VALLEY OPPORTUNITIES Fall 2004 / Volume 2, Issue 2 A Community Newsletter Winter 2005 INSIDE Valley Community Foundation Philanthropy …Page 1 The Search for Scholarships …Page 2 United Valley Libraries …Page 3 Helping Seniors Connect to Care …Page 4 Yale Know-How Comes to the Valley …Page 5 Back-to-School Fun & Clothes …Page 6 Developing Skills of Valley Workforce …Page 7 People Making a Difference …Page 8 Kellogg Environmental Center …Page 9 Programs for People Page 10 Valley Council of Governments …Page 11 David Humphreys House …Page 12 Valley Council of Health & Human Services …Page 13 Cairways Helps Fight Asthma …Page 14 Happenings & Opportunities …Page 15 The Newsletter of the Valley Advisory Committee and the Valley Council for Health and Human Services Community Assets…Centralized Philanthropy COVER STORY VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CONTINUES TRADITION OF VALLEY PHILANTHROPY In an effort to increase and central- making the foundation become a reali- board of local citizens. The current ize philanthropy in the community, a ty. The Committee helps the Communi- board members are James Ryan, Chair- group of community leaders formed the ty Foundation service charitable needs man, William C. Bassett, James E. Cohen, Valley Community Foundation (VCF) in in the Lower Naugatuck Valley. David Grant, M. Elizabeth Kennard, February 2004. The Valley Community Foundation, Joseph A. Pagliaro, Jr., Mary L. Pepe, “The creation of a Valley communi- Inc. is a supporting organization of The David Rifkin, Kenneth Schaible and ty foundation has long been a dream of Community Foundation for Greater Alan Tyma. many in the Valley,” said Jimmy Ryan, New Haven and serves the towns of To learn more about philanthropic board member of the new foundation Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and opportunities in the Valley, please call at its public announcement. Shelton. The foundation is led by a the VCF at 203-225-0880. Joseph Pagliaro, Sr. (deceased), first Chairman of the VCF emphasized the Center Cover Photo: Board of Directors and Staff of Valley Community Founda- tion. Front (l to r): James Cohen, Mary Pepe, Angela Powers, Drew Alden, David foundation’s importance for the Valley’s Rifkin. Back ((l to r): Jimmy Ryan, Alan Tyma., Joseph Pagliaro, Jr., David Grant, future. Liz Kennard, Catherine Adsitt. Not pictured: Bill Bassett, Ken Schaible. “We have a local opportunity to leave a legacy of generosity and invest- ment for the people who will live here VALLEY OPPORTUNITIES EDITORIAL COMMITTEE for generations to come,” Pagliaro said. Michael J. Wynne, Chairman, Valley Council for Health and Human Services Ryan, now Chairman of the Com- Cindy Mariani, Director of Communications, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven munity Foundation, credited the Valley Advisory Committee, a group of Valley Joyce Barcley, Chairperson, Valley Council’s Marketing Committee volunteers assisting The Community Nancie Gray, Vice President of Marketing, Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce Foundation for Greater New Haven, for Catherine Adsitt, Executive Director, Valley Needs and Opportunities. Norbert Kovacs, Community Volunteer SPECIAL THANKS TO Valley Opportunities OUR FUNDERS We hope you enjoy the stories pre- sented in this issue of Valley Oppor- Volume 2, Issue 2 Valley Advisory Committee and its Valley Needs & Opportunities Project tunities and would love to hear sug- Published by: • The Community Foundation for gestions for future editions. If you The Valley Advisory Committee of Greater New Haven have a story idea, contact: • The Katharine Matthies Foundation The Community Foundation for Catherine Adsitt, AICP Greater New Haven The Valley Council for Health and Executive Director 75 Liberty Street, P.O. Box 418 Human Services Ansonia, CT 06401 • The Community Foundation for Valley Needs & Opportunities (203) 736-0367 Greater New Haven c/o Valley United Way www.valleyadvisorycommittee.org • The Katharine Matthies Foundation 75 Liberty Street • The William Caspar Graustein P.O. Box 418 Editors Memorial Fund Norbert Kovacs • Griffin Hospital Ansonia, CT 06401 Catherine Adsitt • Valley United Way (203) 736-0367 Design & Layout • CT Legislature’s Arts Grant Program Fax (203) 732-8831 Q Company Communication Special Thanks to Valley United Way! Valley United Way serves as fiduciary for both the Valley [email protected] Shelton, CT Needs and Opportunities Project and the Valley www.valleyadvisorycommittee.org Council for Health and Human Services. 1 Valley Opportunities Community Assets…Scholarship Opportunities THE SEARCH FOR SCHOLARSHIPS By Deanna Parks Being a senior in high school can • If you are looking for scholarships be a stressful time; the quest for the only available to students in the Val- perfect college, the anxiety of waiting ley, you can find them in The Schol- for that acceptance or denial, and all of arship Directory, but here are a few: the other things that go along with sen- • Ansonia Rotary Scholarship ior year. • Beacon Fall’s Junior Women’s Club Scholarships are something that Scholarship most students need and want to help • Parlato Scholarship them pay for the high price of tuition. • Gerald & Helen B. Bogen Scholarship Fortunately, there are resources, in addi- • Naugatuck Valley Medical Society tion to our schools, that can help you Scholarship find scholarship information. • David S. Miles American Legion As a recent high school graduate, I Scholarship can offer you some resources that can • Shelton High Alumni Association be a great help in the quest for scholar- Scholarship ships. These resources not only helped • Babette Rogol Scholarship me, but they have helped many of my Deanna Parks Photo by Fred Ortoli I hope you find these resources and friends as well. scholarships helpful to you. Good luck • Fastweb.com is a great resource for arships available to CT students as on your scholarship search and enjoy scholarships. First you fill out a pro- well as students nationwide. This your senior year! file on everything from academics to material is available in print, on the Deanna Parks was a student at Ansonia hobbies. Then Fastweb will give you web, and on CD ROM. To request a High School. Among her many high school a listing of all of the scholarships you print copy or to view the directory activities, she was a member of the Valley Unit- may qualify for. In most cases, these online, visit www.cfgnh.org or send a ed Way’s Youth Leadership Program. Deanna scholarships are offered to students written request to: has worked part-time for the Greater Valley across the nation. Community Foundation Chamber of Commerce while home on break • Another great resource is The Schol- for Greater New Haven from the University of New Haven. She found arship Directory. The Scholarship 70 Audubon Street three scholarships through her scholarship Directory features a listing of schol- New Haven, CT 06510 search, totaling $3,500. COMMUNITY GIVING PROVIDES FUNDING OPPORTUNITY Successful campaigns recently have resulted in the abil- portation and obesity. All three issues have drawn major ity of Valley United Way to put an additional $100,000 of attention both locally and nationally during the last year. funding back into the community before the end of the year Valley United Way will be looking for innovative proposals in the form of special issues grants. from local nonprofit agencies to address the issues. Local During the past year, members of Valley United Way’s groups will be encouraged to work collaboratively on the Board of Directors have been reviewing both the Valley issues. Grant applications will be accepted through the end Needs and Opportunities Study of the Valley and the new of October, and the Board will make funding decisions by Community Impact Model of United Way of America. After the end of November. research and outreach, the Board of Directors decided to More information about this new impact that commu- focus on three areas to be addressed with the new funding. nity giving has provided can be found on United Way’s web The issues are early childhood development, trans- site (www.valleyunitedway.org). Valley Opportunities 2 Community Assets…Regional Programs UNITED VALLEY LIBRARIES: WORKING TOGETHER, OFFERING MORE United Valley Libraries, a partner- ship of libraries that individually serve the communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton, has brought an exciting new dimension to programming that bene- fits the entire lower Valley region. United Valley librarians are cur- rently collaborating to present a “One Book, One Valley” celebration. Best described as a huge book discussion with accompanying themed activities, the project is scheduled to kick off late this fall and run through National Library Week in April, 2005. A survey released in July by the National Endowment of the Arts confirms that Catherine Adsitt, Executive Director if Valley Needs & Opportunities presents a reading for pleasure has declined $3,000 check to United Valley Libraries to be used toward hiring a grant writer. steadily in this nation over the last 20 (l to r) Elspeth Lydon, Catherine Adsitt, Judy Augusta, Cathy Williams years. The “One Book, One Valley” project challenges Valley residents to “One Book, One Valley” aims to foster to take part. buck this trend and have a good time personal growth, improve physical and To set the stage for “One Book, One doing it. Through “One Book, One Val- mental health, and heighten public Valley,” dozens of volunteers in May ley,” Valley people will read with a awareness. Because the One Book Pro- started reading seven books. In Sep- common goal and take part in discus- ject happens Valley wide, people have tember, the volunteers ranked the sions and theme-related activities. a greater choice of activities and places books using pre-set criteria. The book receiving the highest score from the volunteers will be the focus of the Valley librarians plan One Book One Valley event. “One Book, One Valley” celebration this fall.