Caroline House Marks 20-Year Anniversary Oct. 18

September 28, 2015 -- The Bridgeport, CT-based non-profit Caroline House (www.thecarolinehouse.org) will host an event honoring its 20th Anniversary. The three-tiered celebration will take place on Sunday, October 18, commencing at 2:30 pm at Saint Charles Church, 1279 Main Street, Bridgeport, for a Mass of Thanksgiving with Reverend Charles Allen, S.J. A reception will follow at the nearby McGivney Center, 333 Stillman Street. Lastly, there will be an Open House and tour at Caroline House, located at 574 Stillman Street, immediately after the reception. All involved with the ministry -- be it students, graduates, donors, volunteers, neighbors and the like -- are invited to attend. The community at large is also welcome and admission is free.

In the early 1990s, Wilton’s School Sisters of Notre Dame sought to broaden their initiative to educate women and children in need and decided to focus their efforts on isolated, immigrants in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Their goal: to help these women acquire the knowledge and skill set to improve their lives and the lives of their offspring. With this conviction and the support of Greater Fairfield County, Caroline House was founded in 1995 and named after Caroline Friess, American founder of their order, whose philosophy reflected the Sisters’ objective of assisting those new to America. Sister Margaret (Peg) Regan, who is also Spanish speaking, serves as the organization’s Executive Director. Two decades later, Caroline House has helped approximately 1,000 women and 400 children and has become a household name in Bridgeport and beyond.

The October 18 celebration is a heartfelt salute to twenty years of empowering immigrant women and children. Through the efforts of Caroline House and its dedicated staff and volunteers, those in need have garnered life and language skills that have enabled them to persevere. The non-profit relies solely on grants, funding from donors/local organizations and monies from fund-raisers. It is the generosity of the Southern Connecticut community that has sustained them. For this -- and for the success of their students -- Caroline House is giving thanks.

“We’ve done a good job in helping women and kids these past 20 years, but the need keeps growing, so will we doing the same for the next twenty,” said Sister Peg.

Sister Peg also recounted a story involving a young mother and daughter who sought assistance via Caroline House. Sandra graduated from the program, yet her daughter still needed to complete nursery school and kindergarten. She offered to volunteer in the Caroline House office until her child could complete this schooling. Sandra has since become more fluent in English and is now part of the job force. What’s more, when her daughter was tested and applied to attend first grade at a Bridgeport Catholic school, Sandra was told her daughter could enroll in second grade instead. It is examples such as these, Sister Peg attests, that keep the spirit of Caroline House alive.

The 20th Anniversary event is multi-faceted and includes a Mass that will feature bilingual (Spanish) portions, an original song of thanks written by a recent Caroline House graduate and participation from past and current Caroline House students and their families. The McGivney Center reception and the following Open House will feature refreshments, door prizes and giveaways. The event will serve as an introduction to those new to Caroline House, and double as a reunion for women and children who have shared a meaningful past inside its walls. 

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the many milestones of Caroline House -- the success of our graduates, the expansion of our programming and our continued mission to help immigrant women and children reach their potential. In addition, we especially want to highlight and praise our donors, without whom Caroline House could not continue to thrive,” said Alexis Yates, Board Member and Development Committee Chair.

Ms. Yates is also helping spearhead the upcoming Caroline House Wine Tasting on Friday, November 20 from 7-10pm at The Fairfield Museum & History Center, 370 Beach Road, Fairfield. Tickets are $40 per person and available at www.thecarolinehouse.org or payment can be mailed in. The tasting will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, fine wines and an exciting raffle. Additionally, the Caroline House annual spring fund-raiser slated for Friday, April 1, will be held at Wesport’s The Inn at Longshore; details to follow on the organization’s website and social media. 

Reservations for the 20th Anniversary Celebration are encouraged, though not required. All are invited to take part in the celebratory happenings on Sunday, October 18 and can register on the website at www.thecarolinehouse.org.

Caroline House is a non-denomenational education center teaching literacy and life skills to economically disadvantaged immigrant women and children. Classes are held four days a week from 9:00 am - 1:30 pm. Tutoring is available for students up through ninth grade and adult workshops are provided on topics such as financial management, parenting, health and nutrition, domestic violence concerns and safety issues. Citizenship classes are also given in the evening.

Since opening its doors twenty years ago, Caroline House has nurtured and educated hundreds of women and children at no charge. Grants, foundations and individual donors provide the financial support for Caroline House to operate. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, call (203) 334-0640 or e-mail info@thecarolinehouse.org. Caroline House can also be found on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/thecarolinehouse or followed on Twitter @CarolineHouseCT.

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Submitted by Fairfield, CT

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