DAE, a Connecticut nonprofit democratizing access to 21st century digital career and life skills for underrepresented youth, will host a series of job fairs at their New Haven headquarters in May and June to fill seven open positions. The new roles are a result of the organization’s continued growth and span all experience levels and departments including Education, Operations, and Development.

DAE’s programming is designed to help high school students and young adults from historically underserved communities rapidly increase their mastery of technology skills and develop the personal and interpersonal skills required to form healthy and humane communities and workplaces. With a 91% retention rate, the nonprofit is giving students the tools and support needed to shape their own future and the world around them.

The job fairs, held Tuesday, May 23 (10am – 2pm), Thursday, May 25 (4pm – 6pm), and Thursday, June 8 (10am – 2pm), will provide an opportunity for applicants to meet with DAE staff, learn more about the organization, and participate in a group interview. Fluency in Spanish is a plus for all positions. Interested candidates may submit their resume and request an interview slot by visiting: https://mydae.co/apply.

Education Team: DAE’s education team works with high school students in the nonprofit’s year-long coding program in New Haven and Stamford to create a committed and inclusive learning environment around website development, video game design, and the Internet of Things. A variety of positions are available on this team for individuals with varying coding experience; at minimum, applicants must show a level of personal or professional experience with learning new technologies or coding. Applicants should have experience working with this age group in a setting where safety and relationship with students were a priority.

Operations Team: DAE’s operations team is hiring an Operations Manager accountable for the oversight and execution of all facilities and operations logistics. The ideal candidate will have 5–6 years of experience in an operations and/or manager role that required a high level of project management and coordination activity. There are also a variety of other part-time Operations positions available.

Development Team: DAE’s development team is hiring a Recruiting & Community Engagement Manager accountable recruiting, partner development, and project management for the development team. This is not a traditional recruiting position, but rather one more suited to someone with a background in community outreach. DAE is interested in candidates with 3–5 years of experience in a similar role and the ability to generate enthusiasm for community-oriented programs – and then translate that enthusiasm into action.

“As our impact and reach continue to grow, it’s essential that we expand our team to keep the positive momentum going,” said a.m. bhatt, DAE’s founder and CEO. “We are seeking passionate individuals dedicated to our shared vision of helping young people develop the skills, mindsets, and interpersonal capabilities needed to be successful upon graduation and form healthy, humane communities.”

DAE is located at 770 Chapel Street in New Haven. They can be reached at (203) 401-8768 or myDAE.org. For the latest news and updates, follow @myDAE.community on Facebook and @dae.community on Instagram.

Infinite Love is hosting our 2023 Infinite Love 5K Run/Walk on Sunday, June 11, 2023 in Trumbull, CT and Middletown, NJ.

Register HERE.

Last year we were able to raise an amazing $100,000 during this event for researchers at CHOP's Children's Brain Tumor Network.  We had hundreds of runners/walkers and thousands of donors participate and we are working to make this year's Tutu Trot even bigger!

While you can register to participate up until the day of the event, in order to secure a T-shirt, you must register by May 12th.   Hurry hurry and BE SURE to tell your friends!

We CAN'T WAIT to have our communities come together again to raise money for the Children's Brain Tumor Network based at CHOP! Let's GOOOOOOO!

Click HERE to register now!

Trumbull, CT - Caroline House has announced its inaugural Golf Tournament at Tashua Knolls Golf Club on June 19. Enjoy a wonderful day of golf with carts; on-course contests with prizes for the first three low gross teams, highest score, longest drive, closest to the pin, putting contest; and, of course, a Hole-in-One challenge which is being sponsored by BMW of Bridgeport. Registration begins at 7am, breakfast will be served and Tee-Off is at 9am. At the conclusion of golf play, there will be a cocktail hour, hors d'ouevres, and an early buffet dinner with prize presentations.

Each player fee is $300 which includes all the day’s activities as well as a wind jacket courtesy of The Ernest and Joan Trefz Foundation and a sleeve of golf balls. There are sponsorships available as well. You can help reach Caroline House's fundraising goal of $55,000 aimed to continue its mission of enabling women and children to reach the fullness of their potential through education in the English language and life skills. 

To register, visit www.thecarolinehouse.org

If golf is not your thing, but you would still like to support Caroline House, you can sign up for its virtual 5k “Bridge the Gap to Literacy Challenge”. You can walk, ride, bike, row or do any other activity you like. You have until June 30 to finish your activity. Registration, donations and pledges are easy. Visit https://charity.pledgeit.org/CarolineHouseChallenge

Please feel free to reach out to Development Director Lyn McCarthy with any questions. She can be reached at lmccarthy@thecarolinehouse.org

The Kennedy Collective Autism Project is partnering with Band Central to present ‘Spectrum of Rock’, an evening of amazing Rock & Roll music, joy, and fellowship. Band Central was founded by Rob Fried, Connecticut’s own, musician, investment guru and philanthropist, as a platform to create fundraising events that connect giving with joy and entertainment.

In addition to an amazing line-up of local musicians, ‘Spectrum of Rock’ will feature Joe Bouchard, Co-Founder of the iconic 1970s Blue Öyster Cult Band! The event will be held at Park City Music Hall in the dynamic Black Rock area of Bridgeport on Wednesday, March 22 from 7:00 – 10:00 PM.

Proceeds from the event will support The Kennedy Collective Autism Project which provides opportunities for children, teens, and young adults to engage in social and recreational activities while learning skill-building strategies. A variety of immersive programs - including Among Friends Theater Company, Creative Connections, Hanging with Friends, Parents Empowering Parents, Saturday Social, Transition Opportunities for Postsecondary Success, and more - are offered throughout the year, providing opportunities for individuals and families to feel supported, connected, and empowered.

The public is invited to "show up, get down and do good" (Band Central’s Mantra!) and support The Kennedy Collective Autism Project’s vital mission of providing inclusion, skills training, community involvement and creative exploration for young people on the Autism spectrum. 

To purchase tickets, visit the Park City Music Hall website.

To learn more about The Kennedy Collective and how you can support and participate, please visit www.thekennedycollective.org

Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut (GWNC) today announced it has partnered with ReSupply, a Veteran-founded organization that offers a fee-based donation pickup service.

Through this partnership, donors can hire ReSupply to pick up donations from their home and deliver them directly to Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut.

“ReSupply understands the impact that donations make on organizations like Goodwill. As a veteran owned business, they share our commitment to skills training and connecting veterans to employment,” Rocco Tricarico, President & CEO, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, said. “Partnering with ReSupply allows us to offer donors a convenient way of giving that we would not be able to provide otherwise.”

How It Works:

Donors can visit www.gwct.org and click on the donation pickup button on the homepage to connect with ReSupply. Donors will then be walked through a step-by-step process of identifying the types and quantities of goods that they would like picked up for donation to GWNC. ReSupply will then work with the donor to schedule a time for the pickup, and with GWNC to coordinate the donation drop-off.

For more information and to schedule a pickup with ReSupply to benefit Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, visit: www.gwct.org.

 To learn more, visit: www.gwct.org.

In its 38th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Katie Marchand of Trumbull High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade Connecticut Girls Cross Country Player of the Year.

Marchand is the first Gatorade Connecticut Girls Cross Country Player of the Year to be chosen from Trumbull High School. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Marchand as Connecticut’s best high school girls cross country player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Player of the Year award to be announced in January, Marchand joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners, including Natalie Cook (2021-22, Flower Mound High School, Flower Mound, Texas), Katelyn Tuohy (2019-20, North Rockland High School, Thiels, N.Y.), Megan Goethals (2009-10, Rochester High School, Rochester Hills, Mich.) and Jordan Hasay (2008-09, Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School, San Luis Obispo, Calif.).

The 4-foot-11 junior raced to a second-place finish at the State Open individual championships this past season with a time of 19:11, leading the Eagles to fifth place as a team. Marchand won the Division LL Championships, helping Trumbull take third, and finished fourth at the New England Championships, making her the top Connecticut competitor at the event. She also took 15th at the Champs Sports Northeast Regional Championships.

A secretary in her school’s chapter of Future Farmers of America, Marchand has served as an officer in the Interact Club. She has volunteered locally with Trumbull Sustainable Youth, at Bridgeport Hospital, on behalf of the Rotary Club and for TopsSoccer, a program that supports children with disabilities. She also worked as a counselor at a local youth running camp.

“Katie Marchand learned valuable lessons from challenging early season races to ascend to a higher level in the postseason, especially in her resounding victory at the Division LL Championships and runner-up showing at the State Open Championships,” said Erik Boal, an editor for DyeStat.com. “She followed those strong efforts with an impressive fourth-place performance at the New England Championships before finishing 15th at the Champs Sports Northeast Regional Championships.”

Marchand has maintained a weighted 4.81 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.

Marchand joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Girls Cross Country Players of the Year Rachel St. Germain (2021-22, Somers High School), Kate Wiser (2020-21, Pomperaug High School), and Sydney Masciarelli (2019-20 & 2018-19, Marianapolis Preparatory School), among the state’s list of former award winners. Being a Gatorade Player of the Year means paying it forward for the next generation. Through Gatorade’s Play it Forward initiative, every Player of the Year receives a grant to give to one of Gatorade’s social impact partners, supporting Gatorade’s ambition to fuel the future of sport.

To date, Gatorade Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $3.5 million across more than 1,300 organizations. For nearly 40 years, Gatorade has honored high school athletes at the top of their game as teammates, supporting their communities and achieving academic success. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes and community leaders, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport.

To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate studentathletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY, Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade and Twitter at twitter.com/Gatorade

Cornhole players from around the state of Connecticut are gathering this Saturday, January 21 at Insports Centers, 29 Trefoil Drive, Trumbull, to participate in a tournament to raise money for Veterans experiencing homelessness.

Registration opens at 5pm and the tournament begins at 6pm.

The event, hosted by Homes for the Brave, will feature a double elimination tournament, cash prizes, and raffle prizes. There will be two brackets – one for competitive players and one for casual players.

This fun and competitive event will benefit Homes for the Brave. Located in Bridgeport, CT, Homes for the Brave provides housing, mental health and employment services to Veterans experiencing homelessness, helping them to secure income, build life skills, and make meaningful contributions to our community.

Learn more and register here.

Shelton, CT - The public is invited to join Caroline House for a tasting of a superb selection of specialty wines and hors d'oeuvres on Thursday October 20, 2022. A raffle and live auction will be conducting during the event, all to be held at Il Palio Restaurant at 5 Corporate Drive in Shelton, CT from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM.

Please RSVS to Lyn McCarthy at 860 770-7331 or online at www.thecarolinehouse.org

Each ticket is $150.00 and there are three sponsorship packages with varying benefits! The Vineyard Sponsor cost is $6,000, the Pinot Noir Sponsor is $3,000, and the Sauvignon Blanc Sponsor is $2,000.

All proceeds allow Caroline House to provide education and guidance to low-income women and children in a caring and nurturing environment. Programs include English as a second language, literacy, life skills, preschool and children’s tutoring.

For your tax records, Caroline House is a sponsored ministry of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and a 501 ©(3) non-profit organization. Tax Id No 06-1455101 -$80 is tax deductible.

Ticket link: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E113278&id=27

Zombie Run 5K at Walnut Beach on Sunday, October 9 from 5 to 9pm.

Race through the autumn woods of Walnut Beach while being chased by the living dead! If you're one of the lucky few to make it out alive, you can enjoy a party held under the Walnut Beach Pavilion where you can dance with the zombies to the Rumrunners!

Race registration is now open and runs until the same day of the race, October 9th. 

Register HERE.

TRUMBULL, CT - The Kennedy Center, Inc., renowned for its unwavering support and advocacy of individuals with disabilities, has changed its name to The Kennedy Collective. The new name reflects the organization’s core belief that it takes a collective approach to ensure people with disabilities have a voice, are valued, and provided with opportunities to succeed. 

What would eventually become The Kennedy Center, now Collective, was set in motion in 1951 when Evelyn Kennedy, the mother of a young boy with intellectual disabilities, was encouraged to institutionalize him. Outraged and energized, Evelyn, along with a group of twelve parents, embarked on a mission to overcome obstacles and established a support system where children with disabilities would have the same opportunities as every other child. The group would eventually lead the way for the first public school classes for children with cognitive disabilities in New England, write Connecticut legislation making it mandatory for school systems to provide educational services for impacted children and help establish Connecticut’s Division of Developmental Service (DDS).

For more than seven decades, The Kennedy Collective has remained true to the original mission by providing support services and building business enterprises that empower and employ people with disabilities. Since its inception, the number of individuals The Kennedy Collective has supported totals in the tens of thousands. 

Rick Sebastian, President and CEO, further explains “The process of changing our name from The Kennedy Center to The Kennedy Collective is really about showcasing our most valuable asset – the tremendous impact we have when we unite as a collective.”

Along with the name change, The Kennedy Collective has unveiled a new logo that embodies the organization’s belief in celebrating the unique capabilities of every individual. The new logo – an asymmetrical star with a celebratory posture and hidden letter K – is heavily inspired by a piece of art created by an individual who receives supports from the Kennedy Collective.

The Kennedy Collective’s new branding will launch through marketing, communications, signage and online – including social media and a new website, www.thekennedycollective.org . 

Sebastian adds, “While our name, logo and look are changing, our Mission remains anchored in creating pathways for people to flourish and thrive in their communities by unleashing potential and empowering abilities. This was the vision of Evelyn Kennedy when she founded this organization in 1951 and it remains our North Star, our clear and guiding vision.”

About the Kennedy Collective

The Kennedy Collective was founded in 1951 with an unwavering mission to support and empower people with disabilities to reach their full potential. Today, we support and employ individuals with disabilities in a variety of housing, social and employment settings. The Kennedy Collective assists individuals in pursuit of Competitive Integrated Employment through our Community Services and Workforce Development programs and provides employment through our sustainable Business Enterprises. These enterprises include Palm & Able Thrift Store & Distribution Center, Facilities Maintenance (Landscaping/Groundskeeping & Janitorial), and Staffing Services. We recently created a BCBA Behavioral Intervention Business Enterprise that offers supports in home, school, workplace and at community locations. 

We believe our community is stronger when all people are empowered to contribute, share, and thrive. To learn more about The Kennedy Collective and how you can support and participate, please visit www.thekennedycollective.org

New Haven, CT - The ECOCA (Ely Center of Contemporary Art) Neighborhood Block Party is on Sunday, October 2nd, from 2:00pm – 5:00pm, at 51 Trumbull Street, New Haven, offering music, food, create-and-take art, and the venue's latest exhibit to celebrate the future of ECOCA.

Trumbull Street will be shut down for the first time to commemorate the purchase of the John Slade Ely House and ECOCA's rich history supporting the community through art. The acquisition of the John Slade Ely House in May 2022 deepens ECOCA's commitment to future generations and the freedom of expression.

Since 1964, ECOCA has balanced historical preservation with innovative and singular pieces of contemporary art. Join the group as they reimagine their legacy, the future of art and community programming in New Haven, CT.

The block party will debut contemporary pieces from different art collectives from across New England. The artists will be in attendance to share what inspires them, their techniques and process with attendees.

A Full House exhibit has been curated highlighting the following local art collectives:

Connectic*nt Community Zine Library
FEED
Ice Cream Social
Norwalk Art Space
sk.ArtSpace
SomethingProjects 
Wábi

The event will also be featuring GENESIS, a solo exhibition of window paintings and letterpress prints by Jonathan Weinberg, and a pop-up project by the Folding Chair Collective.

Come for the art and stay for the food. There will be delicious food options for all dietary restrictions. Olmo Bagels will debut their new pizza bagel as part of the block party’s festivities, and Alegría Café and Lalibela will have food trucks available for visitors to frequent. 

Visitors will also enjoy music and entertainment, featuring the musical stylings of DJ Dooley-O alongside a wide variety of activities, including live silkscreen printing from Deadby5am, creating cyanotypes with Ice Cream Social, zine-making with Connectic*nt, cultural postcards with sk.ArtSpace, and more! 

For more information, please email info@elycenter.org

New Haven, CT: Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES) is proud to announce their inaugural ACES Laces Up for Education on October 16! The 2-mile charity walk starts on the water at historic Lighthouse Point Park. The walk will feature beautiful coastal scenery, a picnic on the beach and access to the country’s oldest working carousels!  Organizers expect nearly 500 walkers to raise thousands of dollars for ACES. 

All participants will receive a custom walk t-shirt with their registration.  After the walk, participants are encouraged to stay for the picnic for food, drink, music, fun beach activities, and more!

Proceeds from the event will benefit ACES.  ACES is dedicated to their mission of enhancing and transforming lives through educations, innovation, and leadership. They work to create an equitable and socially-just world, one life at a time. Learn more by visitingwww.aces.org.

The event is organized by JB Sports and a team of ACES volunteers who make up our Board of Directors.  The event’s major sponsors include Crosspoint Federal Credit Union, PMA Companies, Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, Imagine Learning, Performance Environmental Services and Montagno Construction, Inc. and Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, Inc. 

To learn more about the event or to register, visit www.jbsports.com.

Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut (GWNC) today announced it has received a grant of more than $900,000 to expand its Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Vocational Services.

These funds will allow GWNC to replicate the services it has been delivering in Greater Bridgeport to the Hartford area. The Hartford program, which will operate out of Capital Region Mental Health Center in Hartford, includes seven staff who will be embedded into teams of clinicians, psychiatrists, therapists, and other state employees who serve as support staff.

“Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut started its Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Vocational Program in 2010 and is proud to have supported more than 1,300 individuals during this time,” Heather Marquis, Vice President of Human Services, said. “We are thankful to DMHAS for engaging us to deliver these critical services to individuals in Greater Hartford and look forward to increasing our impact.”

“Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut has a history of excellence in delivering vocational services throughout its region. The funding we have received from DMHAS to support these services will allow us to serve three times as many individuals each year while expanding our geographic reach,” Rocco Tricarico, President & CEO, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, said. “We look forward to working with the team at the Capital Regional Mental Health Center and providing vocational training to empower individuals looking for employment.”

GWNC’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Vocational Services are currently available to residents in the following communities: Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford, Trumbull (Greater Bridgeport) and, Avon, Canton, Farmington, Hartford, Simsbury, West Hartford (Greater Hartford).

To learn more about GWNC’s employment services, including community employment services and vocational programs, visit: www.gwct.org.

The Lords of 52nd Street are Billy Joel’s original band… and they are coming back, by popular demand, for The Milford Performance Center on October 8th! Lords of 52nd Street is the name Billy Joel gave to the band back in the 70’s. They do not need to copy or reinvent the original music… since they are the guys you saw playing at Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Nassau Coliseum and the countless other venues during those Billy Joel concerts of the 1970’s and 1980’s. THIS IS NOT A TRIBUTE BAND!

The Lords of 52nd Street are the legendary bandmates who recorded and toured the world for many years with the “Piano Man.” These guys helped to create one of the most recognizable sounds in music recording the sax, drum and guitar solos on over 100 million albums sold with Billy Joel as well. They also performed all over the world for decades with Billy as well as their own personal careers.

The band is led by Richie Cannata on tenor saxophone, Liberty DeVitto on drums and percussion, and Russell Javors on rhythm guitar. Their collaboration helped change the face of music. They have worked individually with multi-platinum artists, lending their talents to some of the greatest musicians in the world. After 30+ years the band has finally reunited, and haven’t missed a step, with this mind blowing show. Critics love them and their performances have been blowing away fans of all ages.

There is also a limited Meet & Greet before the show with only 25 tickets available on a first come first serve basis. All shows at MPC help multiple local Charities. This show helps 2 different causes... The Or Shalom Men's Club & The Charitable Hands Foundation.

Doors open at 6:30 PM & the Show Starts at 7:30PM. Refreshments, wine and beer is available. Tickets are available online at www.MilfordPerformanceCenter.org or at the door on show day.

Tickets are available online: www.MilfordPerformanceCenter.org