For the People

For the People is pleased to introduce two new officials in our state government beginning with our newly elected State Treasurer Erick Russell who will get us up to speed on what his office is up to - as well as discussing programs like the Baby Bonds initiative and the state's Unclaimed Property Fund.Then, For the People will chat with the recently appointed leader of the CT Paid Leave Authority. There are some really important dates and deadlines both employers and employees need to be aware of, so our guest will remind you about them as well as all you need to know about this innovative workforce benefit.Finally, For the People visits with ARI of Connecticut, Inc. which has intentionally remained one of the smallest providers of services for adults with developmental disabilities in the state enabling the agency to provide a “family like” environment and a more individualized approach to services and supports. Their annual Walk For Independence is coming up later this month, so we'll clue you in about that event and how you can help support ARI's good work.

As we celebrate the first full week of Spring it's appropriate that we also celebrate the return of the Northeast Organic Farming Association Connecticut Chapter's 41st Winter Conference that concluded with the first in-person event since 2020, and like we have been for decades, For the People was on scene to bring you interviews with CT NOFA leadership, reps from the FDA, the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, and vendors talking about seeds, alpacas, sustainable appliances, and environmentally safe products and practices. So stay tuned and join The award winning For the People as we plant ourselves on the Weslyan University campus to experience everything CT NOFA.

We're going to get inspired to try and keep more of Connecticut's young people out of the often defeating and damaging environment of incarceration as we meet the leader of CTJA - The Connecticut Justice Alliance - bringing a diverse set of voices together to lift up and protect kids facing challenges that can't be helped behind bars.Then we'll hear about The East Coast Greenway - stretching 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida, and how far along Connecticut is in in completing its section of this project offering a safe place for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and more - of all ages and abilities - to commute, exercise, and visit new destinations.And we'll close replaying an early January visit with New Reach, to learn more about this locally based nonprofit organization, and how its dedicated staff is committed to making homelessness in Connecticut rare, brief and non-recurring.

We're looking back on National Consumer Protection Week with Connecticut's Commissioner of Consumer Protection and bringing you some important reminders about how to best protect yourself and the ones you love from scammers and situations designed to rip you off or steal your identity.Then we'll work up your appetite with our friends from Jersey Mike's Subs. We are smack in the middle of Jersey Mike's Month of Giving and working our way toward their March 29 Day of Giving, so we'll chat with a company representative about this effort, and then welcome Make-A-Wish Connecticut - this year's Month of Giving philanthropy recipient.And we'll close by saying farewell to Eric Jacobsen - the soon-to-be departing director and conductor of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. We'll reflect on his journey over the past nine years, hear about a couple of exciting upcoming performances, and what's in store for this talented musician in the months and years to come.

We'll open transporting you to the Glebe House Museum in historic Woodbury's village center, and invite you to learn about one of the earliest historic house museums in the nation offering authentic architecture, an outstanding regional furniture collection and Gertrude Jekyll Garden.Next, we'll welcome the National Smart Solar Director for the American Farmland Trust. to help clue us all in on that agency's Smart Solar policies and continued investment in farmland protection - and invite you to be part of a March 8 webinar entitled: "Building a Resilient Future: Connecticut’s Smart Solar Opportunities." Then, we'll be introducing you to AgingCT — a statewide network of coordinated information, supports, and services to help Connecticut's older and vulnerable adults and everyone else navigate their aging journey based on their care setting, preferences, and needs.

We've got exciting news for farmers, gardeners and those who love our land resources - The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (NOFA-CT) is with us previewing the 41st Winter Conference coming up in March and culminating with an in-person gathering and celebration at Wesleyan University.Then, we'll tell you about CONNIE - the CT Health Exchange that's required to implement by May. There are more than a few serious concerns about it and a lot that consumers aren't aware of — so we'll call on the President of the CT Psychological Association to help unpack some of the key details you need to know.And we'll close with more good environmental news - a 41-mile section of the Housatonic River just received federal Wild and Scenic designation, which should lead to better protections for the waterway. So we'll chat up a leader from the Housatonic Valley Association - one of the two organizations that helped Connecticut earn this high profile national designation to learn more.

We're checking in with the founder of UR Community Cares, one of the state's coolest and under promoted community building nonprofits. We'll let you in on where this service organization has been popping up lately connecting neighbors to neighbors and providing support to seniors and others who may need an occasional hand around the house.Then we'll resume our series looking at the health and quality of life in the lower Naugatuck Valley using the Valley Community Foundation's latest Index as seen through the eyes of the regional Chamber of Commerce leader. How does the quality and health of Valley commerce affect the welfare of everyone living in the region? Stay tuned and find out!And we'll close catching up with Abilis, which is continuing to expand its network of partnerships providing even more opportunities for alternately-abled residents of lower Fairfield County inclusive employment opportunities to help make everyone involved feel productive and welcome in their community.

We're opening where we left off last week - with the second of a two-part chat featuring the CEO of Connecticut Housing Partners, to hear about how this nonprofit has been working for over 30 years to end housing insecurity, address income inequality and prevent homelessness by creating and preserving safe, affordable housing, and resident services for people across the state. Then we'll check-in with the CEO of the Connecticut Community Foundation - to celebrate the organization's 100th Anniversary, and to help kick off the foundation's next century of supporting important and critical community efforts across their service area including the launch of its Second Century Fund.And we'll close with AARP Connecticut - inviting local organizations and governments to apply for the 2023 AARP Community Challenge grant program. These grants fund quick-action projects that help communities become more livable in the long-term by improving public spaces, transportation, housing, civic engagement, diversity and inclusion, and more.

February is here and that means it's Choose Love Awareness Month - so we'll check in with Scarlett Lewis to discuss recent developments with her Choose Love Movement and the global expansion of important, effective programming in schools, businesses, communities and beyond that was inspired after losing her son in the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy. Then we'll hit the road with Bike Walk Connecticut to learn how this nonprofit is changing the culture of transportation through advocacy and education to make bicycling and walking safe, feasible and attractive for a healthier, cleaner Connecticut. And we'll close with the first of a two-part chat with the award-winning CEO of Connecticut Housing Partners. Hear how this nonprofit has been working for over 30 years to end housing insecurity, address income inequality and prevent homelessness by creating and preserving safe, affordable housing, and resident services.

We're starting and ending our program up in the air - opening with our top birding resource Audubon Connecticut celebrating this environmental nonprofit's 125th anniversary in 2023, as well as the acquisition of its latest open space parcel on Stratford Point, and a new series of workshops to help you understand and appreciate the importance of all our feathered friends.Then we'll address the serious challenges facing more and more renters across the state. We're brining in two representatives from Cap The Rent CT, a grassroots cause working to create fair and equitable laws to help protect renters from predatory rent increases and evictions.And we'll close back up in the air as we welcome the Salisbury Winter Sports Association inviting everyone to witness the thrill of ski jumping, and the insanity of human dog sled racing at next weekends 97th Annual Jumpfest right here in Litchfield County.

This week is the 2023 CT League of Conservation Voters annual summit. So, For the People is previewing what attendees have in store, and hopefully motivating you to participate while learning how to help protect our state's air and water quality, open spaces, and the sustainability of our environment for generations to come.Then we'll sit down with Jane Doe No More, a state-based non-profit empowering survivors of sexual crimes to find their voice, advance their healing, and educate others. We'll catch up on what the organization has been doing, and highlight a brand new resource for men suffering in silence after experiencing sexual abuse.And we'll wrap circling back one final time with the Marijuana Policy Project. The first full week of legal cannabis access in the state has passed registering more than $2 million in sales, so we'll review what's next for one of the groups that played a big role in getting us to where we are today.

While it's early January, the good work and efforts surrounding community agriculture never really stops at Green Village Initiative. So we're opening today's program where we left off last week with Part 2 of our chat with GVI's executive director about what's happening today at the farm, and what's in store as she and her team dig in for 2023.Then, meet the CT Age Well Collaborative and learn how this organization and its team co-creates, educates, innovates, celebrates and evaluates best practices, projects and policies to shape more aging, dementia, and disability-inclusive communities while leading the state's livable communities initiative And we're introducing a true grassroots cause, Recovery for All Connecticut, a statewide coalition of labor, community, and faith organizations representing hundreds of thousands of people — black, brown, and white — standing united in a long-term mission to eliminate systemic inequalities and rebuild a better Connecticut.

Meet the director of New Reach, a nonprofit organization committed to making homelessness in Connecticut rare, brief and non-recurring. New Reach recently received a $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund - the largest private gift in the organization’s history - so we'll get a few insights on how the grant is going to be utilized to better address homelessness in the region.Then we'll resume our series looking at the health and quality of life in the lower Naugatuck Valley using the Valley Community Foundation's latest Index report, as seen through the eyes of the regional Health District Director.And while it's early January, good work surrounding community agriculture never really stops at Green Village Initiative, a recent Connoisseur Cares program honoree. So, we'll close with the first of a two-part visit chatting up GVI's executive director about what's happening at the farm right now, and what's in store as she and her team dig in for 2023.

If you'll be visiting with aging loved ones this holiday season, our expert from Assisted Living Services will be discussing the most important things to look for and know if you believe someone you know may be in failing health, suffering from depression, or may just need some experienced guidance as they age in place.Then, if you are shocked by the rising cost of your healthcare coverage, we're bringing in a commissioner from the CT Insurance Dept. and the state's Healthcare Advocate to help us understand some of the major drivers behind escalating insurance expenses.And we're closing with the new director at Connecticut Main Street Center - to learn more about how the agency is providing education, training, resources and technical assistance, while functioning as the statewide champion for downtowns and Main Streets of all sizes.

Our guest from Connecticut's Office of the Arts is picking up the conversation we started over the summer now that the agency is preparing to celebrate our 2022 Connecticut Arts Hero finalists. We'll hear who this year's Arts Heroes are, and let you in on how to be part of the celebration.Our next segment with the President and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation takes up the importance of accurately documenting race, ethnicity, and language when delivering appropriate and optimal health care to everyone across the state.Finally, we're replaying a recent chat about financial literacy, community outreach, and financial management with Connex nonprofit Credit Union. We'll learn ways young people, college students and adults can manage their money and credit more effectively - along with a few tips that might save your child or college student from getting into financial rough waters.

We're introducing a new program serving New Haven with a representative from Continuum of Care discussing the recently launched COMPASS initiative that's training and equipping teams of social workers and peer support to respond to crisis interventions and mental health emergencies.Then we'll continue our latest series drilling into the latest Valley Community Index - a collaborative project involving the Vally Community Foundation, Griffin Hospital, the Naugatuck Valley Health District and DataHaven - by bringing in the CEO of Team Incorporated to discuss challenges involving early childhood care and housing in the lower Naugatuck Valley.And we'll close replaying a recent chat with Aware Recovery Care to remind you about their unique, successful in-home recovery program along with the critical roles played by loved ones as part of the recovery team - and not just the ones shouldering the entire challenge.

We're opening replaying a chat with End Hunger Connecticut, which earlier this year convened a round table of policy makers and experts discussing the future of the state's summer meals program, and what's in store for kids in cafeterias all over the state the coming school year.Then we're going to kick off a series of discussions about the lower Naugatuck Valley and some of the many factors affecting its health, economies, and overall quality of life. Our guest from the Valley Community Foundation will check in to brief us on the latest Valley Community Index, and begin steering us toward the points we'll continue addressing as this series progresses here on For the People.Then, we'll begin a conversation about the complex issue of toxins in our foods. Recently representatives from the CT Agriculture Experiment Station and the University of Mass at Amherst released an important report on toxins in our food, and we're bringing in one of the report's principal authors to begin a discussion on how these toxins get there, and what we can begin to do about it.

There have been 35,000 deaths in the U.S. so far this year from gun violence, following 45,000 deaths in 2020 and 2021! So we're bringing in a long-time gun owner who happens to be a trauma surgeon for CT Children's Medical Center for a cool, calm, and politics-free conversation about how we can start trending down these horrific losses, so many involving children.Then we're circling back with the Connecticut bureau of the Natural Resources Conservation Service - a division of the US Department of Agriculture - to get the latest on the programs and financial and technical assistance they're offering to farmers and private landowners through their brand new website.And you probably heard that the 5th Circuit recently ruled that DACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - was unconstitutional, and new DACA applications will no longer be allowed. So if you are or know one of the 1 million-plus undocumented Dreamers living without legal status, we're reconnecting with our resource at Immigration Help to find out how that nonprofit may be of assistance.

Meet the Connecticut Cancer Foundation a premier nonprofit that has supported over 8,000 families struggling with the disease, along with devoting millions to cancer research. We'll hear about their No Shave CT activities and get a preview of what's to come for the foundation's celebrity-studded gala early next year. Then we'll be talking with an environmental expert from H2M architects + engineers about the water we drink and that flows through our households and communities — and the increasing risks of the various contaminants that could impact our personal and public health. And we'll close with Goodwill of Western and Northern CT which is locating and recruiting veterans facing homelessness to better support them in finding stable places to live, new jobs and careers, and a number of other services - and how you can support local service members at Goodwill's Stand Up for Veterans on November 18.

We're wrapping up our October Domestic Violence Awareness Month series with a couple of true front line responders when a domestic violence victim or witness reaches out for help. We'll be visiting the Newtown Emergency Communications Center and Police Department to speak first with a respected emergency telecommunications leader, as well as a police sergeant heading up Newtown's new community policing division to explain what to expect in those first few crucial moments when you call 9-1-1 for help.Then we're heading up to CT Electric Car Charging Systems to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company who helped install the state's first electric vehicle charging stations, and is on track to hook up hundreds more in the coming years. We'll chat with the company owner as well as a number of key state and federal officials in attendance - so stay tuned.

In this next segment of our series during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we're going to talk to CT Paid Leave's CEO about benefits that may be available for domestic violence victims and their immediate caregivers, along with discussing other ways this new benefit can assist others across Connecticut.Then we're going to hear about a brand new health system now serving much or western Connecticut with mental health and behavioral crisis and other related issues - as we chat with the new boss at McCall Behavioral Health Network.The Kennedy Center has rebranded - and is now known as The Kennedy Collective. So we'll bring in their leader to get the backstory leading up to this historic name change, and what's in store for current and future Kennedy Collective clients, staff, and supporters in the future.

We're continuing our month-long Domestic Violence Awareness Month series with the the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) - the state’s leading voice for victims of domestic violence and those organizations that serve them. We'll discuss the vital role law enforcement officers play in domestic violence response and help promote the coalition's new CTSafeConnect resource.Then, on October 20, four exceptional women will be honored at the 29th Annual Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Ceremony and Celebration. So we're chatting up the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame’s Executive Director about the event and how you can get in on celebrating these and all women across our state.And we'll wrap touting New Haven Promise - a nonprofit that is building a culture in local public schools in which students aspire to attend and graduate from college; providing financial incentives and support for those students; and facilitating their return to live, work and serve in the greater New Haven community.

We're continuing our month-long Domestic Violence Awareness Month series with The Center for Empowerment and Education - the regional Domestic and Sexual Violence resource for Upper Fairfield and Lower Litchfield county. We'll focus on this year’s theme #Every1KnowsSome1, and hear about The Center's upcoming events and workshops to help spread awareness. Then, our midpoint is just going to be a couple of guys sitting around talking seaweed - with the grandfather of the U.S. commercial seaweed industry. Dr. Charlie Yarish back to open your eyes, and maybe make you hungry to learn more about how seaweed can help solve an amazing number of environmental, economic, health and food shortage challenges.And we're closing highlighting Waterbury Bridge to Success (BTS) bringing over 90 community and civic leaders, educators and organizations together empowering Waterbury’s youth to be successful in school, career, and life. We'll preview their upcoming workshop tour of partners putting the spotlight on access to resources, advocacy and leadership for this generation and the ones to come.

October is here and with it comes National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. So we're launching a weekly series to help promote greater awareness on the subject, as well as reminding victims about the wealth of resources and support professionals out there ready to help you get your life back and stay safe. Today we'll learn about the Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC), and how they are focusing on the aspect of financial abuse. Is someone controlling you with their financial capabilities? If so, tune in. Then we'll chat with two very dedicated representatives who were instrumental in forming the Connecticut American Legion Foundation. We'll discuss the important civic-minded programs the foundation is already supporting, as well as explaining how you or your employer or community group can get behind building and expanding many other American Legion sponsored initiatives. And we'll close on a musical note with the director of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, which is in the process of choosing a new conductor while continuing to bring the beauty of symphonic music to folks throughout the region, while exposing school-age audiences to the symphony and myriad possible future careers in musical and cultural arts organizations.

We're wrapping up our National Recovery Month coverage with Recovery Network of Programs - not only celebrating their 50th Anniversary - but more than ever, committed to empowering those who need it get the compassionate, personalized support they deserve to improve their lives.We're also closing out Suicide Prevention Awareness Month this September with United Way CT and an individual who has lived to talk about his suicide experience. So far in 2022, nearly 112,000 Connecticut residents have reached out to United Way of Connecticut’s 211 mental health crisis team - so we're going to help you get the support you need if you are thinking about suicide.And we'll close with the founder of Mikey’s Way Foundation - we'll discuss how this nonprofit is helping enrich the lives of children suffering with life-threatening illnesses - and invite you to laugh out loud for the cause at the upcoming Mikey's Way Night of Comedy showcase.

It's National Recovery Month, so in the first of a couple of related segments we're checking in with Aware Recovery Care to remind you about their unique, successful in-home recovery program along with the critical roles played by loved ones as part of the recovery team.Then, as misinformation continues to pervade conversations about election and voting security, we'll circle back to have another very enlightening, and maybe a bit concerning conversation with our source from the Election Cybersecurity Initiative at USC's Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.And then we'll reconnect on the issue of the crisis in nursing staffing here in the state and across the nation, while celebrating the 42nd Annual RN Student Day with the newly consolidated CT Center for Nursing Workforce.

We're going to be touching on three subjects today that could very well involve you or someone you know and love. We're going to open with a representative from Griffin Health to talk a little bit about Long COVID and how that health system is working to diagnose and address it. Then we'll circle back with our local friends from the Lupus Foundation of America to learn how it is supporting research and the day to day needs of our neighbors grappling with this insidious illness. We'll also tell you how you can help by being part of the 2022 Walks To End Lupus. And we'll wrap with Wheeler Health, which just opened a groundbreaking outpatient program addressing youth mental health response and care in several of their offices including Waterbury. Could your child or one you know benefit from this initiative? Stay tuned and find out.

As promised earlier this year — we're heading out to help celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo. The only AZA-accredited zoo in the state - it features one of Connecticut's remaining fully operational carousels, a farmyard, picnic areas, a massive antique greenhouse, and so much more. As we meander through the Beardsley Zoo with Director Gregg Dancho and zoo educators, we'll visit and learn about the latest spider monkey residents, the soon-to-open Andean Bear Habitat, we'll learn about the zoo's Sky Hunters program, how its working to save and sustain the endangered monarch butterfly, and we'll preview this fall's coolest evening activity: the massive Beardsley Zoo Glow Wild exhibit.

Meet the the leader of LiveGirl, and and learn how to get your daughter involved with this non-profit empowering girls through year-round leadership development and mentoring that builds self-confidence and fosters diversity.Then, visit with Cindi Bigelow, and meet a couple of recipients of The 35th Annual Bigelow Tea Community Challenge. We'll tell you how to get yourself and the whole family in on the fun supporting local agencies like Pivot Ministries and the Mercy Learning Center.And we'll close leaving you dancing - or at least getting you prepared to see some awesome dancing as we visit with Adam's House, which is hosting its Dancing With The Stars event to benefit their program of grief education and peer support for families following the loss of a close loved one.

This morning we're going to get Closer to Free with the first of two planned interviews ahead of the 2022 Closer to Free Ride supporting research and care at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center. We'll speak with the surviving spouse of a Smilow cancer patient who is presenting Beth's Bash to honor his late wife next Sunday with 100% of proceeds going to the Smilow Cancer Hospital.Then, we'll touch base with the executive director of The Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers - committed to increasing access to quality health care for all children and adolescents in Connecticut schools. Does your child enjoy the resources of a school-based health center? If not, listen in and find out more.And we'll close talking financial literacy, community outreach, and financial management with Connex nonprofit Credit Union. We'll hear from one of their top executives about managing your money and credit more effectively, and bring you a few tips that might save your child or college student from getting into financial rough waters.

We're departing from our usual format today to bring you several guests talking about two cool subjects. Our first segment brings together a trio talking about the Connecticut Office of the Arts Artist fellowship Program — providing recognition and funding support for Connecticut artists to pursue new work and advance their artistic careers. Then we're welcoming back the CEO and founder of Connecticut's Aquiline Drones and the Regional President of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system to discuss how they are partnering to develop a brand new drone career training and licensing curriculum beginning this fall.

How concerned should you be about the global monkeypox outbreak? Connecticut has already seen it fair share of cases, so we're bringing in the state's top doc - Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Manisha Juthani to fill you in on everything you need to know about monkeypox.Then we're replaying a visit with the coordinator of the Youth Link Mentoring Program at Boys and Girls Village. This important initiative is recruiting mentors who will be trained to support the growing communities of LGBTQ+ youths across the state facing numerous challenges.And we're closing ahead of August 11 - or as the folks at Call Before You Dig refer to it - "8-1-1 Day," a perfect time to update and remind any private property owner or commercial excavators about the mandated Call Before You Dig protocol here in Connecticut - no matter how shallow or deep you are digging.

State Senator Tony Hwang is helping unpack the complexities related to numerous proposed massive health insurance rate hikes under consideration for 2023. So we'll help explain how you as ratepayers and health insurance consumers can step up and try to help stop or greatly reduce those proposed rate increases. Then we'll welcome Connecticut Voices for Children to talk about their 2022 State of Early Childhood — examining the accessibility, affordability, quality, and funding of Connecticut’s early childhood system. And, on a similar subject, we're reconnecting with End Hunger Connecticut, which just convened a round table of policy makers and experts discussing the future of the popular summer meals program, and what's in store for kids in cafeterias all over the state this coming school year.

Today we're unveiling ALICE - Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate - a new initiative rolling out across the state and changing the way police, emergency services, and schools are confronting crises. Hear representatives from the East Haven school district and Police Dept discussing how you can help that community as it prepares to engage this new program in the fall.Then we're going to preview a first of its kind social justice symposium coming to Sacred Heart University. We'll chat with both a faculty and student organizer about why this kind of day-long event is important for you and your community, and why you might consider attending.And we'll close with the CT Dental Association. Have you been putting off dental care because of the pandemic? We'll learn why re-connecting with your family's dentist office is so important for your overall health and wellness, and the roles dentists play in keeping your whole body in good health.

This For the People encore segment features State Comptroller Natalie Braswell in last January's chat about Connecticut's new Essential Worker COVID-19 Assistance Fund. With eligibility just expanded to the CDC’s 1C list of essential workers - and the application deadline extended - it's time to find out if you can get compensation for a number of virus-related losses and expenses. Then, we've got a challenge for you veterans - especially if you don't like the direction our country is going. Hear how Veterans for Political Innovation is mobilizing heroes like you to help make our nation's political system less toxic and more competitive by becoming more involved in local and state political action. And, if you are a nurse or have aspirations to be one, meet the founder of the Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Development Program - who wants you to be one of America's next generation of oncology and palliative care specialists training at no cost across a growing network of prestigious medical centers.

We're celebrating the opening of the Homes for the Brave Annex, which is delivering comprehensive services and supports for veterans and their families across the entire region. If you are, or you know a veteran or a vet's family who may be in need of health, employment, or financial support, stay tuned. Then we're going to check - in with United Way of Connecticut to remind you that more than 150,000 families in the state might be leaving as much as $750 cash on the table, unless they apply for the 2022 Connecticut Child Tax Rebate before July 31. And we'll close with Preservation CT, an organization working to help preserve and promote historical buildings and sites across the state. We'll learn what their team has been up to lately - and tell you about a special initiative highlighting the local creations of Frederick Olmsted on the occasion of his 200th birthday.

Each year, about 1,500 pedestrians and 550 bicyclists are hit by cars on Connecticut roadways, leading to serious injuries and fatalities. So we're bringing in a rep from Watch for Me CT a statewide campaign aimed at reducing those numbers through awareness, education, and enforcement to discuss their work and how it can benefit your community. Then we'll welcome back EnergizeCT and the Director of Energy Efficiency for Eversource to talk about a couple of different programs to help educate kids on how to live in a more sustainable world, and how to enlist entire communities in helping conserve energy resources. And we'll close with a special projects coordinator from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, which just published a first of its kind guidebook to help town and city leaders and police agencies better respond to racial tension in their communities.

Bears aren't just out there somewhere, they're marching into parks and yards, and even breaking into cars and homes. So what do you need to become more 'bear aware' - well, we've got all the answers for you as we visit with a state DEEP Bear and wildlife expert. Then we'll check in with NAMICT, to find out how that agency is responding to the escalation of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues as we continue grappling with the COVID pandemic, and all the other issues putting undue strain on our already busy lives. And you've been hearing about it - so we're going to close discussing MyHomeCT - a brand new program to cure mortgage delinquencies and defaults, prevent foreclosures among eligible homeowners and provide much needed assistance for qualified non-mortgage expenses.

Today we're opening our final week of the school year program with a representative of Teach Connecticut talking about the many rewards of teaching and how Teach Connecticut can provide a huge range of information and resources whether you're thinking about applying your current career expertise to teaching, or you're ready to step out into the workforce for the first-time as an educator.The we'll welcome Disability:IN Connecticut, which is supporting state businesses that are committed to disability inclusion in the workplace and supply chain. If you are an employer facing workforce challenges, Disability:IN CT may be your solution.And we'll close with our friend Scarlett Lewis who through the tragic loss of her son at Sandy Hook, has developed the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement into a resource rich initiative that has already changed the lives of millions around the world.

You can help honor the ultimate sacrifice of one brave 9/11 responder by being part of the 2022 Tunnel to Towers Run & Walk on June 26. So we'll help reinforce what it's all about and how to get involved as we chat with the race organizer at the Bethel High School event site.Then we'll bring you Part 2 of our CT League of Conservation Voters discussion about critical environmental legislation that didn't make it through the 2022 statehouse session, and learn how you can play a key role in helping ensure issues related to things like waste management and toxic chemicals are dealt with in 2023.And we're closing with our partners from IRIS - Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services - as our state gets ready to celebrate World Refugee Day with events featuring stories, music poems, and exhibits coming up next weekend in New Haven and Hartford.

Pride Month is here and we're checking in with the director of Connecticut's leading LGBTQ+ support agency - Norwalk's Triangle Community Center - to learn how they are helping members of these communities across the state with services and advocacy. Then we'll meet a couple of representatives of EAPA - the Employee Assistance Professionals Association - to learn how its members help those facing challenges at work and outside the workplace, and about their upcoming conference focusing on suicide prevention. And we'll close with our partners from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters - taking a look back on the 2022 state legislative session, and a look forward reflecting on how these accomplishments will be making our state more environmentally sustainable.

We're continuing our mission to connect you with cool adventures, so stay tuned for our guest from the HVA - the Housatonic Valley Association - hosting a month-long Explore-a-Thon this June with all kinds of prizes, local brewery gatherings, and cool, fun ways to learn more about protecting our environment. Then as we close out Mental Health Awareness Month, we'll turn to Dr. Hilary Blumberg, from Yale University's Mood Disorders Research Program - whose team is doing critical work to help those suffering from mental health issues and grappling with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Then meet the founder of the Susan D. Flynn Oncology Nursing Development Program - which is working to recruit and train America's next generation of oncology and palliative care nurse specialists through unique partnerships across a growing network of prestigious hospitals and medical centers.

Today we're bringing you a couple of fantastic ways to get outside while improving your own and your loved ones' health and wellness. CT Trails Day is the first weekend in June and so we'll be revealing all the ways you can get out hiking, biking, horseback riding, running, maintaining, kayaking, bird watching, letterboxing, and maybe learning a thing or two in the process.Then we'll visit with the coordinator of the Youth Link Mentoring Program at Boys and Girls Village. This important initiative is recruiting for mentors who will be trained to support the growing communities of LGBTQ+ youths across the state facing numerous challenges from anxiety and depression to homelessness and substance use issues.And as promised, we'll close inviting you to connect with ConnectiCare's 10th anniversary Yoga In Our City wellness program taking place starting now in parks near you offering free yoga classes taught by local teachers at parks in communities like Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury.

Meet the community engagement specialist from BHCare discussing several of the public health crises his agency is responding to throughout the Naugatuck Valley, shoreline and greater New Haven areas - and how you can help support their efforts by attending their June 4 A Chance to Shine celebration and benefit at Quarry Walk in Oxford.Then it's time for our annual visit with Connecticut's Council on Environmental Quality, which just released its annual report on Connecticut's environment. Listen and learn about how our state is progressing, where we're backsliding, and how residents can get involved to help make their community and state more environmentally sustainable.Then we're touting another fund and awareness-raising activity - we'll help get you into the water with Swim Across America, or get involved as a volunteer for their 16th upcoming open water swim to benefit the Connecticut-based Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy.

We're circling back with Domestic Violence Crisis Center to discuss the critical role men play in setting examples that help prevent domestic violence - and inviting you to honor Connecticut's own Michael Bolton and Jeff Benedict at the DVCC Voices of Courage Luncheon this week in Darien.This segment that is a must-listen for anyone who is getting involved in the financial aid application process. Check our chat with a Connecticut State Community College expert who just wrote a book on the subject. You'll also find out about the Pledge to Advance Connecticut (PACT) program that allows first time, full-time students to attend any in-state community college DEBT-FREE.Then meet LEVO International - expanding across Connecticut to address food insecurity, food deserts, sustainability - and revealing how everyone can get started growing their own fresh healthy food in a space about the size of a 5-gallon bucket!

As we head into May we're taking an opportunity to encore a few segments we've gathered over the past four months that still focus on critical issues facing your community and our state:We'll start with a previously recorded segment featuring Connecticut's new Comptroller Natalie Braswell, discussing a brand new benefit for front line responders who may have suffered financial issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are or know a front line worker, learn about the CT Essential Worker COVID-19 Assistance Fund.Then, we'll tap an exec from the CT League for Nursing & CT Center for Nursing Workforce that partnered with our friends at CT Data to produce an incredibly important and concerning report about our state's nursing resources, and how a crisis level shortage of nurses is looming.And we'll close with a call we did during March — Problem Gambling Awareness Month. With Connecticut recently opening up many new ways to lay down and lose - or win a bet - For the People brought in a top resource at Wheeler Health for some straight talk about what to do if you or someone you know - even a teen or young adult - is experiencing unhealthy gambling habits.

We're going to pick up on a conversation we started earlier this year with the Connecticut Urban Forest Council to hear about seven more projects recently awarded Urban Forestry Climate Change grants - and how these projects will create positive health and environmental benefits for us all.We're tapping a Clinical Psychologist from the CT Psychological Association to talk about how events and activities around the nation are ramping up anxiety and depression across some of the younger members of our LGBTQ+ population, and how mental health providers are or should be gearing up to provide much needed support.And we're inviting you to get involved in a really unique way with the Girl Scouts of Connecticut. This year, GSOFCT is seeking at least ten Facilitators for its "Summer in the City" Program , so we'll learn more about it, what the program will accomplish, and how you can be part of it.

We're hopping your way Easter morning and inviting kids to help tackle food waste with Random Hacks of Kindness Jr & Sustainable Southbury - partnering on a virtual 'Coding for Good Hackathon' on Saturday, April 23. Then we're talking agriculture with the Westport Farmers' Market - since 2006, the market and its farmers & vendors have provided fresh, healthy food while promoting education and activities centered around growing local. And we'll wrap with a rep from Reason For Hope, talking about HB 5396 - a bill in front of state lawmakers right now that will significantly increase safe, responsible access to psychedelic-assisted therapies for the treatment of mental health and addiction challenges, especially among our veterans.

We're welcoming back ARI - working with around 100 disabled individuals through several programs in lower Fairfield County helping them learn and grow in order to achieve a higher level of independence - and inviting you to get involved supporting their 70th Anniversary Ball, an upcoming golf tournament and the April 24 ARI Walk for Independence. Then, meet a local representatives of Veterans for Political Innovation a nonprofit with a mission to mobilize veterans and supporters to advocate for election innovations to make our political system less toxic and more competitive. And we'll close helping to unveil SAVED - the State’s Attorney’s Violence Eradication and Disruption (SAVED) program - a forward looking prevention focused program to identify and serve youth impacted by violence in their communities with a trauma informed, treatment focused approach.

Do you have an older or unused bike you'd like to see out of your garage or basement and put to good use, or maybe you know a child or youth who's got a lot of energy and is looking for a great way to use it? We've got a way you can take care of both, so check out our chat with the CMAK Foundation's Race 4 Chase founder to learn more. Then we'll introduce you to Families Network of Western CT, creating positive, lasting changes through public awareness activities, direct service to families, volunteer training, and a commitment to partnering with community and business leaders, social service agencies and healthcare and education providers. Then we'll meet an old friend who's the new director at Keystone House, a nonprofit providing residential and psychosocial services for adults with psychiatric disorders in greater Norwalk by providing them with necessary life skills and tools to help them live as independently as possible.