Griffin Health supports TEAM's Valley Flood Relief Fund

 

Hope and Healing for Our Neighbors

Griffin Health is supporting and spreading the word about TEAM Inc.'s Valley Flood Relief Fund, which provides direct assistance to Valley individuals and households impacted by the flood, including but not limited to modest levels of support for their personal health and safety, shelter, and/or other basic living needs.

If you can help, please visit www.griffinhealth.org/valleyflood to support our neighbors in need.

Shared from Griffin Hospital's Facebook page.

Legislature approves $34M COVID-19 assistance for essential workers

The legislature has approved the Connecticut Essential Worker COVID-19 Assistance Fund to provide $34 million in assistance to support the critical workers who helped keep the state open during the pandemic.

The program is being overseen by the State Comptroller with claim processing and payments handled by Public Consulting Group on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are exhausted.

In order to be eligible, specific criteria must be met, including but not limited to:

• I was a resident of Connecticut between March 10, 2020 and July 20, 2021.
• I was employed as an essential worker living in Connecticut between March 10, 2020 and July 20, 2021.
• I contracted COVID-19 between March 10, 2020 and July 20, 2021.
• I had lost wages due to the inability to work after a COVID-19 diagnosis or related illness.
• I had out-of-pocket medical expenses due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or related illness.
• My relative/family member was an essential worker who died as a result of COVID-19, after being diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 10, 2020 and July 20, 2021.

For more information and to check eligibility, please go to: https://www.ctessentialworkerrelief.org/

Sincerely,

Derby Historical Society establishes fund at Valley Community Foundation

                                        Derby Historical Society photo

The Valley Community Foundation has  announced establishment of the Derby Historical Society Organization Fund. 

This six-figure fund will be invested and managed in a way that will enable the rich history of the Lower Naugatuck Valley to carry on far into the future.

 

Sharon Closius, VCF President and CEO, said, “It is often said that the soul of a community can be found within its history, and there is so much history in the Valley. We are thrilled to be able to partner with the Derby Historical Society and, through this fund, support the organization’s programs so future generations can continue to learn from the region’s incredibly rich past.”

 

Nonprofit organizations like DHS can establish organization funds with VCF. 

These types of funds are non-endowed and for investment purposes only. 

VCF through its partner in philanthropy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, is able to invest the Society’s reserves in a much larger asset pool. In doing so, a nonprofit is provided with a stable source of distributable revenue over the long term.

 

As the steward of the Lower Naugatuck Valley region’s colonial past, the DHS promotes that legacy and has taken steps to ensure that those today and far into the future will have the opportunity to explore and enjoy its wonderful story.

 

Albert “Duke” Misiewicz, Board President, said, “We understand that we occupy temporary roles as stewards for DHS, which, itself, is a small nonprofit. DHS does not have the financial expertise within our organization to manage investments. This is a tremendous benefit as it allows our staff and volunteers to better allocate limited resources and promote local history.”

 

Daniel L. Bosques, Executive Director, said, “DHS has been around for a long time and we are lucky our predecessors provided a financial situation that enabled us to create this fund. One of our main objectives is to grow this fund so that we can properly cover the costs associated with keeping our doors open. Over time, we would like to leave members of future DHS Boards with a continuously improving financial position [compared to] what we inherited.”

“VCF has a reputation for helping nonprofits in the Valley,” Misiewicz said. “The decision to invest our reserves with VCF is a win-win for everyone involved and represents the direction we want to be heading.”

 

DHS has a longstanding relationship with VCF. When it came time for the DHS Board of Directors to evaluate the financial future of the Society, it was a natural choice to create an organization fund at VCF. As an investment vehicle, this organization fund aligns with the long-term goals of the Society and allows the organization to accept bequests, non-traditional gifts such as securities, real estate, and life insurance through VCF.

 

DHS is based out of the Gen. David Humphreys' house, 37 Elm St., Ansonia. 

The house was originally constructed in 1698, long before Ansonia, Seymour, and Oxford separated from the City of Derby. 

For 323 years, there have been logs burning in the fireplace and an open hearth for cooking. Standing the test of time, it is here that DHS holds many of its historic programs and events.

One such program is A Day in 1762, which has run continuously for 40 years and is the backbone of the Society. 

The program provides fifth-grade students with an opportunity to have a hands-on experience of what life was like back in colonial times for someone their age.

 

“Just like you pass on your own family stories to gain a better understanding of who you are, the Valley’s colorful past is a great way to foster a sense of pride within our community,” Misiewicz said. “Through this fund, it is our responsibility to preserve the past so that others in the future can share that same appreciation.”

This is a press release from the Valley Community Foundation.

Seymour banners to support first responders, medical workers, COVID-19 fund

Are you looking for a way to show your support to our First Responders, Medical Personnel and all of the Essential Employees that are working hard for each and every one of us? 
Are you looking for a way to help the many charitable organizations in the Valley that need our support? If so, please consider purchasing a personalized banner to be hung from a telephone pole in town. 
Your donation of $132 includes the banner and a $25 donation to the Valley Community Foundation COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. 
If you are interested, you can call Joe at Grand Concepts at 203-881-2332 to order yours today. 
Any questions, please let us know.  #seymourstrong

*Shared from the Office of the First Selectman of Seymour Facebook page.

Griffin Hospital in Derby creates fund in memory of nurse with 'caring spirit'

  Wesley 'Wes' Valentine 

DERBY - When longtime Griffin Health Nurse Wesley “Wes” Valentine of Ansonia passed away this summer, the hospital and the community lost an extraordinary and caring spirit who was committed to helping others.

Griffin is keeping Valentine’s legacy of kindness and compassion alive with the Nursing Innovation and Technology Fund that will support new technologies to advance nursing care at Griffin Hospital.

“Everyone at Griffin knew and loved Wes,” said Ashley D'Agostino MSN, RN, WCC, Clinical Nurse Educator. “He always saw the good in everyone and everything, which was evident by the exceptional care he delivered day in and day out. Patients would always ask for him, wondering if he was working that day or when he was coming back. 
"Wes was smart and easy going and always took the time to explain things to his fellow caregivers. His compassion, kindness, empathetic nursing approach, and ability to relate to patients was the definition of what a nurse should be.”

Valentine was a nurse at Griffin for more than 20 years. 

After graduating Ansonia High School, he had aspirations of being a physician, but soon discovered the profession wasn’t for him. He knew he wanted to help people, and since he had several aunts who were nurses, Valentine enrolled in an accelerated nursing program and started working at Griffin after receiving his nursing degree.

Valentine later moved to San Francisco where he trained EMTs at the University of San Francisco, managed three health care centers for the Karuk Indian Tribe, and trained multiple staff members at Google and the San Francisco 49ers in first aid and critical care. 

In 2008, he moved back to Connecticut to help take care of his parents. He began working in the Griffin Emergency Department and earned the hospital’s Outstanding Nurse of the Year Award and Employee of the Year Award in May 2011.

Valentine transferred to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit in 2014. Around that time, he was diagnosed with cancer and was given a six-month life expectancy. Determined to keep helping others while battling the disease, he outlived the prognosis by five years - spreading joy the entire time.

“You could never have a bad day when you were working with Wes. He brightened up every challenging situation by always finding a way to make you laugh or smile,” D’Agostino said. “He had a positive and adventurous outlook on life always traveling and wanting to see new places in the world. But most of all he was strong, determined, and had the will to succeed- never letting his cancer diagnosis define him or his life.”

Valentine’s love for life and his respect and care for others was built through a solid upbringing in Ansonia. 

His family and his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins lived together in the Benz and Milan streets neighborhood. 

Valentine respected the family values instilled by his grandparents, and he always enjoyed leading conversations about the strong and proud ideals that were handed down to him and his cousins.

“Wes was a very easy-going, happy and resilient professional,” said Dan Tuccio, Physician Support-Marketing and International Patient Services Manager at Griffin and a cousin of Valentine. 
“He treated patients like family and made sure to put them first. His very presence comforted patients and caregivers. Wes had an innate way about him to calm and reassure. He had ‘gold plated confidence.’”

Griffin Vice President of Patient Care Services Barbara Stumpo considers herself blessed for having worked alongside with Valentine during his first tenure at Griffin and then again as a trusted member of the CRCU when he returned in 2008.

When Valentine passed away, Griffin started receiving donations in his name for the hospital. Stumpo decided to set up a fund to help support his passion and carry on his commitment to exceptional patient care.

“We thought he’d be so happy to create an opportunity to invest in technologies that could advance care for nursing at Griffin, especially in CRCU,” Stumpo said. “Wes will be greatly missed here at Griffin.”

To donate to the Nursing Technology Innovation Fund in memory of Wes Valentine, contact the Griffin Health Development Fund, 203-732-7504.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Collicelli Legacy Awards dinner slated at La Sala Banquet Hall in Derby

Nick Collicelli

Birthday bash in Derby to benefit fund at Valley Community Foundation

A message from Marc J. Garofalo: 

Dear Family and Friends, 

Thirty years ago this August, my father took me to Italy for the first time. 
The trip was one of the significant experiences of my life. We didn’t go to Rome, Naples, Florence or Venice. We stayed in the hometown of our ancestors and it was life changing. When you experience the everyday culture of a place, your eyes are opened to sights you never imagined. 

As I walked the same streets as so many generations of my family, I wanted everyone to share this type of cultural experience at least once in their lives. 
I was very lucky growing up that my parents exposed us to diverse experiences - live theater, music, the World Series, good food, bus trips, professional football, European adventures, and other priceless memories that we carry with us today. 

As the first half century of my life comes to a close, I want to celebrate it forward for future generations by establishing a charitable fund at the Valley Community Foundation. 
The Marc J. Garofalo Cultural Experience Fund will help young people of Derby and vicinity enjoy a unique experience that they might not choose or could not afford. It is not a scholarship, but a vehicle to open the minds and hearts of the next generation by sponsoring a cultural experience that will inspire a lifetime of passion and learning. 

My hope is that the opportunity of a new or diverse adventure may change someone’s world or simply create a great memory to cherish forever. 
This is the inspiration of the Fund and the spirit with which I offer it to the next generation. What better way to get the ball rolling than to host a night of experiences with you! We will have a cabaret stage show with live music and singers, some great stories, some bad jokes, a DJ for dancing, raffles, a silent and live auction, and other surprises. I do not want any gifts. 
The event is a BYO food and drinks. We will be serving special desserts and coffee for your enjoyment. I hope you share my passion and will share generously to make this dream a reality. 

I look forward to seeing you on June 16, 2017 for a cultural experience 50 years in the making. 

Sincerely, 
Marc J. Garofalo

Dinner slated in Ansonia to benefit Collicelli Legacy Fund

ANSONIA – A dinner program highlighting the 40 years of service provided by the late Nicholas Collicelli to the youth of Ansonia, Derby, Hamden, and other communities will be held May 5 at Ansonia High School.

The Nick Collicelli Legacy Fund Dinner program begins at 6 p.m. and concludes at 8:30 p.m.

All of the money raised at the dinner will go to the Nicholas Collicelli Legacy Fund, established last summer by the Collicelli Family to support programs and individuals that best exemplify Nick’s passion for bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together in the quest to celebrate our common good.

The first Legacy Fund awards will be announced at the May 5 event.

Collicelli, a lifelong Ansonia resident, was an educator, mentor, and friend whose advice and guidance inspired countless lives, according to Tony Russo, a committee member who worked with Collicelli for 30 years in Hamden. “Nick’s efforts to fight prejudice were realized through the formation of the Human Relations Club,” he added. The HRC is still in existence in Ansonia and Derby with more than 150 members.

Tickets are $50 per person, and meal choices are grilled filet mignon with balsamic-citrus sauce; grilled boneless chicken breast with sweet-savory sauce; and medley of sautéed vegetables over capellini.

Online reservations may be made on Eventbrite.com. The deadline for reservations is April 21.

For further information, please email collicellifund@gmail.com.



This is a press release from Ansonia Public Schools.

Amico Scholarship Fund donates $3,000 to Griffin Hospital in Derby

Nick and Evelyn Amico, far right and second from right, along with Stan Biga present a $3,000 gift to Griffin Hospital President/CEO Patrick Charmel from the Joseph P. Amico Scholarship Fund. /Contributed photo

DERBY - Griffin Hospital recently received a $3,000 donation from the Joseph P. Amico Scholarship Fund.

The Fund was created in memory of Joseph Amico, a former Ansonia High School graduate, Bethany resident, and son of Nicholas and Evelyn Amico. 

It benefits children of employees of Sikorsky Aircraft and Griffin Hospital. 

The gift will be directed toward the greatest needs of the hospital.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Derby mayor asks contributions to show appreciation to military personnel

Names of those serving are also sought

Siblings establish fund for Shelton students at Valley Community Foundation

Susan and Bob Chlebowski

Shelton natives Bob Chlebowski and sister, Susan Chlebowski, have established a $250,000 scholarship fund at the Valley Community Foundation in memory of their parents to benefit a Shelton High School student. 

This scholarship will be awarded to a college-bound graduating senior selected by Shelton High School each year. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years per recipient.

Beth Smith, Headmaster of Shelton High School, said, “We are honored that this substantial scholarship fund will have a long-lasting impact on Shelton High School students for generations to come. We take pride in educating our students about the importance of giving back to the community. The Chlebowski family is an embodiment of that lesson and an inspiration, not only to the scholarship recipients that will receive this award, but to our whole student body at what can be accomplished when we give back.”

Chlebowski, an Executive Vice President with Wells Fargo in San Francisco, and his sister, Susan, a psychiatrist practicing in New York, grew up in Shelton. 

Their parents, Irene and Stan “Smiles” Chlebowski, were lifelong Valley residents who taught their children the importance of supporting the Shelton community from a very early age.

“Our parents always stressed the importance of education as a way to grow professionally and as a person,” said Bob Chlebowski. 

Susan Chlebowski added, “They made great sacrifices for our education and we could not think of a better way to honor them than by helping students in the years to come through this scholarship.”

Sharon Closius, President & CEO at the Valley Community Foundation, said, “This is an incredible example of public philanthropy empowering Valley students to succeed through education. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Chlebowski family for creating a real difference in the lives of students who may not have the means to continue their academic endeavors.”

For details to contribute to this scholarship, or another award program benefiting Shelton High School students, contact the Valley Community Foundation, 203-751-9162.

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of grant dollars each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. 

In addition to grantmaking, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton. 

To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, visit the website at www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President, Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162.

This is a press release from the Valley Community Foundation.