Four Beaches Gives Back
Profiles of Volunteer Activities of Four Beaches Residents in the Southern Connecticut Area
This month we profile the volunteer activities of three Four Beaches residents. If you would like more information about these organizations, you can click on the links provided in the article. If you know of a volunteer opportunity that you would like to see highlighted in an upcoming Four Beaches blog, click the button below to let us know. All ideas are welcome!
Experience Corps
Eden Fisher
In 2018, my husband and I moved to Four Beaches to be closer to our family. In order to become involved in our new community, I joined Experience Corps Greater New Haven - an organization dedicated to helping students develop reading fluency by third grade. The program provides training and materials so that volunteers quickly become confident as tutors.
Originally, I tutored in person at a local school. In the spring of 2020, in person tutoring was no longer possible, due to COVID19. Because reading support for students was more important than ever, the Experience Corps staff led volunteers through a successful pivot to virtual tutoring for the next school year.
During virtual tutoring, a student and a volunteer tutor meet on Zoom sessions, with virtual copies of the books we use for fluency practice. We have access to an additional library of virtual books, as each session also includes time for the tutor to read-aloud something fun.
A second volunteer monitors each virtual session, to help ensure all goes smoothly, and staff members are on call as backup. Virtual training and virtual team meetings offer support and camaraderie for volunteers. With this arrangement, we have been able to successfully help students and enjoy our experience, without leaving home.
In June, it was great to lunch outdoors with other volunteers who had been my virtual partners for many months. I treasure a “Thank You” card I received from a student, decorated with handmade illustrations of the books we had read together. My special memories from virtual tutoring this year also include reading with a student who had moved to Japan, despite the distance and the time difference.
Of course, it is a moment worth celebrating every time a new reader reads a book. This volunteer opportunity has been a great way to learn about the area, meet some wonderful people, and share my passion for reading with young students.
If you are interested in joining Experience Corps click the link below to contact their offices. Information sessions for the new school year are scheduled during August and early September.
Daughters of Penelope
Selina Sattelberger
I am a member of the Daughter of Penelope, an organization of women of Greek heritage that promotes the ideals of Ancient Greece through philanthropy, volunteerism and education. My chapter is based out of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox church in Bridgeport, CT.
We began this project with knitting and crocheting blankets, booties and hats to be given as a special gift from our group to newborn babies after their 40-day blessing at the Greek Orthodox Church. We then expanded to knitting blankets for senior citizens in local nursing homes as well as hats, scarves, and washclothes for the homeless as part of a local initiative called “Under the Bridge.” In conjunction with knitting, we also host our annual “Let’s Keep Them Warm” drive in which we collect basic toiletries and winter essentials for the Under the Bridge project.
In 2018, our group became aware of the anti-bullying campaign #HatNotHate. Sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn, the movement asks knitters, crocheters, and loomers to make handmade blue hats and donate them to the cause. In October, during National Bullying Prevention Month, the hats are distributed to schools across the country, empowering students who wear them to stand up to bullying.
The #HatNotHate movement really resonated with the members of our Daughters of Penelope group as the impact of bullying takes a deep toll on our youth. Last year, we were able to knit and donate 752 blue hats to the #HatNotHate movement. We are currently knitting as fast as we can and hope to provide even more this year!
I am humbled to be a member of the Daughters of Penelope organization and part of a group of women who share the same interests in helping others in need. You can check out photos of our Daughter of Penelope Chapter 41 group in action and see our knitting and volunteer projects on Instagram and Facebook!
You can also click on the links to learn more about the #HatNotHate campaign and the Daughters of Penelope organization.
Loaves and Fishes
Trudy Michaud
The Loaves & Fishes Ministry at St. Paul & St. James Episcopal Church in New Haven has been providing guests with bags of nutritious groceries for more than 36 years. It is the largest such food pantry in New Haven County. Starting at the beginning of 2019, we have seen the number of pantry guests top 400 on a Saturday, a new record high.
The Clothing Closet Ministry was begun more than 28+ years ago by the Rev. Joan Whitaker, the first woman ordained as an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Connecticut. The Closet offers clean used clothing, all donated, at no charge to customers in a pleasant retail setting every Saturday morning concurrently with the Loaves & Fishes food pantry. In 2018, we gave out more than 41,000 items of clothing.
I have been involved with these organizations for more than 40 years. I began my involvement by helping cook meals for the Columbus House shelter. As we began to expand our services, I worked with the Clothing Closet as well. I now serve on the board of Loaves and Fishes as Vice President.
I find it really satisfying to be able to assist community neighbors in need of clothing. Individuals and families come to us for a variety of reasons including returning to the workforce or replacing clothing lost in a fire or an eviction.
Currently, we are in great need of both summer clothing and volunteers.
If you would like to get involved by volunteering time or donations, click the link below to contact the Loaves and Fishes organization.
If you know of a volunteer opportunity that you would like to see highlighted in an upcoming Four Beaches blog, click the button below to let us know. All ideas are welcome!