For the People

With An estimated 7 million Americans struggling with gambling addiction, we contacted our source with the nonprofit Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling to discuss a proposal to secure federal funds to treat and research gambling addiction.Then we're welcoming back AARP Connecticut to review some of the high points of their 2024 Legislative Agenda, and to remind local communities and qualified agencies that the next round of AARP Community Challenge grant applications is now open, and features several new areas of focus for applicants in 2024.And we'll close touching base with the CT Green Bank - America's 1st Green bank has just released its Annual Report, so we'll review a few of the agency's accomplishments from the past year, celebrate the 10th anniversary of the C-PACE program, and clue you in on a new way that the agency's Solar MAP program is expanding to support affordable housing developers.

This week marked the one-year anniversary of Connecticut launching its legal adult-use cannabis marketplace, so we'll connect with a spokesperson from the agency overseeing that program to look back on year one, and give us some insight on how this marketplace will be expanding in 2024.This year's CT Voices for Children State of Early Childhood report is responding to the Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care and a Continuation of Spotlighting Disenfranchised Populations, so we're bringing in the report's two authors to unpack why its details and recommendations are so important.And we're circling back with Sustainable CT to talk about how that agency is committed to equity, and to creating communities where all are welcome and have the opportunity to thrive. We'll put out the recruiting call for summer fellows - and help celebrate Connecticut's first Gold Level certified SustainableCT community.

Our first guest of the new year is from CHDI discussing their newly launched CONNECTing Schools to Care IV Students initiative to integrate trauma-informed comprehensive school mental health supports into the existing community-based network of care - as well as connecting you to their helpful Connect4Families Toolkit.Then we'll introduce to you the Governor M. Jodi Rell Center for Public Service at the University of Hartford. Learn how the Rell Center is promoting ethics in government; civil discourse in politics; and how the Center is looking to encourage students and others to pursue careers in public service.And we'll welcome back the CT League of Conservation Voters. If you've been hearing about eliminating fuel burning vehicles on state roadways or you have growing concerns about our environment, we'll invite you to be part of the CTLCV 2024 Environmental Summit coming up in a couple of weeks.

Our New Year's Eve program is visiting a few of our most informative and special segments, including our mid-July chat with the CEO of the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center talking about how his team is delivering a wide range of physical, mental, dental and wellness services to neighborhoods that need it the most. We'll also celebrate the opening of the center's new Dixwell Q-House.Then we'll replay our chat about the East Coast Greenway - stretching 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida - and how far along Connecticut is in completing its section, offering a safe place for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and more of all ages and abilities to commute, exercise, and visit new destinations.Finally, we'll encore our visit with the Education Diversity Coordinator from the CT Dept of Education and the state's commitment to fortify our teaching force while expanding the diversity of educators for the benefit of all the children and youths who will be learning from them.

Hey, it's not too late to consider giving someone you know one of the most special and unique gifts ever - tuition to Bee School which comes with membership to the Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA), so we'll feature an association member who will be sharing knowledge about beekeeping, and is dedicated to educating beekeepers and promoting the benefits of beekeeping to the public. Then, it's time to look back and take stock, to look forward and make plans as 2024 makes us all a year older. Perhaps those plans involve supporting an aging loved one, or if you are an older Connecticut resident, disrupting ageism and ableism. So, we're bringing back the director of the The Connecticut Age Well Collaborative to talk more about how her agency is supporting that effort in 2024.And finally, we'll dispense a few gifts of wisdom to entrepreneurs and business community members across the region from the leader of AdvanceCT - a private nonprofit economic development organization that drives job creation and new capital investment in Connecticut through business attraction, retention, and expansion, in close cooperation with state, regional, and local partners.

Holidays mean visiting with loved ones - and if you notice developing issues related to aging, we'll connect you with experts from Assisted Living Services and one of Connecticut's Area Agencies on Aging to explain the little-known Adult Family Living-Foster Caregiver Program that can help loved ones continue aging in place at home.Then we're revisiting Connecticut's groundbreaking mattress recycling program with the state's Mattress Recycling Council and the director from one of the states regional recovery authorities to help educate consumers about where to go and what to do when you're ready to recycle your bedding.And we'll close meeting some folks from Harbor Watch - a program of Earthplace in Westport - who just finished hosting their Annual Student Symposium on local water quality findings. So, we'll hear about that and some of the activities at Earthplace's nature center.

For the People hits the road again, landing at thge region's first of its kind Food Farmacy of Greater Danbury - that's Farmacy with an 'F'. We'll visit folks who helped create this unique public health program as well as the facility to help support it and hundreds of families it's already serving since it opened a few weeks ago.Then we'll head from the 'Hat City' to the Park City for a candid conversation with the director and curator of Bridgeport's Barnum Museum. We'll discuss how the 'Barnum' recently received its rightful place on the National Register of Historic Places - after a disastrous 20-year journey that had more twists, turns, and unfortunate detours as the life of P.T. Barnum himself!

Our on site visit to this year's Green Village Initiative Harvest Fest was bittersweet.While it preceded a major change for this urban agricultural nonprofit that has done so well supporting equity, community, anti-racism, wellness, knowledge-sharing, and youth mentorship, along with responding hunger and promoting food justice - the festival also provided an opportunity to meet and learn about numerous individuals in greater Bridgeport who have learned from and benefited as a result of their ties to GVI. So stay tuned and get ready to meet some of these enterprising individuals as well as hearing about the coming changes from the nonprofit's leadership.

The Child Health and Development Institute's latest research produced a blueprint for strengthening Connecticut's behavioral health workforce for our children, so tune in and be among the first to learn how this report can help fast-track the help our kids need! Then....we'll hear how grants from the Connecticut Health Foundation will support advocacy efforts to expand health care coverage to more immigrants and to ensure that those who are eligible can get covered.And hey, it's National Adoption Month. So, if you think you can be the best part of a child's challenging life, For the People is welcoming a rep from Wheeler’s Foster Care programs to discuss the options, support and benefits you can receive.

Since 1966 the nonprofit Continuum of Care has been serving adults diagnosed with mental illness and severe developmental and intellectual disabilities. The agency is preparing for its Holiday Bazaar that will help fund a brand new and comprehensive program that will save taxpayers millions addressing homeless individuals diagnosed with one or more of these issues - so tune in and see how you can help.Then, we're bringing in the Managing Director, Public and Government Affairs for AAA Northeast to get you up to speed on issues from pedestrian and driving safety post Daylight Saving - to a new addition to our 'Slow Down, Move Over' law, a new mobile EV emergency charging unit, and what to know if you'll be traveling this Thanksgiving.And we'll celebrate the recent opening of the western Connecticut 'Food Farmacy' by replaying part of a spring series focusing on a first-of-its-kind collaboration between United Way of Western CT and Nuvance Health on this community-based site designed to connect folks diagnosed with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and/or hypertension to fresh healthful foods.

Hear from the leader of SCORE of Western CT about all the free and confidential resources for you whether you are a business owner who wants to take things to the next level, you're ready to break out on your own as an entrepreneur, or if you are a business person who's willing to share your talents and expertise as a mentor or coach.Then, we'll connect with Connecticut's Agriculture Commissioner and a state Ag Ambassador to talk about how easy, healthy, and economically feasible it is to 'Put CT Grown On Your Plate' for the fall and winter holidays - and every day!And we'll close with a rep from Eversource addressing the cost of energy and how that utility is offering a range of programs to assist folks with paying their energy bills.

Meet the CEO of Waveny LifeCare Network and hear how this regional nonprofit is delivering a comprehensive continuum of healthcare to seniors with diverse therapeutic programs, services and living options. Waveny is celebrating 50 years of service and an important new partnership going into 2024, so tune in and learn all about them.Then it's time to check in with our source at the CT DOT on subjects from Halloween traffic safety, to enhancements and fare increases on state bus and rail lines, a couple of important construction updates, and how the DOT will be making state roads more friendly for all through the 'Complete Streets' initiative.And we'll close with Gifts of Love - a regional nonprofit supporting struggling working families by responding to provide basic living needs including food assistance, household items, and clothing; and fighting food insecurity. We'll also let you know how to support Gifts of Love, including attending their upcoming 'Fall In Love' fundraiser.

We're closing out our 3-part series 'AARP & You' - tapping expert sources from the national AARP network to provide critical information to better protect everyone in Connecticut. In this segment, you'll learn the 3 most important things to immediately do if you are the victim of fraud.Then we're circling back with CT Housing Partners CEO and one of their developers to provide some insight into Connecticut's much maligned 8-30g statute related to affordable and workforce housing.And we're connecting with the Commissioner of Connecticut's Dept. of Developmental Services to hear more about the recently launched STEP (Supporting Transformation to Empower People) program to shift and expand the continuum of supports to serve as many individuals in the most independent settings possible.

Meet Impact Fairfield County - a women's collective giving organization funding large transformational grants for qualified nonprofits. The next application period opens October 16, so if you are involved with or volunteer for, get services from a nonprofit that operates or programs in Fairfield County, listen in and learn more.Then we're introducing Thin Line Peer Support Team, Inc, a non- profit providing peer-to-peer mental health assistance to first responders, active military, and veterans as well as facilitating access to more comprehensive mental health resources including drug and alcohol programs. Hear about their first major fundraiser - Walk the Line - and how you can help or come out and support the cause in person.Then, we're circling back with the CT Women's Hall of Fame - delivering educational resources bringing Connecticut women’s history to life for current and future generations. The Hall is planning its Induction Ceremony and 30th Anniversary Celebration October 26 - so check out our chat and learn more about it!

During International Overdose Awareness Week we featured the first of a two-part interview with the leader of Liberation Programs, which serves about 1,000 people a day in our region with addiction recovery and mental health support initiatives. Now, we're continuing that conversation.Then we're turning our attention back to ALICE - Asset Limited Income Constrained & Employed. United Way of Connecticut has just released its latest report focusing on several key points involving ALICE households...maybe yours is one of them.Then, we'll initiate a spirited conversation with The Greater Bridgeport Symphony's new guest conductor Eduardo Leandro talking about his musical journey and next week's 78th Season Opening concert - themed 'Connecting Communities.'

Can you believe veterans, active-duty service members and their families are nearly 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud? So, for the 2nd part of our latest series "AARP & You" we'll go to a veteran and AARP expert to help share how to identify and combat veterans-related scams. Then we'll connect with the CT Office of the Arts to tout the October 7 READI Set Music Conference, a dynamic one-day event in New Haven celebrating the state's vibrant music scene and empowering artists and musicians with industry knowledge, networking opportunities, and a platform to showcase their artistry.Finally, we'll reconnect with Connecticut's Social Equity Council, which recently announced the launch of a community reinvestment survey that will use information in conjunction with feedback from upcoming community conversations, to develop a reinvestment plan that will bring much needed resources back into communities negatively impacted by the War on Drugs.

AARP has something for everybody - and we'll prove it as we kick off our latest series 'AARP & You' - a three-pert deep dive into issues that could affect us all, including ways to help protect yourself from imposters stealing your identity, supporting our veterans, and a few important things you need to know regarding gift cards.Then we'll reconnect with the Valley Community Foundation and pick up on a conversation with the Valley Health District as those agencies collaborate on an upcoming free health & wellness forum.And we'll close circling back with the CT Data Collaborative, which just released a surprising and concerning new report about the upward trend of multigenerational households. Why is that so important? Stay tuned and find out!

The Connecticut Technology Council's Women of Innovation event is the state's first women in tech awards, which now includes over 800 women as winners and finalists. So we'll touch base with CTC's new Executive Director to get the latest on how the CTC can help if you are in a tech or STEM field - and how you can help support Connecticut's Women of Innovation.Then, we'll welcome back Cindi Bigelow to talk about this year's Bigelow Tea Community Challenge and meet representatives from one of the nonprofits this 35-plus year tradition helps fund - Bridge House, a supportive and empowering community for adults with persistent mental illness.And we'll wrap with two spokespeople from Norwalk's Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, promoting its research and services to improve life now for people living with lupus, and touting the upcoming fund and awareness-raising Walk to End LupusNow, coming to Norwalk in October.

This morning we're reconnecting with Children in Placement to discuss their critical work with young people. Since 1979, CIP has advocated for the best interests of Connecticut’s abused and neglected children throughout the child welfare and judicial systems by securing them safe homes, supportive services, and a stable transition into adulthood.Then we'll meet a representative From The Exceptional Sidekick Service Dogs organization - which grew out of the Sandy Hook tragedy to bring these truly exceptional animals into the lives of people who need them most. We'll hear about how Exceptional Sidekick is now partnering in a growing program to serve young patients and their families at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital.And we'll close catching up with the CEO of Abilis, inviting you to their upcoming Walk/Run for Abilis, and explaining how this nonprofit has been serving people with disabilities in lower Fairfield County for over 70 years.

We're welcoming back Rebecca Kowalski who co-founded the CMAK Sandy Hook Memorial Foundation to honor her son Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski - one of the 20 student victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We'll hear about how their programs have been ramping back up since the COVID era, and remind you about how to get your kids involved, or to support the cause at a couple of cool upcoming events.Then we'll have an important and informative chat with Dr Deidre Gifford who runs Connecticut's OHS - the Office of Health Strategy. She will be unpacking a number of the enlightening rankings - good and bad - about our state's healthcare delivery systems and related issues that affect and impact the health of everyone across Connecticut.And we'll close on this first day of International Overdose Awareness Week with the first of a two-part interview featuring the leader of Liberation Programs, which serves about 1,000 people a day in our region with a range of addiction recovery and mental health support initiatives.

Meet the founder of the nonprofit JoeAbate Foundation, and learn how it's supporting families with babies in the Yale New Haven Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, as wll as creating micro-internships to help students discover career possibilities. We'll also invite you to the nonprofiit's upcoming Light Up the Night fundraiser.Then we'll be inviting you to join or support the Probus Club of Greater New Haven, which is seeking new members to support an incredible variety of service projects the club takes on. We'll also explain how the Probus Club can help you get rid of unused bicycles and musical instruments that might be cluttering up your closets, garages, or storage areas.Then we'll hear about Energize Connecticut's Green STEP Summer Training Program, which just graduated 100 young people credentialed and prepared to go to work in Green commerce. We'll let you in on how to get your school system involved, and about Energize Connecticut's fall plans for expanding this program to after school.

This week, we're introducing the CT Violence Intervention Program - CTVIP. This nonprofit practices trauma-informed care and unconditional care with every youth they come in contact with, providing a one-stop shop for at-risk youth and generally at-risk victims of violence throughout the New Haven region.Then we're checking in with State Senator Tony Hwang to discuss some of the most important outcomes from the 2023 General Assembly session, as well as a couple of issues still simmering that are likely to come up again in 2024.And we'll close replaying a segment featuring a unique nonprofit called Histoury - this organization hosts fun and educational tours helping folks in Fairfield County show off or learn about styles of architecture, community development, and the events and people that shaped these places.

If you are a small or medium size business, a start-up or entrepreneur who is ready to rock and roll, we've got a representative of the CT Small Business Development Center to let you in on everything the SBDC can do for you.Then we'll help parents, friends and loved ones of adolescents and teens facing possible mental health challenges access an important new resource from the CT Council of Family Service Agencies - free youth mental health screening and fast-track referrals for support to anyone who may need it across the state.And we'll close as Black Philanthropy Month arrives this August by bringing in the founder of Waterbury's Black Giving Circle, which is ramping up recruiting and is seeking a whole new group of younger new members who want to to cultivate charitable giving within the Black community.

We're inviting you back out to the Reservoir Community Farm to attend next weekend's Green Village Initiative (GVI) First Urban Farming Extravaganza connecting farmers and gardeners to engage in beginner and intermediate hands-on workshops with the goal of growing knowledge and interconnection, rooted in our shared goal to feed our loved ones and communities.Next — are you aware that right now, Connecticut lacks about 89,000 units of housing that are affordable and available to its lowest income renters, and the toll an escalating eviction crisis is taking on our economy, workforce, public health, education systems and quality of life? To get a better scope on the damage, we're bringing in a key research fellow at CT Voices for Children to unpack their latest report on the eviction crisis and how we'll need to address it.And we're closing introducing the CEO of the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center network to talk about how they are delivering a wide range of physical, mental, dental and wellness services to neighborhoods who need it the most. We'll also celebrate their newest project - the Dixwell Q-House.

This morning we're going to bookending our show promoting programs that will be directly or indirectly addressing two key recent Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action and student load debt. We're opening by briefing educators, nonprofit representatives and community members about the upcoming Sacred Heart University symposium on Creating Antiracist Solutions, that will be addressing the recent SCOTUS decision on affirmative action.Then we'll help celebrate 190 years of supporting and helping local young people address and overcome challenges that may have life-altering implications as we visit with the Children's Center of Hamden.And we'll wrap with a chat focusing on anyone saddled with student loan debt who just saw a planned student loan debt forgiveness program struck down by SCOTUS. We'll also provide some highly valuable advice and assistance courtesy of AAA Northeast Bank's Director of Student Lending.

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.