For the People

We're going to help gently bend you into better shape with Connecticut's Yoga In Our City movement, and let you know how you can tap into free virtual yoga classes to stay in shape and achieve peace of mind from the comfort of your home while gearing up for the 2021 season of outdoor community yoga classes designed by Civic Mind - and sponsored by ConnectiCare.

Then it's time for some really big news as we introduce the new executive director and get a sneak peek at what's in store for the 2021 International Festival of Arts & Ideas, which is ramping up its predominantly virtual festival May 14 - June 27, offering over 200 events — with 8 out of 10 available for free!

And we're circling back to Operation Hope - zeroing in on this nonprofit's efforts to help educate state residents who may be at risk of losing their home due to foreclosure - and we'll chat with Senator Tony Hwang about how he is supporting that effort at home, and in the statehouse.

We're going to preview a very different CT NOFA OrganiCONN Winter Conference as the event we normally cover in person for an entire show goes virtual. We'll chat with the conference coordinator about how you can get the most from this online experience without getting your hands dirty.

Then we're returning to the subject of wind power and its potential for providing critical climate benefits, economic development, jobs, and more. So stick around as we talk it up with representatives from Eversource Energy and Ørsted Offshore North America who will be developing offshore wind farms right off the Connecticut coastline.

And we'll wrap introducing yet another boutique Connecticut nonprofit that started as a grassroots movement to help connect young apply STEM education to doing good with the founder of Random Hacks of Kindness Junior.

We're bringing back the director of the CT Conference of Municipalities to share the word about important work that agency is doing promoting racial and social justice by helping folks of color who are inspired to lead, learn how to run for local public office.

Then, we'll reconnect with our friends at The Child Health and Development Institute to talk about the intersection of social emotional learning which is growing in popularity in our schools - and how it can and should be connected to teaching about anti-racism and equity.

And we'll close learning about Resources Education Support Together (REST), a peer-led mutual aid group for families with a loved one with Substance Use Disorder, and how you can get involved in an upcoming virtual training session absolutely free. 

Today we're celebrating the merger of Foodshare and Connecticut Food Bank which just launched this historic union between the state’s two largest nonprofit anti-hunger organizations. We'll hear all about it and let you know how to help - or get help if you or someone you love is going hungry in Connecticut.

Then we'll queue up the chairman of the New England Musicians Relief Fund, which has launched an initiative to reach $500,000 in donations by March 13 - the one year anniversary of when COVID-19 shut down the entertainment industry, putting thousands of professional and part-time music makers out of work.

And we'll remind you to engage yourself on February 25 as Fairfield County's Community Foundation launches Fairfield County's 8th Annual Giving Day - the  region's biggest philanthropic event uniting thousands of people to make a BIG impact and strengthen the communities where we live and work

This morning we're kicking off Super Bowl Sunday bright and early helping you avoid some of the most common issues that can turn game day into a nightmare because of foodborne illness. So we're bringing in a food expert from the US Dept of Agriculture to review some of the major things you need to know as you gear up for your game day feast.

Then - whether you are an employer looking for qualified and motivated workers, or someone who is looking for a job or maybe seeking to change careers - we've got the resource for you as we bring in the COO from Career Resources, which serves about half the state connecting people to jobs they need.

And we're closing reminding you about an important environmental practice that Connecticut helped make famous - I'm talking about mattress recycling. We'll connect with a spokesperson for the Mattress Recycling Council to talk about this important program, how easy it is to do, and the many ways recycling mattresses makes a positive difference to our communities and our planet.

We're circling back to the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services, which is serving thousands of families in greater New Haven and the Naugatuck Valley. We'll discuss their all important preventative tool -  community outreach and education, its Hope Family Justice Center, and how to help by participating in the 2021 Strength-4-Survivors challenge.

Then we'll visit with Scarlett Lewis, founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement - to get the latest news on this global social emotional learning initiative, and how you can participate all through February - Choose Love Awareness Month.

And we'll hear about how well our state is doing protecting members of our LGBTQ communities from discrimination - especially comparedd to other states. We're bringing in the legal director for the Human Rights Campaign to talk about why we're doing so well and what we could do better as we unpack the organization's 7th national State Equality Index.

Meet a Vice President from Western Governors University talking about how broadband affordability in Connecticut - especially in the New Haven and Bridgeport regions continues to be a barrier to education, skills training, workforce development, and economic development especially among historically under-served people and how WGU is helping bridge that digital divide.

Then get the lowdown on Southwest Community Health Center which is providing and expanding high quality care that includes medical, dental, and behavioral health services, health education, disease prevention programs, community outreach, and enrollment services to individuals and families in the Greater Bridgeport area.

And allow us to introduce you to Untapped Potential, which is expanding now into New Haven and Fairfield Counties preparing women and caregivers for their next career shift by changing the way businesses find and keep talent. We'll hear how this nonprofit provides a stepping stone to re-enter the workforce at your caliber with the flexibility and control you need

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.