Holiday Party/Toy Shoppe Event 2011

Courtesy of David Newman

What do you get when you mix a DJ, tons of garland, hundreds of toys and happy families – Hands On Hartford’s annual Holiday Party and Toy Shoppe. Every December, for the past two decades, Hands On Hartford has hosted a festive holiday party with refreshments and entertainment for many of the families whom we serve as well as an opportunity for the parents to “shop” (free of course) for gifts for their children.

Courtesy of David Newman

The December 15th festivity provided loads of holiday cheer to 105 families – in total we had 312 attendees at the event. The children who attended were treated to face painting, arts & crafts, and danced to the sounds of a DJ who totally engaged them with houla hoops and colored lights. As the children were entertained in the party room, their parents, quietly shopped for toys and other gift items in the “Toy Shoppe Room.”

Courtesy of David Newman

 Each parent was given $40 Santa Bucks to shop per child and the parents selected items utilizing a choice model. Among this year’s popular selections were Lalaloopsy, all things Captain America, Pillow Pets and Hello Kitty products (cupcake maker, gumball machine, toaster, etc.). After leaving the “Toy Shoppe Room” parents had the option of moving on to the giftwrapping station where they could have their selections wrapped. While they waited for their gifts to be wrapped, they perused the books on the book table – where every family was alloted a book of their choice.

Courtesy of David Newman

Our annual Holiday Party/Toy Shoppe is made possible via our partnership with Avon Old Farms (AOF) School. For twenty-nine years, AOF has raised a significant amount of money during the holiday season and procured toys for those in need. However, Hands On Hartford has been the beneficiary of their generosity for twenty years. Every year, for a two week period, AOF does significant fundraising for this event with various activities including:

• Hosting a live concert and dance, with a $5.00 admission charge, on Saturday, December 3rd.

• Selling t-shirts and rally towels to be sported during athletic contests

 • Hosting its annual Italian Dinner on Friday, December 9th , with a small donation requested for admission

• Fasting (students) all day in anticipation of the Boar’s Head Festival on Tuesday, December 13; the money saved from not providing lunch was donated to the fundraising efforts.

Courtesy of David Newman

This year they raised approximately $16,000 – which not only purchased the toys and books that we distributed but also sponsored the actual party. Three days before the actual event staff from Hands On Hartford, met with a team of 13 students, as well as staff (including the headmaster) who shopped for the toys for our families based on a shopping list that we provided them. The boys shopped with their hearts and souls, schlepped everything back to their school for a morning assembly the following day and then delivered the toys to South Church for the event on the 15th before breaking for winter recess.

Courtesy of David Newman

 This event was volunteer intensive and would not have been possible without the help of dozens of volunteers who helped to sort and transport toys, gift wrap, help parents with their toy selection, face paint, serve food, etc. Moreover, the donations of candy, baked goods, gift wrapping paper, etc. were truly appreciated. This event truly took a village and was a huge success as a consequence of everyone pitching in. Thank you AOF for helping us to spread joy and happiness to 105 families in Hartford this holiday season!

Insurity Shows their Skills at Ebony Horsewomen

 

When Ebony Horsewomen first approached Hands On Hartford a few weeks back about their organizational needs, we thought it would take time to find the right blend of skilled based passionate volunteers for their labor intensive projects. However, after reaching out to our corporate friends at Insurity, formerly LexisNexis, for assistance we knew that Ebony Horsewomen’s needs would be met sooner than later.

Ebony Horsewomen is an innovative, nationally recognized program that puts children and teens together with horses in an effort to heal and encourage. And they do it where it’s needed most: in the very heart of Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood. Moreover, they run an after school program whereby they not only expose children to horses but also to a plethora of animals such as rabbits, chickens, goats, ferrets, etc.

When we intitially contacted Insurity, it was for help removing felled and snapped limbs that were obstructing the horses in their paddocks. However, when Stuart Jensen, the team’s leader visited the site, and saw the other immiment needs he presented them to the team. Ebony Horsewomen was in desperate need of saddle racks, boot racks and a place where kids could put their books and knapsacks.  One of the main challenges that the team faced was no resources. They needed raw materials such as wood to tackle their projects; they decided to turn to their co-workers and had no problem finding willing individuals to bring this holiday gift to Ebony Horsewomen. 

The build team consisted of five employees.  They designed a Boot Rack,  Saddle Rack and Cubbies.  A couple of the members spent many hours of their personal time at Home Depot selecting materials and working in their home work shops prefabricating these items in preparation for the actual project day.  On Wednesday Dec 14^th the build team went on site to assemble and install a Boot Rack to hold 40 pairs of boots, 26 Saddle Racks and two cubby storage units.  It was a great day of giving and team building.  The kids and staff were ecstatic. The team used their personal funds to make these projects a reality and they’re not done yet. Next on the agenda – rabbit cages. Thanks team Insurity for your passion and workmanship.

Youth Dash 2011!

courtesy of David B. Newman

And they’re off! On October 17^th, 141 students from Avon Old Farms and Miss Porter’s School took to the roads of Hartford on an adventure of service learning with a little bit of friendly competition.

Courtesy of David B. Newman

 Over the course of a school day, the freshman students along with chaperones, divided into twelve teams, loaded into mini buses and visited sites around the city to lend a helping hand. The students did anything from serving lunch at Community Meals, to painting walls at local schools, to helping run a bingo game at Plimpton House. In between volunteering, they stopped in at local arts and history spots such as the Mark Twain House.

 

Courtesy of David B. Newman

 

Teams gained points based on their enthusiasm and how well they performed their tasks.  To add even more to their Hartford experience, extra credit points were given to teams who visited designated landmarks or restaurants around the city. The event culminated in a celebration at the Downtown Branch of the Hartford Public Library where lunch was served and winners announced. It just goes to show how much good can be done in one day!

Courtesy of David B. Newman

 

LexisNexis Day of Service

courtesy of David Newman

On the morning of October 7th,  four busses, filled with eager volunteers, arrived on the campus of the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in West Hartford with approximately 200 LexisNexis employees/contractors from the Hartford area for their annual LexisNexis Cares Service Day.  Upon their arrival, they were escorted to the gymnasium where they received a warm welcome from ASD and Hands On Hartford staff.  The employees got an opportunity to learn about ASD’s history and simultaneously witness the signing of the orientation. 

courtesy of David Newman

Armed with shears, pruners, rakes, bow saws, tarps and wheelbarrows the majority of the volunteers tackled landscaping the 54 acre campus.  They removed dead limbs, cut brush back towards the fence line, trimmed shrubs, etc.  Some volunteers even went into the muddy brook to retrieve debris, a consequence of much beaver activity in the area, in an effort to clean-up the water.  Volunteers painted 9 on-campus hydrants, as well as all exterior hand rails and fill tanks.    They also carefully removed inscribed and non-inscribed bricks (in an effort to preserve them) located in front of Gallaudet Hall, which is slated to be torn down in the near future and replaced by a new building.  The maintenance staff of ASD, which totals 6, truly appreciated this large scale effort.  Because of the campus’ size and limited staffing, the maintenance staff is unable to keep up with the landscaping needs of the school.

courtesy of David Newman

In addition to landscaping, volunteers also focused on two major initiatives at the back of the campus in the woodlands.  They revitalized a walking trail and built an outdoor classroom.  The walking trail was cleared of felled trees/growing saplings and raked.  A group of 5 math students and their teacher from ASD were responsible for measuring the distance of the trail prior to its clearing.  Initially, the walking trail (which encourages healthy living) will be limited to the ASD community; however, it is likely that the trail will eventually be opened to the greater community.  Moreover, a classroom consisting of five benches, a large whiteboard and a podium were also constructed.  The outdoor classroom, will allow teachers to conduct classes outdoors (weather permitting) and will help students unwind, de-stress, regain focus and even learn better.  

courtesy of David Newman

In total, LexisNexis’ employees provided over 600 hours of service to the ASD community in just half a day.  As a consequence of the company’s commitment to the community and its manpower, the campus was beautified and healthy living/outdoor learning is now a reality for the nearly 200 students and dozens of staff members.

UHG Day of Service

On Friday, September 30^th, a combination of OptumInsight providers, OptumHealth and United Health Group employees convened at the Marshall House Salvation Army, a local shelter for families in the Asylum Hill neighborhood of the city, for a day long service project.  The 33 employee volunteers arrived enthusiastically with their vehicles filled with items to donate (diapers, wipes, paper products, etc.) and were greeted by both Marshall House and Hands On Hartford staff. 

The employee volunteers were divided into multiple groups to tackle an ambitious undertaking of interior and exterior projects.  The interior projects entailed painting nine bedrooms on the ground floor and the hallway.  The bedrooms which were originally an institutional white came to life when coats of sage green paint were applied to the walls.   While the painting was underway, another team focused their efforts on sanitizing the living and dining rooms as well as the kitchen.  Not only were all surfaces/appliances in the kitchen thoroughly disinfected, but the pantries were also emptied, cleaned, organized and restocked.  This brought a great big smile to the chef who simply does not have the time to perform these types of tasks due to the demands of the job. 

The exterior work consisted of heavy weeding of an existing butterfly garden and raised beds located in the playground area.  Once the butterfly garden was weed free, the team concentrated their efforts on the beds – they removed half of the existing soil, tilled the remaining soil and replenished the bed with fresh garden/topsoil.   Once the beds were in good shape, the team then focused their efforts on planting fall bulbs and shrubs that totally transformed this outdoor space – making it a community garden for all to enjoy. 

The day was an example of community at its best – a great collaborative effort – that was full of reflection and surprises.  A couple of volunteers attempted to refinish an executive desk located in the main office at Marshall House, however, upon surveying the condition of the desk, they decided to purchase a new one from a local office supply store.  This unexpected gesture of kindness was appreciated by all.   As the day began to wind down, employees prepared 50 hygiene gift bags for the residents that promoted wellness and included items such as: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, loofah sponges, chapstick, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, sanitizer etc.)  Additionally, the volunteers who prepared the bags also wrote inspirational/encouraging notes and included them in the bags that would later be distributed to the residents. 

On this day, the volunteers donated a total of 264 hours to the community; they inspired the residents and staff by giving the shelter a ‘face-lift’ – beautifying it inside and outside while simultaneously promoting healthy living for both children and adults.  This truly meant a lot to the residents who call Marshall House their home.   This service day was made possible courtesy of funding from United Health Group.

MLK School Back to School Celebration

On Friday, September 16^th, Hands On Hartford held a Back To School Celebration for the students and staff of ML King Elementary School.  The day included a DJ, face painting and ice cream.    The DJ was a hit amongst the teachers and students, playing Justin Bieber, Willow Smith, and other popular music which led to a dance party, including a nod to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” mummies and all! Students lined up to get their faces painted with butterflies, shooting stars, snakes, and the Hartford Whaler’s logo. 

It was truly a wonderful way to end the school week and to celebrate the start of the school year.   “The event planned for King School was a huge success!!!!  Thanks a million for all of your support and effort in making this day a well received and fun filled day for our children.  This magnificent endeavor certainly trumps all previous school opening celebrations at King.  Many students and staff commented on how fantastic this celebration was for our school” said Principal Atkinson.

While the students enjoyed the celebration, the teachers collected bags filled with school supplies according to grade level.  The bags contained the essentials such as filler paper, dividers, notebooks, pens/pencils, sharpeners, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, etc.  Hands On Hartford was able to distribute supplies to 422 students courtesy of a grant and generous donations from Alvin & Company Inc., LeClair Ryan and the United Way of Rocky Hill.

Donate to our Food Pantry

Have extra food lying around?
Or you just want to help out in some way?
Donate food to our food pantry, MANNA.

Items needed:

• Rice
• Tuna
• Beans (any type)
• Cereal
• Pasta
• Spaghetti sauce
• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• Hygiene products

Murtha Cullina Donates Fresh Food to HOH

In less than one week, Hands On Hartford’s food pantry clients will have access to organically grown fresh produce thanks to the generosity of Murtha Cullina LLP. Andrew May, a long time volunteer of the agency’s Assistance & Advocacy program, approached The Hartford Food System and inquired about the availability of low-income farm shares through their Grow Hartford Program for our clients.
Grow Hartford is a Community Supported Agriculture program that increases awareness of food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture and environmental issues. Initially, Andrew inquired about the possibility of obtaining a family share, however, when he learned from the Executive Director, that organizational shares were available he immediately brought it to the attention of Hands On Hartford’s management.
In order for the agency to obtain the organizational share it was necessary to seek a sponsor. Murtha Cullina graciously agreed to sponsor the share. The firm has been actively involved with our organization for over two years. Murtha Cullina’s employees, who serve meals at Community Meals monthly, have demonstrated a strong commitment to our MANNA program. As a consequence of Murtha Cullina’s sponsorship, our food pantry will be able to offer 75-100 pounds of locally grown/sustainable produce weekly to our clients for a duration of 3 months.

Tricia Hyacinth

Shipman and Goodwin Service Day

Martin Luther King Elementary School (MLK) was the site of much ado on June 2^nd when a team of attorneys from Shipman & Goodwin embarked on an afternoon of service.  The 84 attorneys hailed from offices in Hartford, Greenwich and Stamford.  Shortly after their arrival, the volunteers were welcomed by a school official, Hands On Hartford staff and were treated to two inspirational songs by the school’s choir.  

The employee volunteers simultaneously tackled 8 beautification projects that included both interior and exterior work. 

New Orleans Service Trip

Last November, a representative from the Graduate Association of Public Policy Students (GAPPS) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) approached Hands On Hartford about a service project collaboration in New Orleans.   Every year since 2007, GAPPS has organized students to travel to New Orleans to assist with the rebuilding efforts in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the hardest hit neighborhoods in the New Orleans area.  In an attempt to diversify its volunteer base in 2011, GAPPS thought it important to partner with a local non-profit and to involve Hartford residents in the endeavor.