The Organic Role of Libraries as Centers of Inclusiveness and Support

January 22, 2019;  Source: Next City

People may check out fewer books from libraries than they used to, but libraries have continued to grow as their role as community hubs deepens. Here at NPQ, we have profiled libraries that have become maker spaces, supported gardening, and rented out musical instruments. In some cities, librarians have been trained to administer Narcan to interrupt opioid overdoses. In Ferguson and in Baltimore, as those cities were in a state of unrest after the killings of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, respectively, the libraries served as sanctuaries, remaining open to the community. They have, in some cases, even been affordable housing partners...

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2019/01/24/the-organic-role-of-libraries-as-centers-of-inclusiveness-and-support/

In New Haven:

Now in its sixth year, NHFPL continues its successful partnership with Liberty Community Services (LCS), offering one-on-one consultations for those with basic needs (jobs, food, shelter, and health and wellness issues). In 2018, LCS had 976 appointments and served 563 individuals (with 268 waitlisted). In the fall of 2018 the LCS and NHFPL forged a new partnership with SCSU’s graduate Social Work program, whereby trained graduate interns, (whose academic clinical experience is overseen by Community Services Administrator, Dr. Muley), carry out their field credit work at Ives Main Library. LCS’s library case managers are trained to use the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and are credentialed to conduct emergency Coordinated Access Network (CAN) assessments. NHFPL also received a National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) grant that allows it to expand LCS services to the Fair Haven and Wilson library branches, effective January 2019. The grant includes monies earmarked for books on health and wellness in English and Spanish. The NNLM recognizes public libraries as trusted sources of health and wellness information, such as the freely available MedlinePlus.gov web site among other quality resources. For more information contact John Jessen: jjessen@nhfpl.org

Source: City Librarian Martha Brogan.

Barbara’s reporting got us thinking about the importance of urban trees, so we called up Colleen Murphy-Dunning to learn more. She is the Director of the Hixon Center for Urban Ecology and the Urban Resources Initiative at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. 

Hear the interview hear: https://nenc.news/podcast/episode-130-bobcats-on-the-prowl-in-new-england-small-colleges-battle-to-survive/

East Boston neighbors walk by a tree recently planted on Trenton Street. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR

The CT Community Nonprofit Alliance (The Alliance) and the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (CCP) are working together to better understand how the new tax law and state budget crisis are affecting nonprofits in Connecticut, what nonprofits and grantmakers are doing to address these challenges, and what more could be done to support the health of Connecticut's nonprofit sector. Analysis of this survey will be shared with all participants and the public later this winter.
 
We hope you will add your organization's perspective.
 
Here is the Nonprofit Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FBV8MVF
 
All responses will be confidential and reported in aggregate. Please participate by Friday, February 8.
 
Many thanks for sharing your time and information!

Late last month,  published a piece with the somewhat incendiary title “How placemaking is tearing apart social housing communities.” The article tells a distressing story of a local east London council forcing the relocation of social housing residents so the estate could be refurbished, and how years later, hundreds of units remain empty as displaced residents have yet been able to return. The details as described are a little murky — or perhaps I just got lost in the British English — but the author, Nye Jones, was crystal clear on one point: placemaking was to blame...

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2019/01/16/how-placemaking-can-empower-urban-communities-not-tear-them-apart/

Project, general operating and capacity building support for nonprofits working in Greater New Haven.

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s annual responsive grants process is open. The responsive grants process is the largest source of competitive grant funding from The Foundation and is offered in conjunction with its partner in philanthropy serving the Valley, the Valley Community Foundation. 

Nonprofits serving The Foundation’s twenty-town region are encouraged to apply. Three types of responsive grants are available: general operating support; programmatic support; and capacity building support. Amounts vary from $7,500 and higher. Applications are subject to eligibility restrictions, including adherence to The Community Foundation’s anti-discrimination policy. 

The deadline for responsive grants is March 28 at 5 p.m.

Learn more and apply 

Informational webinars introducing grantseekers to The Foundation's grant processes and responsive grant applications will be available in February. Check here for the updated schedule.

Other Grant Opportunities

The Community Fund for Women & Girls is accepting applications for the 2019 grants cycle through Wednesday, January 30, 2019. Grants from this fund whose purpose is to advance women and girls are awarded to gender-specific initiatives that are intentional, equitable and well-informed.  Learn more here.

The Community Foundation has several other competitive grant processes including: Year-round Small Grants, Sponsorships, Scholarships, and the Konopacke Fund for nonprofit animal shelters. 

Click here for a complete list of our available grant programs and upcoming deadlines. 

Catholic Charities/Centro San Jose is seeking a full time Family Center Director. Candidates must

• Possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, or Related Field.
• Be bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Possess supervisory experience in programs serving young children and families

Please see the attached job description and/or email LPawlik@ccaoh.org for more information or to apply.

Catholic%20Charities-Centro%20San%20Jose%20Director.doc

Tax Prep Season is almost here and Junta for Progressive Action need volunteers! We need dedicated folks to become certified volunteer tax preparers at our VITA site in Fair Haven. We are asking you to serve as a volunteer one day a week during tax season: Mondays or Wednesdays from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. (Bilingual preferred but not necessary) Please contact us at info@juntainc.org for more details. 

Project, General Operating and Capacity Building Grants Available to Nonprofits

New Haven, CT (January 11, 2019) - The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s annual responsive grants process is open. The responsive grants process is the largest source of competitive grant funding from The Foundation and is offered in conjunction with its partner in philanthropy serving the Valley, the Valley Community Foundation. 

Nonprofits serving The Foundation’s twenty-town region are encouraged to apply. Three types of responsive grants are available: general operating support; programmatic support; and capacity building support. Amounts vary from $7,500 and higher. Applications are subject to eligibility restrictions, including adherence to The Community Foundation’s anti-discrimination policy. 

The deadline for responsive grants is March 28 at 5 p.m.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY 

Black and Latino youth are over represented in the juvenile justice system and disproportionately expelled or suspended from school.  Recent work by the Center for Children’s Advocacy is tackling these disparities by successfully pushing reforms through the schools and courts.

In New Haven, the CCA used a recent grant from The Community Foundation to work with city and public school officials to standardize a support network for youths discharged from incarceration. The funding is part of The Foundation's reentry strategy to create opportunities for and improve the lives of people released from incarceration. 

CCA helped craft a new youth reentry protocol for New Haven Public Schools that establishes a pre-release team that engages youth prior to reentry, beginning 90 days before discharge. The protocol also requires that discharged youth receive an orientation with the pre-release team, a risk assessment with a clinician to determine community services needed, one-on-one engagement with a case manager, and development of a transition plan that addresses educational reentry, housing, safety and basic needs. 

CCA’s work on the reentry protocol is part of its Racial and Ethnic Disparities Reduction Project. In other work, the project helped the New Haven Juvenile Probation and the Juvenile Review Board (JRB) collaborate to ensure that New Haven youth who are arrested for minor offenses in neighboring towns are diverted to the JRB as an alternative to court involvement. 

In another success, CCA advocated for the passage of Public Act No. 17-25, AN ACT CONCERNING "SEXTING" BY A CHILD, which ensures that all children under eighteen years of age are not charged with a felony for sexting behavior and are instead charged with a misdemeanor. 

Did you know? 

More than half of the men released from Connecticut Department of Corrections facilities (DOC) had been incarcerated before age 22. OPM - Criminal Justice Policy & Planning Division CT recidivism rates

This story is part of the Inspiration Monday story series produced by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

As the IRS implements this major tax legislation, check this page for updates and resources to learn how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) affects retirement plans, tax exempt organizations and governments.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-exempt-government-entities

GUILFORD, CT - To mark the tragic one year anniversary of the death of Ethan Song from a gun shot, friends of the Songs are planning a special event to honor his memory.

Friends of the family had this to say about the plans:

https://patch.com/connecticut/guilford/ethan-song-foundation-benefit-hungry-columbus-house

Source: Guilford Patch

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) - The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis across the country. 

Connecticut, too, is feeling the pain.   

Source:

WTNH News 8: https://www.wtnh.com/news/health/promising-research-could-lead-to-opioid-vaccine/1692224787

Green Schoolyards America connects ecological innovation with education, equity, and community engagement.

Source: 

Read more: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/schools_most_untapped_resource

The NBCUniversal Foundation, along with NBC and Telemundo Owned Television Stations are hosting “Project Innovation,” a grant challenge program that will recognize nonprofit organizations that are tackling everyday problems through innovative solutions.

This year, nearly $2.5M will be awarded nationally, with $225,000 granted among three to eight non-profit organizations in 11 communities around the country, including Connecticut. 

 
The four funding categories are:

• Community Engagement - Programs that enable individuals to engage and volunteer in their communities

• Culture of Inclusion - Programs that seek to build pathways for diverse and equitable communities

• Next Generation Storytellers - Programs that empower the next generation of storytellers and utilize media to drive social impact

• Youth Education - Programs that equip youth with the tools they need to succeed, including STEM/ STEAM education  

Eligibility criteria in either English or Spanish. The application will be live January 11- February 15.  Additionally, we will be hosting an informational webinar to share more about Project Innovation and answer questions on Tuesday, January 22nd at 4 p.m. Here is the registration link for the webinar.

Happy New Year! I'm looking for volunteer opportunities for University of New Haven students where they will provide direct service focusing on basic needs.

I’m currently working with Dr. Jason Jordan who will be offering a class called Poverty in American History. This course examines the social and institutional history of poverty in American history. Students will use both primary and secondary sources to understand the causes and effects of poverty on individuals and communities as well as changes over time in popular perceptions of the poor. This class will cover topics such as education, health, stereotypes, generational poverty, and government aid programs.

We are looking for an organization where our students could volunteer on a regular basis from early February – late April/early May. We would like our students to be able to provide a service that meets an actual need of your organization while the students connect with the local community. Students would benefit by interacting and engaging with people who have been impacted by government policies, education inequality, inadequate health insurance, etc. We would come to the organization with the intention of helping and our students would be learners. We would be cautious and cognizant not to exploit the people using your services.

If you think that you might have a service project for students, I can be reached at sanastos@newhaven.edu or at 203-479-4588. Thank you! Sally Anastos