June 2016 Newsletter

TVCCA’s WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program recently went through a major software overhaul and began issuing EBT cards that electronically load food benefits onto a card that is swiped when grocery shopping.

No more paper checks! The receipt will show what items were WIC approved and will even give the balance of the food items still available.

We started this big change with a weeklong training at UCONN in mid April and have oriented about 1/3 of our 3,500 clients. Appointments are taking a little longer because of this, so we are asking our WIC clients and TVCCA community to continue to have patience as we sort out the many phone calls and walk ins for our service.

Feedback on the use of the eWIC card has been very positive and it will be sometime in late June that we have completed the transition. Thank you for your support as we modernize and join the 21^st century!

TVCCA’s Senior Volunteer Services is undergoing a transformation. On July 1 the long standing Foster Grandparent Program will dissolve. We have been working with those volunteers to help them through the transition and offer other volunteer opportunities.

On a much more positive note, our RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) grant has been renewed for another three years!

RSVP supports individuals who are 55 years and older to remain active in their communities and helps them to find meaningful volunteer opportunities. TVCCA’s RSVP focuses primarily on helping seniors to Age in Place.

In order to assist folks in their goal to age in place, our volunteers offer companionship through several volunteer services. Visitors see older or disabled individuals in their homes. Shoppers check in on clients at home and complete their grocery shopping. Volunteers at our Veterans Coffeehouse provide companionship to Vets at our weekly gatherings in Danielson, and soon in Pawcatuck (opening July 14). Meals on Wheels drivers check in on clients and deliver hot meals. Supper Club v
olunteers gather clients at senior housings for meals & companionship. Tutors help children with math and reading skills. Volunteers refer volunteers to local non-profits to meet community needs. Volunteers work on the Winter Boots & School supply projects for local children.

Please remember us when you see someone in our community who would benefit from serving others or when you encounter someone over 65 or disabled who would benefit from the companionship of a volunteer. Contact any of us for more information: Jennifer Johnson, Director 860-425-6615; Gina King, Coordinator New London County 860-425-6627; Greg Kline, Coordinator Windham County 860-774-9286.

The 6^th annual Carnevale Fundraiser to benefit the TVCCA Meals on Wheels program was held on April 9^th. Over 350 people came out to enjoy live music, good company and excellent food from about 10 local chefs. TVCCA’s own Chefs created a 24 foot antipasto display, pasta made to order and assisted in coordinating all the food and supplies for the event. In addition the Nutrition Services office staff and team of volunteers decorated the ballroom, and set up (and collected) a wonderful variety of silent auction items and balloon prizes.

The event brought in over $38,000 for the program! Thanks to all who supported Carnevale 2016!

TVCCA’s Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) completed about 8,800 applications including over 3,000 for elderly households during the recent heating season.

That meant $2.8 million worth of deliverable fuel bills and $1.7 million toward customer’s utility bills were paid into the community! TVCCA also received funding to complete 37 Heating System Repairs and Replacements.

Even though we are getting into Summer, we are looking ahead to the next heating season. We will begin taking applications in our offices and at our elderly housing sites beginning August 1^st, 2016.

This time of year is extremely busy and exciting as children and their families start to prepare for the move to kindergarten. As those children move on, we have started to enroll new children into those preschool slots. Families of all incomes are eligible for these openings.

We continue to maintain a waitlist for our infant/toddler programs.

TVCCA’s childcare and preschool programs, through our Head Start/Early Head Start and Little Learners programs, offer NAEYC accredited, affordable, quality, comprehensive infant/toddler, preschool and childcare programs for children six weeks to five years and their families.

If you are interested in securing the area’s best childcare (voted as The Day’s Best of for 2016), you can find more information here.

Thames Valley Council for Community Action hires new nutrition director
norwichbulletin.com
Maraiah Popeleski recently joined the Thames Valley Council for Community Action as the director of nutrition services.

Popeleski oversees daily operations of the production, delivery and service of over 1,000 meals for homebound seniors and young children served by the agency.

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