GE

$935,000 in Funding to Emergency Relief Providers

In response to the continued need in the community for basic need services such as food, shelter and emergency financial relief, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County in partnership with the GE Foundation is providing almost $1 million to support agencies providing those services. The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund was created last year in response to the large number of individuals and families in our communities who saw their financial stability shaken by reductions in work hours and job loss. This year, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County was able to leverage the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Funds with additional funding through Connecticut’s TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) ARRA Emergency Contingency Fund program.

Kid's BackPack Friday Expands

The BackPack Program provides food insecure students with discreetly-distributed food to take home for the weekend. Each child receives about 10 different food items that are nutritious, kid-friendly, shelf-stable and ready to eat.

Wi-mentor's Community Service Project at Beardsley Zoo

April 24, 2010: 76 Wi-mentor mentees, mentors, and their family and friends, volunteered their time on a beautiful Saturday morning at Beardsley Zoo. The volunteers helped by raking, landscaping, wash tables, spread mulch, pruning, transplanting, and much more. This project was made possible with the help and dedication of Ms. Sharon Bryce. She is a mentor, volunteer; and proud GE colleague; who helped Wi-mentor plan and coordinate the Wi-mentor's 2010 Community Service Project that was sponsored by GE. Thank you GE!

CT Kids Back Pack Program Expands to Norwalk

You might be surprised to learn that there are many children in Bridgeport and Norwalk who are hungry when they arrive at school on Monday morning. To respond to this problem, the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County and the CT Food Bank are expanding the CT Kids Back Pack Program to two elementary schools in Norwalk. This program operates in more than 50 schools statewide and distributed about 30,000 Back Packs full of nutritious meals this year.

GE Hosts Alexis de Tocqueville Society Reception

The stars were aligned for the Alexis de Tocqueville’s first event of the year amidst the light flurries falling outside. The setting at the Guest House at GE Headquarters in Fairfield, and the evening’s host Duncan O’Brien created an atmosphere of comfort, friendships and partnerships. Special VIPs Brian Gallagher, President & CEO of United Way Worldwide, and Jeffrey Immelt, President & CEO of GE welcomed everyone to the special evening. The over 80 people gathered that evening were Alexis de Tocqueville Society members, CEOs and key offici

United Way's Corporate Partners Attend Alexis de Toqueville Society Reception

Frank Watson, Maria Khoury, Duncan O'Brien, Marie Hurd, Sandy Bria and Brian Gallagher

Nigel Edwards, Christina Bodine, Jeffrey Immelt, Tina Beyer, Mark and Jennifer Cherry

The work of United Way of Coastal Fairfield County is only made possible by the investment and support of its donors and corporate partners. Community change requires exceptional leadership. The Alexis de Tocqueville Society members are major investors in moving the work in Education, Income and Health forward. After a beginning of networking and socializing, the group heard not only from the CEO of United Way Worldwide, Brian Gallagher, and the CEO of GE, Jeffrey Immelt, but also took a journey through the exciting work being done throughout United Way of Coa

Young Leaders Attend United Way's Alexis de Tocqueville Society Reception

Tina Beyer, Nigel Edwards, Malin Olofsson, Christina Bodine and Brian Gallagher

Nigel Edwards, Christina Bodine, Jeffrey Immelt, Tina Beyer, Mark Cherry and Jennifer Cherry

As it continues to grow, Young Leaders Society members have enjoyed multiple opportunities to meet CEOs and other high level corporate representative through a series of networking events. The Alexis de Tocqueville Society Event on March 4^th put the group in conversation with both Brian Gallagher, President & CEO of United Way Worldwide, and Jeffrey Immelt, President & CEO of GE, as well as other United Way corporate partners such as Aquarion, Sikorsky, Deloitte, People’s United Bank, Sun Products, UBS, Arch Chemical and Southern Connecticut Gas.

Family Literacy Night

We are happy to report to you that the Geraldine Johnson School of Hope’s Family Literacy Night was a smashing success! Two hundred parents and children attended; the principal expected 75! Somehow, reminiscent of the story of the loaves and the fishes, staff were able to generate enough copies, food and books to go around, with absolutely no hint of panic or chaos. Literacy coaches provided parents, through hands-on demonstrations, ways to read to their children so that it was a fun and meaningful activity and would promote further family learning experiences.