United Way's Food for Thought

Let's Do Lunch!
United Way offers Food for Thought seminars to benefit local companies and their employees. These workshops conducted by United Way of the Capital Area partner agencies and staff are held in the workplace during employee lunch-time, or another convenient time. Food for Thought is designed to enhance the quality of life for employees by providing information on health and human service programs in our community, how to lead a healthy lifestyle and resources for where to turn for help and more information.

Register Online! Click here
Questions? For more information, click here.

Food for Thought Menu of Programs

Basic Human Needs · Children & Youth · Health · Increasing Self-Sufficiency · Safe Neighborhoods · Strengthening Families · Supporting Older People

Basic Human Needs

Hunger in the Land of Plenty
Just who is hungry and why in our community? What is being done to help hungry people? How can I help? Is giving to a food drive the best way to help? Hear some thoughts on these and other issues around hunger.
Agency: Foodshare

[Top of Page]

Children & Youth

Developing Self-Esteem in Youth
This program provides an interactive discussion on how the Boy Scouts of America is building character, leadership & self-esteem in today’s youth.
Agency: Boy Scouts of America, Connecticut Rivers Council

Drug Awareness
This session offers information on street and household drugs. A discussion about warning signs for parents to look for in their children, and where to find help will also take place.
Agency: New Home Manor, Inc.

Youth Violence: What Can We Do About It?
This workshop includes a presentation of the nationally recognized and highly successful juvenile offender tracking program, CHOICE.
Agency: Catholic Charities/Catholic Family Services, Inc.

[Top of Page]

Health

Home Care and You
This session provides general information on home care, Medicare guidelines, and what services are available in our community.
Agency: Visiting Nurse Association of Central Connecticut, Inc.

Take Charge of Your Health and Your Heart
This session provides helpful ways to improve your health, by monitoring your stress levels and incorporating good nutrition and appropriate exercise into your lifestyle.
Agency: VNA Valley Care, Inc.

Caring for a Loved One at Home—Your Options
This programs provides home care and hospice services options available in order to care for and keep loved ones at home. The scope of services and cost will be also discussed.
Agency: VNA Valley Care, Inc.

Caring for the Caregiver
This presentation provides caregivers with information about community resources and caregiver support. Available home care services are also discussed. Information on the importance of home safety and proper nutrition are presented. Caregivers’ concerns about topics such as urinary incontinence and proper skin care are addressed.
Agency: VNA Valley Care, Inc.

[Top of Page]

Increasing Self-Sufficiency

Non-Readers in the Workplace: A Growing Concern
Twenty-two percent of adults in Connecticut are illiterate; forty-one percent of the adults in Hartford are illiterate. Many of these individuals are your employees. Learn how to identify that a worker is a nonreader; how non-literacy effects productivity and worker performance; and how you can help your employee learn to read.
Agency: Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford

Effective Listening Skills
This training is designed for entry-level workers in the social services field and can also serve as a refresher for more experienced workers. Participants will learn what effective listening is, understand the need for utilizing effective listening skills to enhance communication with clients, and learn how to
effectively implement these skills.
Agency: United Way of Connecticut/Infoline

Work for the DevelopmentallyDisabled Adult
This program will discuss the options available to those families who seek employment for their family member who is developmentally disabled.
Agency: Hockanum Industries, Inc.

Diversity and the Disabled Person
This session discusses the community integration of services and support for persons who have mental retardation or similar disabilities (This program can also provide perspective relating to diversity in the workplace.)
Agency: Farmington Valley Arc, Inc. (FAVARH)

Inclusion—The Way to Go!
This program is an inspirational talk emphasizing the abilities of persons with disabilities and what their contributions are and can be in our society.
Agency: Farmington Valley Arc, Inc. (FAVARH)

Misconceptions of Employment Amongst the Disabled
Learn the facts and misconceptions of people with disabilities in the workplace and what vocational services are available to them.
Agency: Chrysalis Center

[Top of Page]

Safe Neighborhoods

The Language of Suicide
During this training on suicide prevention, participants will learn about facts and myths related to suicide. They will learn to identify potential motives, risk factors and warning signs associated with suicidal behavior.
Agency: United Way of Connecticut/Infoline

[Top of Page]

Strengthening Families

Choosing Quality Childcare
This workshop is targeted for consumers of childcare and provides an overview of the types of childcare programs available throughout Connecticut. Participants will gain understanding of indicators for quality childcare, learn how these indicators impact child development, and receive information on state regulations for childcare programs.
Agency: United Way of Connecticut/Infoline

What to Look For: Quality Day Care
This session provides parents with the tools necessary to choose a quality day care facility for their children.
Agency: Women’s League, Inc. Child Development Center

Domestic Violence 101
This program offers an overview of the causes and effects of domestic violence, statistics, case studies, trends and information on the services available. (This program is only available in the towns of Enfield, Suffield, Windsor Locks, Somers, East Windsor & Stafford.)
Agency: Network Against Domestic Abuse of North Central Connecticut, Inc.

Peace Begins at Home
Domestic violence is a leading cause of injury to women. It occurs in all socio-economic groups, and can include emotional, verbal, economic and physical abuse. Educating people about domestic violence and services available to its victims is part of the mission of the Hartford Interval House.
Agency: Hartford Interval House, Inc.

What Happens at Home, Effects the Workplace:
Ten Things Coworkers need to know about Domestic Violence
Dynamics of domestic violence will be discussed and how colleagues can be supportive of a coworker who is being abused at home. Agency services will be reviewed.
Agency: Hartford Interval House, Inc.

[Top of Page]

Supporting Older People

Senior Wellness and Healthy Living
This session discusses how seniors can enjoy a healthy and well balanced life-style—specific topics can also be addressed by the participants.
Agency: Visiting Nurse Association of Central Connecticut, Inc.

Live-in Care for your Aging Parent
This program offers information on how to support older adults when the time comes that they can no longer live alone. There will also be a discussion on how staying in one’s own home can be the best solution.
Agency: Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford

[Top of Page]

| 211: Infoline | Partner Agencies | Food for Thought

United Way of the Capital Area
30 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106-1374
Phone: (860) 493-6800
Fax: (860) 493-6809