CRT Helping People with Recovery from Opioid Addiction, on Fox 61

It was reported today that $300 million dollars will be making its way to Connecticut over the next 18 years to help fight the opioid epidemic locally. Fox 61’s Keith McGilvery spoke with Dr. Sharon Hasbani, CRT’s Medical Director within the agency’s Behavioral Health Services group to understand the importance of this funding for recovery services across the state.

Dr. Hasbani also spoke about CRT’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program and holistic services to help people who are dealing with recovery from opioid addiction. As she noted: “Help is available, without judgment.”

For more information, please visit the Medication Assisted Treatment page.

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See the Winners of CRT’s 30th Annual National Arts Program

We couldn’t contain our excitement any longer! CRT is excited to announce the winners of our 30th Annual National Arts Program.

Below you will find Title and Artist information on the winning work from CRT’s 2021 National Arts Program.

Please visit: 2021 WINNERS! – CRT National Arts Show 2021 (smugmug.com) to view all the winning work!

And the winners are …

Youth Category (age 12 and under):
Honorable Mentions:

  • Cozy Coffee by Tessa Carlson
  • Queen at Home by Lauren Pomells
  • Summer Fun by Clara Carlson
  • Dino Destruction by Journee Howard

3rd Place Winner
Title: Happy Family
Artist: Sandra Velasquez Maineri

2nd Place Winner
Title: Animal Crystal House Artist: Finley Givan

1st Place Winner
Title: Tree Trunkz
Artist: Saevone Gordon

Teens Category (age 13-18):
Honorable Mentions:

  • Mixed Media by Abigail Bloom
  • Untitled by Jared Flaks
  • First Wave of the Pandemic by Lauren Peruta
  • Capgras Castle by Sydney Budaj

3rd Place Winner
Title: Two Women
Artist: Isabella Taverney

2nd Place Winner
Title: Self-Portrait
Artist: Christian Friedman-Ringwood

1st Place Winner
Title: Summoning Myself
Artist: Alexander Sanborn

Art Education Award Winner
Title: Spellbound
Artist: Nicholas Clate

Teens Looking Out for Teens Category (age 13-24):
Honorable Mentions:

  • “I Can’t Breathe” by Autumn Sankofa
  • Color vs. Dyslexia by Audrey Buccheri
  • Our Voice is Our Power by Anabella Cartiera
  • Reflection by Sean Desjardins

3rd Place Winner
Title: Terra-Cotta Figures of Ancient Chinese Lady
Artist: Ten Zhong

2nd Place Winner:
Title: You Don’t Need a Sign
Artist: Juliana Buonopane

1st Place Winner
Title: Covid Conversations
Artist: Andrea Moyano

Amateur Category:
Honorable Mentions:

  • Yonic Rainbow by Meghann Osgood
  • Alone in Thought by Terese Maineri

3rd Place Winner
Title: Image #A2
Artist: Jim Salafia

2nd Place Winner
Title: Storm Coming
Artist: Jane Macomber

1st Place Winner
Title: Sincerely Yours
Artist: Carson Millican

Intermediate Category:
Honorable Mentions:

  • Asphyxiation by Gillian Symolon
  • Serenity by Paul Uccello
  • Nakhi Musician by Weitao Wang
  • Soliloquy by Heather Delaney

3rd Place Winner
Title: Vector
Artist: Eddie Hall

2nd Place Winner
Title: The Young Legend
Artist: Sydney Halsall

1st Place Winner
Title: Covid 4th, 2020
Artist: David Sierra

Professional Category:
Honorable Mentions:

  • Vinny by Michelle Hawran
  • Blue by Caleb Brackett
  • The New Savior by Thea Wilcox Ciciotte
  • Woven Wool Shawl – Maroon by Mateo Velasquez Lopez

3rd Place Winner
Title: Roddy
Artist: Alex Ranniello

2nd Place Winner:
Title: The Demonstration
Artist: Susan Goldberg

1st Place Winner:
Title: Mother Son Collaboration
Artist: Cristina Pinton

Best in Show Winner:
Title: Rethinking Time
Artist: Semaj Campbell

Congratulations to ALL of this year’s artists!

We are putting the final touches on the video of our “Virtual Awards Ceremony” for this year. We will be in touch very soon with a link to the video so that you can watch it and celebrate together with your friends and families.

And don’t forget to view the winning work on SmugMug:
2021 WINNERS! – CRT National Arts Show 2021 (smugmug.com)

 

Pictured above: Youth First Place Winner, “Tree Trunkz” by Saevone Gordon.

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Take Control of Your Financial Future! Registration is Now Open for CRT’s 2021 Financial Literacy Institute

Free 14-week online course begins Sept. 7, 2021, open to adults (18 and over) in the Greater Hartford area

Hartford – The Community Renewal Team’s (CRT) annual Financial Literacy Institute is now accepting applications for the fall semester. Adults (18 and over) are encouraged to apply for this free, intensive 14-week course to see how to take back control of your own financial future.

This online course provides an in-depth and engaging way for participants to educate themselves and their families about tough topics in their financial world.

“Our financial literacy mantra is: ‘Make your money work for you!’ This mindset, embraced and practiced, can lead you and your family on a journey to a more secure financial future. All you need to do is to take that first step with us,” said Eileen Feliciano, CRT’s Financial Literacy Coordinator.

During CRT’s 2021 Financial Literacy Institute, participants explore many aspects of financial fitness, including: budgeting and savings; establishing and/or rebuilding credit; investment planning; dealing with the financial stress of underemployment and unemployment; protecting yourself and your assets through insurance, and so much more.

Classes for the 2021 Financial Literacy Institute will be held virtually on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., starting on Sept. 7, 2021 through Dec. 7, 2021 (Graduation day).

Space is limited! Applications for this year’s course are due by no later than August 1, 2021.

Take control of your financial future. Register now for this free course.

For more information, please contact CRT’s Communications Director, Jason Black at 860-230-4535.

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CRT’s 11th Annual Tee Off with Women Golf Tournament, on NBC CT

CRT’s 11th Annual Tee Off with Women to benefit the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women’s Empowerment Center in Hartford was a tremendous success, raising much needed funds for the Center and its work to help women thrive.

The morning of the event, Heidi Voight from NBC Connecticut shared details with their viewers.

To learn more about the Women’s Empowerment Center, please click here.

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CRT Hosts 11th Annual Tee-Off with Women Golf Classic on Wed., July 14 at Tunxis Country Club to Help Women Thrive

This Unique Women’s-only Golf Tournament Will Support CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center in Hartford

Hartford – The Community Renewal Team’s (CRT) 11th Annual Tee Off with Women golf tournament, being held on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington will once again benefit CRT’s Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Women’s Empowerment Center in Hartford, which offers women the opportunity to be supported and support themselves.

The goal of CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center is to help women thrive.

As the designated community action agency for both Hartford and Middlesex Counties, CRT has been committed to serving the needs of individuals and families in local communities since 1963. As it happens, the majority of the people that CRT serves each year are female, and often they are the head of their household, too.

“This annual golf tournament is a big part of CRT’s summer-time calendar, and gives a big push to the work of our Women’s Empowerment Center, which is a much-needed safe haven and resource for women from the Greater Hartford area,” said Tenesha Grant, CRT’s Director of Women’s Services. “We are dedicated to bringing women and families out of poverty and into self-sufficiency. We want to empower women to lead sustainable, thriving lives.”

This unique, all-women’s golf event is being held to raise funds for CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center in Hartford. The Center was opened in 2019 to help women focus on their own personal or professional goals, and it also serves as a support system for everyone who is involved with the Center. One-on-one case management sets the path for women to begin their journey, along with other tools for success such as workshops and mentoring are available and customized to the needs of each member.

This special golf event offers many ways to participate, even for those who are not golfers.

  • Golfers can play nine holes for $150 per player; or 18 holes for $225 per player in a best-ball format.
  • Registration for 18-hole golfers will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the shotgun start at 10:00 a.m.
  • BBQ lunch for all golfers begins at 11:30 a.m., with the shotgun start for the 9- hole golfers beginning at 12:00 p.m.
  • Throughout the day there will be special games and contests, unique to CRT’s Tee-Off tournament, such as “Putting with Bling” and “Closest to the Wine.”
  • If you are not a golfer and would like to learn, there will be a “Not a Golfer” one-hour lesson from Professional Golf Coach Estela Morales Segarra, the Co-Founder of the CT Latinas Golf Team beginning at 1:30 p.m. for $50.
  • A Networking hour will begin at 3:30 p.m. with exciting raffle prizes.

For those individuals who are unable to attend the golf event, the Networking Hour and Empowerment Dinner tickets are available separately for only $50 per person.

The Lead Sponsors for CRT’s Women’s Empowerment Center are Liberty Bank, OneDigital and Latin Financial. Sponsorship opportunities, tee signs, and program ads are still available.

Registration details for the 2021 Tee-Off event are available in the Events section of CRT’s website.

For more information about this year’s Tee-Off event, please call (860) 560-5657 or email [email protected].

For more information, please contact CRT’s Communications Director, Jason Black at 860-230-4535.

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Need Help with Mortgage Payments? CRT Can Assist Eligible Homeowners in Central Connecticut

The Community Renewal Team (CRT) can help homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for up to $8,000 in mortgage payment assistance. CRT’s goal is to help as many households as possible access this valuable mortgage assistance program.

Fox 61 News spoke with Elizabeth Horton Sheff, CRT’s Director of Community Services, about how homeowners can apply for this valuable resource.

For more information, please visit CRT’s Housing Counseling page.

Obtenga más detalles en Español de CT en Vivo.

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Even During a Heat Wave, CRT’s Meals on Wheels Ensures Seniors Are Not Forgotten

Nothing stops CRT’s Meals on Wheels delivery team and dedicated volunteers from getting hot, nutritious meals out to the homebound seniors they serve across Central Connecticut – not even a heat wave! As Connecticut entered the third day in a row with temperatures above 90 degrees (F), CRT’s Meals on Wheels program keeps on rolling. In addition to providing meals, these visits provide an important wellness check for the seniors in their homes.

Rachel Piscitelli and Fox 61 followed Wade Lay, CRT’s Transportation Manager, on his route to see the program in action.

For more information, please visit the Meals on Wheels page.

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CRT Can Help Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19 Apply for Up To $8,000 in Mortgage Payment Assistance

The Community Renewal Team (CRT) is alerting area homeowners affected by #COVID19 that they may be eligible for up to $8,000 in mortgage payment assistance through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Cares Act Emergency Resource Fund. These relief payments represent a combination of two months short-term mortgage payment assistance; and up to two months for mortgage arrearages, for a total of four months’ worth of possible mortgage payments for qualified individuals.

Mark Zinni at WFSB News 3 shared the details with their viewers:

Additional information about this mortgage payment assistance program is available in the Hartford Courant.

To get help with this valuable program, please visit the Housing Counseling page.

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CRT Can Help Distressed Homeowners Apply for Up To $8,000 in Mortgage Payment Assistance

Need Help with Your Mortgage Payment Due to COVID-19? Connecticut Homeowners That Meet Eligibility Guidelines May Receive Up to Four Months of Mortgage Assistance from CSBG Cares Act Emergency Resource Fund

Hartford – The Community Renewal Team (CRT) is alerting area homeowners that they may be eligible for up to $8,000 in mortgage payment assistance through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Cares Act Emergency Resource Fund. These relief payments represent a combination of two months short-term mortgage payment assistance; and up to two months for mortgage arrearages, for a total of four months’ worth of possible mortgage payments for qualified individuals.

“It is our goal to help as many households as possible access this valuable mortgage assistance program,” said Christopher McCluskey, Vice President for Housing & Community Services at CRT. “One of the most important services we can provide is to assist homeowners protect the assets they worked so hard to obtain, first by helping to address their immediate crisis, and then working on a long-term plan to ensure families remain stably housed.”

There are specific criteria to qualify for this mortgage assistance, including:

  • Annual total household income does not surpass 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
    • Sample Income Criteria:
      1 Person household = $25,760/year
      2 Person household = $34,840/year
      3 Person household = $43,920/year
      4 Person household = $53,000/year
      5 Person household = $62,080/year
  • Individuals and families impacted by COVID-19.
  • Expenses incurred as of, or after, April 1, 2020.
  • Individuals and families must reside in CRT’s core catchment area (Hartford County or Middlesex County).

Since these funds are from the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), both qualified immigrants and non-qualified immigrants may be eligible for this program if they meet eligibility requirements.

These funds are meant to be used as the payer of last resort in the event there are no other agency and/or community resources available, or due to the immediate nature of the emergency.

In addition to income eligibility, CRT staff will work with mortgage assistance applicants to document verification checks with 211 and other community resources. This will help to ensure that resources from other state departments/organizations are not available to cover the same type of assistance.

When meeting with CRT’s Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counselor, homeowners will have the opportunity to learn about other forms of financial support that may be available.

Mortgage assistance funds for eligible homeowners will be transmitted directly to the lender/mortgage holder.

For more information about how to apply for this mortgage payment assistance, please contact: Herman Gibson, CRT Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counselor, by phone at 860-761-2381 or email at [email protected].

For more information, please contact CRT’s Communications Director, Jason Black at 860-230-4535.

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To Fight Childhood Hunger in the Greater Hartford Area, CRT Will Provide Free Meals for Summer Food Service Program, Now Until Late August

More than 35,000 meals will be served to children 18 and under, free of charge, at 14 locations in Hartford and neighboring towns this summer

Hartford – To help combat childhood hunger during the summer months when school is out of session, the Community Renewal Team (CRT) is proud to participate in the federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) once again this summer.

CRT will deliver hundreds of meals for children each weekday to the 14 locations noted below. In total, CRT will deliver more than 35,000 meals for kids this summer.

Under the SFSP, nutritious meals (including Breakfast and/or Lunch, and even Supper), will be provided free of charge to children 18 years of age and under at 14 locations in Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Glastonbury, and Wolcott. (Additional sites listed below are “closed” locations that require registration to participate.)

Many of these summer food sites for children begin on June 21, and most will continue until mid- to late August to help ensure that children are receiving nutritious meals while school is out for the summer.

Please confer with individual pick-up locations about any closures this summer, such as due to holidays.

For families participating in the Summer Food Program: Please consider wearing a mask or face covering when picking up meals. Check with individual locations for any social-distancing protocols that may be required.

Individuals and families interested in receiving more information about the Summer Food Service Program should contact CRT, 555 Windsor Street, Hartford, CT 06120 or call 860-560-5600. Information is also available on the Summer Food page of CRT’s website.

For more information, please contact CRT’s Communications Director, Jason Black at 860-230-4535.

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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3) email: [email protected].
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

 

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