Blog

By Karen Mello, Director of Community Impact, UWWC

A person can do a lot in five minutes. As a working mom of two children, I certainly can. I can respond to a work email or a text from one of my kids, fill out a school form or permission slip, run into the local grocery store to get milk, switch a load of laundry and even whip up something for dinner all in less than five minutes.

Taking five minutes out of your busy day can also help lift someone’s spirit or make their day a little bit brighter. Think about it - it takes less than five minutes to smile at someone or say a...

By Bridget Fox, EVP of Strategy and Community Engagement

For those of us familiar with the findings of the United Way ALICE report, it was clear listening to President Obama’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday night that he was talking about ALICE, a United Way acronym which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. In fact, this week at our Northern Fairfield County Community Council meeting, one of our volunteers asked the group if he was the only one who heard ALICE in the language of the President’s speech. Everyone agreed they had.

The President shared...

By Kim Morgan, CEO, United Way of Western Connecticut

Every year “back-to-school” sneaks up on me. I don’t know why – it happens every year. But there is something bittersweet about summer ending and my girls becoming one grade older. I’m not always ready to move forward.

The return to structured days, making new friends, and new learning is energizing though. How a child begins their school year has implications that go beyond their first day. Children who are prepared with the proper school supplies from the start feel more confident. But it costs a lot to get them ready,...

Across America, communities are still experiencing the impact of high unemployment, underemployment and poverty rates. A recent study found that for the first time in modern history, the American middle class is no longer the most affluent in the world.
   
We know from the American Community Survey of The Working Poor Families Project that 21% of Connecticut families are considered working poor. Also, according to the Department of Agriculture Economic Research Report, one in seven households in Connecticut is struggling to put food on the table. The cycle of increasing debt...