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Terri LaBarre is working with the Lisbon Walmart to collect enough yarn to make at least 50 adult-sized hats and scarves and more than 100 child-sized hats, scarves, slippers and mittens to outfit children and their parents staying at the Thames Valley Council for Community Action family shelter.
Homeless families with children in Stonington, North Stonington and other towns in New London County have a new, easy-to- use system to reach the help they need. Mystic Area Shelter & Hospitality, known as MASH, together with Thames Valley Council for Community Action, the Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut and the Covenant Shelter, now provides help to families in urgent need of shelter with just one phone call.
Four local shelters have turned to a new system that will help homeless families in the region find housing by making a single phone call. The system will link the efforts of Mystic Area Shelter & Hospitality, Covenant Shelter and the Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut, both in New London, and Norwich's Thames Valley Council for Community Action Shelter.
The Rotary Club of Norwich recently distributed 320 coats to children in collaboration with the Thames River Family Program, Thames Valley Council for Community Action, United Community & Family Services, The William W. Backus Hospital, Norwich Human Services, Madonna Place, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities.
A community foundation associated with Bridgeport-based People's United Bank announced Tuesday that it handed out awards totaling $2.34 million this year, including more than $75,000 to nonprofit groups in the region. The Thames Valley Council for Community Action, or TVCCA, is a Community Action Agency serving the southeastern region of Connecticut, and was among those nonprofits that received awards. "Our nonprofit partners are providing critical support to those in need through their programs and services, and we are proud to support their efforts," said Vincent Santilli, executive director of People's United Community Foundation, in a statement.
When Pat Bazinet put out the sign-up list earlier this month for needy families seeking Thanksgiving dinners, she planned to leave it open for two weeks. The list filled up much quicker than she expected, “We have about 219, (or) 220, and I can’t take any more names. I can’t squeeze another basket,” she said. “Years ago, we used to do 100 — 150 would be large.”
Christopher Sardo, director of energy and support services at the Thames Valley Council for Community Action, said the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program allows for the first oil delivery to needy households no earlier than Nov. 15.
The People's United Community Foundation announced Tuesday more than $600,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations for the fourth quarter, including more than $12,000 to local organizations. One of those awards went to the Thames Valley Council for Community Action, $2,500 towards a financial education and self-sufficiency program at the agency.
The Boot Program, sponsored in part by Thames Valley Council for Community Action’s Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, provides new winter boots to eligible Stonington children.
That was the message at the annual session held by Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas for social service agencies to learn about fuel assistance options and procedures. With federal budget cuts and with an unemployment rate that has been hovering above 9 percent for almost two years, social service providers in Connecticut anticipate a greater need for help this year and less money to work with.
