Project SAGE Celebrates Disability Pride Month

July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the incredible diversity, strength, and resilience of individuals with disabilities. It’s a month dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions of disabled individuals and advocating for a more inclusive and accessible world.

This month also commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July 1990, a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and champions equal opportunities for people with disabilities. The ADA's spirit of inclusion is vital, especially as we acknowledge that individuals with disabilities can face unique vulnerabilities, including a higher risk of experiencing domestic violence than their non-disabled peers.

By upholding the principles of the ADA and embracing disability as a natural and celebrated part of human diversity, we build stronger, more equitable communities for all. This month, Project SAGE invites you to join us in working towards our vision of a world in which everyone can be themselves, have healthy relationships, and live free of interpersonal relationship violence. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about how you can get involved, email Linda at lindac@project-sage.org.

Spotlight on Project SAGE

Welcome Our New Office Manager Angel Falzone

Project SAGE is proud to welcome Angel Falzone as our new Office Manager. A lifelong resident of Litchfield County, Angel was raised in East Canaan and now calls Norfolk home. With a professional background in healthcare and business administration, Angel brings a wealth of organizational expertise and a strong sense of compassion to her new role. She will complete her Master’s in Business Administration from Grand Canyon University this December.

Angel is deeply committed to serving her community—especially the one that shaped her. She is passionate about supporting efforts that create lasting social change and believes in the importance of building safe, respectful, and empowering environments for all. 

As Office Manager, Angel looks forward to helping strengthen the systems that support survivors and the agency’s day-to-day operations. She’s eager to collaborate with staff, partners, and community members to help advance Project SAGE’s vision of a world free from relationship violence.

Angel lives with her husband and son, who she describes as her greatest joy and motivation. Please join us in warmly welcoming Angel to the Project SAGE team!

Upcoming Events

Come Visit our Project SAGE Table at These Community Events!

Sharon on the Green Arts & Crafts Festival

Saturday, August 2 | 10 AM - 5 PM | Sharon Town Green, Sharon, CT

Peruse 60-80 vendors offering original works. The show opens at 10am and closes at 5pm rain or shine. Food services are available. This is a free event.

Lakeville Journal Community Street Fair

Saturday, August 2 | 11 AM - 3 PM | Academy Street, Salisbury, CT

Kent Sidewalk Sale

August 7, 8, 9 | 10 AM - 6 PM | Route 7 and Route 341, Kent, CT

If your idea of fun is great sales, fabulous food, and music, Kent is the place to be the first weekend of August. Rain or shine! Free fun for the whole family.

Kent Farmers Market

Friday, August 8 | 3 - 6 PM | Kent Land Trust Field

Learn about the farmers market here.

Kent Carnival

Saturday, August 30 | 12 - 1 PM | Kent, CT

Project SAGE Is Hiring!

Development Manager - Full/Time

Community Engagement Coordinator - Part/Time

Marketing/Communications Coordinator - Part/Time

Become A Monthly Donor

Did you know our annual appeal doesn't end on December 31? We need your support through June 30 to cover the cost of supporting families on their path to healthier futures. Make a one-time gift or become a monthly donor by clicking here. Thank you! Your support makes all we do possible!

Resource Roundup

ARTICLE: Domestic Abuse in Pregnancy: Risks, Signs & How to Get Help

Shockingly, homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant people. Pregnancy can escalate domestic abuse as abusers feel threatened by the shift in priorities, leading to increased control tactics like physical violence, financial manipulation, and reproductive coercion. The abuser may try to stop their victim from getting help, but there are ways to reach out.

ARTICLE: Domestic Violence and Pets: Survivors Share Their Stories

Fear for their pets’ safety often delays survivors from leaving an abuser, sometimes by months or even years. Pets are a crucial source of emotional support and healing for many survivors, both during and after their escape, yet a lack of pet-friendly domestic violence shelters and organizations remains a major barrier, underscoring the need for more inclusive survivor support systems. But help does exist, and no one should have to choose between safety and their pets.

ARTICLE: Why Threats in a Relationship Should Be Taken Seriously

For domestic violence survivors, there’s a good chance they have experienced threats from an abusive partner. It’s common to dismiss a partner’s threats as empty words or emotional outbursts. But experts warn that these threats are often strategies abusers use for control and intimidation, and they can point to violence in the future. Understanding these threats, why people might minimize them, and the steps someone can take for safety is crucial.

Tech-related Resources

A Special Roundup for the Year of Digital Safety

ARTICLE: The Family Online Safety Institute Welcomes Nex Playground as Its Newest Member

Nex Playground, an active play system that gets families moving year-round, will become the newest member of the Family Online Safety Institute, advancing a shared commitment to safer, more connected digital experiences for families.  Nex joins FOSI’s global community with a fresh approach to online safety, emphasizing healthy digital habits, physical activity, and positive online experiences for families. Nex Playground aims to approach online safety by emphasizing healthy digital habits, physical activity, and positive online experiences for families and promote safer, healthier screen time and shared play.

SURVEY: Online Harassment and Abuse Survey

We are sharing an anonymous 5-minute survey from the National Domestic Violence Hotline (in partnership with the National Hotline Consortium) to capture experiences of technology-facilitated abuse—online stalking, harassment, or non-consensual image sharing. Your input will help all of us advocate for better policies and strengthen support for survivors. This survey is completely anonymous. Your name and other identifying information will not be collected.Take the survey here.

FREE WEBINAR: Join Culture Reframed on July 31 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET for a Free Live Webinar, "Keeping Tech in Check"

How can parents and caregivers help young people thrive in an online world? The key is understanding the risks and establishing healthy digital habits from the start.

This conversation with digital wellness experts, Julia Storm and Adrienne Principe, will highlight the role of screens on the social and emotional well-being of young people, and offer guidance for how to help kids make healthy digital choices, including:

• A clear understanding of the impact of screens and tech on youth
• A smart, not scared approach to digital wellness for youth
• How to keep kids safe online, including how to respond if they've been exposed to pornography
• Best practices for keeping tech in check and tips for summer screen time

A recording of the conversation will be shared with all registrants following the live event. Register here.

CALL TO ACTION: XAI’s 12+ Chatbot Designed to “Be Explicit” and “Go Full Literotica” 

XAI’s animated chatbot app Grok has released a new avatar designed to engage in sexually explicit conversations with users, yet the app is rated appropriate for ages 12+ on the Apple store. Learn more and join the petition to change the rating to 18+.

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