March
2017
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Connecticut United Ways Partner With EARN to Bring ALICE® Households a Matched-Savings Program  
A Message from Richard Porth          
President/CEO of United Way of Connecticut  

Connecticut United Ways are partnering with a nonprofit organization called EARN to bring a matched savings program to ALICE(Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households in the State of Connecticut. Asset limited, is a defining characteristic of ALICE. Thirty-nine percent of Connecticut households lack the liquid assets necessary to survive a financial shock. This vulnerability means that a medical emergency or unexpected car repair has the potential to cripple an ALICE household. 

The EARN Starter Savings Program is a six-month matched savings program for people who earn up to 80% of the median household income in their region. They agree to save at least $20 per month and in return earn $10 in matched savings. At the end of program, they will have built up at least $180 worth of emergency savings. EARN reports that 80% of graduates from the Starter Savings Program continue to save beyond the six months of the program. This new partnership with EARN will help us further deliver on our commitment to support ALICE households.

Please visit http://alice.ctunitedway.org/earn to learn more about the EARN Starter Savings Program and click HERE to watch Connecticut United Ways video, "What would you do with 60 dollars?"



Governor Malloy Announces the Release of the Family Preparedness Plan
 
kids-holding-hands.jpg
On Wednesday, March 29th, Governor Malloy announced the release of the Family Preparedness Plan, a step-by-step toolkit for parents who want to have a plan in place for a friend or family member to care for their children in the event that they are detained or deported. The toolkit urges families to have a designated "standby guardian" and contains a list of immediate steps that can be taken by parents or family members to ensure their children are cared for in the event of immigration enforcement. It also reminds parents that, "if your children were born in the United States, they are U.S Citizens."

The Family Preparedness Plan is available, free of cost, in both English and Spanish. In to addition providing a list of immediate actions, the toolkit also includes:
  • Forms that can be filled out with important information about your children
  • A list of documents which parents should locate and keep in a safe place
  • A list of helpful resources that concerned parents can seek guidance from
Read Governor Malloy's Press Release and download the Family Preparedness Plan using the links below.


Safe Haven Awareness Day

In 2000, the State of Connecticut passed the Safe Havens Act For Newborns, a law that allows anyone to safely drop off a newborn baby, within the first 30 days of life, to any hospital emergency room in Connecticut, without being subject to arrest for abandonment. Under this provision, new parents or caregivers can safely hand over custody of their infant children with no questions asked and without fear of legal repercussion. The intention of this law is to ensure the safety of newborns as well provide support for new mothers, fathers or caretakers that are not able to care for their newborn children.
 
To raise awareness of the Safe Haven Act, the Connecticut State Legislature established April 4th as Safe Haven Day. 
 
If you or someone you know is interested in more information, call 2-1-1, Connecticut's 24/7 health and human service information and referral line.  You can also access this information by visiting the 2-1-1 website (www.211ct.org) or utilizing the links below:
 
Click HERE to access a complete list of designated safe haven locations in Connecticut.
 
Click HERE to read the 2-1-1 eLibrary paper regarding Connecticut's Safe Havens Act.
 
Click HERE to visit the National Safe Haven Alliance website.
 
Thank you for spreading awareness about this important law and helping to protect newborn children.


2-1-1 Counts Data Dashboard Now Displays Unmet Needs

In 2016 Connecticut 2-1-1 received more than 350,000 service requests from Connecticut residents. 2-1-1 Counts (http://ct.211counts.org) is a tool that provides real-time, searchable and visual presentations of our 2-1-1 call center data. 2-1-1 Counts can be used to establish trends and identify state wide and community specific needs. The visual dashboard allows data to be filtered and displayed by county, ZIP Code, municipality or legislative district. Whether you're a policy maker, community activist or concerned citizen, 2-1-1 Counts allows you to get the data you need, when you need it.
 
Connecticut's 2-1-1 Counts visual dashboard was recently updated and now displays unmet needs. This new feature shows the percentage of service requests  within each category that were 'unmet.' With the addition of this reporting tool, 2-1-1 Counts can be used to show what services callers are seeking and if callers are successfully connected  with the programs or services they need.
  
Have You Filed Your Taxes?
 
There is still time to get FREE help with filing your income tax returns! 
 
Call 2-1-1 or click HERE to get information about the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program or file your taxes for free online at www.myfreetaxes.com.

Join Our Mailing List
Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter
The mission of United Way of Connecticut is to help meet the needs of Connecticut and its residents by providing information, education and connection to services.