For the People

Summer's here and kids should be having a blast, but there are hundreds of kids involved with the Boys & Girls Village Foster and Therapeutic Foster care programs who are looking for a caring family to help them feel at home again. So stay tuned, learn more and see if you can get involved.Then we're going to talk about data - who uses it, why, and how data can be accessed and applied to improve your academic project, nonprofit, community agency, journalism initiative and more - as we welcome and discuss how you can be part of the Connecticut Data Collaborative.And if you're a veteran or somebody who cares about a vet who was refused support services because of a non-qualifying discharge, we're going to connect them for help from the New Haven based National Veterans Council for Legal Redress.

It's been awhile since we touched base with the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition, and the recent release of the agency's State of the Child 2020 Report is a perfect reason to reconnect and discuss this important online publication. Then, as we do each June - we'll celebrate pride month promoting resources for the region's LGBTQ community - this year welcoming the director of the Triangle Community Center which serves more than 5,000 LGBTQ community members in greater Fairfield County and beyond. And finally, we'll connect with the Arts Alliance of Stratford hosting Make Music Stratford at the Shakespeare Theater Park on June 21, and planning a number of interactive events in the coming months to promote and grow the arts - hopefully with our listeners' support!

We're going to help you get prepped for the 2021 Hurricane Season with a representative of the American Red Cross — providing tips on how to stay safe and sound during a hurricane or other disaster, cluing you in on how to be a Red Cross volunteer, and why it's so important for blood donors to support the thousands of folks undergoing cancer treatments this June. Then we'll meet a principle with MOVIA Robotics - a Connecticut company that is doing groundbreaking work matching up kids and students on the autism spectrum with robots that are helping improve their social, emotional, and academic progress. And we're closing with the Norwalk Health Dept that has been doing heroic work throughout the pandemic while maintaining other critical public health programs including a successful WinWinWin campaign connecting young people with the HPV vaccine.

This morning we're circling back to speak with Jenn Hubbard - whose daughter Catherine was lost in the Sandy Hook tragedy - to find out all the exciting things ramping up for summer at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, and to invite you to participate in the upcoming 5k Race For Catherine. Then we'll touch base with the Commissioner of Connecticut's Dept of Veterans Affairs. On the heels of the Memorial Day holiday, there's lots to talk about as this critical support agency continues improving outreach and support services for the state's heroes and their loved ones. And we'll close with representatives of the national Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the Black Women’s Health Imperative to review a new report detailing the long history of predatory practices designed to get young women hooked on smoking, and what can be done about it.

Provided lawmakers approve the program, we're going to see a lot of no-cost opportunities for kids to discover the state's museums and sights through the proposed 'Kids Are Free' program, which previewing today.Then we'll find out why now more than ever, the first of its kind State of Health Equity among Boys and Men of Color Summit is the right event at the right moment in time - and why you should be part of it.And we're issuing a gentle but important reminder to businesses and business owners and their employers about the CT Paid Leave program, what you need to know if you're already contributing, and how to get caught up if you aren't.

If you are one of the thousands of men and women who have worked in, or are nearing retirement from Connecticut's manufacturing workforce, we'll tell you how to help inspire and mentor the state's next generations of manufacturing professionals through a brand new program from AARP.Then as we wrap up the 46th annual celebration of National EMS week we'll be speaking with a seasoned EMT and trainer as well as an emergency dept doc about how EMS pros have stepped up more than you know during this COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to answer the call 24/7 and 365 days a year.Finally, we're going to get you growing naturally and native-ly around your home and garden with a special guest from the National Wildlife Federation inviting you to peruse it's new Garden for Wildlife virtual shop to discover and acquire a selection of the best native plants for you here in Connecticut.

So your sniffling, sneezing, got those itchy watery eyes, yes allergy season is in full bloom here across Connecticut, but could those allergy symptoms be masking COVID-19 - or impacting your cardiovascular health? We're going to tap Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a former state cardiology specialist, to discuss allergies, and how you might be able to tackle those symptoms naturally, while protecting your heart in the process. Then, we're heading to the docks of West Haven to catch up with a trio from Veteran Angler Charters to talk about what this unique nonprofit is planning for 2021. If you know a vet who can use some comradery, or a boat captain who may want to provide some support to our veterans, stay tuned. And as we wrap up National Hurricane Preparedness week - we all know power outages following bad storms are inevitable - but our top source at Eversource is here to explain how the energy utility is working hard to minimize possible storm damage to keep your lights on this hurricane season.