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Courage Award presented to 21-year-old transplant and cancer survivor
One day food drive collects enough to feed the hungry for two weeks.
2005 Frederick G. Adams Award presentation
United Way Presents 2004 Community Service Award to
James C. Smith at 80th Annual Meeting
(3/3/05)
2004 United Way Community Campaign kickoff and Day of Caring XIII.
What's New: New Britain
2005 Volunteer of the Year chosen by United Way of New Britain & Berlin
United Way Partners with Youth Workforce Development Training in New Britain
United Way of New Britain & Berlin donates $4,000 to help local families
What's New: Windham
Windham area volunteer honored for contributions at 54th Windham Region United Way Annual Meeting
"Prince Willi" the first decorated FrogFest frog has arrived!
Other Resources
Click here to download United Way's new horizontal logo
Click here to download United Way's new vertical logo
United Way of the Capital Area Non-discrimination Policy
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Courage Award presented to 21-year-old transplant and cancer survivor
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| Jonathan Treiber received the United Way Community Campaign’s 12th annual Courage Award from James Sicilian, chairman of the 2005 United Way Community Campaign. |
Jonathan Treiber received the United Way Community Campaign’s 12th annual Courage Award on Friday, June 10, 2005. The award is presented annually to an individual who has triumphed over adversity with the assistance of an agency funded through the United Way Community Campaign.
Treiber’s personal fortitude and support from his family gave him the courage to survive several life-threatening medical conditions.
At the young age of five, he was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and required a bone marrow transplant. He suffered a relapse at age eight and required aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments. At seventeen, his noticeably rapid breathing and a case of pneumonia called for a lung biopsy which revealed a rapid loss of lung capacity. He was given an estimated 18-month survival period and was immediately placed on a lung transplant list. Treiber’s response to his shortened life expectancy was to simply say “unacceptable.”
Treiber admits that during the wait there were times he was worried, but he concealed those feelings from his family. “I tried not to concentrate on my illness or treatments. I kept my life as normal as possible. I attended classes at Quinnipiac College, spent time with my family and just experienced ordinary, everyday living,” he says.
After waiting two years, he received the lung transplant in April of 2003. Today, at 21, he remains positive and determined to be just a normal guy. “This may sound amusing to some people but what I want most is to have a steady job. That was not feasible until now because of scheduled treatments and doctor appointments. I want to be a normal 21-year old, go out on weekends and cruise in my car.”
The Treiber family received support, education and financial assistance from the Connecticut Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a Community Health Charities agency that receives funds through the United Way Community Campaign. Treiber and his family give back by volunteering for the society’s speaker bureau and they have testified before Congress.
The young man frequently offers words of encouragement to other cancer victims and is always surprised by remarks regarding his bravery.
“I never see myself that way,” says Treiber, “I have to live and move on. I tell others to look at the bigger picture. This is just one chapter of your life when you have so much living ahead of you.”
The Courage Award was presented to the Cheshire resident during the United Way Community Campaign’s training conference for local campaign volunteers, Jumpstart 2005. The event was held at Capital Community College in Hartford. James Sicilian, chairman of the 2005 United Way Community Campaign presented the award. Sicilian is partner and chair of the Executive Committee at Day, Berry & Howard, LLP.
The United Way Community Campaign Courage Award was created in 1994. Five judges selected this year’s recipient: Jeffrey M. Blumenthal of The Hartford Financial Services Group and a member of the board of Community Health Charities; Marlene Ibsen of St. Paul Travelers; James Parent of Machinists Union District #26; David Polk of Hartford Hospital; and Helen Ubinas, Hartford Courant columnist.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Connecticut Chapter was founded in 1971 to improve the quality of life for patients and their families who have been touched by one of the blood-related cancers: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. The chapter serves the counties of Hartford, Tolland, Windham, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, and New London.
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2005 Campaign Chairman and Cabinet announced
The 2005 United Way Community Campaign has announced that James (Jim) Sicilian, partner and chair of the executive committee at Day, Berry & Howard LLP, will lead this year’s Capital Area fund-raising effort as Campaign Chairman. Volunteer business and community leaders who will support Attorney Sicilian as members of the Community Campaign Cabinet were also announced on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 during the first campaign cabinet meeting held at the Women’s League Child Development Center in Hartford.
To kick off their first Cabinet meeting, the volunteer leaders joined pre-school children at the child care center as “breakfast buddies.” After matching up based on images on their name tag stickers, the adults and children had breakfast together and discussed what the children learn at the center. The Women’s League Child Development Center receives funding through the United Way Community Campaign.
One day food drive collects enough to feed the hungry
for two weeks.
Thanks
to generous capital area residents who opened their hearts and pantries on
Saturday, May 14, the National Association of Letter Carriers (N.A.L.C.)
food drive collected in one day enough food to feed people
in need for two weeks.
The bags of nonperishable food items left at residence mailboxes or dropped off at the nearest post office totaled over 192 tons — or more than 14 times the amount distributed each day by Foodshare, the regional food bank. The food collected by postal workers was delivered to Foodshare, a United Way partner agency, which will distribute it to more than 300 local food programs. Foodshare distributes 13 tons of food each day.
The fact that so many are in need of food is daunting. 2-1-1 Infoline, the statewide telephone referral service, says food requests statewide doubled from 2003 to 2004 and in the first four months of this year Infoline received 2000 requests for food in the capital area alone.
Foodshare, which serves Hartford and Tolland counties, says 100,000 people in the area rely on private emergency food programs each year. Four out of every 10 of those served are children. The food collected in the letter carriers food drive will help families in need make it through the summer when children are home from school where they often receive breakfast and lunch.
In Greater Hartford the letter carriers’ food drive is coordinated by local N.A.L.C. Merged Branch #86 in conjunction with the United States Postal Service, AFL-CIO, United Way of the Capital Area, Foodshare, America’s Second Harvest and national sponsor Campbell’s Soup Company.
The N.A.L.C. food drive is the largest single day food collection event in the nation.
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United Way of the Capital Area presented the
Ninth Annual Dr. Frederick G. Adams Award to the
Friends of the Family Adolescent Parenting program.
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Pictured above left
to right: Chandler J. Howard, chairman, Board of Directors, United Way of the
Capital Area; Howard Garval, president & CEO of the Village for Families &
Children; George Bahamonde, president and CEO of United Way of the Capital Area
and Susan Christensen, Anchor, Fox 61 News at 10.
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Hartford, CT. (April 19, 2005)…United Way of the Capital Area presented the ninth annual Dr. Frederick G. Adams Award to The Friends of the Family Adolescent Parenting program, part of the Village for Families and Children continuum of Family & Community Support Services.
The program provides comprehensive case management, parental education groups, and career development services to pregnant and parenting adolescents to help them complete their education and develop family stability.
As the recipient of this award, the program also received a grant of $5,000 for further program enhancement, generously provided this year by the MassMutual Community Fund in partnership with United Way of the Capital Area.
The Dr. Frederick G. Adams Award was established in January of 1996 to honor the spirit and contributions of Dr. Adams, a longtime United Way board member and community volunteer, who died in 1996. The award was designed to recognize innovative and effective programs at local health and human service agencies in a different service area each year, reflecting the diverse community interests of Dr. Adams. The focus of this year’s award was on strengthening families. Because of Dr. Adams’ extensive history of volunteerism, United Way presented the award in conjunction with National Volunteer Week, April 17-23.
Two programs were awarded with honorable mentions: The Family Mediation Program (FMP), a faith-based pilot program to strengthen families run by The Capitol Region Conference of Churches and The Child Clinic Program, a division of the family counseling department at The Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford.
For more information about Friends of the Family, call Patricia Schmidt at (860) 297-0764 or (860) 695-5943.
Windham area volunteer honored for contributions at
54th Windham Region United Way Annual Meeting
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Pictured from left
to right: George Askew, 2005 Maurice Heon Award recipient,
Pauline Lazzari, chair of the Windham Region United Way board of
directors and George Bahamonde, president and CEO of United Way
of the Capital Area.
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Windham Region United Way presented the 2005 Maurice Heon,
Sr. Volunteer of the Year Award to Hampton resident George Askew on Wednesday,
April 13 during its 54th Annual Meeting. The event was held at the Arts of the
Capitol Theater magnet school at 896 Main Street in Willimantic.
Askew, president of Habitat for Humanity
Windham Area, was honored for his volunteer work with the agency. In 1993, Askew
was one of a small group of people whose concern for affordable housing
compelled them to initiate a Windham Habitat chapter. He oversaw the writing of
by-laws, papers of incorporation, and led the process for the Windham chapter to
become a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in 1996. Since then, he has organized
volunteers, acquired work sites and been the driving force behind the
organization. The affiliate has built five homes for families in the Windham
area and is presently working on its sixth. Askew is also is a mentor to
students at the Eastford Elementary School where he once taught and he assists
with youth programs at the University of Connecticut.
The Heon award honors the memory and many contributions of Maurice Heon, Sr., a
past United Way board member who served the Windham community in a number of
capacities and consistently sought to improve the quality of life for its
citizens. The award has been given annually since 1985. It includes a $1,500
cash award for the nonprofit agency of the recipient’s choice in the Windham
Region.
United Way Presents 2004 Community Service Award to
James C. Smith at 80th Annual Meeting
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United Way of the Capital Area presented its highest honor, the 2004 Community Service Award, to James C. Smith of Middlebury, at the organization’s 80th Annual Meeting on March 2, 2005. Pictured, left to right, are: Susan J. Sappington, United Way board chairman, James C. Smith, president of Webster Bank, and George Bahamonde, president and chief executive officer of United Way of the Capital Area.
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A five-foot tall fiberglass sculpture decorated in royal attire from the top of his crown to his marble spool throne attracted subjects throughout the Windham Kingdom as he took his place on Main Street in Willimantic on May 19th during Third Thursday celebration.
(Pictured left) “Prince Willi”, the first FrogFest frog, is admired by his artist Jill Mordasky of Stafford Springs (right) and Rheo Brouillard, president and chief executive officer of The Savings Institute of Willimantic.
Until June 6th, “Prince Willi” is on public display in the Saving Institute lobby of Willimantic. The Savings Institute is the “Prince Charming” level sponsor of FrogFest. He will then hop over to his summer long street location in front of the Windham Theatre Guild at 779 Main Street, Willimantic. An additional seventeen artistically decorated frogs are expected to join “Prince Willi” on the streets of Willimantic this summer.
The public art project is brought to the Windham community through a partnership between the Windham Area Arts Collaborative and the Windham Region United Way.
Current sponsors include: The Savings Institute, Willimantic Waste Paper, Beacon Prescriptions, Windham Hospital, Eastern Connecticut State University, NewAlliance Bank, Centerbrook Architects, and Keeper Corporation.
FrogFest sponsorship information can be found at www.frogfest.windhamarts.org or contact Susan Shackway, of the Windham Region United Way, at (860) 493-6857 or sshackway@uwcact.org.
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Click here to read more about Victory 2004.
On September 10, the
2004
United Way Community Campaign kicked off with great excitement as campaign
chairman Grant W. Kurtz, chairman emeritus of Advest Group, Inc., ascended
United Way’s building in a Connecticut Light & Power “cherry picker” to reveal
the campaign goal. Kurtz stood high among the audience as he unveiled the banner
that announced the 2004 fund-raising goal of $26,000,000.
September 10 also marked the thirteenth annual Day of Caring. A record number of employees, nearly 4,000, representing 76 local companies lent a hand at more than 300 project sites for 181 agencies throughout the 40-town Capital Area.
Courage Award presented to young Windsor mother who helped herself and now helps other victims of domestic violence
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| Heather Major, recipient of the United Way Community Campaign’s 2004 Courage Award is shown here with her daughter and Community Campaign Chairman Grant Kurtz, chairman emeritus of Advest Inc. |
Heather Major of Windsor received the United Way Community Campaign’s eleventh annual Courage Award on Friday, June 18, 2004. The award is presented annually to an individual who has triumphed over adversity with the assistance of an agency funded through the United Way Community Campaign.
Major is a family violence victim advocate who works in the courts for Interval House, the state’s largest nonprofit domestic violence intervention and prevention organization. She knows how to help victims and their families, in part, because she received help for herself and her young daughter five years ago.
After three years of being in an abusive relationship that began when she was 17, Major called the Manchester police after receiving a threatening phone call from her young child’s father. “Making that phone call was the single most courageous thing I’ve ever done,” says Major. “Up until that day I was scared of the repercussions, but on that day, I knew I had to do something to get my daughter and myself out of that situation.”
In addition to a restraining order being issued against the father, Major was contacted by one of Interval House’s victim advocates who talked to Major about safety planning and actions she might want to consider. Her resolve was shaken but not broken when the restraining order was violated on the very same day it was served. But with continuing help from Interval House and personal determination, she followed up on warrants and worked her way through the criminal court system, the family courts and Department of Corrections to make sure she kept herself and her daughter safe.
After resolving her issues, Major felt she wanted to share what she knew about the court system and safety planning with other victims and their families. She enrolled in Manchester Community College and graduated with an associate’s degree in social services in May of 2003. She is currently enrolled at Springfield College, where she is an honors student. She expects to graduate in May of 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in human service.
Four months ago, Major was hired at Interval House. On her first day in court, an accused abuser twice threatened the woman Major was accompanying, right there in the courthouse. Knowing her role as an advocate, Major notified the opposing lawyer, the prosecutor and testified about the threats, resulting in a stiffer sentence being handed down by the judge.
“Today, my daughter and I are happy and safe. She knows I help women who get hurt, as she puts it,” says Major. “Honestly, it’s the best feeling in the world to help someone get out of an abusive relationship and help them feel safe and happy as well.”
The Courage award was presented to Major during the United Way Community Campaign’s training conference for local campaign volunteers entitled Jumpstart 2004. It was held at Capital Community College in Hartford. Grant W. Kurtz, chairman of the 2004 United Way Community Campaign, presented the 2004 Courage Award. Kurtz is chairman and chief executive officer of Advest Group.
United Way created the Courage Award in 1994. Five judges selected this year’s recipient: Jeffrey Blumenthal of Hartford Life, a member of the board of Community Health Charities; Lisa Curran of the Lincoln Financial Group Foundation; Ricardo Jones of Hamilton Sundstrand; Helene Shay with AFSCME Council 4; and Hartford Courant Columnist Stan Simpson.
Through the United Way Community Campaign, individuals have the opportunity to support the causes and nonprofit organizations that are important to them. In 2003, the United Way Community Campaign raised more then $26 million to help children to succeed, families to be strong and healthy and communities to thrive in our 40-town region.
From offices in Simsbury, Hartford and Manchester, Interval House provides comprehensive services ranging from community education to crisis intervention in 24 towns from Avon to Andover. Interval House staff and volunteers have offered their expertise to victims of domestic violence and their children for more than 26 years. Since 1990, Interval House has helped 140,000 women and children, an average of 10,000 a year.
Courage Award recipients and the agencies from which they received assistance
| 1994 | Harrison McKinstry | Greater Hartford Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center |
| 1995 | Margaret Khoury | East Hartford Visiting Nurse Association |
| 1996 | Janet Norton | American Red Cross – Central Connecticut Chapter |
| 1997 | Randy Moody | Connecticut Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse |
| 1998 | Joe Roberto | American Red Cross – Greater Hartford Chapter |
| 1999 | Christopher Montes | Lyme Disease Foundation |
| 2000 | Patty Haynie | North Central Counseling Services |
| 2001 | Addie D'Agui | Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford |
| 2002 | Philip Lual Ajok and Abraham Deng | Catholic Charities/Catholic Family Services, Inc. |
| 2003 | Jose Gonzalez | Boys and Girls Club of Hartford |
| 2004 | Heather Major | Interval House |
From
the opening dance, to the middle school teacher’s keynote address, to
recognition of a volunteer of the year who focuses on
education, the United Way of New Britain &
Berlin’s 65th annual meeting, held Thursday, June 2, demonstrated the
organization’s commitment to success for children.
More than 120 attendees enjoyed the YWCA of New Britain City Salsa dancers, remarks from Slade Middle School teacher Amy Anderson and presentation of the 2004 Volunteer of the Year award to Gregory B. Howey, president, director and owner of Okay Industries. (Pictured left is United Way of New Britain & Berlin board president Paul D’Addabbo (left) presenting the 2004 Volunteer of the Year Award to Gregory B. Howey (right).
2004 Community Service Awards were presented to outstanding Greater New Britain area volunteers; Frank Miller has been a dedicated volunteer with the Boys’ & Girls’ Club of New Britain, a United Way partner agency since 1986; John Roman is a committed volunteer with the Opportunities Industrialization Center-better known as OIC of New Britain, a United Way partner agency; and Nancy Schatz is a tireless volunteer for the New Britain Public Library and other community groups.
The meeting was held from 5 to 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. Throughout the meeting, United Way of New Britain & Berlin highlighted its initiatives focused on ensuring success for children and programs that change lives and improve conditions in New Britain and Berlin.
To learn more about the event click here.
Funds for families – Increasing the bottom line!
Mobilizing the caring power of the community…
United Way of New Britain & Berlin, together with the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain, the IRS and many community volunteers, has been working to provide low-income New Britain area taxpayers with free tax preparation assistance and to help eligible New Britain households claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other available credits such as the Child Tax Credit. The EITC was enacted in 1975 to help make work pay for low-income families. Often when someone in poverty takes a job, their net income actually decreases because their wages don’t make up for the increased taxes and the loss in benefits such as food stamps. The EITC tries to remove this disadvantage to working. But without tax preparation assistance, hundreds of thousands of dollars go unclaimed by New Britain families; money that could be spent on rent, food, transportation costs or savings for a house or education.
… to create sustained community changes …
Tax filing assistance is offered through a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site at the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain, where volunteers prepare returns. The local IRS helps train VITA volunteers and provides donated computer software and filing support. Next year, financial education workshops will also be offered, where participants will learn how to open and manage a bank account and repair bad credit, among other topics.
… and improve lives.
This year, over 400 families in New Britain secured free tax preparation resulting in refunds of over $600,000! The bottom line is that families who are already below or near the poverty level have more money to spend on food for their children, rent, clothing, much needed car repairs or savings for education.
Through United Way’s Community Care and its partners, families in New Britain increase their financial well being. Community Care is the pool of undesignated dollars donated through the United Way Community Campaign.
Mobilizing the caring power of the community…
United Way of New Britain & Berlin, together with the Consolidated Schools of New Britain, the New Britain Teachers Federation, and Nebraska-based Girls and Boys Town, is reducing the time spent disciplining students and increasing time teaching social skills that will help students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.
… to create sustained community changes …
United Way’s support will make implementation of the Girls and Boys Town Classroom Management education model in the Consolidated Schools of New Britain possible. Beginning in September 2004, Slade Middle School, with support from the New Britain Teachers Federation, will institute new classroom policies and procedures designed to dramatically reduce disciplinary action as students learn effective ways of managing their own behavior. Children will have fewer acts of verbal and physical aggression and fewer numbers of office referrals. Instead, teaching time will increase as well as students’ achievement levels and teacher and parent satisfaction. The initiative will not only train teachers and administrators but will also train additional staff including school bus drivers and security guards, and will involve hundreds of parents. Most importantly, the initiative will help children learn more in the classroom. The partnership formed by United Way, the Consolidated Schools of New Britain, New Britain Teachers Federation and Girls & Boys Town is proving that together, we will help a generation of children succeed.
… and improve lives.
In the future, it is hoped that the classroom initiative will be extended to all elementary and middle schools in New Britain. And this year at Slade Middle School, more than 800 students will be spending more time in the classroom learning, teachers will be spending more time teaching, and administrators will be spending more time on other student concerns.
Through United Way’s Community Care and its partners, young people in New Britain are better prepared to succeed in life. Community Care is the pool of undesignated dollars donated through the United Way Community Campaign.
In addition to the Classroom Management model, United Way’s Community Care supports other local programs that help children succeed, such as:
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New Britain – Berlin YMCA’s after school programs,
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Boys’ and Girls’ Club of New Britain’s recreation programs, and
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YWCA of New Britain’s child care program.
United Way Partners with Youth Workforce Development Training in New Britain
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Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-5th District announced January 31, that the Capital Workforce Partners has been awarded $100,000 in federal money to develop a job-training and GED-preparation program to improve the labor pool in New Britain.
“Kids need to know not only what they can do, but what the consequences are…if you take a (nursing) job, what do you have to do to move up the health services career ladder?” she said.
The city of New Britain, the New Britain School District and other area organizations including United Way, the New Britain Chamber of Commerce, CCSU, Tunxis Community College and a variety of community-based organizations will contribute to and enhance this project and collaborate in the development of a broader Future Workforce Investment System initiative. The project will operate from July 2005 – June 2006.
By being involved with the planning of this job-training initiative as well as in the development of the Hartford Future Workforce Investment System, the United Way of the Capital Area continues to fulfill its commitment to help increase family income and assets as well as help children and youth be successful.
United Way of New Britain & Berlin donates $4,000 to help local families
On December 20, 2004, United Way of New Britain & Berlin donated $4,000 to local programs that help families during the holiday season. Two local food pantries, one at the Salvation Army of New Britain and the other at the Spanish Speaking Center received $1,000 each and the Herald’s “Warm The Children” program received $2,000.
Paul D’Addabbo, chairman president of the United Way of New Britain &and Berlin’s board of directors, said “Hunger is a year-round problem but it is never more apparent than in the winter months, especially around the holidays. More of our neighbors are finding themselves in need this year and the local food pantries have been serving more people. To that end, these donations support organizations that are providing that needed help and support now and throughout the year.”
In the greater Hartford area, which includes New Britain and Berlin, food pantries serve 100,000 people each year - 40,000 of that number are children. A food pantry is able to purchase $100 worth of food with $10.
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United Way of the Capital Area
30 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106-1374
Phone: (860) 493-6800
Fax: (860) 493-6809