All Posts (22)

Sort by

New Haven CT- Cheryl Burack, Executive Director of Family Centered Services of CT has been selected to represent the CT Coalition for Child Development Education (CCCDE) at the 15th World Congress of the World Association for Mental Health in Prague, Czech Republic to be held May 29-June 2, 2016.   Burack will be giving a Poster Presentation and discussion on behalf of the group and co-authors, Robert Margolies, Ph.D. and Janet Pozmantier, M.S.W. 

 

The mission of the CCCDE is to provide all Connecticut high school students with prerequisite knowledge to prepare for the early care of human beings.  A long term vision is to build child development centers in high schools, where teacher and community day care is present, providing a community service as well as teaching platform for educational activities. In her role as a member of the steering committee of CCCDE, Burack has advanced its mission and philosophy that parenting is life’s most important endeavor, and is the underpinning or our entire social structure and function. Eighty to ninety percent of youth will become future parents. Yet there are few educational requirements that prepare future parents with information concerning child development, infant mental health, and parenting preparedness. Scientific understanding in the latter areas has been burgeoning and is readily available for educational dissemination. The group is helping to address this issue in its pilot teaching programs.

 

Burack, a leader in the area of child welfare, has served as Executive Director of Family Centered Services of CT for over 27 years. Family CT is a private nonprofit community-based organization dedicated to ending child abuse, neglect and victimization across the life span.

 

Founded in 2001 the CT Coalition has successfully lobbied for child development to be included in the state curriculum as an elective. The Coalition has held state wide forums at the Capitol, testified before the Education Committee and the Task Force on the Achievement Gap and worked to include the issue in the State Early Childhood Plan called, Ready by Five: Fine by Nine. With funding from the Graustein Memorial Foundation and the Napier Foundation, the Coalition has developed a dynamic child development course now available without charge to middle and high schools in the Connecticut. For more information about the CT Coalition for Child Development Education visit: http://ct-coalition-for-child-development-education.org .  For information about Family Centered Services of CT, visit www.familyct.org.13358892255?profile=original

Read more…

Tickets Now Avaiable

Tickets are available now for the 11th Annual Spring Cocktail Party & Auction to benefit Family Centered Services of CT on May 5, 2015 at Amarante’s in New Haven, CT. 

Reverend Dr. Frederick “Jerry” Streets, nationally known for his research and work with victims of trauma will be speaking about leading and living “A Purpose Filled Life".

Doors open at 5:30 for the Auction Preview.  Tickets to this sell-out event are $75.00 per person.  Tables of 10 at available for $ 600.00 and tables of eight are available for $480.00.  

Family CT has sought to develop and implement innovative programs that protect children from harm and ensure their healthy development.  

To purchase tickets visit www.familyct.org 

Read more…

QunnipiacRiver_birdinflight_600.jpg

The Quinnipiac River is home to an array of aquatic plants and animals, as well as waterfowl like the white heron. Learn more about The Quinnipiac River at www.thequinnipiacriver.com

Grants Support Research into the Sources and Effects of River Contaminants an Anti-Pollution Public Education Campaign, and the Continued Development of a Recreational Trail along the River's Edge.

New Haven, CT (March 28, 2016) – The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is pleased to announce that $117,700 in grants has been awarded from the Quinnipiac River Fund to support 8 programs that study and restore the river and surrounding ecosystem, provide education and improve recreational access. 

The River flows 40 miles from west of New Britain southward to Plainville, Southington, west of Meriden, Cheshire, through Wallingford, Yalesville, North Haven and into New Haven Harbor.

“The Quinnipiac River historically had many industries on its banks that discharged their waste, metals and chemicals into it, so it is now taking much effort to get the river clean once again,” said Nancy Alderman, chair of the Quinnipiac River Fund’s advisory committee. “The grants for this year will once again contribute to the ongoing work of restoring the river’s health.” 

Grants and distributions from the Quinnipiac River Fund are recommended each Spring by the advisory committee consisting of Alderman, President of Environment and Human Health, Inc.,  Gordon Geballe, Associate Dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and Roman Zajac, Professor, Department Chair of the University of New Haven’s Department of Biology & Environmental Science. Committee recommendations are brought to The Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for approval. Since being established in 1990, the Fund has distributed $2 million in grants. 

Learn more about the Quinnipiac River and projects supported by the Quinnipiac River Fund, along with the history of the river and recreational opportunities at www.thequinnipiacriver.com

2016 Quinnipiac River Fund Grants 
Organization Description Total Amount Awarded
New Haven Land Trust Inc. to support educational programming, improving trail and sign infrastructure, and organizing volunteer events at Quinnipiac Meadows/Eugene B. Fargeorge Nature Preserve and Long Wharf Nature Preserve as well as  land acquisition work at Quinnipiac Meadows Nature Preserve. $15,000
Quinnipiac River Linear Trail Advisory Committee to support the purchase of additional benches along Phase III of the trail which will add 1.25 miles to Fireworks Island as well as graphic art designs for the informational sign to showcase history, natural history, and location information. $5,000
Quinnipiac University to support the study of  plasticizers and other chemical pollutants from industrial point sources in Wallingford and North Haven with an emphasis on the pollutant's impact to indigenous fish populations in the Quinnipiac River. $24,000
River Advocates of Greater New Haven to support Lunch and Learn sessions for municipal department of public works crews in the lower Quinnipiac watershed for best practices in stormwater pollution prevention; enforcement of public access at an abandoned, neglected Quinnipiac River site at Lowe's on Route 80 in New Haven; education of phosphorus control; and monitoring of pollution and diversion permits. $20,000
University of New Haven to support the study of several sites along the Quinnipiac River to determine whether endocrine disruptors are present and then trace their source. $11,500
University of New Haven to support the study of  benthic algae to detect seasonal variation in species composition, as well as testing copper content in situ algal samples and conducting mesocosm copper uptake experiments to test the bioremediation potential of various algal species. $12,000
Yale University to support the study of sediment accretion and elevation change in the Quinnipiac marshes, and for a wildlife-exclusion experiment to test the hypothesis that herbivory is preventing vegetation from recolonizing mudflat areas. $13,500
Yale University to support the study of the risk of runoff from artificial turf fields into the Quinnipiac River's watershed.
$16,700
   

The Quinnipiac River Fund is a component fund of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. It was established in 1990 by a court settlement of litigation between the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, the Natural Resource Defense Council and the Upjohn Company concerning wastewater discharges from Upjohn’s plant in North Haven.  The settling parties agreed that distributions from the Fund were to be used “to improve the environmental quality of the Quinnipiac River and the New Haven Harbor and the watersheds of these water bodies, and otherwise to benefit the environment of these resources.” 

Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven awarded over $30 million in grants and distributions in 2015 from charitable assets of more than $500 million and composed of hundreds of individually named funds. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, create healthy families in New Haven, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org® and The Great Give®, and encourage better understanding of the region. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s 20 town service area includes: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge. For more information, visit www.cfgnh.org or follow The Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.org/cfgnh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cfgnh).

###

Media Contact
Tricia Caldwell
Director of Communications
203-777-7090
tcaldwell@cfgnh.org

Read more…

13358891659?profile=originalThe Community Foundation for Greater New Haven announces The Great Give® 2016, The Foundation’s seventh community-wide online giving event to raise funds for local nonprofits serving Greater New Haven. Over a 36-hour period from May 3 at 8:00 am to May 4 at 8:00 pm, gifts made to over 400 participating nonprofits will be eligible to be matched; more than $190,000 in matching funds and prizes for nonprofits is available. Grand prizes will be awarded to the nonprofits that attract the most number of individual donors ($15,000), get the greatest number of new donors ($10,000), raise the most money ($5,000) and more. Gifts will be matched on a pro-rated basis with additional funds by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and Valley Community Foundation. Local businesses and corporations, including Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Liberty Bank Foundation and others, are offering prize and match money during the 36 hours. Additional features for donors have been added. A list of participating nonprofits, prizes and rules is online at www.thegreatgive.org

The Great Give® is the annual giving online event on giveGreater.org®, a local resource for learning and giving created in 2010 by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to increase philanthropy in the Greater New Haven region of South Central Connecticut. Since its beginning giveGreater.org® has distributed over $4 Million to local nonprofits. Donors wishing to support their favorite cause or charity can visit giveGreater.org® to find information on local nonprofits, including their mission, governance, programs, financials and community impact. Donors can also stay connected by visiting www.facebook.com/givegreater and following @givegreater on Twitter. The Great Give® 2016 is being held in conjunction with Give Local America’s day of giving.

Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven awarded over $30 million in grants and distributions in 2015 from charitable assets of more than $500 million and composed of hundreds of individually named funds. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, create healthy families in New Haven, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org® and The Great Give®, and encourage better understanding of the region. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s 20 town service area includes: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge. For more information, visit www.cfgnh.org or follow The Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.org/cfgnh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cfgnh).

Read more…

13358891265?profile=original

AREA NONPROFITS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN 36-HR ONLINE GIVING CAMPAIGN

Thousands of dollars in prizes available; Registration required by April 1, 2016

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region’s permanent endowment and largest grantmaker to area nonprofits, invites local nonprofits to participate in The Great Give® 2016. Participating nonprofits can earn special prizes in addition to the donations given online by individuals. The Great Give® 2016 is the seventh major community-wide giving event on giveGreater.org® taking place for 36 hours starting 8:00 am on May 3 and ending 8:00 pm on May 4. More than $170,000 in matching dollars and prizes will be provided by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the Valley Community Foundation, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Liberty Bank Foundation and other generous community sponsors.

Nonprofit organizations serving the region and that are interested in participating must register by April 1, 2016 at www.thegreatgive.org or by calling 203-777-2386; eligibility requirements apply. Businesses interested in supporting the nonprofit community through prize sponsorship are asked to contact Sharon Cappetta, Director of Development, at 203-777-7071.


Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven awarded over $30 million in grants and distributions in 2015 from charitable assets of more than $500 million and composed of hundreds of individually named funds. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, create healthy families in New Haven, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org® and The Great Give®, and encourage better understanding of the region. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s 20 town service area includes: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge. For more information, visit www.cfgnh.org or follow The Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.org/cfgnh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cfgnh).

Media contact:
Tricia Caldwell
tcaldwell@cfgnh.org
203-777-7090

Read more…

13358893291?profile=original

As a nonprofit, community based dance school, New Haven Ballet (NHB) offers classical ballet training to a many throughout the City of New Haven.

“We provide the highest caliber of classical ballet training in the region,” says Artistic Director Lisa Sanborn.

Boasting a roster of 500 students, from 3 – 18 years old, some of these students practice up to 6 days a week perfecting their skills.

“They are tremendous athletes. They cross train, very seriously, but they’re also artists,” says Sanborn. “It’s really something very special that we are looking for in these students.”


Continue Reading

Read more…

Nonprofit Board Recruitment

Board member recruitment is never an easy task. But let's say your nonprofit is successful in identifying a candidate, is the criteria for selection singularly a set of skills, knowledge, expertise and lens that make the candidate the "right" fit? I would propose there to be one more element: passion for mission. And how to measure or determine passion? While action (lots of experience or knowledge about the mission is an indicator of passion, I pose that the candidate's understanding of the organization's theory of change would be a clear indicator of fit.

Theory of Change answers three questions: what is the issue, concern or interest that calls for action; what is the solution or action around this issue; and what is the desired result? If a prospective candidate's answers or perspective to these 3 questions is consistent with the board's, fit is highly likely. If the candidate does not have any perspective consistent with the board's own collective declaration of responses to these questions, then the candidate, in my opinion, is likely not a good fit. As an indicator, an individual's understanding of and willing to engage around the theory of change will assure the rest of the board that a future partner has been identified.

Read more…

Wake-up Call For Nonprofits

Less than a decade ago, before the dramatic and sadly increasing disparity between "the haves" and "the have-nots" (now an issue in the presidential campaign), luxury brands typically dispersed their giving to a wide range of nonprofits: culture, education, health and a range of social service organizations all doing good in many creative and altruistic ways. The luxury brands that gave, a generous percentage of their marketing budgets did little to promote (many thought “tout”) their good corporate citizenship...

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/269739/wake-up-call-for-nonprofits.html ;

Read more…

Are you a good listener who enjoys being with other people? Have you been looking for a way to have an impact on someone else’s life? If so, please consider becoming a volunteer for Regional Hospice and Home Care. 

Hospice Volunteers are needed in the New Haven area as Regional Hospice and Home Care expands its services becoming the exclusive hospice provider at the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven.

Training will be provided. After training, the volunteer’s schedule is flexible.

Interested applicants should contact Mary Beth Hickey (MHickey@RegionalHospiceCT.org / 203-702-7415) or complete a volunteer application on our website: https://regionalhospicect.org/volunteer/online-volunteer-application/

Thank you for your consideration!

13358890686?profile=original

Regional Hospice and Home Care’s team of experienced clinicians have been providing physical, emotional, spiritual and bereavement support to children, adults and their families through our palliative and hospice care program for the past 30 years. Regional Hospice and Home Care is a nonprofit, state-licensed and Medicare-certified home health care and hospice agency. Now, with the opening of our new private-room, specialty hospital for palliative and end-of-life care — the Center for Comfort Care & Healing — Regional Hospice and Home Care can bring that same hope and compassionate care close to home and under one roof. For more information, visit www.RegionalHospiceCT.org. Follow us on twitter: @RegionalHospice. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RegionalHospiceandHomeCare.  

Read more…

NVCC%20Nursing%20Class%20of%202016%20-%20600x379.jpg

Naugatuck Valley Community College Nursing Class of 2016. Photo courtesy of CT League for Nursing.

There are a myriad of different options when choosing a nursing career and the Connecticut League for Nursing (CLN) is ready and available to help individuals make informed decisions about their futures.

  

For over 10 years the CLN has published a guide to nursing education and professional development. That spiral bound document is now available online at www.ctnursingguide.com.

What are the differences between nursing degrees, including undergraduate and graduate? What Connecticut schools offer nursing programs?  How do you know what nursing track to take? What jobs await nursing school graduates? 

All these questions and more are answered via this online guide. Also included is “Intentional Advisement,” which offers “unbiased nursing counseling for those who are either interested in entering the profession of nursing, at any level, or looking to continue their education into graduate degrees,” says CLN Executive Director Marcia Proto.

Continue reading

Read more…

Nonprofit Board Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty

"She was their landlord and she raised the rent," he said. "There's nothing illegal about that."   This is the attorney's response for his client facing federal prosecution for stealing or misappropriating federal dollars.  Not illegal?  Not a violation of the fiduciary duty of care (self-dealing and conflict of interest)?  I beg to strongly differ that, the list of harm the accused has done against her health center is lengthy and for sure, illegal in my opinion.  But let's also recognize that the thefts or redirecting of grant funds is not her only violation.  Stacking the board with cronies who would effectively sign-off on misappropriations is a serious violation not to mention that shouldn't her cronies also be indicted?  

If a core principal of a nonprofit is "to do no harm", the core principal of governance should be leveled at an even higher bar where the "owners" not only do no harm but do everything in their might to ensure success.  Illegal and beyond is what happened at this institution.  I can only hope that the federal prosecutors are successful in demonstrating both intent and result and that this trial might be held-up to demonstrate to all who serve on nonprofit boards what is their duty and responsibility.

 Here's the Philadelphia Inquirer story. 

Tartaglione pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges.

by Jeremy Roebuck, Staff Writer.

Facing federal charges for allegedly bilking a nonprofit clinic out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, Renee Tartaglione - a member of one of the city's best-known political families - showed no sign Thursday that she was worried.

 
In federal court for a brief arraignment hearing, Tartaglione, 60, pleaded not guilty to 53 counts including conspiracy and fraud.

"I'm feeling good. I'm feeling confident," she said as she left the Market Street courthouse afterward with her husband, Democratic ward leader Carlos Matos.

Both have weathered past run-ins with controversy. Her forced smile seemed to say that this, too, her family would survive.


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160226_Renee_Tartaglione_pleads_not_guilty_to_federal_fraud_charges.html#Pvmvj28DD2XegFwH.99"We've reviewed the indictment microscopically," he said. "From what we've been able to initially determine, the allegations are tissue-thin."

Federal authorities believe they have pinned Tartaglione - daughter of former elections chief Margaret Tartaglione and sister of State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D., Phila.) - at the heart of an elaborate fraud.

For years, she served as board president of the Juniata Community Mental Health Clinic, which held city contracts to provide mental-health and substance-abuse services to Medicaid recipients.

In an indictment unsealed last month, prosecutors alleged she treated the nonprofit as a personal slush fund, siphoning off its government funding to line her pockets at the expense of low-income patients.

Between 2007 and 2012, Tartaglione bought up buildings the nonprofit used in the poverty-stricken Fairhill neighborhood of North Philadelphia and allegedly raised the monthly rents nearly 1,500

According to the indictment, the Juniata clinic was paying $4,800 a month before Tartaglione took over. By 2012, prosecutors say, its monthly rent had shot to $75,000.

All the while, authorities allege, she stacked the clinic's board with cronies and yes-men, and was issuing Juniata checks to employees for services they never provided with the understanding they would cash them and return the money to her.


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160226_Renee_Tartaglione_pleads_not_guilty_to_federal_fraud_charges.html#Pvmvj28DD2XegFwH.99

Tartaglione's tenure at the clinic's helm came at a tumultuous time for her family. She became board president in 2007, the same year her husband was sentenced to a three-year stint in federal prison for bribing three Atlantic City councilmen.

Three years later, Tartaglione was forced to resign as her mother's chief elections deputy, for breaking rules barring politicking by city employees. The allegation that drove her out was that she was managing Matos' Democratic 19th Ward in Kensington while he was behind bars.

After his release, Matos also had a role at the Juniata clinic, though he has not been charged in his wife's federal case. He worked as a counselor even as he received mental-health treatment there while on federal probation.

DiStefano, however, said Thursday that he didn't see much illegal in anything the government had alleged.

"She was their landlord and she raised the rent," he said. "There's nothing illegal about that."

jroebuck@phillynews.com215-854-2608


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160226_Renee_Tartaglione_pleads_not_guilty_to_federal_fraud_charges.html#Pvmvj28DD2XegFwH.99

Read more…

The Whitney Water Center is celebrating 25 years of environmental education this year. Those 25 years would not have been possible without the support of teachers. In recognition of your support, the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority is offering five $500 mini-grants to help support science teaching in our region.

This program is designed to provide mini-grants to teachers who have participated in Whitney Water Center programs:

  • School programs at the Whitney Water Center
  • Programs at your school 
  • Project WATER, and/or
  • Water Science Loan Boxes. 

The purpose of these small grants ($500 each) is to enable you to try out creative teaching techniques and buy enriching teaching materials not provided for in your school’s budget. The project must have a focus on environmental education, particularly about water. All grant recipients are expected to report on the expenditure of grant funds and results of the supported project within one year of the award.

To Apply

Click on the following link to obtain an application form:
Application Form

Eligibility

Teachers in the school districts and leaders of organized groups within the Regional Water Authority’s district are eligible to apply. You must have taken part in at least one of the Whitney Water Center’s educational offerings in the last 25 years.

Grant Amounts

There will be five $500 grants.

Timeline

  • Application deadline: March 31, 2016
  • Grants announced: April 4, 2015
  • Grants payable to schools: Earth Week, April 18-22, 2016
  • Project evaluation and reports due: April 2017

Mini Grants Criteria

A committee consisting of Regional Water Authority employees and others will review applications. The committee members will not know the identity of the teacher and school. Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Impact: Potential to improve student achievement; potential to enhance instructional skills
  • Innovation: Creativity of project; innovative approach; academic objective with curriculum context
  • Planning: Clear plan for project implementation
  • Existing resources: Project cannot be achieved with existing school budget

Excluded Projects

Mini-grant applications will not be considered for:

  • Renovation of facilities;
  • Religious activities or teachings;
  • Equipment that is not an integral part of the project;
  • Non-academic projects;
  • Trips out of this region; or
  • Tuition for special classes

Grantees must provide a written report to the Regional Water Authority at the conclusion of their project. This report must include a financial statement and narrative describing the project and how it benefited students and the teacher.

Contact Information:

Kate Powell: kpowell@rwater.com
Lisa DiFrancesco: ldifrancesco@rwater.com

 

Read more…

JohnPadillacr.jpg

For the past two decades, John Padilla’s career has centered on helping people rise out of poverty by connecting them to jobs.  His success has earned him the reputation among government and nonprofit leaders around the state and country as a go-to expert on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to employment services and workforce development. 

"No matter where you go in life, you have to get involved and give back.  That’s our personal tax for being on the planet."

Read more here.

Read more…
FISH warehouse
Photo courtesy of FISH of Greater New Haven Inc.

Volunteers for FISH of Greater New Haven Inc. deliver free bags of food to more than 1,100 homebound individuals in New Haven and surrounding areas every month. This includes 350 families, 75% of which include elderly and children.

“We deliver to people who are homebound or going through some type of hardship,” says FISH Executive Director Joy Johannes. “For instance, they’ve had a surgery and it’s difficult to get to the grocery story, they have a child who’s going through a major medical treatment, they’re elderly, they’re handicapped.”

Read more here. 

Read more…

13358892869?profile=original

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region’s permanent endowment and largest grantmaker to area nonprofits, invites local nonprofits to participate in The Great Give® 2016.

Participating nonprofits can earn special prizes in addition to the donations given online by individuals. The Great Give® 2016 is the seventh major community-wide giving event on giveGreater.org®, taking place for 36 hours starting 8:00 am on May 3rd and ending 8:00 pm on May 4th. More than $170,000 in matching dollars and prizes will be provided by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the Valley Community Foundation, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Liberty Bank Foundation and other generous community sponsors.

Nonprofit organizations serving the region and that are interested in participating must register by April 1, 2016 at www.thegreatgive.org or by calling 203-777-2386; eligibility requirements apply.

Businesses interested in supporting the nonprofit community through prize sponsorship are asked to contact Sharon Cappetta, Director of Development, at 203-777-7071.

Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven awarded over $30 million in grants and distributions in 2015 from charitable assets of more than $500 million and composed of hundreds of individually named funds. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, create healthy families in New Haven, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org® and The Great Give®, and encourage better understanding of the region. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s 20 town service area includes: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge. For more information, visit www.cfgnh.org or follow The Foundation on Facebook and Twitter.

Read more…

13358891888?profile=originalMrs. Joseph Sheffield, in the picture, was the first President of the all women Board of Managers of the Home For the Friendless, now known as Mary Wade Home. The Home began in 1866, following the Civil War, when a group of ladies representing the Churches of New Haven, were inspired to begin a program to aid women and children. A parcel of property was acquired at 118 Clinton Avenue at the corner of Pine Street in Fair Haven in September, and the Home opened in December. Mrs. Sheffield served as President from 1866 to 1868.

Maria St. John was born on May 22, 1801 and in 1822 married Joseph Earl Sheffield. Mr. Sheffield wrote of his wife of many years, "Blest with a most devoted wife, with whom I have lived happily for over fifty seven years, mother of nine children to whom she as devoted constant care, love and affection." Mr. Sheffield was one of Yale's greatest benefactors and continued to support the school throughout his life. Their home on Hillhouse Avenue is now one of the buildings of the Yale Sheffield Scientific School.

Testimonial to her in the 1889 Report of the Home for the Friendless, "Great loss in the death of Mrs. Sheffield, first President, one of the founders, and one who always retained a deep interest in the work, and who was ever ready to help by her generous pecuniary aid." Mrs. Sheffield died on April 21, 1889 and is buried in the Grove Street Cemetery.

David V. Hunter

Read more…

Non Profit Board vs. Exec.

I think it's quite common for many folks to assume that it's the Exec or CEO at a nonprofit who calls the shots. But what happens when the board, a nonprofit's legal owner, calls the shots?

In the case of the Clearwater, Pete Seeger's nonprofit environmental organization, the CEO stepped down citing his own disagreement with the direction the board had decided to take. The board decided that renovating their ship, the source of mission, was more critical than spending money on their annual music festival. While both "vehicles" serve as a source of mission, the ship is critical to mission and must be maintained. The CEO, as the following USA Today article describes, had a different take on what should be a priority. Kudos to the board though for a) making a decision and b) accepting the consequences. On the other hand, once the board set the path around the sloop, isn't the how this would be paid for the job of the CEO? Might deciding that the concert is a no-go be micromanaging and in-turn, usurping the authority of the CEO?
Decision to cancel annual Croton Point fest, focus on repairs to flagship sloop, caused division in Hudson River group

The director of the Hudson River environmental group Clearwater has resigned in the midst of an internal rift over last week's decision to cancel the group's long-running annual music festival at Croton Point Park.

Peter Gross of South Salem, who served as Clearwater's executive director since 2014, said in a statement released by the group Wednesday that he was stepping down over "significant differences between his and the organization's vision to the path to building a stronger future for Clearwater, and dealing with the organization's longstanding financial and structural challenges."

The announcement comes a week after the board of directors of the Beacon-based environmental group voted to cancel the 2016 Great Hudson River Revival so it could devote limited financial resources to restoring it's flagship, the sloop Clearwater.

The boat, a replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson River in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, is undergoing $850,000 in needed renovations.

In an announcement last week, the Clearwater board said that, due to cash shortages, it had to choose between the sloop and the annual festival, which has been held since 1979. It has been held at the Westchester County-owned Croton park every year since 1999.

The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, flagship of the environmental group by the same name, is undergoing $850,000 in repairs. The cost led to the cancellation of the group's annual music festival and has now prompted the resignation of its executive director. (Photo: File photo/The Poughkeepsie Journal)

The sloop was launched in 1969 by legendary folk singer Pete Seeger, who founded the group on a mission to raise awareness of the plight of the Hudson River, which had been plagued by decades of pollution from waterfront manufacturing plants.

But Anne Osborn, president of the Clearwater board of directors, said Wednesday that there was still disagreement within the group after the decision was made to focus on repairs to the sloop. Gross and others, she said, felt Clearwater could repair the boat, yet still host the festival.

“I think it’s what it says: Significant differences between his and the organization’s vision of the path to a stronger future," Osborn said. "One vision, his vision, is we can have a festival and use that income stream. The other was it is way too risky. Focus on floating the boat. So we did.”

Related: Pete Seeger, activist & folk singer, dies at 94

Osborn said about 75 percent of the repairs to the flagship sloop are being reimbursed by the state. But she said it was uncertain if the reimbursements would come in time to stage the two-day summer festival.

The group says the event has averaged about $162,000 a year in net income over the past six years, but only $31,000 last year.
Buy Photo

Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, held annually at Croton Point Park, was canceled this year amid a budget crunch at the environmental group Clearwater. The group's executive director has now resigned in an internal rift over the cancellation of the festival. (Photo: File photo by Peter Carr/The Journal News)

Clearwater officials said they plan to move forward with the 2017 festival, and that a series of local music shows will replace the larger event throughout the year. Those events will help raise money for the group. For instance, a show in Ulster County last weekend raised $12,000, Osborn said.

“I think it’s hard to be an effective leader when your troops are marching in the other direction," she said. "(Gross) would’ve loved in his heart of hearts to have put the festival on. He would’ve liked to have done both, and perhaps the income stream from early tickets sales would’ve been really helpful in getting the boat restored. But the folks who do the festival felt differently.”

Read more…

Long Journeys - Long Stories

Greeetings to All,

Long journeys - long stories briefly describes the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven. In light of this description, the Society is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of its birth in 1976. This Society has accumulated vast amounts of photos, oral histories, books, films, and other vintage pieces of information relating to the Jewish heritage, culture, education, and Jewish values of in New Haven for the past 40 years.

There has been many a program relating to their heritage. Come March 27th, Joshua Sandman, PhD will be speaking at Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel at 10:00am. He will be speaking on Israel and the Middle East Direction.

Then the Society has been extremely active in the "Ethnic New Haven Historic Neighborhood Tours" Project . Where the first Historic Neighborhood Tour will include Dixwell Ave, Wooster Square Area, and Downtown New Haven. And on March13 the group will kick-off this Neighborhood Tours Project at 2:00pm with the "Ethic History of New Haven: Pre 1630 through 2010 and Beyond"  exhibit at the Ethnic Heritage Center at 270 Fitch Street on the SCSU Campus. The exhibit is wonderful!!! - it is a must see.

We must bestow many, many kudos to this Society for their untiring work in keeping their heritage alive for many generations to come and in co-joining with other groups as well.

If you need more information concerning the Society and their work, the telephone is 203.392.6125, website www.jhsgnh.org, or email jhsgnh@yahoo.com

Thank you,

Patricia Illingworth

Grove Street Cemetery

 

  

Read more…

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now accepting applications for two funding opportunities under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. These are competitive grant opportunities for organizations that prepare permanent residents for naturalization and promote civic integration through increased knowledge of English, U.S. history and civics. The two programs will provide up to $10 million in grants for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country. Applications are due by April 22.

More information: http://www.grants.gov/

Read more…

Fellowships at All Our Kin

All Our Kin has two fellowship opportunities available for the coming year, the Early Childhood Policy Fellowship and the Research and Evaluation Fellowship! Both positions are one- to two-year full-time paid fellowships based in New Haven, CT. Ideal candidates are college seniors and recent graduates with a passion for nonprofit work and a strong academic background. Click here for more information and application instructions: http://www.allourkin.org/job-opportunities

Read more…

Blog Topics by Tags

Monthly Archives