July 2, 2024

As we kick off a new fiscal year, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank all of you, our Norwalk ACTS members, on your continued dedication and commitment to our collective work. We had another successful year of collaboration and I can’t wait to see what the new year brings! 

Our team will spend the first half of July in review and planning mode for the coming year. We will pause this newsletter and be back in your inbox in late August with the latest updates, resources, and schedule of events & activities for the fall.

Finally, as you may have read last month, I will be taking a temporary leave between July 15 - September 15. I look forward to returning in the fall with renewed energy and connecting with all of you then. I hope you are able to rest and recharge yourselves this summer!

SAVE THE DATE

10/22/24

10 Yrs of Collective Impact in Norwalk Celebration

NEWS YOU CAN USE

It is with mixed emotions that we announce that our Director of Initiatives, Shaaron Sinvilcin will be relocating with his family to Georgia this summer. While we are happy for this exciting transition for Shaaron, his wife, and sons, we are so sad to see him go! Although Shaaron’s time with Norwalk ACTS was short, he made a tremendous impact and will be greatly missed by our team and the community. 

Change always brings opportunities and we are thrilled to announce that Anamilena Moreno, longtime staff member and Norwalk resident, will be taking the lead on our Social Emotional Health Initiative as Manager. Please join us in wishing Shaaron all the best and congratulating Anamilena on her new role!

10 Years of Collective Impact Celebration in October

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 22nd for our 10 years of Collective Impact in Norwalk Celebration. Traditionally, we have a quarterly convening in September and December. Norwalk ACTS is turning 10 and we invite you to join us Tuesday, October 22nd in the late afternoon to celebrate with us. More details coming soon, but you can RSVP here.

We believe in sharing this job opportunity as it may help someone get involved with the critical work of data collection that benefits young children and families in Connecticut.

The Center for Social Research at the University of Hartford is very excited to announce we are currently accepting applications for three full-time positions supporting our evaluation of North Hartford Ascend (Ascend), a cradle-to-career pipeline designed to create a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated network of services supporting children and families living and/or attending school in the North Hartford Promise Zone (Upper Albany, Clay Arsenal, Northeast neighborhoods) so that they can reach their full potential:

2 Community Data coordinators - University of Hartford Employment Site | Community Data Coordinator



1 Project Data Manager - University of Hartford Employment Site | Project Data Manager

These positions are funded by a Promise Neighborhood grant awarded by the US Department of Education to Connecticut Children’s on behalf of the City of Hartford.

Importance of Civic Engagement

“The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.” - Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

The recently completed, highly engaging, and successful Norwalk ACTS Civic Influencer Program pilot reinforced the importance of civic engagement and the role of advocacy in policy decisions that impact our communities.

Civic engagement is crucial to democracy today because it ensures that different voices are heard and represented in the decision-making process. By actively participating in civic activities, Norwalk residents can influence policies that affect their lives, promote social equity, improve public services, and hold public officials accountable. Civic engagement is particularly important for youth as it empowers them to shape their own futures and become active participants in their communities. Engaging youth in civic activities fosters a sense of agency and responsibility, helping them develop leadership skills and a deeper understanding of democratic processes.

People closest to the problems tend to advocate for solutions that benefit the majority of those impacted. Yet too often, policies are created without fully considering the communities they impact. Civic engagement leads to a sense of belonging, building trusting relationships, integration of community voices into all phases of policy work – from development to implementation, and increasing skills and resources about the process, not least of which is learning new questions to ask and new answers to seek!



Genuine civic engagement strengthens the foundations of political systems, promotes accountability, ownership, and trust to all stakeholders, and is crucial for creating equitable policies.

We encourage you to sign up for the Norwalk Common Council 'On the Move' Newsletter!

Learn how to be a part of a Norwalk Board or Commission by watching this Norwalk 101: Civic Engagement presentation sponsored by the Norwalk Common Council.

Look out for more information about the Norwalk ACTS Civic Influencer Program in the Fall.

Great turnout for the Teens Night Out on June 23rd at Cranbury Park brought to you in collaboration with The Norwalk Partnership!

Summer Events! Mark your Calendars!

Norwalk ACTS will be busy collaborating, supporting or attending these events this summer.

Hot Girl Summit hosted by Y.L.T.R.A.P.P.E.D

Y.L.T.R.A.P.P.E.D. stands for Young Ladies Taking Responsibility And Portraying Proper Education Development.

Their 3rd Annual Hot Girl Summit will be held on Saturday July 20th, 2024 on the Historic Town Green.

If you are interested in having a table, being a donor, sponsor or volunteer, please reach out to yltrappedsisterhood@gmail.com



http://www.yltrapped.org/

Join us and so many Norwalk Community Providers at the Youth Business Initiative's Annual Community Day on Saturday, July 27th, 9:30 - 5;30 at Vets Park (42 Seaview Ave.)!

There will be a backpack giveaway, raffle, food vendors, and lots of activities for the family.

For more information about this event, call 203-952-9580.

See you there!

Norwalk ACTS continues to update the Out of School Time Portal to ensure parents and youth-serving adults in the Norwalk community know about summer and after-school activities. Access the Portal!

If you are an existing program, please check the portal for accuracy. If your program is not on the portal, please click on the link below to add your program and information. To change your existing program, email our Data Analyst, Ray Leslie. rleslie@norwalkacts.org

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE SHOUT OUTS

Over the past three years, our Early Childhood Community Advocate team has created supportive relationships with Norwalk parents/caregivers with a central focus on improving parent understanding about early childhood development. They have provided resources and support at community events and by partnering with:

• Early Childhood Educational Programs,
• Family Child Care Educational Programs
• Pediatricians
• Community Service Providers
• Norwalk Public School District Family Center
• City of Norwalk

We are extremely grateful for their time and commitment to Norwalk families and would like to share how much we appreciate all that they do.

Ivett Castro

Ivett is an endlessly creative person, and we are truly grateful to have her as part of our volunteer program. Ivett brings so much knowledge and positive feedback to our team, along with a beautiful family that also volunteers. Her admirable work, along with her innovative ideas, truly builds confidence and support among our team members. Ivett is the perfect example of a positive voice in challenging times.

Nicaury DelOrbe

Nicaury is truly one of a kind. Her loving and compassionate way of treating others makes her exceptional in her role with the patients. Nicaury and her genuine personality make her an invaluable person in our team. We are deeply impressed by how much she has grown throughout these years and how her voice has become noticeable and strong in advocating for the families in our community. We are truly grateful to have Nicaury and witness her professional and personal growth.

Maria Guzman- "The OG"

Maria, our "OG," has been an incredibly valuable member of our team. We have learned and grown together over the years, and her great ideas and suggestions have truly made our team stronger. We deeply admire her work ethic, sense of responsibility, and passion in everything she does. Her dedication throughout these years truly shows what a special and valuable person she is to us.

Karina Mendez

Karina has impressed us with her numerous talents and the various roles she plays in our community. We admire her leadership and attention to detail. Her kindness and compassion towards the various causes we support make us feel very fortunate to have her on our team. Not everyone is as honest and compassionate as she is. It's amazing how she always helps new employees get up to speed, no matter what it takes from her. She always gives her best. Her encouragement motivates us to continue giving our all.

Jennifer Murray-Mayhew 

Jennifer is an exceptional leader in every project she takes on. It's amazing how she consistently overcomes any obstacles thrown her way. She always goes above and beyond to help and support our families in our community, not just by assisting with screenings, but also by connecting them with resources as they need them. We are impressed by how Jennifer treats everyone with equal respect and a positive attitude. She truly embodies NACTS' core values in everything she does, inspiring those around her to do the same.

Lorena Rincon

We are thrilled to welcome Lorena, our newest member, to the team. In her short time as a community advocate, Lorena has shown remarkable confidence in her work. She is a quick learner, and we greatly admire her dedication to producing excellent work on new projects. We are truly grateful to have Lorena on our team, and we are excited to continue learning from her.

Eve St. Surin

Eve, our marketing expert, is also our go-to problem solver. We appreciate how Eve takes the lead with a positive attitude and is always willing to help. Her smiles and words of encouragement have inspired many families to stay positive and give their best, always lifting others up instead of pushing them down. Eve is a perfect example of a great team player, and we are grateful for her positive influence on every person she touches.

Norwalk ACTS uses a Collective Impact approach that brings people, organizations, and systems together, in a structured way,

around common goals to achieve social change. 

It is rooted in the belief that no single organization or

entity alone can create lasting social change on its own.

Norwalk ACTS

[www.norwalkacts.org]