Catholic Charities

Transcription

Catholic Charities

SCHOOL READINESS • IHF • CATHEDRAL GREEN • HONORING FATHER GENGRAS • GOLF • BREAKFAST
Help&Hope
Holiday 2007
The Magazine of Catholic Charities
Archdiocese of Hartford
•
www.ccaoh.org
Vol. 1 / No. 2
Catholic Charities
Providing Help & Creating Hope, Serving People of
all Faiths in 102 Communities since 1920
Help&Hope
The Magazine of Catholic Charities
839-841 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105-2801
from the CEO
Dear Friends of
Catholic Charities,
www.ccaoh.org
Vol. 1/ No. 2 • Holiday, 2007
Catholic Charities
Central Administrative Offices:
Rose Alma Senatore, Chief Executive Officer
Lois M. Nesci, Chief of Operations
Linda S. Smith, Director of Quality Assurance
Edgar Bernier, Chief Financial Officer
Help&Hope Magazine:
Published by Hometown Marketing
Tom Hickey, Publisher
Joy Taylor, Creative Director/Assoc. Publisher
Ronni Newton, Managing Editor
Contributors:
Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Transcript
Keith Griffin
Office of Radio & Televison
Peter O’Donnell
Janet Romanowicz
On the Cover: Joyce Bosco, Director of
the Southside Family Center, with Tiffany
Murasso, Director of Early Childhood
Services with students from the Southside
Family Center program. See story on page
10. Photo by Keith Griffin.
Help&Hope is published jointly by Catholic Charities,
Archdiocese of Hartford, and Hometown Marketing,
Inc. It is distributed to the communities it serves in
Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven Counties via
mail and drops.. Four to six issues are published in
a calendar year. ©2007 Catholic Charities and
Hometown Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. No
part of this periodical may be reproduced without
express permission of the publishers. Help&Hope is
a registered trademark owned by Hometown
Marketing, Inc. The opinions expressed by writers
commissioned for articles published by Help&Hope
are not necessarily those of the magazine or its
publishers.
his is the second
issue of our new
Help & Hope Magazine. We have received
very positive feedback
about our first issue,
and we hope that you
will continue to find
our magazine informative about the news of
Catholic Charities.
T
Rose Alma Senatore (center)
with Archbishop Henry J.
Mansell and Michael
Culhane, Chairperson of
the Board of Trustees.
We are delighted to highlight
Southside Family Center, one of
our programs that has been nationally recognized by our parent
organization, Catholic Charities
USA. This innovative program
located in Hartford has won
Catholic Charities USA’s 2007
Family Strengthening Award and
will receive a grant in the amount
of $25,000, an award made possible by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Southside is one of the three
similar centers in the Greater Hartford Area that have differentiated
themselves through their intense
efforts to attend to the family as a
whole. The centers not only offer
parents a place to improve their
skills, but they also give them
peace of mind that their children
are in a safe, nurturing environment while they are taking their
classes.
The success of the program is
a direct result of government,
Church, and community at large
working together. We have received support from the City of
Hartford through the Office of
Mayor Eddie A. Perez, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving,
the United Way, the Connecticut
CC2 • Help&Hope • Holiday 2007 • Catholic Charities
Department of Children and Families, and the Archdiocese of Hartford.
As Archbishop Henry
Mansell stressed in a recent site
visit by Catholic Charities representatives from all over the country, the collaboration of all these
interested parties is the key to long
term success.
We also celebrated our second
annual Help & Hope Breakfast in
June. The actor Brian Dennehy
generously donated his time to be
our Guest Speaker. We nearly
doubled our attendance and our
net proceeds from last year's
Breakfast! This needed revenue
will be applied directly to our
youth programs such as the two
that were highlighted at this year’s
Breakfast -- the Talented Teens of
Fox Middle School in Hartford
and the Early Reading First program in our Meriden office. We
look forward to continuing this
wonderful tradition, and we hope
you will be able to join us at next
year’s Help & Hope Breakfast!
Sincerely
Rose Alma Senatore
Chief Executive Officer
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford
ANSONIA
Family Service Center
Lower Naugatuck Valley
205 Wakelee Avenue
Phone 203-735-7481
BRISTOL
440C North Main Street
Phone 860-589-8662
LITCHFIELD
COUNTY
ENFIELD
Work Force Development/
JOBS FIRST
680 Enfield Street
Phone 860-741-4081
GUILFORD
652 Boston Post Road
Phone 203-453-5746
FAIRFIELD
COUNTY
HAMDEN
A Step Ahead Pre-School
357 Pine Rock Avenue
Phone 203-389-5609
HARTFORD
Asylum Hill Family Center
880 Asylum Avenue
Phone 860-244-9944
Beacon Early
Learning Center
571 Farmington Avenue
Phone 860-233-0644
Emergency Mobile
Psychiatric Services & Care
Coordination,
Empowering People for
Success & Construction
Jobs Initiative
999 Asylum Avenue
Phone 860-548-0030
896 Asylum Avenue
Phone 860-522-8241
Hartford Choice Program
Hartford Street
Youth Project
15 Ely Street
Phone 860-728-0117
Hispanic Senior Center
95 Park Street
Phone 860-246-9322
Institute for the
Hispanic Family,
El Paraiso Infantil
Phone 860-527-1124
Hispanic Child
Guidance Clinic
Phone 860-524-8974
The Family Center
Phone 860-524-6853
80 Jefferson Street
Migration and
Refugee Services
125 Market Street
Phone 860-548-0059
Residential Services
for Developmentally
Disabled Adults
Phone: 860-728-2573
Southside Family Center,
Jumpstart to Kindergarten
15 Newfield Avenue
Phone 860-953-0113
SS. Cyril and Methodius
School Readiness Program
45 Groton Street
Phone 860-527-3775
21st Century Program
c/o Hartford High School
55 Forest Street
Phone 860-695-1357
HARTFORD
COUNTY
NEW HAVEN
COUNTY
MIDDLESEX
COUNTY
MILFORD
203 High Street
Phone 203-874-6270
NEW BRITAIN
90 Franklin Square
Phone 860-225-3561
NEW HAVEN
Adoption and Birthparent/
Pregnancy Counseling
478 Orange Street
Phone 203-787-2207
Toll Free 1-800-538-4448
Centro San Jose
290 Grand Avenue
Phone 203-777-6771
478 Orange Street
Phone 203-787-2207
Project Apoyo
790 Grand Avenue
Phone 203-772-1131
JOBS FIRST
3580 Main Street
Ph. 860-522-0025 or 860-5226550
61 Colony Street
Phone 203-235-2507
WINDHAM
COUNTY
NEW LONDON
COUNTY
ROCKY HILL
2433 Main Street, Suite 6
Phone 860-257-4335
Toll Free 1-888-227-3390
TORRINGTON
132 Grove Street
Phone 860-482-5558
WATERBURY
56 Church Street
Phone 203-755-1196
Toll Free 1-800-352-0991
Child Development Center
88 Cooke Street
Phone 203-755-0691
Family Service Centers
56 Church Street
Phone 203-755-1196
67 Holmes Ave
Phone 203-596-9359
WETHERSFIELD
449 Silas Deane Highway
Phone 860-563-3747
MANCHESTER
JOBS FIRST
893 Main Street
Phone 860-643-2222
MERIDEN
61 Colony Street
Phone 203-235-0392
TOLLAND
COUNTY
Providing Help & Creating Hope,
Serving People of all Faiths in
102 Communities since 1920
Help & Hope for Breakfast
rolling, and they did about 11
takes for the advertisement, he became very emotional when he realized that the kids never did stop
eating because they hadn’t eaten in
days. They were hungry.
It’s hard for many of us to
imagine being really, really hungry,
isn’t it?
Sometimes we don’t see
the poverty and the needs
until they are right in
front of our faces.
Catholic Charities
provides many opportunities to give to the communities in which we
live. Please look for the
giving envelope in
this issue of Help &
Hope. Special guest
speaker, actor
Brian Dennehy.
PHOTOS BY KEITH GRIFFIN
C
onnecticut native Brian
Dennehy was our special
guest speaker at the second
Annual Help & Hope Breakfast in
June.The Tony Award winning
actor and star of movies, television
and live theater came to Hartford
on a break from his appearance in
Inherit The Wind on Broadway, costarring Christopher Plummer.
Brian, a very down to earth,
hardworking actor, shared his personal stories of helping and providing hope. He recalled a taping
session for a public service television commercial for a soup kitchen
on Long Island a few years back.
He was on location with some delightful young people. Since he was
the professional actor on set, he
shared that his experience has
taught him that when you are directed to eat something on film,
you have to pace yourself and just
pretend to consume the goodies.
Well, when the camera started
Above: Archbishop Henry J. Mansell is with Dennis House,
left, WFSB-TV Channel 3 Eyewitness News Anchor who was
the Master of Ceremonies for the Help & Hope Breakfast,
and special guest speaker actor Brian Dennehy.
“The Talented Teens” from the Fox Middle School after school progam,
performed at the Breakfast.
One of this year’s major sponsors, The Knights of Columbus,
who are celebrating their 125 anniversary this year, received
the Help and Hope Award at the breakfast, from Archbishop
Henry J. Mansell.
Special Needs Children
Were The Winners at
Golf Tournament!
Tournament Chairperson Peter A. Giorgio,
Jr. welcoming guests at dinner.
Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, Rose Alma Senatore
with tournament committee member Patricia Shimkus.
T
he annual Archbishop John
F. Whealon Memorial Golf
Tournament in September
supported special needs children.
Catholic Charities considers the
needs of children to be its first priority and generous contributions
and eager participation in this golf
tournament enabled us to support
the following programs for children:
Adoption of physically and
mentally challenged children.
Crisis intervention for abused
children.
Parent and child counseling
services.
Catholic Charities Appreciates the
Generosity of our Golf Tournament Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Godbout Family Foundation
Mutual of America
National Investment Services, Inc.
Schott Group Investment Consulting
Gold Sponsors
Whittlesey & Hadley, P.C.
The Technology Group, LLC
Benefactors
Aetna
Baker Liturgical Art, LLC
Cooney, Scully & Dowling
The John W. Gross Company
Stanley Wiesen Inc. Glass & Metal
Webster Financial Advisors
Honorary Chairpersons:
Most Reverend Henry J. Mansell, D.D and David Lemkuil
Working with youth groups.
Tournament Chairperson: Peter A. Giorgio, Jr.
Latino Child Guidance Clinic.
Honorary Guest Host: Brad Davis, WDRC-AM 1360
Acculturation of newly arriving
refugee children.
Tournament Committee:
Jenefer C. Berall
Robert Fay
Kevin Budds
Charles Mann
Michael Camilleri
Paul Nowosadko
Dorothy Paleologos
Paul Pelletier
Patricia Shimkus
IH
F
Is Finally
Getting
the Space
it Needs!
C
atholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Hartford is currently constructing a $6.5 million, 22,000 square foot facility which will house all of
the programs which are run by the Institute for the Hispanic Family
(IHF). Currently, IHF offers vital social services for the Latino community
in the Hartford area. Programs include day care, parenting classes, literacy
training, behavioral/mental health treatment for all ages, and a senior center. IHF has existed for more than 30 years, and is the largest social services ministry for the Latino population in Hartford, serving more than
5,000 clients every year. Even that is a small number compared to the potential number of clients; Hispanics comprise approximately 40% of the
population in the Hartford metropolitan area according to the 2000 U.S.
census.
Space has definitely been an issue preventing IHF from expansion. In
addition, the programs are currently in various different locations. IHF
occupies 11,000 square feet at 80 Jefferson Street, a space shared by Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. According to Rose Alma Senatore,
Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities, the goal was to keep IHF in
the same neighborhood, where so many of its clients already live. The new
building will extend from Wadsworth Street through the center of the
block to Cedar Street. Construction is well underway, and scheduled to be
completed by late spring of 2008.
“One of the greatest challenges we faced was space,” said Senatore.
“Our capacity to meet the needs of those placed on our waiting lists has
IHF has existed for more than 30 years, and is
the largest social services ministry for the Latino
population in Hartford, serving more than
5,000 clients every year.
and a place where they can come
that’s very warm, friendly and able
to meet their social needs on a
daily basis,” said Senatore.
become very difficult, so the new
building will allow us to be more
responsive to the community and
enable all programs to coexist
under one roof in an integrated,
collaborative inter-program environment.”
One of the best things about
the new facility is the opportunity
to expand the senior center, and
include it in the same building as
the other programs. Currently, the
senior center occupies 2,000
square feet on Park Street, and attracts at least 50-60 seniors every
day. That space is not adequate for
the number of people, and as a result meals are served in shifts and
there are often lines at the restrooms. In the new building, there
will be a large dining room and
ample restrooms. “It’s going to be
absolutely fabulous that the seniors will now have quality space
The new facility will provide
manifold benefits to the children of
the community as well. Because of
additional space, more child care
slots will be available. The current
34 spots will increase to 60. In addition, with the family center in
the same location, parents’ and
other family members’ needs will
be able to be addressed while their
children are receiving quality child
care. “The integration of the day
care and family centers is a wonderful model that is supported by
the Hartford Foundation,” said
Senatore. “It allows parents to attain literacy and other skills while
their children are learning pre-K
skills in day care. I think that’s really important.”
Funding for this new facility
has been obtained through various
sources. The Institute for Hispanic
Family has received $500,000 from
the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal,
and another $250,000 will be dispensed from funds from last year’s
Appeal. IHF was also awarded a $2
million bond from the State of
Connecticut in 2005 which is
being used for construction of the
new building. “We have also recieved $500,000 from the City of
Hartford,” according to Senatore.
Funds will be allocated over several years for specific parts of the
project. The Hartford Foundation
for Public Giving has also approved a significant grant of
$400,000 for the project.
“Our ultimate goal is always to
provide quality services…really
helping people to stabilize their life
and meet their human potential,”
said Senatore. The behavioral
health center is also a vital part of
that goal, addressing problems in
the community such as drug or
substance abuse.
The mission of Catholic Charities, “Providing Help & Creating
Hope,” will be well-served through
this vital new facility. Catholic
Charities develops programs which
help people through a network of
service agencies, and the integration of IHF’s programs under one
roof will greatly enhance the effectiveness of that mission.
“The goal is to meet the needs
of every single person that comes
to the Institute,” said Senatore.
“Our mission is to help people become self-sufficient, to reach their
potential.” Fair weather this past fall has only helped
construction of the new IHF facility on
Wadsworth Street, Hartford, slated to open
in the spring of 2008.
Annual Meeting
October 25, 2007
David Lemkuil with Bishop Peter
Rosazza.
Betsy and Jack Morrison
and Lloyd Smith.
PHOTOS BY
KEITH GRIFFIN
Michael and Marie Hopkins.
Monsignor Jack McCarthy and
Deacon Robert Pallotti.
Above:
Betty Ann
Gengras
Ambrosi and
Rose Alma
Senatore.
Right: Fran
Laffin
and Rolando
Martinez.
Noreen Shaugrue, George Ducharme and Kevin Kenzenkovic.
Above:
Mary
Elizabeth
Stewart and
Mary Flynn.
Josephine Byrne and Father Henry Dery.
The Catholic
Family Legacy
Fund
“Catholic Charities helps children and their families in a myriad of
ways...Naming Catholic Charities in our will gives us a small part in
preserving ...that bright future...”
–Rosemarie & Mario DiRienzo, Woodbridge, CT
Visit www.ccaoh.org, or contact Director of Development Peter O’Donnell 1-888-405-1183
A Priest’s Priest
Remembering Father Cal
ather Joseph C. “Cal” Gengras
was a “Priest’s Priest” according to his cousin Betty Ann
Gengras Ambrosi who speaks very
highly of him.
If you look up the word
“priest” in the dictionary his picture should be next to it. His special calling as the only child of Al
and Flo Gengras to the priesthood
touched four generations of the
Gengras Family. “He married, consoled, baptized, counseled and
buried (almost) all of us”, Betty
Ann said.
Joel Gengras also reminisced
fondly about his uncle, “there
wasn’t a major family event without him. He was a strong family
man and a great, great spiritual
leader! He lived his life as a phenomenal priest.”
F
SPECIAL PEOPLE
Betty Ann beamed when she
spoke of his love for special needs
children. He was known locally
and nationally for his work for
people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, he was a member
of the Governor’s Council on Mental Retardation for 25 years and its
chairman for 13. She recalled Father Cal telling her about one of
his masses for the Southbury
Training School residents and aids.
When he asked for special intentions during Mass he was so impressed by how many contributed.
It was the first time in quite a while
he could remember having input
from everyone during a Mass.
Later that evening one of the aids
confessed to Father Cal that all of
the special intentions were actually
fictional characters. They had
named characters from the daytime drama “One Life To Live”
which was a favorite show of many
residents of Southbury Training
School.
Father Cal was
remembered posthumously
on October 25, 2007, for being a great
“Volunteer, Mentor and Friend” to
Catholic Charities.
PREACHER MAN
Father Cal (left) with LuAnn and Guy
McDonough of Simsbury, a few years ago.
HUMBLE MAN
He was so humble and he has
been recognized by many – from
the President of the United States
to directors of local agencies. He
was a very likeable man. He was
Christ-like in all that he did and
took great pride in the way he
lived. One of the reasons he left
such an impression was his smile.
“What a great sense of humor (he
had),” Betty Ann recalled.
He was a generous man as
well. He had a personal “retreat”
home on Cape Cod that he often
donated to local fundraisers.
“His homilies were brilliant.
Always to the point ... always a
message!” commented Betty Ann
and Joel. One that stands out for
both Betty Ann and Joel is a sermon about attending mass. While
he knew he was essentially preaching to the choir since of course, he
was speaking to those who had actually gotten out of the house to
come to church, he wanted to
share a thought for all who would
listen. He went on to ponder that
if we can easily find time to visit a
friend’s house, or go out to dinner,
then why can’t we spend 45 minutes at the most important supper
of the week?
Father Cal witnessed many
changes in attitude toward religion
during his lifetime, but he continued to do his part to spread the
good word, good service, and good
humor. Left: Joel Gengras and his
sister Betty Ann Gengras
Ambrosi, received the plaque
for their uncle “Father Cal”,
from Archbishop Henry J.
Mansell at the Annual
Meeting for Catholic Charities
on October 25, 2007.
School
Readiness:
Children are
learning
A, B, C’s
and more
he state and federal governments continue to have
a focus on the importance of early childhood
development and education as key ingredients to
reducing poverty by improving children's readiness for success
in school,” says Tiffany Murasso, Director of Early Childhood
Services for Catholic Charities. “The achievement gap in
Connecticut is the second biggest in the nation, and there are lots
of powerful statistics on the long term effects that full time quality
early childhood education has on children. These children are
more likely to attend college, less likely to become teen parents,
less likely to drop out of school, less likely to be incarcerated.”
“T
Armed with these facts, the School Readiness program, which began
mily Center,
e Southside Fa
Children at th
Murasso,
ny
ffa
ve), and Ti
bo
(a
rd
tfo
ar
ices for
H
Childhood Serv
Director Early
s
tie (right)
Catholic Chari
in 1996, has an overall goal of
preparing children to enter kindergarten ready to learn and succeed.
The School Readiness program
combines a high-quality early
childhood education experience
with comprehensive wrap-around
services. These services may include family literacy, well-child
screenings, developmental assessments, referrals for additional educational
services,
parent
education/support programs, referrals to educational opportunities,
and family counseling. The program is funded through the State
Department of Education, which
provides programs to children
from low income families who are
at a much greater risk of school
failure, and is available in priority
districts across the state.
Catholic Charities offers a School
Readiness program in each of its own
childcare centers, and additionally
they collaborate with a number of
other preschools in the community
to reach a greater number of families
with this service. Catholic Charities
applies for the State Department of
Education grant annually, and must
continue to meet the standards and
requirements of the program to remain eligible. “In order to qualify for
School Readiness funds, we have to
meet certain criteria including
NAEYC accreditation, qualified
teachers with degrees in Early Childhood Education, quality learning environments, approved curriculum,
and assessment,” says Murasso.
“School Readiness funding
along with other funding like Early
Reading First has taken Catholic
Charities Early Childhood programs to a whole new level of quality. Our teachers are more
qualified, make better money, and
attend ongoing professional development. Our classrooms are well
equipped with quality materials
and supplies. Our curriculum and
assessment systems are researchbased and aligned with the State,”
says Murasso.
Early Reading First is an ad-
junct program which Catholic
Charities has now implemented in
seven of its School Readiness classrooms. It is funded through a threeyear Federal grant which has given
Catholic Charities tremendous resources to improve the pre-literacy
skills of preschoolers, many of
whom are English language learners. The program provides for college level literacy courses for
teachers and administrators, masters
level literacy specialists (mentors) in
each classroom, a new comprehensive and literacy-based curriculum
developed through scientificallybased reading research, and materials and supplies to create classroom
environments rich in print and language. The children – who are at an
age where they are so ready to learn
new things every day – are being
given these wonderful opportunities, and having fun, too. Now entering the third year of the grant, the
results indicate significant improvement in the children's individual assessment scores as well as classroom
assessment scores.
There is no income limit to
qualify for a School Readiness program. The program operates on a
sliding fee scale based on family income. However, families wishing
to enroll their child in a School
Readiness program must reside in
the city in which the program is
funded. Catholic Charities operates childcare centers throughout
Connecticut. Some can accommoCC11 • Help&Hope • Holiday 2007 • Catholic Charities
date infants, while most offer dedicated preschool and School Readiness programs for children three to
five years old.
Parents, children and educators are all pleased with the success
of the School Readiness and Early
Reading First programs. It is
clearly making a difference in the
lives of many children who otherwise would not be well-prepared to
enter school. According to
Murasso, “We have parents of children now in Kindergarten coming
back to tell us that their child is
reading, and at the top of their
class!” CATHOLIC CHARITIES SCHOOL
READINESS PROGRAMS:
A Step Ahead Child
Development Center
357 Pine Rock Ave
Hamden,CT 06514
203-389-5609
II Paraiso Infantil
Institute for the Hispanic Family
80 Jefferson Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860-524-6853
Southside Family Center
15 Newfield Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
860-953-0113
Beacon Early Learning Center
571 Farmington Ave
Hartford, CT 06105
860-233-0644
S.S. Cyril and Methodius
Preschool
45 Groton Street
Hartford, CT 06109
860-522-8490
61 Colony Street
Meriden, CT 06451
203-235-0392
290 Grand Avenue
New Haven, CT 06513
203-777-5068
80 Prospect Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
203-573-0762
88 Cooke Street
Waterbury, CT 06710
965 South Main Street
Waterbury, CT 06706
449 Silas Deane Highway
Wethersfield, CT 06109
860-563-3747
PHOTOS BY JOY TAYLOR
HOME ON THE GREEN
atholic Charities strives to be in tune to the needs of the
community. Their new Cathedral Green housing project is
sure to be a valuable resource in meeting several of those
critical needs.
C
The former St. Joseph Cathedral School was a monolith sitting nearly empty and
unused on Asylum Hill. The property is jointly owned by the Archdiocese of Hartford
and St. Joseph Cathedral, and is operated as a joint venture with Catholic Charities.
Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, who now serves as president of Cathedral Green Corp.,
decided that this property could become a vital and necessary feature in the Asylum
Hill neighborhood.
However, before deciding exactly how to renovate Catholic Charities Family Center programs, located
the structure, Catholic Charities decided to find out right next door. “Catholic Charities Family Center, Asyfrom the neighbors – who would be the ones using the lum Hill, is going to be the hub for the services that will
facility – what the true needs in the area were. The be provided for these families,” said Senatore. “Our goal
planning process actually began more than two years is to assist them in getting parent skills, a GED, English
ago, when Catholic Charities hosted focus groups with as a second language, or job training.”
Asylum Hill residents. “We engaged in a lot of commuA committee comprised of members from the comnity outreach to determine what needs existed in the munity, Catholic Charities, and the Family Center, will
Asylum Hill area,” said Rose Alma Senatore, Chief Ex- determine the eligibility of families to reside at Catheecutive Officer of Catholic Charities.
dral Green. “We feel we will get a lot of referrals, and
“One of the important things for us was to get com- once families are eligible, they will come before this
munity buy-in,” explained Senatore. “So, as a result, we committee, which will determine whether or not a famspent a lot of time having conily is accepted into Cathedral
versations with community repGreen,” explained Senatore.
resentatives and meeting with
Catholic Charities will also hire a
families that already exist in the
property manager who will hanAsylum Hill area, and families
dle marketing, eligibility screenthat are part of our Catholic
ings, and day-to-day on-site
Charities Family Center. They
management
responsibilities.
were very, very helpful to us in
Everything should be in place so
identifying the need for affordthat Cathedral Green will meet its
able units for families.”
objective – spacious and affordIt soon became apparent
able housing for families, with an
The now vacant, 84-year-old former St.
that the need for affordable
enriched environment and the
Joseph Cathedral School on Asylum Avenue
places to live was one of the
support of social services for its
will be converted to spacious and affordable
most critical problems in the
residents.
housing for families – filling a critical need
Asylum Hill area. Although an
The cost of the project – an
in the neighborhood.
adequate number of one-bedestimated $8.1 million to renoroom apartments are available,
vate the 53,000 square foot buildfamilies who needed more space had to leave the neigh- ing – is being provided in large part through a state
borhood because two and three-bedroom units were ex- grant specifically budgeted to develop affordable houstremely limited. Ultimately, in September 2005, ing on a statewide basis. Catholic Charities has also reCatholic Charities hired the architectural firm Smith ceived $500,000 from CL&P in housing tax credits,
Edwards Architects, P.C., which provided initial plans and the Corporation for Supportive Housing has profor the new Cathedral Green structure: a 28-unit build- vided a loan as well. The lack of affordable housing is
ing with two and three-bedroom apartments.
a serious problem throughout the country, and espeUnits will be spacious, and at 1,100 to 1,300 square cially in Connecticut where the cost of housing is genfeet, will provide ample space for families to reside erally well above average. Although many agencies
comfortably. Rental subsidies will be provided, and the work to provide affordable housing opportunities,
intent is to provide permanent housing to homeless Catholic Charities is one of the few which has concenfamilies, those at risk of homelessness, or families trated on a family development. “Most of the dollars in
falling 50% below the median poverty level in the area. the past, particularly federal dollars and HUD dollars,
As long as families meet the lease conditions, they will have gone for individuals. This is why this is a wonderbe welcome to stay in the units indefinitely.
ful opportunity and it is a very exciting project for us,”
The facility will include many amenities, including said Senatore.
a study room for children in each of the family units, a
Senatore also emphasized that meeting this one
community garden and playscape on the grounds, and need for families – a safe and secure living environment
a community room which can be used for socializing. – will help Catholic Charities focus on its other social
Laundry facilities will also be provided on each floor, service goals. “Providing safe, decent and affordable
along with inviting space for families to congregate housing is fundamental to the well-being of people and
while the laundry is being done.
communities. Our goal is to assist families so they beIn addition to the physical amenities, there will be come self-sufficient and ultimately take care of themother benefits to living at Cathedral Green. All families selves,” Senatore said. Then she added, “It’s going to be
living in the facility will receive the support of the very exciting, and will bring new life to Asylum Hill.”
Catholic Charities
We are Here to
Serve All in Need.
R
eaching the children and families in need is a challenge in
any market. We are constantly updating our website
(www.ccaoh.org) to include current information (and watch for
design upgrades coming soon). But we realize that not everyone
has easy access to computers, so we published a complete series of
palm cards and brochures that outline our services in simple language and in a convenient format.
Catholic Charities operates seven
Regional Family Centers out of
Ansonia, Hartford, Meriden, New
Britain, New Haven, Torrington
and Waterbury (see phone list at
right). These seven centers have
specialized services, ranging from
adoption to elderly services. Each
family center has its own brochure
and each program or service has its
own palm card.
“These brochures and palm cards
help our families grasp the true variety of services we offer across
Litchfield, Hartford and New
Haven Counties,” commented
Rose Alma Senatore, chief executive officer for Catholic Charities.
“We’ve had staff, and volunteers
who up until now, haven’t quite
grasped the size of our organization,” said Peter O’Donnell, Director of Development. “These
brochures have made staff training
much, much easier.”
Program
Summary
7 Regional Family
Service Centers:
Ansonia • 203-735-7481
Hartford • 860-522-8241
Meriden • 203-235-2507
New Britain • 860-225-3561
New Haven • 203-787-2207
Torrington • 860-482-5558
Waterbury• 203-755-1196
12 Dedicated Programs
and Services:
Adoption
Black Family Enrichment
Centro San José
Children’s Behavioral Health
Comprehensive
Youth Services
Early Reading First
Institute for the
Hispanic Family
Matthew 25
Scholarship Program
Migration &
Refugee Services
Project APOYO
Youth Services
Residential Services for
Developmentally Disabled
Adults
Outside
The sample brochure above is for
the Early Childhood Programs
serving Greater Hartford, Meriden,
New Haven and Waterbury.
Inside
The sample palm card at right, is
for the Residential Services for Developmentally Disabled Adults.
“Each program is highly specialized and targeted, so the palm
cards are a great way to avoid overwhellming our families with unneccessary information,” said
Peter.
If you would like a set of brochures
and panel cards, please contact
Janet Romanowicz at (860) 7282569. Front
Back
Your generosity today
can make a real difference
in the lives of children and families.
You can feel confident your gift will count. Over 92% of
your gift goes directly to help those in need. You may indicate how and where you would like your gift applied, or
we will use it where it is most needed.
Remember Someone Special
You may wish to make your gift in memory of a loved
one, to commemorate a special achievement or milestone, such as a wedding anniversary or birthday, or to
honor someone important to you who has made a difference in your life. We will be happy to acknowledge this
thoughtful act on your behalf. A gift to Catholic Charities
is a special way to show how much you care.
Matching Gifts
Many companies will match individual gifts of employees,
retirees, or their spouses. Please check with your company’s personnel department to learn if your company
has a matching gift program that can double or even triple
your gift to Catholic Charities.
We’ll Help You Help Us
We welcome gifts of all sizes and forms. Your gift is tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Our Development Director, Peter O’Donnell, will be happy to discuss
giving opportunities and ways you can help your neighbors in need. Call us today at (860) 728-2571, to make
a pledge or tell us about your giving intentions.
Mail or Click
Checks should be made payable to Catholic Charities and
mailed directly to:
Development Office
Catholic Charities
Hartford, CT 06105-2801
Make a secure online donation. We accept MasterCard,
VISA, American Express, and Discover on our secure page
through at www.ccaoh.org
Thank you for considering a gift to Catholic Charities.
Other Forms of Giving: Bequests and other planned gifts; Gifts of appreciated stock; and Automobiles,
furniture, and other household items
Catholic Charities
Providing Help & Creating Hope
www.ccaoh.org
Rated one of America’s most efficient charities by Smart Money

Catholic Charities

Transcription

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