Jane Fonda To Speak At Benefit Luncheon On

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EMPOWERING CHILDREN, ADULTS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL
DILENSCHNEIDER OPENS
ART EXHIBITION TO BENEFIT
CENTER FOR HOPE
Family Centers’
Board Member
Jan Dilenschneider
celebrated the opening
THE NEWSLETTER OF FAMILY CENTERS | WINTER 2014
Jane Fonda to Speak at Benefit
Luncheon on March 5
ost people know Jane Fonda as an Oscar-winning actress, physical
fitness pioneer, businesswoman and bestselling author. But for the
past 17 years, she has been passionate about educating young people and
parents about adolescent sexuality and development.
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of a new exhibition
of her paintings at
Darien Bank & Trust.
Through the end of
February, the bank –
located at 777 Post Road in Darien –
will display a number of Jan’s paintings. The works will be available for
purchase, and a portion of each sale
On Wednesday, March 5, Fonda will share her insights on the struggles
many teens face regarding sex, body image issues and relationships
during a luncheon to benefit Family Centers. At the event, which will be
held at the Greenwich Hyatt Regency at noon, Fonda will also discuss
her new book, BEING A TEEN: Everything Teen Girls & Boys Should
Know About Relationships, Sex, Love, Health, Identity & More.
Ashley Allan, Leigh Carpenter and Lauren Driscoll will serve as co-chairs.
will benefit the Center for HOPE.
Known for her still-life and landscape
paintings, Jan has garnered several
prestigious awards, including “Best in
Show” at the 20th Annual School of
Tickets start at $150, and all proceeds will support Family Centers’
programs offering health, counseling and education services to children
and adolescents. Several exciting sponsorship opportunities –
which include a semi-private reception
with Fonda – are also available.
Art Student Exhibition sponsored by
the Silvermine Guild Art Center. Her
work was recently on display at the
Galerie Pierre-Alain Challier, located in
Paris’ historic Le Marais district.
2014 SPRING EVENT
IS COMING
Planning is underway for the
Center for HOPE’s 2014 Spring Fundraiser.
Be sure to check www.centerforhope.org
for more information.
For information and tickets,
visit www.familycenters.org
or call 203-869-4848.
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W W W. F A M I LY C E N T E R S . O R G
Community Unites to
Spread Holiday Cheer
amilies, individuals, schools, civic
groups and companies throughout
lower Fairfield County rallied around
Family Centers’ neediest clients to
provide some much-needed cheer this
past holiday season.
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Students at Brunswick School held a
massive food drive, which yielded
complete Thanksgiving dinners
(including gift cards for turkeys) for
dozens of families. Bimbo Bakeries
USA, CrossFit Stamford, WR Berkley
Corporation and Morgan Stanley, St.
John’s Lutheran Church and St. John’s
Episcopal Church also donated food.
(Counter-clockwise from top right): The Greenwich
Women’s Club present Head Start Preschoolers
with new toys; Osvaldo Mercuri and Roy Perciasepe
of WR Berkley help Director of Community
Engagement Jennifer Flatow unload gifts at the
Armstrong Court Preschools; DOVE boxes fill the
conference room at the Stamford office; Shannon
O’Donnell from Keep America Beautiful and
Director of Community Engagement Jennifer Flatow
For Christmas, members of the community participated in Family Centers’
“Adopt-a-Family” program. Everything
from toys to winter jackets to basic
living necessities was collected for
more than 40 families in need. Even
companies and organizations including
Viking Global, UBS Financial Services in
Greenwich, CrossFit Stamford, Greenwich
Rotary, First Presbyterian Church of
Stamford, Keep America Beautiful
and Family Centers’ Associate Board
got into the spirit by dropping off
several carloads of gifts.
To help local residents and families
living in public housing meet their
self-sufficiency goals in 2014, the
United Way of Greenwich donated
gift cards to area retailers. Several
Stamford-area churches and organizations also collected hundreds of
gifts and food as part of the annual
DOVE Boxes program.
Finally, the employees of W.R.
Berkley Corporation in Greenwich
organized their 3rd annual food and
toy drive. In all, boxes of non-perishable food items and more than 125
toys were given to families of the
Greenwich Head Start and School
Readiness Preschools. The Greenwich
Women’s Club also collected toys for
the students of the Greenwich Head
Start preschool.
W W W. F A M I LY C E N T E R S . O R G
Family Centers Awarded
Grant to Provide Mental
Health Services to Children
Family Centers recently received a grant from the Amalia &
Nicola Giuliani Foundation for Religion and the Arts to
enhance the mental health and counseling services offered
to children and adolescents.
The $4,500 gift will be used to provide preventative and
diagnostic care to students who access the School Based
Health Centers. The funds are earmarked to allow the
School Based Health Centers to offer mental health support
and suicide prevention activities to at-risk students.
“In light of the two recent suicides of Stamford high school
students, this work is particularly important and meaningful,” said Fr. John Giuliani, President of the Amalia & Nicola
Giuliani Foundation for Religion and the Arts. “It fits well
within our mission to seek aid for those in crisis.”
(l-r) School Based Health Center Social Worker Amanda Harmon; John Giuliani,
President of the Amalia & Nicola Giuliani Foundation for Religion and the Arts;
Gregory Hauck Vice President of the Amalia & Nicola Giuliani Foundation for
Religion and the Arts; and School Based Health Center Social Worker Emily Segal
PEOPLE’S UNITED COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT TO RITE PROGRAM
The People’s United Community
Foundation awarded Family
Centers a grant to help Fairfield
County residents re-enter the
workforce and improve their
employment status.
The $5,000 gift will help the
Reaching Independence Through
Employment (RITE) program
offer free vocational counseling,
career guidance, and job skills
training to hundreds of Stamford
and Greenwich residents.
The RITE program also offers
free computer classes, resume
critiques, mock interviews and
other services to help give local
(l-r) People’s United Community Foundation Executive Director Vincent Santilli; Family Centers’ Manager of
Self-Sufficiency and Independent Living Marisol Rivera; Karen Galbo, People’s United Community Foundation’s
Marketing, Public & Community Relations Director; Valerie Senew, People’s United Bank First Vice President;
and Family Centers’ President Bob Arnold
job searchers a leg up in this
difficult job market.
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W W W. F A M I LY C E N T E R S . O R G
FA C E S O F FA M I LY C E N T E R S
D
avette Stephens chuckles when she thinks about
the various twists and turns she followed along her
career path. For 17 years, Davette worked in accounting
for a local corporation. While it was a good job, she
always had a passion for teaching young children. In
fact, on the weekends, Davette would pick up nanny
jobs just to satisfy her need to help children.
So, when Davette’s company announced plans to relocate in 2002, she took it as a sign to make a career move.
With her severance package in hand, Davette decided to
open a day care business based out of her Stamford
home. At first, things were going great. Davette was
finally doing what she loved and looked forward to
spending each day with the center’s four children. But it
wasn’t long before she was bogged down with the business end of her new venture.
With mounting paperwork, finances and stringent regulations required of Connecticut home day care facilities,
Davette knew she needed help. She learned about the
resources Care to Care offered to home day care
providers and decided to give the program a shot. In
addition to helping Davette understand the ins and outs
of running a business, Care to Care walked her through
the sometimes confusing process of becoming licensed
by the State of Connecticut.
Davette
Stephens
But what Davette really
appreciated was the
training and education
opportunities she
received. Free CPR and
First Aid courses, child
development workshops
and professional services
have all proved to be
invaluable as she worked
to grow her business.
Davette also gained a
support network of other home day care providers that
she could turn to for advice.
Today, Davette’s business cares for 18 children in two
locations in Stamford. To accommodate the increased
demand for her services, she needed to build a brandnew group day care facility located at the rear of her
home. And although her business has exploded thanks
to the help of Care to Care, Davette continues to lean on
the program for support.
“As a small business owner, receiving free education and
professional development services means so much,” she
said. “These services are not available anywhere else,
and everything I’ve learned through Care to Care has
helped me become a better child care provider.”
Literacy Volunteers to Hold Annual
Scrabble Tournament on April 29
Grab a dictionary and brush up on those words that start with the letter “Q”! It’s time
for Literacy Volunteer’s 14th Annual Scrabble Tournament.
Held at the Greenwich Hyatt Regency on April 29 at 6 p.m., this unique event brings
together families, school groups and members of the business community for an
evening of friendly competition. Players will enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, two rounds
of Scrabble and a silent auction.
Teams are forming now and a number of sponsorship opportunities are available.
Visit www.familycenters.org or call 203-869-4848 for more information or to register.
W W W. F A M I LY C E N T E R S . O R G
(Clockwise from top left): Chloe Demetrius; Runners log some serious miles during the 2nd annual Marathon
on Myrtle; Erik Hufnagel; Associate Board member Jillian Combis; Toyota of Stamford General Sales Manager
Brandon Campbell and Etelinda Hernandez; Carlos Miller
Family Centers and Toyota
Team Up for 2nd Annual
Treadmill Marathon Relay
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ore than two dozen runners from Family Centers,
Toyota of Stamford and the greater Stamford
community laced up their sneakers on Dec. 15 to give
one local family a holiday to remember.
Five teams of runners took to the treadmills at
Underground Fitness in Stamford to cover the 26.2 mile
marathon distance – all while raising funds to purchase
holiday gifts and basic living necessities for a Stamford
family. The event, dubbed the Marathon on Myrtle, is
an annual fundraising collaboration between Family
Centers and Toyota of Stamford.
The more than $2,500 that was raised through donations
and pledges was used to purchase furniture, housewares, gift cards and other gifts for the family of a
School Based Health Center student that lost everything
in a recent house fire. A matching gift of $2,500 from
Toyota USA will allow Family Centers to offer preschool
scholarships to needy families throughout the year.
The 2013 Marathon on Myrtle was sponsored by Toyota
of Stamford, JuJu.com, Underground Fitness, Casey’s
Tavern, Colony Grill, Bonjo Coffee and Fleet Feet
Sports Stamford.
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W W W. F A M I LY C E N T E R S . O R G
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NUA
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3RD
Polar Bear
Plunge Set for
February 23
On Sunday, Feb. 23, Family
Centers’ Associate Board will
invite those in the community
with an adventurous side to take
part in a mid-winter dip in the
Long Island Sound as part of its
3rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge.
All proceeds from the event will
benefit Family Centers’ programs
that provide education, health and
counseling services to thousands
of Fairfield County children and
families.
The plunge takes place at 11 a.m.
at the offices at Geneve Holdings,
located at 96 Cummings Point
Road in Stamford. Pre-event
entertainment and light food
will be available to all participants and spectators beginning
at 10 a.m.
(l-r) Michael Stein of Stein Troost Architecture, Family Centers’ Vice President Bob Short, Family Centers’
Director of Health Care Programs Dennis Torres look over the plans for the new School Based Health Center
at Cloonan Middle School with Mike Makara and A. Christopher Bilyard of Henry & Gerety, Inc. Builders.
Construction Set to Begin at
New Health Center
More than 1,500 square-feet of unused space at Stamford’s Cloonan Middle School
will soon house Family Centers’ newest and largest School Based Health Center.
Funded by a federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant and
funding from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Cloonan Health
Center will feature state-of-the-art medical examination rooms, a new dental operatory
and a social work office. Space will be built to accommodate student activities and
support groups offered by the School Based Health Center.
All participants are encouraged to
ask friends and family to sponsor
their plunge. Prizes will be awarded to the “plungers” who garner
the most donations.
The new health center is also home to Certified Health Education
Specialist Madeline Chaffee. Working alongside School Based Health
Center staff at Family Centers’ five sites throughout the Stamford
Public Schools system, Madeline will assist students and their families
reduce health risks, build prevention skills and make healthier
lifestyle choices. Services will be offered in individual, group or com-
To register or to sponsor an
individual “plunger”, visit
www.familycenters.org. The Polar
Bear Plunge’s $25 entry fee also
includes a limited-edition t-shirt.
Several exciting sponsorship
opportunities are also available.
munity-based settings. During the summer months, Madeline will
Madeline Chaffee
continue her work at various locations throughout the community.
The Health Educator position was created thanks to a three-year grant from the
Arcadia Charitable Trust. A matching gift was provided by the Leon Lowenstein
Foundation.
Work is expected to begin in mid-February so that the health center is ready for the
start of the 2014-2015 school year.
W W W. F A M I LY C E N T E R S . O R G
~ IN HONOR OF ~
~ I N M E M O RY O F ~
Marge & Bill Berkley
Dale Atkins & Rob Rosen
Sharon & Josh Polan
Elizabeth Radley Anderson
Nancie & James Bourne
Edith M. Radley
Bill Bittel
Mary & Lloyd Gravengaard
Anne Firestone Ball
Bridgeport Hospital
Barbara & Mike Conrad
Muffie & Bill Lynch
Coco & Richie
Nicole Iraci
John W. Cross III
Joan & Perry Burns
Jennifer & David Evans
Ines & John Kingsley
Judy & Tom Melly
Steven Fox Jewelry
Beverly & John Watling
Jan & Bob Dilenschneider
Eleanor H. Gimon
Hazel & Mike Hobbs
Dr. Robert Fields
Marsha Kaiser Shendell
Kathleen Fischer
Lisbi Abraham
Gregory S. Hillman
Lisa & Peter Hillman
Robin & Julie Graham
Mary Gill Moran
Maureen A. Hyland
Fleurette S. Roberts
Laurie & Peter Grauer
Diana & Michael Brooks
Anthony Lupo
Regina Lupo
Alice & Chris Holbrook
Helene & Bill Downs
Holly Holbrook
Alissa K. Manacher
Amy Manacher Nulsen
Arlene Mark
Joni & Kevin Kimberlin
John Mountain
Will Holmes
Mimi Pivirotto
Nancy Pivirotto-Barbe
Marsha Kaiser Shendell
Eli Richbourg
Anne & Carl Goodnow
Johanna Rayman
Heather & John Lindell
Amy Shapiro
Amy Shapiro Scholarship Fund
Leslie Sexer
Janet & Jack Sexer
Craig B. Tate
The Craig B. Tate Foundation
Kristi St. Jean
Jennifer Bove
Samuel M. Yonce
April Vehslage
Susan & Cliff Yonce
David R. Van Dyke
Debbie Parker
Abbey Zimmerman
Paul Zimmerman
~ B I L L B R U C K E R ’ S D C M A R AT H O N ~
Robert Braccia
Karen Capuciati
Rita Conte
Helen & Bruce Dixon
William Duckett
Jennifer Flatow
Jean Gates
Kimberlee Keller
Shawn Middleton
Liz Ryan Sax
Mary Ann Slabek
James Tenret
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SENIOR ADVISORS
Officers • Laurie Host, Chairman • Tom Ashforth, Vice Chairman • Laurie Grauer, Vice Chairman • Michael McKeever,
Treasurer • Kevin Walsh, Assistant Treasurer • Alice Holbrook, Secretary • Susan Yonce, Assistant Secretary •
Bob Arnold, President & CEO
Directors • Ashley Allan • Marjorie Berkley • Allison Bourke • Abby Bowers • Doug Brown • Stewart Brownlee •
Pam Caffray • David Campbell • Leigh Carpenter • Ann Croll • Jan Dilenschneider • Helen Dixon • Lauren Driscoll •
Jim Duffy • Patti Fast • Carl Goodnow • Julie Graham • Joli Gross • Merrilou Hillenbrand • Richard Hokin •
John Horton, Jr. • Seeley Hubbard • Kip Koons • Arlene Mark • Charlotte Minor • Mary Moran • John Raffaeli •
Kathleen Ryan-Mufson • Susan Shanks • John Straus • Nonie Sullivan • Mimi Tabah • David Tuttle • Louise Vanderlip
• David Van Dyke • Terri Walker • Bunny Weicker
Annual Giving
Made Simple
amily Centers’ Friends Drive is a
critical component of our annual
fundraising endeavors. Thanks to our
many generous supporters throughout
the community, our annual drive helps
Family Centers ensure that the needs
of more than 23,500 children, families
and adults throughout Fairfield
County are met.
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And now, helping us reach our goal of
$780,000 has never been easier. For
your convenience, we’ve created three
ways for you to make your annual gift
to Family Centers.
Use the enclosed
envelope to send a
check via U.S. Mail
Log onto
www.familycenters.org
and click “Donate Now”
to make a secure online
donation
Use your smartphone
and scan this QR code
to access our mobile
donation page
Lifetime Member • Joan Warburg
Senior Advisors • Bert Ballin • Gini Bantle • Lucy Barrett • Molly Byrne • Karen Casey • Nathaniel Day •
Kathleen DeCruze • Bob Fields • Muffie Fitzgerald • Jane Frank • Gordon Garrett • Edwen Goldstein • Hazel Hobbs •
Mystique Johnston • Karen Keegan • Kim Kispert • Howard Kraft • Muffie Lynch • Tom Melly • Sharon Phillips •
Mimi Pivirotto • George Reilly • Allison Rubeli • Marion Schmeelk • Margaret Sirot • Kathleen Tropin •
Cathy Weisenburger • Bob Wells • Victoria Zerjav
If you have any questions, please contact
Jim Vivier at jvivier@familycenters.org
or 203-869-4848.
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Contact us
Family Centers’ Executive Offices,
& Arch Street Preschool
40 Arch Street, Greenwich, CT 06830
Tel (203) 869-4848
www.familycenters.org
40 Arch Street
Greenwich, CT 06830
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Bridgeport, CT
Permit No. 347
Follow us on:
Family Centers Greenwich
Tel (203) 629-2822
Family Centers Darien/New Canaan
Tel (203) 655-0547 / Tel (203) 972-0556
Family Centers Stamford
Tel (203) 324-3167
Center for HOPE
Tel (203) 655-4693
Family Centers –
Stamford Government Center
Tel (203) 977-4939
Early Childhood Education
& Head Start Preschools
Gateway Preschool
Tel (203) 531-8430
First Steps Head Start/School Readiness
Tel (203) 522-0633
Kids Corner Head Start
Tel (203) 869-2730
Joan Melber Warburg
Early Childhood Center
Tel (203) 629-2822
Visit www.familycenters.org for tickets and
sponsorship information.
Chinatown: Night of the Dragon is Family
Centers’ largest fundraiser of the year and
will support the agency’s health, education,
human service and self-sufficiency programs.
Drawing from elements that made the
Chinatown areas of New York and San
Francisco so iconic, co-chairs Pam Caffray,
Ann Croll and Merrilou Hillenbrand are
creating a true multi-sensory experience at
the historic Greenwich Armory.
Benefit Set for May 31
amily Centers will bring the sights,
sounds and exotic flavors of the Far
East to Greenwich for its “Chinatown:
Night of the Dragon” benefit on May 31.
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“Chinatown”