For The People

Today we're welcoming back the founder of Guardian Ad Litem Services, a liaison agency that exists between its clients and their "unique, interrelated networks" - courts, mental health service providers, physicians, state agencies, guardians, nonprofit organizations, hospitals and conservators as they launch a brand new program called Family Empowerment NOW. The we'll bring in the CEO and Board Chair of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, also talking about an incredible new initiative addressing the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial inequity called Stepping Forward, along with a commitment of $26 million to address these issues. And we'll close with the founder of Second Thoughts CT, a group of Connecticut residents with disabilities, who along with seniors, and advocates strive to be Connecticut's disability-rights voice standing in opposition to state legislation that would legalize assisted suicide.

We're circling back to an organization aimed at helping local businesses and entrepreneurs either get started successfully, sustain themselves through the challenges posed by the pandemic, or take an existing enterprise to the next level - I'm talking about the CT Small Business Development Center. Then we'll meet a pair of researchers from Fairfield University's Center for Social Impact to discuss their recent collaboration with the Norwalk Health Department and its Healthy for Life Project studying the strengths and gaps in Norwalk’s food system - and how to help reduce food insecurity in the region. And we'll chat with the Director of School Choice & Enrollment for New Haven Magnet Schools. If your child resides in the greater New Haven area, you'll want to hear about the rich and diverse opportunities available to them at this robust network of Charter Schools.

We're kicking off 2021 with State Comptroller Kevin Lembo talking about a new “Network of Distinction” program designed to achieve the dual goals of lowering overall health costs and achieving better outcomes. Are you one of the roughly quarter million state residents benefiting - stay tuned and find out. Then we'll circle back to chat with the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) to find out how the agency did with its annual Be Homeful for the Holidays activities, what a difference it will make countering the state's homeless stats, and we'll hear about the agency's most recent collaborations with the CT Council of Municipalities and Sustainable CT.  Finally, we head to Norwalk to find out how the city is coordinating how virtual visitors can learn about hundreds of tourism, event, and economic development initiatives all under the new and unified banner of 'Visit Norwalk' - an improved, larger holistic platform for small businesses to freely promote and grow their businesses.

As we approach the launch of CT Paid Leave program, which will offer Connecticut workers the opportunity to take time to attend to personal and family health needs without worrying about lost income, we'll check in with the CEO of the CT Paid Leave Authority to help employers and employees better understand the program.  Next, have you heard about U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal's new legislation to promote advance care planning and end-of-life care? To help frame that new national effort, we'll bring in the CEO of Compassion & Choices, the nation’s largest and oldest end-of-life care advocacy organization to discuss how the proposed bill will help empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. And we'll touch base with a CEO overseeing 32 Planet Fitness locations across Connecticut.  As the state continues to navigate the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, his industry is facing ongoing threats of shutdowns or stronger restrictions So we'll hear about why this may be such an ultimately unhea

We're replaying a segment reminding residents about the lingering dangers of lead with an environmental sanitarian from Meriden - who plays a role in a larger statewide effort to remind residents about the dangers posed by lead. We'll learn all the places where lead could still be lurking in places where kids and others could still be exposed - and how that lead exposure can be remediated forever. Then we'll catch a buzz with the Back Yard Beekeepers Association and learn why becoming even a simple backyard beekeeper could be one of the best holiday gifts you can give yourself, your family, your community and the environment - and why its the best time of year to get into beekeeping. Finally, Have you ever had a bad experience with an uncaring medical professional? Then meet The Patient Is U Foundation - Helping medical practitioners enhance humanistic, compassionate patient care with unsurpassed "customer service" and sharing its philosophies with patients as well as institutional and non-institutional h

Meet the Dean from the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology at Sacred Heart University talking about Techstars Startup Week - a free five-day virtual conference open to the public starting Monday and hosted by SHU featuring inspirational mentors, entrepreneurs, professors, and industry experts from across the nation. Then we're bringing back the senior legislative counsel at the Marijuana Policy Project which funds the CT Coalition to Regulate Marijuana to catch up on news about the state's continuing efforts to legalize recreational pot use and access, and get the latest following a virtual forum on the subject with a panel of diverse legalization proponents. And we'll wrap checking in again with our friends from AARP Connecticut, which has selected five Livable Communities Grant recipients that will complete quick-action projects across Connecticut that will help make immediate improvements or jumpstart long-term progress that will support residents.

If your planning to do any digging between now and next spring or beyond you'll want to hear about a brand new educational resource and certification program from Call Before You Dig that will help you ensure any deep dig projects you are planning in the future at home or on the job - roll out safely. Then we'll clue you in on new job opportunities that are opening up in the new year with a panel of guests digging into the state's first ever clean energy and green jobs study produced through the Joint Committee of the Energy Efficiency Board (EEB) and the Connecticut Green Bank Board of Directors. And as COVID escalates substance use and overdoses, we'll check in with Recovery Network of Programs - a private, non-profit, social service agency which has been serving the Greater Bridgeport Community since 1972 restoring hope, health, and well being for individuals and families in a recovery environment.

The founder of Adam's House returns to our program to remind you about the free bereavement support they provide to families annually through “Helping Hearts Heal.” And we'll let you know how to help support their good work at the upcoming virtual Mistletoe & Margaritas event. Then as we move through Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we'll share some important news about the great progress Connecticut is making addressing lung cancer with the American Lung Association following the release of their latest State of Lung Cancer report. As Epilepsy Awareness Month draws to a close, we'll visit with the CT Epilepsy Advocate to find out all the resources this grassroots nonprofit is offering to the thousands of folks across our state living with epilepsy.

This morning we'll learn how one mom's agonizing journey to diagnose Lyme Disease in her teenage daughter has grown into one of the region's newest nonprofits - Partner In Lyme - and how you can help the cause at their first virtual fundraiser in early January. Then we'll encore a couple of segments from the summer starting with the CT Center for Economic Analysis. We'll hear some sobering stats about jobs and household income growth, how they are being impacted by the COVID pandemic, and how legalized cannabis could go far toward propelling Connecticut out of the sorry economic state we find ourselves in right now. And we'll close replaying a conversation with the new Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at the University of New Haven - Dr Lorenzo Boyd discussing police practices, movements to defund police agencies and identify the all important crossover point where racial justice comes into play.

The CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America wants you to know how his organization is supporting, educating, and advocating for those affected - along with their hero caregivers and loved ones during Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Then, the new President from United Way of Connecticut checks in with a look at its ALICE 2020 report and an invitation to a series of virtual town hall events addressing some of the key challenges to households that are ALICE - Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. And since November is National Diabetes Month - meet a Registered Dietician on the team Stop & Shop has put together along with a robust set of resources to help everyone in the community who is living with or trying to prevent diabetes.

It's November 1, that means time for open enrollment on the CT Health Insurance Exchange. So we'll bring in a representative from one of the original exchange providers - ConnectiCare with all you need to know if your signing up. Then we'll ring up state Senator Matt Lesser for a heads-up on a number of healthcare products the CT Insurance Dept is recommending you should avoid. Finally, we'll circle back with cybersecurity expert Pamela Gupta following the latest Northeast Annual Cybersecurity Summit - to hear what's keeping her up nights, and a few specific tips for homeowners, students, and businesses to keep your data and cyberworld better protected.

Thanks to this pandemic we've all been inducted into the world of doing everything virtually - even fundraising, so we're opening by introducing The Rowan Center - working hard since 1979 serving and supporting victims of domestic violence. We'll talk about the center's critical mission and how you can help by signing on to build a holiday gingerbread house virtually. Then we'll turn to an epidemiologist with the CT Dept of Public Health to hear how the flu stands to complicate our already overburdened healthcare system in this COVID era - and how you can play a role in minimizing that pressure on our healthcare systems by getting a flu shot. And we'll close inviting you to learn more about educational inequality and what you can do about it in your own community, by participating in an upcoming round table discussion sponsored by The Southport CoLAB and Literacy How.

We're going to heat things up right off the bat talking about the newest CT Green Bank program to help you put heat pump technology into your home and digging into some details about a low interest rate, no money down option for heating, cooling, filtering, and taking care of your hot water service, too. Then we're circling back with Assisted Living Services focusing on an important state sponsored program that's helping keep your aging loved ones safe at home and well cared for, without creating a huge financial hit — the Adult Family Living or AFL initiative. And we're closing with a very special guest from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation unveiling a comprehensive new report on childhood obesity - and how the COVID pandemic is exacerbating the trend - especially for children of color and kids in financially distressed households.

We're starting our October Breast Cancer Awareness month reporting with a skilled surgeon from Waterbury Heath System with nearly a quarter century of hands-on experience supporting breast cancer survivors - for an informed and heartening conversation focusing on some positive news regarding breast cancer research, awareness, and recovery. Then we're returning to a subject we've been covering for several years, bringing you an important update highlighting Connecticut's Workforce Alliance 'Recovery Works' initiative and how it is poise to help employees and employers working through addiction recovery. And we'll close circling back with the CT Coalition to End Homelessness to get the latest on how COVID-19 is impacting our state's most vulnerable homeless population as winter approaches, and checking in on activities at this week's CCEH Annual Conference.

Today we're kicking things off with Abilis, a nonprofit serving more than 700 developmentally disabled individuals and their families. We'll learn more about an internationally renowned program Abilis is now offering called SibShops, combining recreation, discussion and information for siblings who endure the good (and sometimes uncomfortable) parts of having a sibling with a disability. Then we'll meet Sacred heart University's VP for Advancement and new Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer to talk about how SHU is opening a new chapter aimed at broadening opportunities for both students and staff - and inviting you to support SHU's Jackie Robinson Scholarship Foundation with a chance to hang out virtually and celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the famed Subway Series with Joe Torre and Bobby Valentine at 'SHU And 42'. And we'll close talking about all the positive effects of exercise on your brain with Dr. Wendy Suzuki, who is poised to host a Zoom Workshop on the subject later this week for Newtown

Halloween in a COVID world stands to be one of the potentially scariest holidays and it will be upon us soon. So where do you stand on celebrating - trick or treating - or maybe just taking a pass on Halloween 2020. We'll help you figure it out with a mom and medical authority from PhysicianOne Urgent Care. Then we'll get some sobering news - and maybe a little spark of hope - as we touch base with the CT Center for Economic Analysis. We'll get the latest low down on jobs and household income growth, how they are being impacted by the pandemic, and how legalized cannabis could go far toward propelling Connecticut out of the sorry economic state we're find ourselves in right now. Finally, we'll hear from the Beardsley Zoo's lead educator on MonarchWatch - and learn a little bit about this important environmental partnership that puts everyday folks like you to work helping protect and sustain the world's endangered Monarch butterfly population.

Meet a director from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health discussing a brand new poll that amplifies how badly the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Latino, Black, and Native American households. Then we air out a few concerns about, and potential benefits of wind power as we touch base with the New England for Offshore Wind coalition to learn more about developing offshore wind projects coming to the region. Then the Executive Director with the American Cancer Society explains the important and exciting developments related to this year's American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer drive-through experiences and pink parades of celebration!

We're opening our doors to the CEO of CHFA - the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority - to chat about how this quasi-public agency is working harder than ever to support renters and homeowners, rental housing operators, and to promote broader affordable and workforce housing across the state. Then it's time for our annual visit with Cindi Bigelow. The 2020 Bigelow Tea Community Challenge, like so many activities, is going virtual on September 27. So we'll get the lowdown on how you can get involved and also touch base with one of the event's key beneficiaries - The Connecticut Food Bank. Last but not least, we're calling all veterans and those who love them to register for the virtual 2020 Veterans Stand Down coming up September 24th and 25th. We'll connect the state Veterans Affairs Commissioner and clue you in on everything this year's Stand Down has to offer to our Connecticut heroes.

This Labor Day weekend, as folks whose jobs were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic take on the extra burden of finding new work, we'll open replaying a June segment with a representative from the Workforce Alliance of South Central CT to review new and enhanced online training and resources. Then we'll learn how the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on folks trying to work through recovery - or who continue to experience mental health challenges. September is National Recovery Month, and there's nobody better to discuss the current state of recovery practices than with the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and principle at Aware Recovery Care. September is also Preparedness Month, and with our local communities already experiencing tropical storms, tornadoes, extended power outages, and even some flooding, we're going to close chatting with the Ready campaign director at FEMA - the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency.

Today we're talking about 'plogging' - which incorporates picking up litter while jogging - and how you can discover plogging on September 20 as Keep America Beautiful launches it's 2020 Trash Dash in Stamford - and enlists ploggers across Connecticut virtually in targeting discarded PPE and other waste in our communities. Then we'll get Closer to Free with the folks at Smilow Cancer Hospital and the Yale Cancer Center. They helped host John Voket survive cancer, so along with a fellow survivor we'll meet who's raised more than $150,000 for the cause - we'll tell you about - and clue you in on being part of the 10th anniversary Closer to Free Ride on September 12. Rounding out our program of virtual activities, we'll catch up with the Center for Family Justice - and hear about how this critical human services agency is supporting victims of sexual assault in a COVID world, and invite you to the center's Speaking of Women virtual gathering on September 22.