Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby to hold Project FeederWatch training

DERBY - Do you know the difference between a house sparrow and field sparrow?  

Are you a beginner or seasoned birdwatcher? If so, become a FeederWatcher!   

Attend a Project FeederWatch volunteer training from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Oct. 23 at the Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave. 

After the training, volunteers will monitor birds and maintain the bird feeding stations at the Kellogg Environmental Center from November 2021 to April 2022 on Fridays and Saturdays.  

Project FeederWatch is a community science project that studies the distribution and populations of winter bird species across the country.  

Volunteers monitor and count the number of birds at the Center’s bird feeders during pre-selected days between November and April.  

The data is carefully recorded and sent to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for compilation, analysis and publication.  

Project FeederWatch is well suited for students, teachers, families, retirees, and anyone who has an interest in birds and enjoys watching wildlife.  

All ages are welcome, but children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by adults. The training is free and open to the public.  Registration is required.  

For more information and to register, contact the Kellogg Environmental Center, 203-734-2513 or donna.kingston@ct.gov.  

The New Normal Health & Safety Guidelines for CT State Parks provides important guidance for participants and visitors (https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/COVID-19/Health_Safety_Flyer_NN_Final.pdf). 

This is a press release from the Kellogg Environmental Center.

Get your tickets for Dancing with the Stars to benefit Adam's House of Shelton

SHELTON - Adam’s House will host ‘Dancing with the Stars’ from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 15 at Birchwoods at Oak Lane in Woodbridge. 

Join us for dinner, drinks, silent auction, music and dancing. 

The highlight of the evening will be a dance competition with six local community leaders teamed up with professional dancers to wow the audience with their routines from rumba to chacha, disco to salsa, and everything in between.

Join our Masters of Ceremonies, Ron Claiborne, retired ABC News correspondent and Bill Purcell, President of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

A panel of esteemed judges will critique each routine and award the Judges’ Choice Award to the pair with the highest score. 

But don’t worry, it’s not all up to the judges! Guests, friends, family, and community supporters can cast their votes for their favorite dancing duo by visiting www.adamshousect.org/dwts2021 to crown a pair of dancers with the People’s Choice Award!

Thanks to our event partners this fundraiser is made possible by; Judges Table Sponsor:Sperry Cares; Spotlight Sponsors: Eversource, Mutual Security Credit Union, OEM Controls and Valley Community Foundation.

All proceeds from the event will go to benefit Adam’s House - a children and family grief and loss education program in Shelton that provides no-cost support to Connecticut children and their families who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

Tickets for the event are on sale now. Space is limited so don’t wait! 

Visit www.adamshousect.org/dwts2021 to reserve your seat!

Who’s Dancing?

• ●  George Logan, Director of Community Relations, Aquarion Water Co. & Lydianna Vega, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Orange

• ●  Loni Richards, CEO/President of Service After Service & Nenad Pavlovic, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Orange

• ●  Paul Tavaras, Retired Hamden Firefighter/EMT & Allyson Bettini, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Hamden

• ●  Katie Skoronski, KFC & Eric Turcio, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Hamden

• ●  Charles Stango, Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney at the Milford State’s Attorney’s Office & Amanda Meador - Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Canton

• ●  Jill Rutsky, “Helping Hearts Heal” Alumni & Stefan Zuber, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Trumbull

Volunteer to be a Friend in Grief at Adam's House in Shelton

SHELTON-  Want to volunteer in our program and be a Friend In Grief to children trying to cope with the death of a loved one? 

Become a FIG! All days must be completed in order to qualify to volunteer in group. A $100 fee includes background check and cost of materials. 

This training will be held on-site at Adam's House, 241 Coram Ave. There will be scheduled outside break-outs, weather permitting. 

All social distancing rules will be adhered to, to ensure the safety of all our volunteers.

Register now: https://bit.ly/Fall_FIG_training

This is shared from a Facebook event page.

Derby, community partners to host free self-help workshop today via Zoom

 

Shared from an event page on Facebook. 

TEAM, Inc. to hold online applications for Toys 4 Kids

 

Extra food benefits slated in April for 100K households in state

Sharing from 2-1-1 Connecticut Facebook page:

"Extra food benefits going to 100K Connecticut households April 9 & 20. 
SNAP emergency aid comes from Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. 
Full info: http://ct.gov/snap"

*Note: Just learned that the above link is broken.This one works:
https://portal.ct.gov/DSS/SNAP/Supplemental-Nutrition-Assistance-Program---SNAP?fbclid=IwAR1zpU-Yw96GNbmW__bwG9tyni6H5Fmp-6mQH_hFgRLXEdYHRWLlQ_d0jr8

Ansonia school superintendent issues update on distance learning, food distribution

TEAM early childhood program scores in top 10 percent nationwide

Who? National statistics were just released, revealing that TEAM’s Head Start & Early Childhood program scored in the top 10 percent nationwide.
TEAM is a private, non-profit human services agency whose mission is to strengthen our communities by educating, supporting, and empowering individuals and families. 
TEAM’s Head Start and Early Childhood initiatives serve low-income and vulnerable young children (prenatal to age 5) and their families throughout the Greater Naugatuck River Valley and Waterbury.

What? The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the Office of Head Start administer the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) monitoring review on all of its Head Start grantees nationwide. CLASS is a valid and reliable research-based observational instrument that assesses classroom quality, including assessing multiple dimensions of teacher-child interactions that are linked to positive child development and later achievement. CLASS includes three domains (or categories): 1) Emotional Support 2) Classroom Organization 3) Instructional Support. Within each domain are scored dimensions (a scoring range of 1 – 7, and 10 total dimensions within the original 3 domains) that capture more specific details about teachers’ interactions with children – 7 is the ideal/perfect score and 1 is extremely deficient. 
TEAM scored in the top 10 percent nationwide across all three domains for the 2018 federal monitoring that included TEAM and 461 other Head Start programs across the country.