On the road to... - Community Renewal Team, Inc.

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Community Renewal Team, Inc. A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 Page 1
EDWARD KENNEDY
W
hen Senator Ted Kennedy, the “Lion of the Senate,”
passed away in August, our community lost an inspiring
low-income families; design services for people with
champion. His life and work were a powerful example
HIV and AIDS; expand medical coverage to poor
to us, and a beacon of hope for all who benefited from
children; establish job training programs; and decrease
the hundreds of pieces of legislation that he authored.
discrimination against the disabled.
By promoting social justice and equality, many of these
laws directly and positively improved the lives of poor
Americans, including those served by CRT.
President Barack Obama said
of this leader, “His ideas and
ideals are stamped on scores
of laws…in seniors who know
new dignity, in families
that know new opportunity,
in children who know
education’s promise, and
in all who can pursue their
dream in an America that
is more equal and more just.”
Program (WIC); create Weatherization Programs for
His accomplishments were not confined to the bills
he helped pass. His life – like the lives of so many CRT
participants – was a story of overcoming enormous
Senator Kennedy was a champion of the ordinary
challenges. So often touched by tragedy he seemed
person, the so-called “little guy,” the unheralded
to know, in a deeply personal way, the struggles
backbone of American society. His first major piece
faced by many of the less fortunate. After each
of legislation eliminated unjust race-based quotas;
hardship and heartache, he rededicated himself
one of his last legislative acts was to help pass
to helping all of America’s people.
the 2009 Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that combats
salary discrimination.
In 1980, Senator Kennedy proclaimed, “For all those
whose cares have been our concern, the work goes
Almost all of the programs provided here at the
on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the
Community Renewal Team, and most of the
dream shall never die.”
customers we serve, have been assisted by Senator
Kennedy’s work. He initiated and worked tirelessly
to pass laws to develop Head Start; raise the minimum
wage; champion food programs including Meals on
Wheels and the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition
This work, this hope and this dream are shared by all
of us at CRT. While we mourn the passing of a great
senator, we celebrate the life of an exceptional man.
...AND HIS LEGACY
t was nearly 30 years ago when our great friend and
new Capital City YouthBuild, which will provide
supporter Edward Kennedy spoke about the work
much-needed academic and vocational skills
which continues, the cause that endures. Every one
to 25 area youth each year.
of us is aware of the challenges that our nation,
and the entire world, have faced this past year.
Record-breaking numbers of people have turned
to CRT for Energy Assistance, Eviction and Foreclosure
Prevention, affordable housing and much more.
Indeed, the work continues.
Other partners have provided the chance to establish
Veterans Crossing, a residence for homeless veterans
who are trying to address health issues, find productive
employment and then move into homes in the
community. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving are
Yet I believe that we are moving in more positive
our major funders for this project, which will begin
directions toward a shared, sustainable and enduring
accepting tenants this winter.
prosperity. Success looks different for everyone,
but we share a vision that includes a safe home
environment; steady work at a living wage; schools
where children can thrive; and access to the services
that keep us healthy.
I’d like to say how proud I am of our staff, and of the
work that they do every day. You will meet a few
of our “success stories” in the pages of this book, people
who have understood that CRT programs can be the
stepping stones to move toward a better life. There
Some opportunities are being created through the
are thousands of others who are moving in a more
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.
positive direction – who are on the road to prosperity –
This year CRT will expand Head Start, weatherize more
because of the Community Renewal Team.
homes, educate adults, care for grandparents raising
grandchildren and create jobs through ARRA. Those
funds have also enabled us to establish the exciting
Photo: Val Nanovsky
I
Lena Rodriguez
I hope that you will join us in this important but difficult
President and CEO
effort. We honor Senator Kennedy when we say, the
dream shall never die.
HOPE & OPPORTUNITY
Highways – the roads that helped transform this
veterans. This program is also a key example
country – enabling people to travel easily from
of CRT’s responsiveness to meeting the
place to place, from home to job, sometimes from
ever-changing needs of our community.
job to job. CRT helps its clients create their own
roadmaps and construct the avenues that lead
to self-sufficiency.
CRT constantly develops innovative ventures
that make an enormous difference to so many
people, our neighbors who may feel powerless
Although this past year certainly presented great
or disconnected. In a time of rampant cutbacks,
difficulties for this country and this state, I strongly
I am pleased to say that CRT has the confidence
believe that we are at a major crossroad. What
of funders, who provide grants so that we can
better time to take the wheel and transform this
serve preschool children, unemployed young
country into a land of opportunity, hope and
adults, women leaving abusive relationships,
respect for all?
those with mental health issues, and so
CRT is a powerful engine for this transformation –
many others.
helping people to change their lives and the
I am both proud and privileged to play a role in
faces of their neighborhoods. CRT turned an
CRT, a major regional vehicle for thousands of
abandoned lot in Hartford into Generations,
people who seek to steer their lives in a direction
an aptly named project that nurtures infants,
of hope, pride and prosperity.
supports the elderly and creates community.
This year, we will be opening Veterans Crossing
in East Hartford, taking a former rooming house
Fernando Betancourt
and making an attractive residence for homeless
Chair of CRT Board of Trustees
CRT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
From left, top row
Lena Rodriguez,
President/CEO
David Osella
Mary Everett
Jeffrey Hoffman
Norman Jones
Second row
Joseph Eleazer
Faith Jackson
Fernando Betancourt,
Board President
Kerri-Kay Allen
Dr. Conrad Mallett
CONTENTS
Taking Steps to Success
4
Moving Into the Work Force
6
A Place to Call Home
8
A Warm Home & Food on the Table 10
Roadmap to Recovery
12
A Great Start
14
Parent Power
16
Still Going Strong
18
Many Paths to Prosperity
20
Financials
22
Funders and Donors
23
CRT in the Community
25
CRT in the Media
29
Third row
Gloria Jones
Daniel Schaefer
Susan Scanlan Bransfield
Dr. Wilfredo Nieves
Molly Shelton
Fourth row
Edison Silva
Annette Gaynor
Walter Benjamin
Marta Bentham
Robert Fishman
Cover Photo: Val Nanovsky
TAKING STEPS
Over the past two years, CRT has introduced both stakeholders and
customers to Steps to Success, our multi-dimensional and holistic case
management service delivery model. Using our shared, on-line tools,
we have been assessing participants across 17 dimensions, charting
goals and outcomes, and logging the Individual Service Plans.
But at its core, Steps to Success is about people – the people who are
“Step-ping Up” to a vibrant and more successful life. When case managers
are trained and given the tools to really put this model into practice,
they can be agents of change for individuals, families and the entire
community.
This year, we would like to offer a few snapshots of people who have
Photo: Val Nanovsky
been successful because of the accountability, the referrals, the support,
and the opportunities that only CRT can provide.
MIGDALIA BELLON
ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS:
“It’s a challenge alright, but it’s worth it!” says Narciso Texidor Jr.,
a disabled Vietnam-era veteran whose CRT case manager helped him
pay down old debts, enroll in college and reconnect with the Veterans
Administration for his extensive medical needs. Now 54, he has finished
three semesters toward a bachelor’s degree, and applied for a part-time
job helping other vets. A year after he started logging every receipt,
and “accounting for every penny,” Narciso was able to buy a used car.
Migdalia Bellon’s East Hartford
apartment is immaculate. Every bill
is paid on time. She’s raising a little girl
who has books, toys, and a perfect
immunization record.
It’s almost impossible for this
long-troubled woman to recognize
herself in this portrait. She has come
a long way from a life of prostitution,
drug abuse and the devastating medical
complications of those pursuits.
The road back from the brink began
at Fresh Start, CRT’s residence for
TO SUCCESS
ADRIAN ELLIOTT
“The CRT team expects a lot out
of you. Sometimes a lot more than you
think you can manage,” says Adrian
Elliott, a former college basketball
star who was in the original Steps to
Success pilot. At her first assessment, she
was homeless, trying to stay off drugs,
and hoping to reunite with her son, who
had been placed in a foster home.
The STS team approach ensures
participants get what they need to move
toward stability and prosperity. For
Adrian, this meant a case manager who
provided structure and accountability,
and resources such as Behavioral Health
Services, affordable housing, employment counseling and budget workshops.
She appreciated the persistence
of staff who helped her find an
appropriate, subsidized apartment
where she could bring her son – first for
visits, and then to live. But panic set in
when it was time to carry the expenses
on her own. “That’s when staff took
a ‘tough love’ approach with me,” says
Adrian. “I was scared to death, but I had
three people saying to me, ‘Adrian, you
can do it. We know that you can take
it from here!’”
Now she knows that those “coaches”
were right to push her. After working
two jobs in the printing industry, she
recently returned to school to finish her
degree in graphic arts, retrieving many
of the credits from an earlier academic
career, interrupted by her mother’s
illness. Flexible CRT funding covered
her application fee and some of her
books; she accessed other resources
to help with her son’s uniforms and
other school-related expenses.
Ever the athlete, Adrian says “I feel
like there is a real CRT Team.
Sometimes they’re your cheerleaders,
sometimes they’re your coaches who
really get in your face. But I know
that I wouldn’t be here today without
that CRT Team!”
substance-abusing, court-involved
women and their children. The program
provides a safe, nurturing environment where residents can work on their
recovery from addiction and learn new
life skills that build their self-sufficiency.
While at Fresh Start, Migdalia learned
that she was pregnant. She was inspired
to make a new life for her infant,
whom she calls Nevaeh (heaven spelled
backwards). But she says that she
needed CRT staff to show her how
to build that life. “Truly, I knew
absolutely nothing about being
a parent, keeping an apartment, taking
care of myself, my health, my child.”
It’s taken more than two years, and the
support of many staff members from
a variety of CRT programs, but Migdalia
now believes that she can manage most
of the challenges that life throws at her.
“CRT was my ladder to success,”
she says. “I took the first step when
I committed to recovery, to a clean and
sober life. I got to the second rung when
I kept my baby, and tried to raise her
right. Now I’m seeing a doctor, trying
to take care of my diabetes, my heart,
my health – so I’ll be there for Nevaeh.”
And a rung that might now be within
reach? “I want to go back to school,
to make up for everything I missed.
I need to get through high school
before my baby gets there.”
Photo: Val Nanovsky
MOVING INTO THE
In 2009, CRT focused on increasing the employment-oriented training
CRT’s new CAPITAL CIT Y YOUTHBUILD offers new options to those
available to help the region’s youth and young adults build their skills
without a high school diploma or marketable skills. The inaugural class
and move toward a more prosperous future. Workforce enhancement
formed in Fall 2009, with 28 participants age 16 to 24. They divide their
for this population is critical. The unemployment rate among Hartford
time between classroom and work-sites: A certified teacher conducts an
youth from 16 to 24 is nearly double the statewide rate, according
educational assessment, helps set academic goals, and provides tutoring
to the American Community Survey, Census 2009.
and GED preparation. Participants are expected to raise language and
Immediate results of employment programs are clear: Youth earn wages;
acquire marketable skills; learn workplace expectations; and re-engage
in the education system. But the Center for Labor Market Studies found
that early employment also provides longer term benefits. The center
math skills by two full grade levels by the end of a year. Union-affiliated
instructors teach hands-on skills at cooperating building sites, concentrating on teamwork and problem solving as much as on construction
competencies.
saw a smoother transition into the labor market and higher weekly and
This program is truly a “new option” for court-involved youth and those
yearly earnings for up to 15 years among those who held jobs as teens –
who may be struggling with drug and alcohol issues. A specialized case
even if it was seasonal or part-time work.
manager helps participants build on strengths and address challenges,
with referrals made as appropriate to CRT Behavioral Health and other
assistant to cook’s helper. One team answered telephones in the Energy
community services. Youth earn stipends for reaching goals, and money
Assistance Call Center, while another rotated through assignments
management is a part of the life skills instruction. Graduates will walk
in the kitchen, facilities and recreation departments at The Retreat,
away with national certifications and will have the option to apply to
an assisted living facility.
approved union apprenticeships, or the program will help to find them
jobs with local businesses.
WORK FORCE
Building upon three successful years in Middlesex County, CRT has
Supervision, career guidance and case management was provided by
adult staff who helped youth make realistic plans for their future. At the
end of the program, all 60 of the school-aged youth returned to school.
Of the 30 older participants, many found paid employment; several
joined Capital City YouthBuild; the balance enrolled in academic
or vocational programs.
recently been funded to expand its successful YEARROUND YOUTH
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM into Hartford. The program targets at risk
in-school and out-of-school youth, offering an unusually flexible mix
of job shadowing, internships and vocational instruction to match
a student’s interests, along with academic tutoring and support.
All 16 of the 2008-09 cohort finished high school with their peers,
although several had been on the verge of dropping out. Eight moved
into full-time work, four took approved apprenticeships and four went
to post-secondary training. The 2009-10 enrollment includes an
additional 16 in Middlesex County and 27 youth in Hartford.
This was a banner year for CRT ’S SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
AND LEARNING PROGRAM, which expanded to offer paid jobs
to 90 young men and women age 16-24. The program combines four
days in the workplace with Friday seminars. After orientation, a mini “job
fair” helped the young employees see how their interests aligned with
the 22 participating CRT work sites. Assignments introduced youth
to a variety of careers, from computer technician to classroom
XAV I E R P E R E Z
Xavier Perez, age 20, joined the
Summer Youth Employment and
Learning Program to earn a little
extra money, but he didn’t realize that
it would open doors for his future.
“When I put in my application, I was
not attending school, I wasn’t working,
I basically had no goals or desires to
do anything with my life,” Xavier says.
Assigned to the fast-paced Energy
Assistance Call Center, Xavier found
that he enjoyed helping people on the
telephone. “Answering these calls let
me see a different side to life. It showed
me that there are so many people out
there that are less fortunate, people we
can help as employees,” he says.
But the Summer Youth experience
also showed him the responsibilities
of the workplace. He could see the
reason for the communication and
customer service training that
is a part
of the
program.
At the
end of his
12-week
program,
Xavier was
hired as
a full-time call center representative,
handling more than 100 calls a day in
both English and Spanish. “I entered
this program not having anything – no
job and no real goals. This experience
has opened my eyes and mind to a new
dream, a new passion. It has broadened
my horizons. I left Summer Youth
having a full time position at the Call
Center and enrolled in school again,
working toward my Bachelor’s in
Social Work.”
A PLACE TO
Z
The Retreat, the state’s first affordable assisted living residence for
low-income seniors;
Z
Generations, a campus comprised of townhouses for grandparents raising
their grandchildren and a century-old school that was renovated into
senior apartments;
Z
Coventry Place, an apartment complex for independent seniors;
Z
Two affordable-housing developments for families;
Z
And a much-needed supported housing complex for homeless veterans,
which will open in late 2009.
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING is an approach that combines rental subsidies with
Photo: Val Nanovsky
case management and life skills education, to give vulnerable individuals the
Safe, attractive and affordable housing is the key to stabilizing an individual
life, a family, or an entire community. Signing a lease or purchasing a home
is often a springboard to prosperity.
tools they need to function effectively in the community. CRT oversees nearly
200 units of supportive housing, working with a variety of populations
including persons with mental illness or substance abuse issues; adolescents
aging out of the child welfare system; women and children who have been
For years, Community Renewal Team has tailored housing solutions to the
victims of domestic violence; and those who have recently been incarcerated.
needs of particular populations, and helped people obtain their own front
Longterm success is very high, thanks to the structure and accountability
door keys in a variety of ways.
provided by case managers.
The MEADOWS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION, CRT’s development arm, has been creating affordable
housing and innovative solutions to pressing community issues for more
than 20 years. The Meadows uses multiple funding streams to develop
housing that meets specialized needs. The current portfolio houses more
than 300 people:
VERONIC A ARROYO
CALL HOME
Opportunities for home ownership are explored in CRT’s FINANCIAL
LITERACY program, which works with customers from the time that
they first consider buying a home, all the way through purchase and
beyond. CRT is a HUD-Certified Counseling Agency. Many purchases
are launched when people open an INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT
ACCOUNT, a savings account in which each dollar deposited is
matched with two more. Savings can be used for a home, business
or education.
To keep families housed in spite of financial setbacks, the EVIC TION
AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION PROGRAM mediates between
tenants and their landlords, and between homeowners and their
mortgage companies. From October 2007 through September 2008,
housing counselors used a combination of education, mediation and
partial payments to keep 472 families housed. The following year, that
number rose by almost 10%, with assistance going to 517 families.
Money management and budgeting help prevent further difficulties.
M E A D O W S R E A L E S TAT E M A N A G E M E N T A N D
D E V E L O P M E N T C O R P O R AT I O N P R O P E R T I E S
In just five years Veronica Arroyo’s road
to prosperity has taken her from a halfway
house to home ownership – a spacious
two-family in Manchester, where her
tenant pays most of her mortgage. She
credits two different CRT housing
programs for giving her the roadmap:
First Supportive Housing helped her
stabilize her life, clarify her goals and
find work that she loves. Then Financial
Literacy and IDA (Individual
Development Account) helped her repair
her credit, start a matched savings account
and understand her home buying options.
The sequence is important, she says.
“When you’re bogged down with financial
burdens it’s kind of hard to work toward
meaningful goals,” she says. “I needed
to get my feet on the ground, before
I could believe that those feet might take
me where I wanted to go.”
In 2006, CRT offered Veronica a
subsidized apartment with intensive case
management. “At that time I didn’t have
much hope. I was working a minimum
wage job and I didn’t know what direction
I was going to take.” But CRT staff helped
her to map out a future that included
home ownership, a return to college,
and a business of her own.
Veronica secured a position that
matches her passion: She is a client
services aide, helping other women who
are facing behavioral health issues.
Because her rent was subsidized, she was
able to put her wages into an IDA and
begin saving
for a house.
Then came
the second
stroke of
luck: While
attending
CRT Savings
Club to
prepare for homeownership, she learned
of a Federal Housing Administration
program that would put her into a home
much more quickly. Conferring with
CRT’s Financial Literacy Coordinator,
Veronica decided to move in that
direction, and convert her IDA goal
to opening her own business.
CRT also helped her address outstanding
student loan debts, so that she could enroll
in college. “My goal was to get back into
school, and I did it. I’m now in my second
year of a bachelor’s program.”
In her “spare time” this energetic young
woman is renovating the home she bought,
with an eye to renting out both apartments
and purchasing a second home. She also
volunteers at two recovery houses, and
talks with people about the barriers that
she has overcome.
“I do encourage other people who are
pretty grounded to get involved with CRT.
I want people to know that there are
resources out there, whatever they are
trying to do. I’ve met wonderful people
who are gentle, who are strong, who
are caring.”
A WARM HOME
CRT has stepped up outreach efforts to ensure that all eligible families
are aware of the benefits. The campaign has included radio and television
interviews, ad cards in every Connecticut Transit bus and 32,000 brightly
colored flyers that went home in school children’s backpacks. In an effort
to reduce barriers, CRT staff bring applications to the homebound elderly,
and hold Walk-In Application Days in many cities and towns.
To accommodate the volume of inquiries, CRT established an ENERGY
CALL CENTER in Fall 2008, with capacity to handle 700 to 800 phone
calls per day. Fifty hours a week, operators answer questions and book
appointments for CRT’s seven busiest locations. An auto-attendant handles
oil deliveries for customers who have already been approved. In the first
12 weeks of the 2009-10 season, the Call Center took over 40,000 calls!
Photo: Val Nanovsky
While Energy Assistance helps customers pay their heating bills, CRT’s
WEATHERIZATION program works to lower those bills. In the first ten
months of 2009, CRT helped 2,741 families improve the efficiency of their
Facing petroleum prices at an all-time high, a record number of
customers turned to CRT ENERGY ASSISTANCE in 2008-09. CRT
provided assistance to 33,000 households, a 34% increase over the
prior year. Nearly a third of those were new customers – households
that had not previously applied for Energy Assistance. In Fall 2009,
the trend is continuing, with 1,420 new applicants by November 1.
homes. After conducting an Energy Audit, crews can insulate attics,
sidewalls and basement ceilings; provide weather stripping and caulking
around windows and doors; install low flow showerheads; clean, tune
and repair heating systems; install carbon monoxide testers, and more.
In a limited number of cases, the furnace can also be replaced. All of this
is free for households that qualify for Energy benefits.
Some are newly eligible because of job loss or reduced work hours;
others say they are accepting assistance for the first time, as they
Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
must choose heat, food or medication.
will allow CRT to greatly expand the Weatherization program in the
coming years.
& FOOD ON THE TABLE
In replies to CRT’s 2008 Needs Assessment Survey, one of the concerns
significantly higher than what had been projected, but CRT is able
raised most often was a lack of access to adequate food. In the year since
to raise production to meet demand. A portion of the production cost
that survey was complete, this need has only become more acute.
is reimbursed by two of the Area Agencies on Aging. As a result, CRT
In fact, visits to the food pantries at CRT’s FAMILY SERVICE CENTERS
has a suggested per-meal donation of only $2, and no one is turned
have increased by 18%, and requests for emergency food cards have
away for inability to pay.
increased, as well.
Another effort to bring food to those who need it most is the SUMMER
CRT works cooperatively with Food Share to help get free, nutritious food
FOOD SERVICE in Middletown and Portland. For the fourth consecutive
to our customers. The agency hosts three bi-monthly stops for the Food
year this program exceeded expectations, serving 2,493 breakfasts, 14,862
Share delivery truck, with the cooperation of community service crews
lunches and 5,898 snacks. The USDA acknowledged the work of CRT and
from our ALTERNATIVE INCARCERATION CENTERS. Members of RSVP–
its partners in attracting a growing group of participants, while the national
all senior volunteers themselves – deliver hundreds of bags of Food Share
totals have been trending downward.
groceries each month to the apartments of frail seniors, who cannot get
out and pick them up for themselves. CRT also has a free GROCERY
DELIVERY SERVICE that is available twice a month.
The aroma of steaming hot suppers lingers on the first floor of the
MCKINNEY SHELTER in Hartford, where the policy is that no one is turned
away hungry. Everyone is offered a shower and a meal – even if all of the
Nearly 6,000 seniors are in better health, and can remain in their own
88 beds are full. About 33,000 hot dinners are served each year, and almost
homes or apartments far longer, because of the CRT ELDERLY NUTRITION
as many breakfasts are eaten the next morning. The kitchen of this former
PROGRAM. Last year, CRT’s industrial-scale production kitchen prepared
firehouse is never idle.
309,868 meals for delivery to homebound seniors, and an additional
222,682 meals to be served at Senior Community Cafés. These totals are
ROADMAP
vulnerable people in the community, such as those with HIV or AIDS,
the homeless, individuals recently released from prison, and
non-English speakers.
With two licensed Hartford clinics and 28 professional staff, BHS offers
a full range of programs to individuals with substance use, mental health
or co-occurring disorders, including assessment and diagnosis;
medication management and psychiatric services; Intensive Outpatient
and Partial Hospitalization; crisis management; outpatient counseling
for individuals and families; and support groups in several languages.
CRT also provides case management at each clinical location, so that
customers can access integrated services from other internal and
external providers.
Photo: Val Nanovsky
Quality, affordable mental health services are particularly critical at this
In the United States, more than one-quarter
of adults have a diagnosable mental illness
at some point in their lives.
While many other mental health programs are scaling back,
time. According to a study by Spectrum Health, demand for mental
health services in the U.S. nearly doubled from January to April 2009,
as people experienced higher levels of anxiety and depression due
to the economy.
Community Renewal Team’s BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICE is
While other clinics have long waiting lists, CRT ensures that new clients
expanding to provide a wider array of recovery-focused assistance.
see a clinician within two weeks and receive a phone call from a clinician
CRT offers a medically supervised, less restrictive alternative to inpatient
within two days of initially seeking help. These procedures are crucial
hospitalization that helps hundreds of people lead more successful
in engaging individuals at the point when they truly want treatment.
lives. CRT’s ever-growing client base includes some of the most
In addition, BHS has extended outpatient hours until 8 PM several days
a week, and added an Evening Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
to accommodate work and education schedules.
TO RECOVERY
In spite of a widely acknowledged clinical shortage, CRT has bilingual
and bicultural staff who offer services in Spanish, Chinese, Lao, Cambodian,
Vietnamese, and Japanese, enabling us to serve 400 non-nativeEnglish speakers.
This year, BHS provided training for clinicians and case managers to
familiarize them with different cultural beliefs surrounding mental
illness and to decrease the stigma attached to these disorders. Through
a grant from the Nutmeg Foundation, two seminars on mental health
issues among Asian-Americans were given to all CRT clinicians. With
funding from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services, BHS offered a seminar for 35 case managers working outside
of behavioral health, on ways to identify mental health problems.
The BHS staff is constantly working on integrating evidence-based
practices into their treatment protocols. This dedication to quality
service has seen some excellent outcomes.
Z
Exceptionally low substance use among recently released ex-offenders
with histories of substance abuse;
Z
Reduction in the number of people who leave Partial Hospitalization
Program due to resistance to treatment or against medical advice.
Z
Re-incarceration rate in a Transitional Case Management program that
is less than half of the overall recidivism rate in Connecticut.
M A R C I A FA E N Z A
Marcia Faenza says that her dignity
– and probably her life – were returned
to her by the staff of CRT’s Behavioral
Health Services. In the course of 18
months of intensive treatment, she has
moved from depression so intense that
she “was extremely hopeless and
paralyzed … to a woman with a road
map as to how I can reconstruct
my life.”
A career as an emergency and psych
nurse ended abruptly when Marcia
was beaten by a patient. The depression
with which she had struggled for
16 years became overwhelming.
Physically and emotionally unable
to return to her profession, she used
up her savings, lost her home and spent
18 months in homeless shelters. “I was
deeply ashamed,” she recalls. “You’ve
worked all of your life, you’re high
functioning and self-sufficient, and
suddenly you haven’t a clue as to how
to find the resources you need.”
One of those missing resources was
medication management. The few
practices accepting publicly-funded
insurance had five- and six-month
waits. So Marcia was slightly skeptical
when she heard that she could be seen
at CRT’s program within two weeks.
Her mistrust dissolved as she was
welcomed and made to feel like a whole
and valuable person for the first time
since the attack.
The clinic van picked her up at the
shelter each day for CRT’s Partial
Hospitalization Program, where
a psychiatrist restarted and monitored
her medications. A case manager helped
address basic needs, such as housing,
transportation, food and clothing. Most
importantly, she says “My counselor
helped me see that I have gone through
a grieving process, trying to accept that
my life is just not going to be what
I would have expected.”
By Fall 2009, Marcia had moved
through the phases of outpatient
counseling, and scaled back to just
two clinical sessions each month;
she was living in a subsidized
apartment near Trinity College; and
she was rebuilding her relationships
with family members. “I don’t think
I would have survived or gotten
as far as I have without CRT.”
As state and national attention focuses on the importance
of quality preschool, CRT’s EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION
program continues to be a springboard to lifelong learning for more
than 1,400 children annually. CRT’s approach to early care is holistic,
supporting the child, the parents and the entire family with health
services, literacy education, social/emotional support and more.
This year we celebrated the accreditation of three of our Hartford
centers – Locust Street, Ritter and Job Corps – under the new,
more stringent standards of NAEYC, the National Association for
the Education of Young Children. These centers, with a total of 37
classrooms, earned the maximum rating of 100+ in many categories.
Our staff are also celebrating their personal achievements, as they
work toward their certificates and degrees. Through our tuition
partnership, 136 staff have enrolled in seven different college courses
offered at CRT sites this year, and many more are taking classes off-site.
CRT is proud to note the following staff achievements since
September 2008: 17 Family Development Credential; 10 Child
Photo: Val Nanovsky
Development Associate Credential; four Associate Degrees; and
two Master’s Degrees. Research shows that children benefit from
better-educated staff, who are more successful in delivering
classroom curricula.
A GREAT START
Summer 2009 was a busy one, as state bond funding
allowed CRT to complete significant renovation and
construction projects at two locations. Three classrooms
and a playground were added to the Douglas Street
AMANDA MEDINA
Center in Hartford, and a new driveway, parking lot and playground were
constructed at the Idella Howell Center in Middletown. Both projects required
tremendous cooperation from families and staff, many of whom were
relocated during construction.
Excess weight has caught up with cigarettes as the leading cause of
preventable disease in the U.S. Last year, CRT’s Health and Nutrition staff
began a multi-faceted campaign to prevent childhood obesity. The work
was done on four fronts: Staff reached parents through nutrition workshops
at each center, healthy snack tables at pick-up times and a city-wide Nutrition
Family Fun Night. Children heard stories and took part in classroom activities
about healthy eating and physical movement. Classroom staff attended
in-service education on nutrition and childhood obesity. And finally, low-fat
dairy products and whole grains were added to the in-school menu.
Obesity rates are being monitored through analysis of the height/weight
measurements taken twice each year.
Amanda Medina wants what
any three-year-old would want:
A great place to play and learn,
surrounded by lots of friends.
But until her mother found
CRT, it didn’t seem as though
Amanda was going to get what
she wanted.
Amanda has spina bifida,
low muscle function and needs
to be catheterized every four
hours. She darts around in a tiny
wheelchair or stands in a support
structure to exercise her leg and
torso muscles.
“I started making calls,
and not one program could
accommodate Amanda,” says
her mother, Yahaira Rivera.
“They told me her disabilities
were too complicated.”
Fortunately, the family
was referred to CRT, which
is committed to integrating all
children – regardless of their
special needs. “CRT told me right
away that they would be happy
to have us,” said Yahaira.
An internal team
convened promptly, looking
at ways to make Amanda’s
preschool transition successful.
They chose Teresa Heredia’s
classroom at the Locust Street
Center (shown at left) that was
spacious and had a private
bathroom nearby. CRT worked
with the child’s physician and
health insurance carrier to find
a nursing service to handle the
daily catheterization. Teachers
read books about children with
special needs, to prepare her
classmates for their new friend.
Six weeks into her school
career, Amanda was clearly
thriving. One day, she was the
line leader as the class went onto
the playground. Another day,
as she crawled onto the rug for
circle time, her friends got down
onto the ground to join her.
With Amanda settled for five
hours a day, her mom is starting
to look for work. Once again,
CRT programs may be able
to give her some assistance.
“My whole experience with CRT
has been really great. Everyone
has been very positive – no one
acts like this is a great burden
for them.”
PARENT
The best investment we can make in the future is to raise successful children.
Yet in these difficult times, parents and other guardians face multiple challenges
that inhibit their ability to effectively nurture their families. CRT has an array
of initiatives which support parents and grandparents who are caring for
the younger generation. The goal of parent support is to introduce child
development information, reinforce positive parenting practices, and strengthen
parents’ ability to tap into resources for their own and their children’s well-being.
Many of today’s fathers would like to nurture their children, but get caught up
in the criminal justice or child support systems, and have difficulty negotiating
relationships with their children’s mothers. CRT’s FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE
is helping with these issues and more, so that men can become good fathers,
partners and wage earners. The initiative kicked into high gear last year, with
popular bi-weekly workshops that cover topics from relationships, spirituality
Photo: Val Nanovsky
and mental health to child support enforcement and credit repair. Facilitators
draw on two curricula, 24/7 Dad and Responsible Fatherhood, to plan these
sessions. Equally valuable are the peer-coaching and mentoring relationships
formed among the fathers, who range in age from 19 to 56.
In addition, case management and advocacy have connected more than 50 dads
to services intended to help them meet their parental responsibilities. With CRT
assistance these men have modified child support agreements, improved
visitation and custody arrangements, reinstated their Driver’s Licenses, enrolled
in free educational programs, obtained pardons, located affordable housing and
more. Men in all stages of fatherhood are welcome, whether they are living with
their children’s mother, separated but involved in their children’s lives, or just
beginning to rebuild a relationship with their children.
POWER
Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers. But it can be
tough to make the time and establish the habit of reading and playing
creatively with preschool children. One of the first initiatives of CRT’s new
full-time Family Literacy Coordinator was to establish PARENT AND CHILD
KEVIN BOOKER
When Kevin Booker turns 50,
he’ll be celebrating with a two-yearold daughter whom he considers
“life’s little bonus.” But without CRT’s
Fatherhood Initiative, Kevin feels he
might never have enjoyed this bonus.
Katrina was born while her dad
was serving nine months in prison.
For months after he was released,
Kevin tried to meet his baby, but was
rebuffed by the child’s mother and
grandmother. Frustrated and
unemployed, Kevin felt angry
“nearly all the time,” he says.
Then a flyer in the Parole Office
caught his eye. Kevin contacted the
coordinator of CRT’s Fatherhood
Initiative, who encouraged him
to come to a workshop. “I could tell
right away this was what I needed,”
Kevin recalls. “I think they were
talking about emotions and anger
that night. But there was also this
practical stuff, like how to get back
your driver’s license.”
With help from CRT, Kevin
petitioned the court for visitation,
and found the $50 per hour fee
for supervised visitation. Moving
patiently through the system,
he gained rights to unsupervised
visits, and
now has
shared
custody
of his
daughter.
“The key
was the
letters
that CRT sent to court, showing that
I was attending Fatherhood, and
making progress on my goals,”
he says.
To create a safe environment, Kevin
had to secure an affordable apartment
– the first he has leased on his own.
CRT’s employment counselor helped
him find work and Kevin now juggles
three part-time jobs, so he can stay
current with his rent and other bills.
In less than a year, Kevin feels that
his life has made a complete aboutface. He still works with a counselor
on anger management issues, and
keeps applying for full-time jobs.
“But I have ‘brothers’ in the program,
I have advocates in the staff. Without
all this, I can’t imagine where I’d
be today.”
TOGETHER PAC T in all of our preschool classrooms. While parents are
always welcome to visit, PACT sets aside a specific block of time every three
months for parent-child activities. During this structured time, parents
read, sing and do crafts with their youngsters, in an environment where
teachers can offer support and model teaching and engagement strategies.
PACT activities help parents enjoy developmentally appropriate activities
with their children and feel more comfortable in school settings.
Another successful strategy has been to provide workshops on family literacy
at CRT Early Care and Education Centers. Based on parents’ interests and
schedules, some of these were incorporated into Parent Committee meetings,
others were free-standing seminars. Topics have included how to read to
a child; incorporating word games into everyday activities; and establishing
a family reading habit. More than 4,500 books were distributed for families’
book shelves, thanks to support from organizations such as Reading is
Fundamental (RIF), First Books and the Greater Hartford Literacy Council,
as well as local PTAs and private organizations.
Children thrive as parents start to see themselves as teachers in their families
and leaders on the road to reading. More than 160 parents participated
in PACT during the 2008-09 school year, and a total of 422 parents came
to reading workshops, activities and events.
Empowerment and opportunity. These are two of the watchwords for CRT’s
Senior Services Division. Operating 146 units of housing and reaching
thousands more through nutritious meals and outreach activities, this
department is committed to enhancing the lives of the region’s seniors.
THE RETREAT, CRT’s 100-unit assisted living residence in Hartford, continues
to expand the holistic health services offered on-site. This year, full eye care
service was added, providing everything from routine exams through eyeglass
fabrication. This is the latest addition to services that also include primary care
by geriatric-focused medical doctors, physical and occupational therapies,
psychiatric services and podiatry. Dentistry should be provided in early 2010.
The Retreat is also addressing residents’ health by modifying the exercise
program offered every morning, to incorporate the recommendations of the
Connecticut Collaboration for Fall Prevention. Research shows that falls are the
number one catalyst of elderly decline. A physical therapist who works at The
Retreat trained staff to focus on building strength, and on maintaining and
regaining balance. Practices include elements of Tai-Chi and yoga. An average
Photo: Val Nanovsky
of 20 residents take part in these classes each morning.
Using a small grant from the North Central Area Agency on Aging, RSVP
SENIOR OUTREACH and a Senior Activities Committee spearheaded seven
large events this year, which brought together residents of three CRT Senior
buildings, volunteers from the RSVP program, and occupants of several
low-income senior residences around Hartford. The events included an
STILL GOING STRONG
activities for children; creation of a decorated tree for the Festival
of Trees at the Wadsworth Atheneum; a Black History Celebration
featuring the Generations youth; and four other seasonal parties.
By using vans belonging to The Retreat and CRT’s Behavioral Health
Service, the outreach team was able to bring more than 450
different people to participate in these events.
The Retreat, established to afford lower-income seniors a chance
to enjoy quality assisted living, has just gotten more affordable.
The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority agreed to allow CRT
to accept up to 20 residents who receive only the minimum
Social Security of $665 per month. This will not require additional
government funding, instead under-utilized subsidy dollars from
other units will cover the shortfall in revenue. The Retreat is the only
residential program to make this type of arrangement with CHFA;
it required a review of past subsidy utilization, to show a history
of under-utilization. With this, the Retreat was able to accept several
individuals who were under the Department of Social Services
Protective Services for the Elderly program, and the census rose
to an average of 99%.
At 88, Alice Carson is slightly
surprised to find herself calling a large
New England city her “home.” But
Alice definitely feels at home in
Hartford, in a fifth floor apartment
at The Retreat assisted living.
Although she does have family
in the region, she made the 1,200 mile
move from Alabama explicitly to
come to The Retreat, which had two
important points in its favor:
First, it was affordable; CRT’s
assisted living is one of the pilot
programs to accept Medicaid, and
residents pay a sliding fee for services.
Second, there is attentive medication
management available; nurses’ aides
come to the apartment three times
a day, reminding her to take her
prescriptions. Her previous residence
had stopped providing this service,
and Alice was confusing her 15
different medications, according
to her daughter Sally.
By helping her get back on a regular
medication schedule, The Retreat has
also helped her control her pain, Alice
says. “I’d say I’m comfortable about 80-
Photo: Val Nanovsky
ALICE CARSON
intergenerational Halloween Costume Party, with seniors running
90% of the time,” she says, “which
is a very big improvement.”
Once she moved in, however, Alice
decided that the best thing about the
place was the people. Both residents
and staff earn high marks in her book.
She cites a fall which put her in the
hospital. The Assistant Director of
Senior Services waited in the
Emergency Room, until her daughter
could get over from work.
The Retreat has given her a home
base and a new, extended family,
she says. “We do some gabbing and
laughing and sharing all kinds of
things,” she says of her Retreat-mates.
“I’ve been a real busy gal most of my
life, and this is a great place to sit back
and enjoy myself for a while.”
The older clients at ASIAN FAMILY SERVICE have been enjoying
a special meal once each month, prepared by the CRT ELDERLY
NUTRITION PROGRAM. The meal is the focal point for socialization
and the opportunity to introduce new services and opportunities to
the participants. CRT’s high-volume kitchen can provide individualized
catering such as this, to meet the needs of specific programs.
Seniors from The Retreat have begun to volunteer as readers at one of CRT’s
Early Care and Education Centers. The interaction between the generations
brings joy to both. “Just because we’re retired, doesn’t mean we don’t want
to be doing something useful,” said one of the readers. Of course, those
preschool hugs don’t hurt a bit!
Education and Youth
Employment
Mental Health, Wellness
Community Corrections
Head Start
SNAP Employment & Training
Asian Family Services
Alternative Incarceration Centers
Child Care
Middlesex Education
& Training Consortium
Behavioral Health Services
Building Bridges
Clinical Homeless Outreach
Byrne Housing and Re-Entry
Healthy Teen Hartford
Fresh Start
McKinney Shelter Day
Respite Program
Scattered Site Re-Entry Housing
School Readiness
Summer Food Program
Early Winners Tutoring
Child Care Food Program
Youth Artisan and Technology
Program (YAT)
Summer Youth Employment
& Learning Program
Year-Round Youth Employment
Program
YouthBuild
Re-Entry Recovery Services
Transitional Case Management
Transitional Supervision Residence
Ryan White Clinical Services
Community Housing Assistance
Program (CHAPS)
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c. A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 Pag
Photo: Val Nanovsky
MANY PATHS
Photo: Val Nanovsky
Senior Services
Coventry Place Senior Housing
Generations Housing Development
Grocery Delivery
Meals on Wheels
RSVP
Senior Community Cafés
The Retreat Assisted Living
Shelter and Supportive
Housing
Family Services and
Asset Building
Energy, Weatherization
& Home Repair
East Hartford Community Shelter
Emergency Food Bank
Energy Assistance
McKinney Shelter
Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention
Home Solutions
Domestic Violence Supportive
Housing
Family Service Centers
Weatherization and WRAP
Scattered Site Supportive Housing
Veterans Crossing
Financial Literacy
Home Ownership Made Easy
Individual Development Accounts
SAGA Case Management
Suburban Outreach
Tax Preparation
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c A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 9 Page 21
Photo: Val Nanovsky
Photo: Val Nanovsky
FINANCIALS
Support and Revenue
Expenses
Salaries and Benefits
Grants and Contracts
Federal
$41,506,045
State
14,790,165
Private Weatherization Program
2,168,623
$24,407,345
Client Assistance
22,367,012
Materials and Supplies
5,788,998
Professional Fees and Contractual Services
3,240,717
Occupancy
3,728,870
Delegate Agencies
2,563,367
Other Expenses
1,740,265
1,061,387
Contributions
In-Kind
1,767,952
Elderly Nutrition Program Contributions
486,338
Depreciation and Amortization
Fundraising
153,613
Travel and Transportation
721,617
Supportive Housing Contributions
146,726
Interest Expense
227,769
2,061
Total Expenses
$65,847,347
Other
Other Revenue
Change in Net Assets
Catering
732,183
1,142,346
Elderly Nutrition Program Fees
269,887
Patient Fees
694,930
Rent Income Proceeds
223,144
Education: Parent Fees and Subsidies
Expenses by Function
2,186,392
Child and Adult Care Food Program Subsidies
434,598
CHEFA Debt Service
219,472
Other Income
387,238
Energy Related Services
Children’s Services, Including
24,906,894 38%
Head Start and Child Care
21,137,343 32%
Job Training and Placement
574,953 1%
Total Support and Revenue
$66,579,530
Elderly Nutrition Services
3,771,585 6%
Other Community Services
Housing and Shelter Services
2,748,188 4%
5,609,428 8%
Support Services
4,734,664 7%
Alternative Incarceration
2,364,292 4%
Source: CRT and affiliates combined financial statements
as of December 31, 2008.
FUNDERS AND DONORS
Federal Funding Sources
Corporation for National and
Community Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Probation
U.S. Treasury – Internal
Revenue Service
State Funding Sources
Charter Oak State College
Children’s Trust Fund
Commission on Culture and Tourism
Connecticut Health and Educational
Facilities Authority
Department of Children and Families
Department of Correction
Department of Economic and
Community Development
Department of Education
Department of Labor
Department of Mental Health
and Addiction Services
Department of Public Health
Department of Social Services
Department of Transportation
Judicial Branch
Office of Policy and Management
Municipal/Regional Funding
Capital Workforce Partners, Inc.
Hartford Office of Youth Services
Hartford Public Schools
Hartford Housing Authority
Mid-Connecticut Workforce
Development Board
Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce
North Central Area Agency on Aging
North Central Regional Health Board
Operation Fuel
Senior Resources Agency on Aging
Workforce Alliance, Inc.
Municipalities of:
Avon
Bloomfield
Bolton
Canton
Clinton
Cromwell
Deep River
Durham
East Haddam
East Hartford
East Hampton
Enfield
Haddam
Hartford
Hebron
Killingworth
Manchester
Middlefield
Middletown
Newington
North Branford
Portland
West Hartford
Westbrook
Wethersfield
Windsor
Blum Shapiro
BNO2’s
Bob’s Discount Furniture Charitable
Foundation
Bozzuto’s Inc.
Braman Termite and Pest Elimination
Specialists
Concentra
Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition
Connecticut Association for Community
Action, Inc.
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness
Connecticut Fuel Oil Conservation Board
Connecticut Community Care, Inc.
Asian Family Services Multicultural Health Fair
Asian Family Services’ first two annual health fairs were
so successful, the City of Hartford asked CRT to move the
event to Pope Park and broaden the outreach. At this
November event, more than one dozen medical care groups
provided services including blood pressure tests, cancer
information, flu shots, smoking cessation information, and
more. Over 130 people took advantage of these services.
Foundations, Businesses
and Organizations
ADT Security Services, Inc.
Advanced Behavioral Health
Aetna Foundation, Inc.
Aetna Giving Campaign
All Waste, Inc.
Alstom Employees Social Fund
Archdiocese of Hartford Annual Appeal
ARES CYCLES, LLC
Atlanta Psychological Associates, Inc.
Auerbach Shiro Foundation
Bank of America
Bank of America Charitable
Foundation, Inc.
Bikers for the Cure
Blue Hills Volunteer Fire Department
Bristol Community Organization, Inc.
Brothers Oil Company, Inc.
Brown Rudnick
Business and Professional Women’s Club
of Greater Hartford
CAP Systems
Capitol City Productions
Carlin, Charron & Rosen, LLP
Cart Concepts Intl. LLC
Central CT Paralegal Association
Community Events, Inc.
Community Health Services
Connecticut Light and Power
Courant/Fox 61 Foundation
Crown Supermarket of Hartford
CT Clownz
CT Gutter Pro
Cubed Squared
Delivery Concepts East
DeMarco Management Corporation
Diamond Ray’s Hot Dogs
Diane Alverio & Co.
Diversified Business Holdings, LLC
Duct & Vent Cleaning of America, Inc.
Eagle Rivet Roof Service Corporation
East Coast Contractors & Zero Draft
of CT, LLC
East Granby Congregational Church
Enterprise Builders, Inc.
Evans, Pires & Leonard
F. & W. Caterers
Farmington Imlay Associates LLC
Farmington Savings Bank
Fat City Cycles
First Congregational Church
Fleeting and Sons Construction, LL
Foodshare
Gargiulo Custom Bikes
Gengras Motorcycles
Global Marketing
Goodwin College
Graham-Massey Analytical Labs, Inc.
Guilford Specialty Group
Gypsy Road Leather & Tees
Hartford Asset Building Collaborative
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Hartford Literacy Council
Hartford Municipal Employees Federal
Credit Union
Haymond Law Firm
Hoffman Enterprises
Hogar Crea Of Center Street
HPC Foodservice
Hurston Research LLC
Il Panino/Tastebuds
ING Financial Advisers, LLC
Insurance Works of Connecticut, Inc.
J. Associates Architects
J. D. C. Enterprises, Inc.
J. Morrissey and Company
John H & Ethel G Noble Charitable Trust
Liberty Bank Foundation
LNR Catering
McCormick Foundation
M.P. Guinan & Associates
M/C Motorcycle Insurance, LLC
M.A.C. Foundation
Macca Plumbing & Heating
Mansfield Paper Company
Maple Hill Farms
Marilyn’s Dancing Dogs
Mayo Crowe LLC
MBH ARCHITECTURE, LLC.
MetLife Foundation
Metropolitan District Local 184
Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce
Middlesex United Way, Inc.
Mike’s Auto & Towing Services, Inc.
Monolith Services Group
New England Cycle Center, Inc.
New Interiors Design
New Opportunities, Inc.
North Central Regional Health Board
North Main Race, LLC
Northend Agent’s
Nutmeg Foundation
Operation Fuel
People’s United Bank
People’s United Community Foundation
Peoples Products
Performance Food Group Springfield
Perkins
Philadelphia Insurance Companies
Pollo Tropical
Primo’s Sausage
Pronto Printer of Newington
Prudential Foundation
Quiznos
Rego Realty Corp.
Roadside Dogger
Sacred Body Henna Tatoos & Face Painting
Saint John’s Episcopal Church
Sandler & Mara, PC
Sasser, Sefton, Connally, Tipton & Davis
Savings Bank of Manchester Charitable
Foundation, Inc.
Savino, Sturrock & Sullivan Financial LLC
Scott Variety
Seafood Express
Shipman & Goodwin, LLP
Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck, PC
Sigmund Software
Slipper Lady
Smokin’ with Chris, LLC
South Congregational Church
of East Hartford
Sparkle Jewelry
Individuals
Todd Abramson
Julie Ackerman
Monty Aheart
Robert Aheart
Kerri Kay Allen
Diane Alverio
Bildade Augustin
Wendy Austin
Daniel Babella
Allan Baker
Eric Barfield
Jim Barts
Doris Battle
Edward Begley
Stefanie Belding
Walter Benjamin
Marta Bentham
Fernando Betancourt
Many Hands Beautify Generations
In April, more than 200 volunteers of every age came
together for a day of planting and fun at the Generations
campus. Led by the Green Crew of the Knox Parks
Foundation, volunteers planted trees and rose bushes and
prepared a bed for summer vegetables. Volunteers from
St. Michael’s Church, Catholic Worker, Center for Serenity
and several corporations also cleaned the entire block.
Photo: Riley D. Johnson, Jr.
Staples
Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC
Swiss Cleaners
Target Foundation
TJX Foundation, Inc.
Thomas Atkins Memorial Trust Fund
ThoroughClean, LLC
Thurston Foods, Inc.
Tint Master Solar Control System
Training Consortium
Trantolo & Trantolo
Travelers
Tricom Systems, Inc.
Triple Springs Spring Water Co.
UBS Realty Investors LLC
Unitarian Universalist Society: East
United Food & Commercial Workers
Local 919
United Way of Central & Northeastern
Connecticut
Universal Connectivity
Urban League of Greater Hartford, Inc.
Vinci Oil
Warm Thy Neighbor Operation Fuel Grant
Wentworth, DeAngelis & Kaufman, LLC
West Avon Congregational Church
West Indian Foundation, Inc.
Whalley Computer Associates
Whittlesey & Hadley
William’s Electrical Contracting LLC
Wolcott Lions Club
Xerox Corporation
YMCA of Greater Hartford
Stephen Bigler
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Blaschke
Deborah Boyd
Susan Scanlan Bransfield
Betty Brew
Cathi Ann Brewer
Richard & Joan Brigham
Effie Brown
Richard Brown
Erika Brown
George Brusznicki
Denise Callahan
Deborah Cawley
Maria Cheema
Thomas Clark
Angel Codear
Richard Cohen
Janice Copeland
Leonard Paul Copes
Brian Cowell
Sharon Cowell
Gretchen Craffey
James Cullen
Keith Czarnecki
Jennifer Daly
Michael Daly
Ivelisse Davila
Teresa Davis
Ashley Debenian
Dawn Dickenson
Marilyn Dickson
Lynne Donnelly
Terrence Donohue
Patricia Donovan
Edward Drysgula, Jr.
Kenneth Dubois and Francesca French
Mayo Edghill
Joseph Eleazer
David Eppner
Steven Erickson
Kevin Evans
Timothy Evans
Mary Everett
Wesley Feshler
Robert Fishman
Grady Fitzpatrick
Glenn Gabianelli
James Gatling
Greg Gaudet
Annette Gaynor
Jeri Gollinger
Maryam Gonzalez
Barry Gordon
Erica Gorman
Steven Gosselin
Marva Greenfield-Louis
Dory Greger
Sean Greger
William Greger
William Greger, Jr.
John Groves
Sonia Grown
Mayor Sebastian Guiliano
Mary Phil Guinan
Dr. Richard and Mrs. Elizabeth Harvey
Krista Heybruck
Kenneth Hinson
Jeffrey Hoffman
Melissa Howard
John Izzo
Faith Jackson
Mini Jefferson
Dave Johnson
Dr. Edward Johnson
Lynn Johnson
Gloria Jones
Jonathan Jones
Norman Jones
Margaret Joyner
Sara Kaplan and Ken Malley
Andrew Kelly
Patty Kels-Murphy
Kevin Kenzenkovic
Jonas & Carmela Kozikis
Mary Kozich
John Lomberg
Karl Lund
Dr. Conrad Mallett
Dan Mara
Lorenzo Marshall
Ronald Mathis
Robert and Susan Mazzonna
Christopher McCluskey
Carl Merz
Lydia Miazza
Maria Michele
Bill Miller
Saul Mora
Teri Morrison
Donald Neel
Theresa Nicholson
Dr. Wilfredo Nieves
Kevin O’Neil
Mary O’Connell
Ivette Oliveras
Jennifer O’Neal-Reid
David Osella
Nancy Pappas
Lisa Pare
Lorna Parmlee
Mayor Eddie Perez
Alex Pestana
James and Karen Pestana
John and Judith Petrofsky
Ken Plumb
Paul Puzzo
Tom Ragonese
Brenda Ransom
Tom Ritter
Edwin Rivera
Magdalena Rodriguez
Elyssa Rosario
Barbara Ruel
Janice San Souci
Bob Sander
Robert Sasser
Daniel Schaefer
Mark Scheinberg
Lisa Schroeder
Hubert Schwan
Nancy Shapiro
James Shannon, Jr.
Dan Shea
Molly Shelton
Joseph & Lori Shield
Edison Silva
Greg Sneed
Jennifer Squier
Joe Stanford
Elliot and Sheila Stone
G.P. Tanksley
Valerie Taylor
Tim Toner
Bethanne Vergean
Jay Victorick
Richard and Bette Walmer
Jeremy Walter
David Walters
Tim Weaver
Dana Wilson
Paula Wright
Francis Yankson
In-Kind Donations
AAA
Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant
Black Bear Saloon
Bob’s Discount Furniture Charitable
Foundation
Boston Red Sox
Bradford Renaissance Portraits Corp.
Budweiser Beer Distributors
Sue Budde/Creative Memories
City Steam Brewery Cafe
Clear Channel/Country 92.5
Concentra
Connecticut Cruise News
CT Assoc. of Foster and Adoptive
Parents, Inc.
DaCor Installation Services, Inc.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
East Coast Packaging
Feld Entertainment/Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey
Foodshare
Gifts in Kind International
Leslie Gordon/Sunny Heart Yoga
Hallmark Cards Inc.
Harry’s Discount Liquor
Hartford Distributors
Hartford Stage
Hartford Sales Company
Home Depot Gifts In Kind Program
Hook & Ladder Restaurant
Hurston Research LLC
IGA/Bozzutos
Knox Parks Foundation
Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford
Maple Hill Farms
Metropolitan District Commission
National Amusements
New Britain Rock Cats
New England Air Museum
Performance Food Group Springfield
Phoenix Companies
Pollo Tropical
Rolling Meadows Country Club
Safari Micro
Six Flags New England
Ski Mount Southington
Ski Sundown
Sovereign Bank
Sparkle Jewelry
Steve McCluskey of Diageo
University Club Golf Course
TheaterWorks
UConn Athletic Marketing
CRT IN THE COMMUNITY
Head Start Parade
The first-ever CRT Head Start Parade was both a spectacular
and successful event. On May 6, more than 2,000 CRT
preschoolers, their families and teachers turned Bushnell
Park into a rainbow of tee shirts and balloons. The highlight
of the day was the performance by members of the Ringling
Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, who brought dogs,
acrobats and clowns to entertain the crowd. Then, as the
children shouted the magic words of “Zing! Zang! Zoom!”
five elephants appeared under the Soldiers and Sailors Arch!
Photos by Claudine Bernard, Michael Daly, Riley D. Johnson, Jr.,
Jordon Polon and Anthony Quinn
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
In March, Susan Komisar-Hausman, author of the children’s
abuse awareness story, “Kisses From Dolce,” participated
in activities at several of CRT’s ECE centers. That morning,
a variety of community stakeholders read her book in every
CRT classroom. Guest readers included DCF Commissioner
Susan Hamilton, far right, and State Senator John Fonfara,
center.
8th Annual CRT Golf Tournament
CRT’s Annual Golf Tournament in September raised funds
for the Elderly Nutrition Program. This event draws
participants, supporters and volunteers from all facets
of our community, and benefits Meals on Wheels and
the nearly 800 frail seniors CRT nourishes throughout
Central Connecticut.
Locust Earns NAEYC Accreditation
The state’s largest preschool, Locust Street Early Care and
Education Center, celebrated their NAEYC Accreditation
with Mayor Eddie Perez in February. Unit Manager Elizabeth
Mosquera holds the plaque, at center.
Page 26
2nd Annual Bike Night
This June fundraiser for our Generations campus was
attended by hundreds of bikers and spectators, who
enjoyed music and entertainment, youth activities, food,
and a classic motorcycle contest. Capital City Ryders
motorcycle group lent their support, along with several
business sponsors, staff and volunteers.
Attorney General Visits
Joanne Perloff, second from left, was proud to bring Atty.
Gen. Richard Blumenthal to speak at The Retreat in
October. After years organizing events in the community,
she is currently the coordinator of a Speakers Series
that is sponsored by the Retreat Members Council. Lena
Rodriguez, CEO, far left and Gus Keach-Longo, Executive
Director of Senior Services, at right.
WHY RUSH Teenage Anti-Drinking Billboard Contest
Healthy Teen Hartford, CRT’s coalition to prevent underage
drinking, initiated a billboard contest that urges teens to avoid
alcohol. Six winners were honored in September by Mayor
Eddie Perez at City Hall, and the winning billboards have been
posted on 12 sites in Hartford and featured on a high profile
electronic billboard on I-91. Posters will be put up at Hartford
Community Court and in the five city Recreation Centers.
Dedication of Generations Portrait Gallery
In February, CRT held a celebration at Generations honoring the
“Pioneer Grandfamilies” residing at CRT’s campus. Also honored
were State Senator Eric Coleman and State Representative
Marie Kirkley-Bey for their roles in obtaining much needed
funding; local artist Marela Zacarias who worked with youth
at Generations to create the beautiful mural; and CRT staff
member Michael Daly who shot the photography. Generations
residents also shared moving stories about their lives before
and after their move to the campus.
Senator Dodd Comes to Listen
The day after Thanksgiving, Senator Chris Dodd visited the
Generations campus for a roundtable discussion on home energy
assistance and other financial concerns in the community. Senator
Dodd, joined by Mayor Eddie Perez, listened as Hartford residents
spoke about problems with health insurance, affordable day care,
home foreclosures and job losses, as well as energy assistance.
City of Hartford Grandparents & Family Day
CRT co-sponsored this September event, held in Bushnell Park.
Over 200 families participated in a day of fun, festivities,
and services, and even the steady rain didn’t dampen their
enthusiasm. Customers learned about, signed up for, and met
staff from many CRT programs. Working alongside the 20 CRT
staff were over 20 volunteers.
CRT Annual Report 2009
Nancy Pappas, editor
Maria Cheema, designer
Val Nanovsky, photographer
A special thanks to the individuals and families
who shared their stories
and all who contributed to this publication.
For more information about CRT visit us at www.crtct.org
CRT MAKES NEWS
Winning designs by six local youth were blown up into billboards, in a contest put together by CRT’s
Healthy Teen Hartford, a coalition to stop underage drinking. The digital billboard on Interstate 91 (left)
and the print billboards were seen by more than 118,000 people each day. First prize winner Ja Quan
Sullivan-McCalop is shown with his family, above right.
COMMUNITY RENEWAL TEAM, INC. 555 Windsor Street, Hartford CT 06120. www.crtct.org

On the road to... - Community Renewal Team, Inc.

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