Congratulatons to Golf Winners

RAM Welding's four-some of Joe Nader, Justin Giampaolo, Scott Murelli and Craig Fisher won 1st place at the United Way of Northwest Connecticut's 33d annual golf tournament. Second place went to the Founders Insurance team of Mark Greco, Jake Rosenstein, Barry Bayly and Matt Gilbert. Congratulations, gentlemen!
John Capobianco of Charlotte Hungerford Hospital came very close to winning the $5,000 putt.   Seventy golfers enjoyed a wonderful summer-like day and a chance to win one of many great raffle prizes. The yearly tournament raises about $14,000, which funds United Way community impact projects. Thanks to everyone who participated, including the golfers, volunteers, sponsors, raffle prize donors, and committee chairs Bob Teittinen and Karl Brady. 

Registration Open for United Way Events

Registration is open for the following United Way of Northwest CT events:


Monday, May 19 - A follow up Community Conversation meeting about Cyberbullying
Wednesday, June 25 - Community Leaders Breakfast

United Way Thanks Cyberbullying Participants

We very thankful to the following groups, organizations, and individuals who contributed to the success of our Community Conversation on Tuesday, April 29: the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Girl Scouts, Court Support Services Division, Boy Scouts, Torrington Catholic Youth, LARC, State Representative Michelle Cook, McCall Foundation, the Register Citizen, Susan B. Anthony Project, New Opportunities, Torrington Board of Education, Early Head Start, Torrington High School, Litchfield Bancorp, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, and Jacque Williams Entertainment. 

The pasta supper was provided by Scarpelli Family Drive-In, water by Tim Flynn of Mount Claire Springwater, and paper goods by Price Chopper Supermarket of Torrington. We’re also thankful to the staff of Torrington High School for hosting the event and providing equipment to enable Spanish-speaking citizens and students to participate.  

Nearly 75 people listened to a presentation and engaged in worthwhile group discussions about cyberbullying, an important issue in this age of technology. A follow up meeting will be held on Monday, May 19 from 6-8 p.m. at THS to see what we, as a community, can do to reduce the terrible impact of bullying.

Join Our Cyberbullying Community Conversation

Eighty people have signed up for our Community Conversation about cyberbullying, and we hope that you'll be one of them! There's still time to register through our website, www.northwestunitedway.org, or email Cheryl@northwestunitedway.org today!

CHH Offers Free Mammograms

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is offering free mammograms on Wednesday, May 21 for women who are uninsured or underinsured.  The tests will be conducted between 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. at two locations: 1) the Mammography Center, 220 Kennedy Drive, Torrington, and 2) the Winsted Health Center, 115 Spencer St., Winsted.  Pre-registration is required. Call (860) 496-6513.

Woman of the Year Video Available!

Visit our website today to watch a video replay of the press conference that announced Gladys Cerruto as Woman of the Year and the Girl Scouts as Best Supporting Agency!

Woman of the Year Gala Coming May 2!

The United Way of Northwest Connecticut's Woman of the Year gala is less than three weeks away, but there's still time to join us in honoring Gladys Cerruto, the Woman of the Year, and the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, our Best Supporting Agency! The black-tie optional affair, which takes place from 6:00 - 10:30 p.m. at the Fairview Farms Golf Course in Harwinton, is $100.00 per person. There will be an open bar, followed by dinner, awards, and dancing provided by the band TimeRider.  Call the United Way at 860-489-4131 or Register at our website.

Golf Registration Open!

Registration is open for the United Way of Northwest CT's annual charity golf tournament, which will be held on Monday, May 12 at the Torrington Country Club.  Call the office at (860) 489-4131 or register online today!

Bicron Electronics Helps Northwest Corner Neighbors

Employees of Bicron Electronics, located at 50 Barlow Street in Canaan, collected over 250 items for the Fishes & Loaves food pantry during the United Way of Northwest CT's Food For Your Neighbors program.  Their collection was a joint effort with the Canaan Child Care Center, which uses the food drive to educate pre-school children about food groups nutrition.

Mobile Food Pantry for April

The CT Food Bank will deliver fresh products to limited income households as follows:

• Tuesday, April 8 at 10am, First Congregational Church, 835 Riverside Ave., Torrington
• Thursday, April 17 at Noon, Northwestern CT Community College, Holabird Ave, across from the church (no line will form before 11:30 am; no standing on neighbors' lawns; no parking in the dentist's lot; one ticket per household)

Hands of Grace Feeds New Hartford Residents

Hands of Grace food pantry, a mission of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in New Hartford, recently participated in the United Way's Food For Your Neighbors program. According to Executive Director Kevin Mongeau, in 2013 they provided the equivalent of 25,011 meals for 1,507 adults, 1,205 children, and 23 senior citizens.  Hands of Grace is located at 8 Wickett Street, New Hartford, CT 06057. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 145, Pine Meadow, CT 06061, and the phone number is (860) 738-0299. 

Cyberbullying Community Conversation

Registration is open for the United Way of Northwest Connecticut's Community Conversation about the critical topic of cyberbullying.  The event will be held on Tuesday, April 29 from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. Interested parties should either call the United Way office at (860) 489-4131 or email Cheryl@northwestunitedway.org.

Visiting Nurse Services Celebrates 25 Years!

Visiting Nurse Services of CT, a United Way agency, held a celebratory breakfast on April 1st to mark 25 years of exceptional home care  to Northwest CT residents. Their Torrington office is located at 65 Commercial Blvd. Phone (860) 482-6419 or visit www.vnsct.com to learn more.

2-1-1 New Child Care website

With support from the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, 2-1-1 Child Care recently launched a new website to make it easier for parents and early care providers to access child care information and resources. The new site is mobile-enabled, and features a wealth of resources for parents and child care professionals, including a new map-based child care search engine.

The map-based search results show where child care programs are located in relation to home, work or any other place (such as an elementary school). Users can filter the search results based on a number of criteria including the type of program, quality indicators, days/hours of operation, specials needs experience, and financial assistance.

Providers and parents can visit the new website at www.211childcare.org or connect with 2-1-1 Child Care by calling 2-1-1 and selecting option 2.

Donations Pour Into Food Drive

The United Way food drive is fast approaching last year's total, thanks to substantial donations from places such as 468 items from Doyle's Medical Supply and a whopping 1,540 items from Torrington Middle School students and staff!!
Last year's program collected just over 11,000 items.  At a minimum, we hope to achieve the same results again.  It's very heartwarming to see how generous everyone's been!

Food Drive Makes Progress!

The United Way of Northwest CT food drive made tremendous progress today, bumping up total contributions to 5,115 !! The increase is due in large part to local schools, including Torrington Christian Academy, Vogel School, Torrington High School. 

Woman of the Year Announced

The United Way of Northwest Connecticut Women’s Leadership Initiative, co-chaired by Gail Olsen, owner of Ducci Kitchens Inc., and Cailin Cerruto, Ethan Allen Furnishings, is pleased to announce the recipients of the Woman of the Year Award, as well as the award for Best Supporting Organization in the Role of Empowering Women.
The 2014 Woman of the Year is Gladys Cerruto, Former CEO of Torrington Metal Products located in Torrington, CT. She’s a life-long Torrington resident, and has been actively involved in promoting the needs and causes of many not-for-profits. Her volunteerism extends to statewide organizations such as the Connecticut Public Expenditure Council, Advisory Board of Connecticut National Bank, and Northwest Connecticut Community Technical College Board. She’s a former Small Business Woman of the Year through the Connecticut Department of Economic Development.
Dedicated to volunteerism and service, she’s made great contributions in her appointments to the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Board of Governors (member since 1993) and Board of the Warner Theatre, among others. She generously shares her knowledge, enthusiasm, and expertise to help make a positive impact.
“The Women’s Leadership Initiative committee was unanimous in its selection of Gladys. She exemplifies the leadership role that women play in the Northwest Connecticut community,” noted Ms. Olsen. “She’s been a role model to many young women and broke through the glass ceiling, serving as president of a manufacturing company since 1978.”
The Girl Scouts of Connecticut have been selected as the recipient of Best Supporting Organization in the Role of Empowering Women because of its outstanding work with women and girls in Northwest Connecticut. Founded over 100 years ago, their mission is to build courage, confidence, and character.
“Girl Scouts of Connecticut was chosen because of its very important mission of building girls who make the world a better place,” said Ms. Olsen. “We felt that honoring Gladys and the Girl Scouts was the right way for us to continue this very important United Way of Northwest Connecticut initiative.”
A glamorous celebration will be held on Friday, May 2nd at 6:00 pm at Fairview Farms Golf Club in recognition of the honorees. The $100 tickets include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, dinner served with wine, an awards ceremony, and dancing with music provided by the band TimeRider.
The Women’s Leadership Initiative, whose mission it is to mobilize the power of women to advance the Common Good in our communities, was founded in August 2012. The focus is Women, Young Women (Ages 13 to 18), and Families to educate, empower, and equip women to create positive changes in our Northwest Connecticut communities and to inspire others.
The committee has created a “Girls Summit” for eight grade girls, which is designed to teach skills for successfully navigating the teenage years, build self-esteem, inspire them to set goals so as to achieve their dreams…in short, to help nurture the skills they’ll need to become successful future leaders. The day will begin with a presentation by keynote speaker Karen Hinds, an inspiring author, business leader, and all-around phenomenal woman. Her personal story will empower our girls and help them develop the courage to make healthy and strong decisions for an amazing future. This program will also include learning sessions such as: Building Strong and Healthy Relationships; Healthy Inside and Out—Good Nutrition and Fitness; Put Your Best Face Forward—Hair, Make-up, and a Fashion Show.
Committee members include: Teresa Allen, Kathy Briggs, Susan Burton, Ashley Cerruto, Emily Emily Marchand-Cole, Cathy Coyle, Deirdre Houlihan DiCara, Tara Lynch, Kara Paganini, Candy Perez, JoAnn Ryan, Colleen Sullivan and Courtney Szigetvari.
For information on the May 2nd gala or the Women’s Initiative call the United Way office at (860) 489-4131.

Food Drive Making Gains

Many thanks to employees at O & G Industries, who contributed 433 items to Food For Your Neighbors today--a nice haul, though not enough to outdo Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, which has donated 462 items to date!  The total count is now at 1,459, so we have a long way to go.  Remember, the drive ends next Friday, but the "depot" behind the Register at 59 Field Street will be open to accept donations on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 17-19, between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. Volunteers will be standing by to accept your donations! Donations are also accepted at the United Way office on Bird Street, and if necessary, call the United Way office at 860-489-4341 to arrange a pickup at your business.  We hope that you'll help us make our annual food drive a big success. Thanks!!

YMCA Upcoming Events

The Northwest CT YMCA has the following March and April events:

March Madness:  Free Fridays at the Y during its "March Madness" membership promotion. Adults 21 and older are invited to try the Y for free at their Torrington, Winsted, and Canaan locations.


Crafts for a Cause: Sunday, March 30 from Noon to 4 p.m.  Featuring crafts and vendors. Door prizes and raffles. $2.00 per person ticket admission.  Proceeds will support the Y.


Fishing Derby:  Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to Noon at Camp Wa Was in Southfield, Mass. Visit www.baitandfish.org for more details. Other activities will be available, such as archery, hiking, and raffles. Proceeds will provide financial assistance for summer campers.


Read-A-Thon: Tuesday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Beardsley & Memorial Library in Winsted.  Proceeds will support the Y's Literacy program, which works with over 100 children and adults.

CMHA Welcomes New Medical Officer

Community Mental Health Affiliates, a United Way of Northwest Connecticut member agency, is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Atkins, MD, as the agency’s Chief Medical Officer. A board-certified psychiatrist, clinical trainer, and widely-published author, Dr. Atkins brings diverse and extensive administrative and clinical experience to CMHA. He is on the volunteer faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, and currently serves as an attending physician and psychiatrist at Waterbury Hospital Health Center. Dr. Atkins previously served as Chief of Professional Services and Medical Director for the Western CT Mental Health Network (DMHAS), and was a prior medical director for the department of behavioral health at Waterbury Hospital.  In addition to his published books in the field of psychiatry, Dr. Atkins is the author of numerous mysteries, psychological thrillers, and science fiction novels. Dr. Atkins is a graduate of New York University and Emory University School of Medicine. He completed his psychiatric residency at Yale. He will be based at our administrative headquarters in New Britain.

Canaan Children Care!

Students from the Canaan Child Care, a United Way agency, recently collected 76 items for the Fishes & Loaves food pantry, one of six food bank recipients for the United Way of Northwest CT annual Food For Your Neighbors food drive.
Director Fran Chapell and her teaching staff use the program as an educational tool.  In addition to helping those less fortunate in their community, the kids learn math skills by counting items, and they learn about nutrition and food groups. 
Thank you, Fran!

LARC Wine Tasting

A spring wine tasting to benefit LARC will be held on Friday, March 21 from 6-9 pm at the Torrington Elks Lodge, 70 Litchfield Street, Torrington. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $25 and are available at Tony's Drive In Package Store, Route 4, Harwinton or call 860-485-1490; LARC, 314 Main St. or 923 Migeon Ave., Torrington or call 860-482-9364; and the Chamber of Commerce, 333 Kennedy Drive, Torrington. Tickets will be $30 at the door, and VIP tickets are $60. 

Founders Insurance is Food Drop Off

Founders Insurance, located at 1300 Winsted Road, Torrington, is accepting food donations for the United Way's Food For Your Neighbors program, which is underway now through Friday, March 14.

North Canaan Food Pantry Seeks Donations

The Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry in North Canaan needs donations. Located at The Pilgrim House, Granite Street, they're open on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Their mailing address is POB 306, Canaan, CT 06018.  According to Michele Wolfe, Co-Director, they help an average of 125 adults, 50 children, and 25 seniors every week by providing 3,500 to 4,000 meals. They often see new clients each week.  One of their greatest needs is for dry cereal (not oatmeal).  For additional information about the pantry or delivering donations, leave a message at (860) 824-8053, call Michele at (413-854-8669) or email mwolfe5091@gmail.com.

Harwinton Food Pantry Needs Donations

The Harwinton Food Pantry has joined the United Way of Northwest Connecticut’s Food For Your Neighbors program. According to pantry volunteer Doreen O’Sullivan, they need a variety of personal care, paper goods, and canned or dried items such as fruit, cereal, and jelly, but they have plenty of soup.  They also have a refrigerator and freezer, and can accept fresh and/or frozen items.  The pantry is located at the town hall by the State Trooper’s office, and there’s a collection box in the town hall lobby. It’s open every other Tuesday between 10:30 and Noon, and will be open on March 4 and March 18.  For additional information about the pantry, email harwintonfoodpantry@gmail.com.

Cyberbullying - A Community Conversation

How do we address bullying and cyberbullying in our schools and community? How can we work with family and youth to create an safer environment? A community conversation, free to the public, will be held on Tuesday, April 29, at the Torrington High School cafeteria, 50 Major Besse Drive, Torrington. Free dinner and childcare will be provided. RSVP's must be received by April 22.  To register, call the United Way office at (860) 489-4131 or email cheryl@northwestunitedway.org.
Funding for this program has been provided by the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund.

Food Drive Off to Good Start

Food For Your Neighbors got an early boost on Tuesday afternoon when a representative from the Student Government Council at UConn's Torrington branch delivered 75 food items to the United Way office! Their unexpected donation was a nice start to the month-long drive, which officially kicks off this Friday, the 14th.  Since it also falls on Valentine's Day, we hope that people will "Share The Love" and help the United Way fill the pantries of participating food banks at FISH, Friendly Hands, Fishes & Loaves, Hands of Grace, Open Door Soup Kitchen, and the Salvation Army. We hope to at least meet, or even surpass, last year's total of 11,193 items collected!

CT United Ways Release Agenda Policy

Connecticut United Ways have published a policy agenda for the 2014 Legislative session.  The agenda outlines United Way priorities for the issues of Health, Education, and Income. Each year, Connecticut United Ways issues a policy agenda, provides updates about United Way efforts statewide. The United Ways present this policy to give lawmakers a perspective as they make decisions about human services and funding. What's at stake?  Issues such as school readiness, middle school success, high school graduation, sustaining families through affordable housing and a living wage, access to health care, and crisis intervention.

Food Drive To Start Soon!

It's never too late to sign up for the United Way of Northwest CT's annual Food For Your Neighbors drive, which will start on Friday, February 14 and continue through Friday, March 14.  If your business or organization would like to participate, contact Cheryl@northwestunitedway.org today. We'll be happy to send you the materials to get started. To learn more about the drive, visit our web page http://www.northwestunitedway.org/food-your-neighbors.  Every little bit helps!

Warm The Children Success!

The Register Citizen's Warm The Children program continued its tradition of providing warm winter clothing for needy children. Generous members of the community donated $10,438, which benefited 107 children!

LARC Wine Tasting

LARC is holding a wine tasting benefit in conjunction with Tony's Drive-In Package Store and Torrington Elks Lodge #372. The event will be held on Friday, March 21 from 6-9 p.m. at the Elks Lodge,70 Litchfield St., Torrington.  Tickets can be purchased in Torrington at LARC, Tony's Drive-In Package Store, the NW Chamber of Commerce, or in Winsted at The Bowen Agency. The cost is $25 in advance or $30 at the door. VIP tickets are $60.  For more information call Tony's at (860) 485-1490 or LARC at (860) 482-9364.

United Way to Hold Girls Summit

The United Way of Northwest Connecticut is holding a Girls Summit on Saturday, March 15, 2014.  To learn more, visit http://www.northwestunitedway.org/girls-summit

United Way Annual Report Available

The United Way of Northwest Connecticut's held its annual meeting on Monday, January 27th.  The annual report is available online at http://www.northwestunitedway.org/annual-report

Golf Volunteers Needed!

Think Spring! The United Way of Northwest Connecticut is looking for volunteers for its annual golf tournament, which will be held on Monday, May 12 at the Torrington Country Club. The Committee is forming now and is chaired by Bob Teittinen, Chief Lending Officer for Litchfield Bancorp, and Karl Brady, District Executive for Connecticut Rivers Council, Inc., Boy Scouts of America.
If interested, call the United Way at (860) 489-4131 or email Stephanie@northwestunitedway.org.

United Way to Conduct Allocations Process

Up to 30 local volunteers will hold hearings from January 22 - 24 to determine yearly allocations for United Way of Northwest CT member agencies. 

United Way NWCT to Conduct Food Drive

The United Way of Northwest CT's Food For Your Neighbors drive will kick off on Valentine's Day, February 14. The drive will be conducted through Friday, March 14th for the benefit of local food banks.  The program is currently in the planning stages.

CT United Ways Join ALICE Study

CT United Ways have joined United Ways in New Jersey, Michigan, Indiana, and Florida for a research project known as ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed and represents residents who earn more than the US poverty level, but less than the basic cost of living.  Results of the study will be released on Labor Day, 2014.  The report will serve as a starting point for policy discussion about solutions for financial instability. A previous 2012 study was conducted by Rutgers University, which will conduct the study again. For comment or more information, contact Merle Berke-Schlessel, President, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County merle@unitedwaycfc.org (203) 339-6302, or Richard Porth, President, United Way of CT, Richard.porth@ctunitedway.org or (860) 571-7501.

Warm The Children

Thanks to the generosity of local residents and organizations, The Register Citizen's Warm The Children drive has raised $10,223! In light of the recent "vortex" bringing extremely cold weather down from Canada, these funds will no doubt be greatly appreciated by families that are unable to provide adequate winter outerwear for their children.  It's early in the winter season, so there's plenty of time to donate.  Send your contributions to the attention of Andrea Benedict, The Register Citizen, POB 58, Torrington, CT 06790. 

Job Center Changes Name

The CT Works office has a new name.  It's now called americanjobcenter northwest.  The website is http://jobcenter.usa.gov.

United Way NWCT Annual Meeting

The United Way of Northwest CT Annual Meeting will be held on Monday, January 27 at a noon luncheon at Marino's in Torrington. The program will include a report on 2013 activities and forecast for 2014.

Paul McLaughlin, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Litchfield Bancorp, will retire as Chairman of the Board. The 2014 slate of officers will include Paul Rougeot, President, Northwest Hills Credit Union, Chair; JoAnn Ryan, President, Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce, First Vice Chair; Susan Suhanovsky, President, Torrington Water Company, Second Vice Chair; Ken Nowell, Theroux, Nowell & Stoughton LLC CPA, Treasurer; and Margret Warner, Vice President of Commercial Lending, Litchfield Bancorp, Secretary.

The United Way will welcome new Board members Jeff Geddes, Senior Vice President, Torrington Savings Bank, Attorney Victor Muschell, and Jacqueline Colon, Plant Manager, BD. They will join current members Kevin Canady, CT-MET Coordinator, Academic Skills Center, Northwestern CT Community College; Sandi Conforti, Assistant VP/Branch Manager, Northwest Community Bank; Matt DeRienzo, Group Editor, The Register Citizen; Maria Gonzalez, Manager, Torrington Self Sufficiency Center, New Opportunities; John Gergots, Vice President, Commercial Lending, Union Savings Bank; Gail Olsen, Owner, Ducci Kitchens; Jack Reynolds, Owner, Minuteman Press; Attorney Bill Riiska; Don Stein, First Selectman, Town of Barkhamsted; and Patty Sullivan-Polletta, Administrative Manager for Pulmonary & Diabetes Services, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital.

Lucy Nolan

This year’s invited keynote speaker is Ms. Lucy Nolan, Executive Director of End Hunger CT!, an organization dedicated to eliminating hunger in the state through legislative and administrative advocacy, outreach and public education. For more information, visit www.endhungerct.org