10 Reasons Why We LOVE the Walk

We laughed, we cried, we got a little sunburned, but overall May 6th was a success!

1. Gaining new supporters
2. Exercise
3. Generating awareness for our causes
4. Meeting new people
5. Sharing ideas with other non profits
6. Celebrating successes
7. Seeing people happy
8. Growing our community
9. Participating in healthy behavior
10. The Walk Against Hunger!

We just want to take the time to thank all of our teams for supporting Hands On Hartford in Foodshare’s Walk Against Hunger 2012! We had such a great time seeing all of you!

Did we meet our goal- any guesses? Stay tuned for the actual results coming soon!

Shipman & Goodwin Walk Team

Meet Our New VISTA!

We’d like to welcome Katie Candiotti!

              Katie is the new Americorps VISTA  member  at the Hands on Hartford Central Office. She is here to help with communication strategies between HOH and the community and raise funds required to sustain its service and engagement programs in the future.

                She grew up in Michigan with her parents, sister and dog. She has always been a social and interactive person. In high school she played basketball and ran cross country/track, and she was in a Marketing club called DECA (Distributive  Education Clubs of America) intended to prepare students to become leaders in the business world. In college, Katie studied Advertising and Public Relations at Grand Valley State University, was a member of a club called Spotlight Productions who planned events for students on campus and organized an intermural volleyball team.

                During her four years of college, she interned at the local Red Cross chapter in the Prevention, Preparedness & Education department. She also interned with Michigan State University in the College of Human Medicine. Katie helped with marketing and events such as the speaker series, and The Women’s Health Symposium. She was fortunate enough to have studied abroad in Australia the summer of her junior year which was an amazing experience. Then, she graduated in April 2011 and was ready to see the world again.  June of 2011, she took time off and traveled through Europe for 35 days and enjoyed every minute of it. Her list of places to visit and re-visit continues to grow everyday.

                As she was looking for jobs, the Americorps programs seemed to spark her interest, especially the Hands on Hartford description. She will be with HOH for a year and hopes to learn a lot and gain more experience in the non profit world. Katie says she  is excited to be keeping the HOH mission alive!

JetBlue and Insurity at ASD

It was a perfect day, not a single cloud in the sky, for a Hands On Hartford executed outdoor service project on the campus of the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in West Hartford on Friday, April 20th. This was the first time that our organization coordinated a service project for dual businesses. Ten veteran employee volunteers from Insurity (formerly LexisNexis), who are familiar with the ASD campus, were joined by eight newcomers from JetBlue.

The employee volunteers, who worked very well together, spent the day tackling the overgrowth along the fence line of the school – trimming, pruning, cutting, weeding, etc. In addition to landscaping, they also cleaned up the debris that remained from the October storm. This was extremely helpful to the maintenance staff of six who are responsible for maintaining the 50 plus acres.

The volunteers were able to complete the project within a 4 hour period and were treated to a cookout afterwards. It was a great team-building day for all. The students who were away for spring break will certainly be in for a treat. We certainly appreciate the efforts of the Insurity and JetBlue volunteers who devoted their time and energy to making a difference for the ASD community all while having a bit of fun.

Easter Lunch at Community Meals

On Easter Sunday, 29 volunteers helped prepare and serve a hot and delicious Easter lunch to over 150 individuals at our soup kitchen. The morning started early for the volunteers who assisted with creating and setting up festive decorations and prepping for the meal.

Thanks to the generosity of various individuals and all the volunteers, the meal consisted of ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with a cherry glaze, mixed vegetables, and salad. Guests also got to enjoy hot coffee, donuts and bingo!

We are so grateful for all the support which made this holiday meal so successful. We are already looking forward to and preparing for the next holiday meal, Memorial Day. If you are interested in supporting this meal or volunteering, contact Cody Stewart at cstewart@handsonhartford.org.

New Computer Class Helps Parents at Betances

Audra Duffy

In this day and age, it’s hard to imagine life without computers. Everything from job applications to current events is on the internet. Children are taught the basics in school and often just pick up on it intuitively. However, for parents who are unable to afford a home computer or internet, this technology is anything but second nature.

A new free class for parents of students attending the Betances Early Reading Lab School addresses this need. The class, which began this morning, is a collaborative effort between Hands On Hartford Social Work Intern Audra Duffy and Iris Ramos, Supervisor of the Family Resource Center at Betances.

Over the course of eight sessions, Audra and Iris hope to teach parents the basics of keyboarding skills, Microsoft Word, how to perform web searches, and how to apply for jobs online, amongst other things. So far the class is small, six parents attended, but the impact on the lives of families invloved could be huge.Not only does this class help parents looking to boost their resume, but  also gives them the skills needed to help their kids with computer related homework assignments or projects.

Classes are taught in English and Spanish and run from 8am-9am on Wednesdays at the Betances Early Reading Lab School. If you or someone you know is interested in participating, contact Audra at aduffy@handsonhartford.org or call 860-728-3201.

For adults who do not have children attending Betances, there are several introductory computer classes offered at the Hartford Public Library.

MLK Day 2012

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was celebrated for the 26^th time nationwide on Monday, January 16, and Hands On Hartford was proud to participate.  We honored the legacy of Dr. King through collaboration, service, and uniting the community around peace.

Hands On Hartford partnered with Our Piece of the Pie and The Connecticut Center for Nonviolence to host the Martin Luther King Days of Service event throughout the state of Connecticut.  Volunteers served in Waterbury, New Haven, and throughout the city of Hartford by:

• Painting the interior of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Shelter
• Preparing and serving meals out our MANNA Community Meals soup kitchen and the Covenant soup kitchen in Willimantic
• Attending the “Nonviolence is Power” training hosted by the Center for Nonviolence
• Painting a resident’s room at Peter’s Retreat
• Holding social and arts activities at The Retreat, an assisted living facility for seniors, and Hands On Hartford’s Senior Community Café
• Painting the halls of Simpson-Waverly Elementary School
• Painting the hallway of Ebony Horsewomen Inc.

The event culminated with the Beloved Community Peace Vigil held at the Charter Oak Cultural Center.  The Vigil featured several local musicians, keynote speaker Warren Hardy from the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence and the Peacebuilders, and a community reading of selected Dr. King speeches. 

Coutesy of David Newman

The reading was presented in six different languages including English, Spanish, Farsi, Chinese, Karen, and American Sign Language by members of the community and representatives from organizations like the Chinese Language School of Greater Hartford, the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut, American School for the Deaf, and True Colors.  The Beloved Community Peace Vigil concluded with a candle lit procession to the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Courtesy of David Newman

Overall, 1628 volunteers participated in the Martin Luther King Days of Service event at 57 service sites across the state of Connecticut.  These volunteers personified the philosophies of Dr. King and showed that peace truly is possible in our communities.

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.