The Joy of Jenga Together at The Retreat Assisted-Living

The Retreat Assisted-Living in Hartford is now making small group gatherings available to their senior members (for the first time in a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic!), and that includes use of the internet cafe room for table games, like Jenga!

We invited Hartford Courant photographer Mark Mirko to come see the action for himself last Friday. He got an amazing shot that ran on the FRONT PAGE of the Courant this past weekend!

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CRT’s Learning Hub Continues to be Available for Hartford Families

On “Pi Day” (March 14, 2021), Dominique Moody from NBC Connecticut shared a variety of learning resources to help parents with school-age children, including CRT’s Learning Hub designed for Hartford families that selected in‐person learning for their children (grades K – 3) and may be adversely impacted by COVID‐19‐related facility closures. Watch the full report below to learn more.

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CRT’s 30th Annual National Arts Program® Accepting Submissions Now

Artists of all ages and skill levels, from Middlesex and Hartford counties, may submit work online for this annual art exhibit; it is free to register and offers cash prizes for winning work!

As they say in the arts, “The show must go on!” And this year is no exception for CRT’s 30th Annual National Arts Program, which for the first time will be entirely virtual.

To accommodate the safety needs of the artists, judges, and guests who will view the artistic work submitted, this year’s National Arts show will be hosted in an online gallery format. Artists will have the opportunity to submit photographs of their work to be exhibited via a virtual art gallery and CRT plans to host an online awards reception to celebrate all of the winning work.

All forms of visual arts may be submitted to the show; from paintings and photographs to sculptures, crafts and textiles. Up to two entries may be submitted per artist and they must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years. This year, CRT encourages participants to consider creating or submitting art that is related to their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Artists can submit their work for free to this show. The deadline to register for the 2021 National Arts Program is Friday, March 19, 2021.

Register now!

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CRT 30th Annual National Arts Program for Central Connecticut is Virtual This Year

HARTFORD — As they say in the arts, “The show must go on!” And this year is no exception for the Community Renewal Team’s (CRT) 30th Annual National Arts Program® (NAP) for artists of all ages and skill levels, from Middlesex and Hartford Counties who are invited to submit their work now for the 2021 art show, which for the first time will be entirely virtual.

To accommodate the safety needs of the artists, judges, and guests who will view the artistic work submitted, this year’s National Arts show will be hosted in an online gallery format. Artists will have the opportunity to submit photographs of their work to be exhibited via a virtual art gallery and CRT plans to host an online awards reception to celebrate all of the winning work – exact time and additional details will be announced.

All forms of visual arts may be submitted to the show; from paintings and photographs to sculptures, crafts and textiles. Up to two entries may be submitted per artist and they must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years. This year, CRT encourages participants to consider creating or submitting art that is related to their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Artists can submit their work for free to this show. By removing the financial and commercial requirements of most exhibitions, this special show creates a sense of community and artistic fulfillment for all participants.
The deadline to register for the 2021 National Arts Program is Friday, March 19, 2021.

To register for the show, please use the link below.

Judging of the submissions to the National Arts show this year will take place at the end of March, and winning artists will be notified in early April.

Cash prizes will be awarded in each of the following categories:

  • Amateur – an adult with little or no experience
  • Intermediate – an adult with some experience, beginning art students, etc.
  • Professional – an adult with serious art training or employed in an art-related job
  • Youth (12 Years and younger)
  • Teen (ages 13 – 18)
  • Teens Looking Out for Teens (ages 13 – 18) – in this special category, individual teenagers or groups of teens can submit a piece of art that evokes a greater understanding of the social issues affecting teens.

The final category – “Teens Looking Out for Teens” is being offered for the third year in a row, following the previous success of this special category for up-and-coming artists.

This year we will be using the online platform SmugMug.com to exhibit photos of the art submitted to the show. The exhibit will be online and available to the public starting on March 26, 2021. The gallery link will be available for sharing, and CRT encourages artists to share their work in the show with friends and family.

To register for the show, please use the National Arts Registration form: https://www.nationalartsprogram.org/hartford/hartford-ct-2021-registration-form

Please Note: After you complete this registration form and click the ‘submit registration’ button, you will receive an automatic confirmation email. In that email message, there will be a link to a webpage where you will upload your art image file. On that webpage, there are also tips and tricks on how to take the best photograph of your art in order to meet the set standards for acceptable art image files. Your registration is complete when you have received an email from us confirming that your art image file was accepted.

Complete details about how to submit your artwork to CRT’s 30 Annual National Arts Program show are available online.

The National Arts Program provides materials and funding for this visual art exhibit including awards for winning work totaling $3,450.

All prizes are determined by a panel of judges with experience in the arts. Prizes will be awarded by classification:

  • Adult (Amateur, Intermediate and Professional) – There will be three First Place Awards of $350; three Second Place Awards of $250; and three Third Place Awards of $150.
  • Youth / Teen – There will be two First Place Awards of $150; two Second Place Awards of $100; and two Third Place Awards of $50.
  • A Best of Show Award in the amount of $400.
  • An Art Education Award for $200.
  • Honorable Mention Ribbons will be awarded at the discretion of the judges.

Awards are limited to one cash award per artist per classification.

Be sure to ‘like’ CRT on Facebook to get the latest information about the 2021 National Arts Program.

For more information, please contact Irene Mackey at [email protected] or call 860-519-4384.

Editor’s Note: High-Resolution pictures of winning artwork from the 2020 National Arts Program show in Hartford are available to accompany stories about this event.

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

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Need Help Filing Your 2020 Federal and State Tax Return? CRT has Free Help with VITA

Need help completing and filing your 2020 Federal and State tax return? CRT provides FREE tax prep services in Hartford and Middletown with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program now thru Tax Day (April 15, 2021). Completed tax returns are filed electronically from CRT at no cost to you!

Get more information in this report by Carmen Chau on Fox 61.

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CRT Offers FREE Tax Preparation Services with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program

Hartford – Do you need help completing and filing your 2020 federal and state tax return? The Community Renewal Team (CRT) has free help in Hartford County and Middlesex County with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program now through Tax Day on April 15, 2021.

CRT offers VITA services at the following locations:

  • Hartford County at 330 Market St., Hartford
  • Middlesex County at 32 Washington St., Middletown

Tax returns are filed electronically from CRT at no cost to the consumer. Refunds are generally received within two to three weeks when filed online.

The VITA program offers free tax help to:

  • People (households) who generally make $57,000 or less;
  • Persons with disabilities; and
  • Limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns.

To use the VITA tax preparation services with CRT, please follow the information below:

  • Customers may pick up a VITA intake packet and return envelope in the front entrance of CRT’s offices at 330 Market St. Hartford, or from staff at 32 Washington St., Middletown.
  • Customers should complete the intake packet, gather supporting/required documents (see list below), and return their information to the appropriate site.
  • CRT staff & trained volunteers will complete customer taxes.
  • Once the customer’s taxes are completed, staff will arrange an appointment with the customer to come in to the office* to review and sign their tax return(s). If filing jointly, both you and your spouse need to be present to sign the form.

*NOTE: Social-distancing protocols are in effect at all CRT offices, and masks must be worn inside offices.

Here is the documentation that you will need to complete your 2020 taxes:

  • Photo ID
  • Social Security card
  • A copy of last year’s tax return, if you did not use CRT VITA service last year
  • Form 1095 A, proof of health insurance coverage, if your coverage is through the state marketplace
  • For direct deposit of your tax refund, a check or savings account number with routing number from the check
  • Paperwork showing property tax payments (home and auto), if applicable
  • General income paperwork: W-2, W-2G, 1099–INT, SSA-1099R, 1099–DIV, 1099-G
  • Alimony received, 1099-MISC, 1099-B, and 1099-R

VITA Tax Savings Really Add Up!

  • In 2019, CRT helped 840 people complete their 2018 tax returns (state and federal) through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
  • Of that total (840), 312 (37%) were eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
  • The total value of tax refunds and tax preparation savings for those individual filers in 2019 was worth more than $3 million!
  • The average tax refund and tax preparation savings per person is valued at $3,584.
  • Over the past 17 years that CRT has offered VITA services to tax payers in Central Connecticut, the agency has completed more than 27,000 tax returns, with nearly 42% receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit.
  • The total value of tax refunds and tax preparation savings during the past 17 years is equal to $82,175,892!

Make an appointment to complete your taxes at 330 Market Street in Hartford or 32 Washington Street in Middletown.

For more information, please visit the VITA page.

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Is Your Home Eligible for the CT Energy Assistance Program? Find Out Now

There have been multiple snow storms this winter, and they serve as a reminder about the costs for heating your home during these cold months. CRT’s Director of Energy Services, Patricia Monroe-Walker, spoke with Caitlin Burchill from NBC Connecticut about the CT Energy Assistance Program, and how to apply for this valuable resource. As she says, no one should have to choose between “are we going to eat, or are we going to have heat?” Watch this report to learn more.

Get more details in this report on NBC Connecticut.

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CRT Says: Find Out if Your Family is Eligible for CT Energy Assistance Program

If the latest winter storm has you wondering how you will be able to pay your home-heating bills, find out if you’re eligible for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program. In Central Connecticut, individuals and families can apply through the Community Renewal Team (CRT).

“Good Morning Connecticut Weekend” with Sarah Cody on WTNH News 8 shared details about this money-saving program, and how households can apply now.

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During ‘Cold Weather Protocol’ in Connecticut, Call 2-1-1 for Emergency Services

Due to the extreme cold temperatures, Governor Ned Lamont activated Connecticut’s “severe cold weather protocol” for this last weekend in January (thru Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 at noon). The homeless or those in need of emergency shelter services or warming centers to get out of the cold are urged to call 2-1-1 right away to be connected to local services in their city or town.

Samaia Hernandez from WTNH News 8 spoke with CRT about emergency services available to help people in need:

 

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Senior Residents and Staff at The Retreat Get First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

On Friday, January 15, more than 100 residents and staff at CRT’s unique assisted-living facility in Hartford, The Retreat, received their 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in a special clinic with Walgreen’s that went door to door to administer this special “Shot of Hope.”

NBC Connecticut was there to see this milestone event:

 

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