For the People

Check out the second of our two-part discussion with the Connecticut Food System Alliance about their recent collaborations and report to help inform all of New England as they pursue the goal of producing and consuming 30% of New England’s food needs in the region by 2030. Then, we'll focus on communities across Connecticut receiving AARP Community Challenge grants. This year, five Connecticut projects were chosen from over 3,000 applicants, so stay tuned nd learn about each of these community building initiatives that will all be completed by the end of this year.And we'll close chatting with the founder of Visionary Physical Therapy about the unique issues and needs facing first responders, and how he and several Sacred Heart University PT students will be providing free treatments to first responders at an upcoming event in Fairfield.

We're going to do a lot of talking about food and the environment this week starting with the first of a two-part discussion with the Connecticut Food System Alliance. We'll begin unpacking a recent report they helped produce to inform consumers, state governments, farmers, and the food industry in pursuit of producing and consuming 30% of New England’s food in the region by 2030. Then we'll tap our partners at the USDA for a deep dive on summer food safety. Barbecues, parties and picnics have great potential to spread foodborne illness, so we'll walk you through everything you need to know to keep your family and guests safe - from the market, all the way to packing up your leftovers. And we'll close with the CT League of Conservation Voters recapping some of the wins and losses coming out of the 2023 state legislative session. While 2023 reflected a number of advances, you'll learn how lawmakers fumbled when it came to continuing Connecticut's pattern of progress on addressing climate change and food waste recycling.

A lot of people don't think much about libraries ...until they can't get reliable, factual answers they need asking their mobile device or smart speaker. So, we're catching up with the outgoing president of the CT Library Assoc. talking about these vital localized or specialized resource centers and the professionals who staff and stock them. Then we'll conclude our June Pride Month focus chatting with the CT Healthy Living Collective whose CT LGBTQ+ Moveable Senior Center Program has expanded to 24 senior centers across Connecticut now offering events specifically designed for LGBTQ+ community members. And we'll kick off the first weekend of summer with a quick briefing from the CT Dept. of Transportation. We'll cover a few basic summer travel and safe operating reminders, remind you about expanded emergency roadside assistance service, and a new program monitoring speeding and issuing warnings if you're speeding through state road work zones.

For victims of interpersonal violence, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Center for Empowerment & Education provides support services while empowering individuals to find their voice and choose their path toward healing as they rebuild their lives. Tune in and hear all about it.Then we're going to check-in with our partners at AARP-CT to learn about a number of successful initiatives they supported going into the 2023 state Legislative Session. These are programs of importance to many - whether you're old enough for AARP membership or you love and care for someone who is.And if you live in the lower Naugatuck Valley, and you'd like to know more about - or talk about - transportation challenges and proposed solutions, we'll preview an upcoming info session coming up in Shelton that you might just want to be part of...

We're continuing our Pride Month focus showcasing a unique collaboration between Wilton Pride and the Norwalk River Valley Trail and the upcoming Push N' Pull Pride Month celebration. Tune in and find out how to be part of this first of its kind events at one of Fairfield County's newest recreational destinations.Then it's time for one of Connecticut's premier activities - the global cultural and community celebration that is the International Festival of Arts & Ideas opening this weekend and continuing through June 25 with dozens of ticketed - but mostly free concerts, exhibits, talks, and way too much to even pack into this segment.June is also Pollinator Month, so we're welcoming back the National Wildlife Federation to talk about the critical importance of sustaining and growing our regional population of pollinators utilizing a host of native plants that are easy to get, plant, and grow right in your own yard.

We're wrapping up our 2-part series focusing on United Way of Western CT and its partnership with Nuvance Health on an innovative "Food Farmacy" - a community-based site designed to increase access to and consumption of healthful foods for those individuals across western and southwestern Connecticut diagnosed with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and/or hypertension. Then we'll be putting some Pride Month focus on a new and unique collaboration between Westport Pride and the Westport Museum for History & Culture - an Oral History Project aiming to fulfill the museum's mission to "make history whole" by bringing to light the hidden narratives of marginalized groups, with a specific focus on the LGBTQ+ community. And we'll close with the Education Diversity Coordinator from the CT Dept of Education - discussing a multi-faceted and well-funded commitment to fortify our state's teaching force, while expanding the diversity of educators for the benefit of all the children and youths who will learn from them.

We're kicking off the first of a two-part series focusing on United Way of Western CT and Nuvance Health which just opened their Food Farmacy - a community-based site increasing access to and consumption of healthful foods for those across the region diagnosed with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and/or hypertension.Then we're heading down to Bridgeport to chat with representatives from Career Resources about their efforts to fortify area businesses and their workforces through a May 31 Second Chance Re-Entry Job Fair specifically supporting second chance citizens.And we'll close inviting everyone ahead of Pride Month to the June 3 Bethel CT Pride Celebration - a street parade and family-friendly party featuring 50+ vendors, food, a kids’ craft tent, and health stations offering confidential HIV and Hepatitis-C rapid testing along with monkeypox and Covid vaccinations.

A lot of really exciting things happen when Junior Achievement is part of your kid's education. So For the People is Bringing in a former educator - now the leader of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England to learn how JA is inspiring students and young people to be productive contributors to Connecticut's communities and near-future workforce.Then we'll stay with the workforce theme — and find out how the clean energy sector is not only providing tons of opportunities for a growing number of diverse workforce candidates, but why clean energy is also critical to the state's economy, and even our public health.And we'll close connecting with Histoury — a unique nonprofit helping folks in Fairfield County show off or learn about styles of architecture and community development, while introducing its guests to the events and people that shaped the places where we live.

While April was Alcohol Awareness Month, health and safety issues tied to alcohol use and consumption are affecting our communities 365 days a year, so we're circling back with McCall Behavioral Health to talk about how they are carrying alcohol awareness initiatives into the summer, along with some other exciting news involving this regional health agency.Then we're going to have a candid chat with a local traffic safety scientist from the Preusser Research Group covering the importance of Connecticut's new all passenger seatbelt law, the uptrend in wrong-way highway collisions, the latest issues involving teen drivers, and UConn's Crash Data Repository.And since the free 2023 Yoga In Our City program is about to begin across numerous Connecticut Communities, we'll replay our 2022 segment on the initiative to familiarize you and hopefully inspire you to try out this health no-cost activity for yourself!

As Connecticut's recreational cannabis market continues to flourish, and the date for legal home grown cannabis approaches, the award-winning For the People hit the floor of the Mohegan Sun convention center to chat with the organizer and a number of vendors at the recent XPOCANNA Connecticut Cannabis Expo to learn more about cannabis pharmacology, obtaining a medical cannabis card, cannabis testing, lighting, its CBG component, and how folks are tying cannabis consumption into community-building activities. So sit back and get ready to roll along with us as we explore the Expo.

Since May is National Foster Care Month, we're opening with the director of the Annie C. Courtney Foundation, to learn how this nonprofit is supporting and promoting positive, empowering, loving and healthy communities for vulnerable children, youth and families with the goal of preventing the need for foster care. Then it's off to UConn to learn a thing or two about preventing serious sports injuries and death with its Korey Stringer Institute, one of the recently announced partners in the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition, which is advocating for all 50 states to adopt evidence-based policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) among high school students.And we'll close inviting you to get to know and support the CT Breast Health Initiative, a state-wide non-profit organization making a significant impact in the quest to find a cure for breast cancer by providing grants to support education and research in Connecticut.

We're circling back to the Wheeler Health network to help celebrate the recent CT Community Foundation grant supporting Wheeler's Walk With Me program - creating a safe, affirming, and inclusive array of outpatient services for LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones. Then head back up the mighty Housatonic to catch up with the Housatonic River Commission - the decades-long driving force behind a recent federal 'Wild & Scenic' designation that was provided for one of the most pristine stretches of that western Connecticut waterway. Finally, we'll lead you from the river to the forest, to catch up with the Aspetuck Land Trust and invite you to explore the 2100-plus acres they manage in southwestern Connecticut — while learning more about their Green Corridor initiative and other cool activities for the spring and summer.

We're at the midpoint of April - Sexual Assault Awareness Month - so we're highlighting a couple of agencies providing support to victims beginning with the Susan B. Anthony Project - celebrating 40 years of service in Torrington and communities in central Litchfield County.Then we'll head to Meriden to chat with folks from the Women and Families Center, which provides sexual assault support services, as well as a number of other critical programs focusing on youth homelessness and workforce development. Their first ever Walk for Hope to End Homelessness is coming up, so we'll clue you in on that as well.Finally, we're taking the long road up to Ashford to let everyone know Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is back following a devastating fire - and is ready to re-open better than ever for the kids and volunteers who support them.

Meet the new CEO of LifeBridge Community Services, a Bridgeport agency partnering with individuals, youth, and families to improve well-being, strengthen resilience, and create a brighter future. They've got an exciting event coming up called 'Creating from the HeART' - so we'll invite you to that while learning about the agency's recent designation as an Urban Trauma Center.Then, we'll welcome a panel of individuals putting the power of two wheels behind a drive to create legislation that will help greatly improve the lives, health and mobility of the thousands of folks across Connecticut who either temporarily or permanently utilize wheelchairs to get around.Finally, you've heard about the increasing levels of PFAS and forever chemicals in our environment and especially in our water supplies, so we're turning to an expert from Aquarion Water Company to learn what that public utility is doing to better identify and filter these potentially harmful chemicals from their numerous state water systems.

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.