News & Events
January 2008The Watkinson Prisoner Aid Society Awards Grant for New Computer LabCSI was recently awarded $2,000 from the Watkinson Prisoner's Aid Society for the installation of a new computer lab to supplement the vocational education program at Hartford House located in Hartford, CT. CSI will match the award with proceeds from the annual charity golf tournament. Hartford House is a reentry program for 23 female clients referred from the Connecticut Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). It is also one of the few Mothers and Infants Nurtured Together (MINT) programs in the country. This is a confinement placement for pregnant clients. At the program, the women receive prenatal care at a local hospital, give birth and bond with their babies for three months following birth. Groups cover prepared childbirth, parenting classes, life skills, nutritional education and healthy relationships. At the close of the program, some clients transition to the community whereas others return to a secure setting after making arrangements for the care of the baby. The vocational education program will provide clients with the job skills needed to help them be self-sufficient and contribute to the community. Clients will use the computer lab to write resumes and conduct job searches, and will improve their vocational skills through increased computer literacy. December 2007CSI's Alternative Incarceration Center in Bridgeport provides community Service to PAL.It's been 25 years since hundreds of people gave their time and money to pull off the so-called Christmas Miracle, the emergency rebuilding project that followed the disastrous fire that leveled the Police Activities League Christmas Village in Beardsley Park in Bridgeport. Today at noon, the PAL Christmas Village, which has brought holiday glee to children since 1950, will open, with its mechanical holiday displays, lights, decorations and seat time with Santa Claus. The village is now located at the PAL headquarters on Quarry Road in Trumbull, just over the Bridgeport line; it moved there from Beardsley Park in 1999. On Friday, volunteers were busily preparing the village displays, which are expected to attract about 5,000 children who will be accompanied by 3,000 adults, according to Mike Marella, Bridgeport PAL executive director. Many of the workers are from the Alternative Incarceration Center, where lawbreakers pay their debt to society through community service. Marella said that they have been doing a "fantastic" job. "We have about 12 to 15 people who'll have to wrap 3,000 gifts," he said. "When they start to run out, we'll probably have to pick up another 2,000, like we did last year." Children will see the familiar mechanized village displays again this year - Santa's workshop, sleeping Santa, the Bake Shop, the Village Square, the Fire Station, the Gingerbread House and the carolers, to name a few - while walking the circuitous path that will eventually take them to the lap of Santa Claus. Marella, who has intimate knowledge of what the man in the red suit hears from the children, said that some of the requests can be heartbreaking. "The saddest request is when they ask Santa to bring their parents back together again," he said. Today's opening features a performance by the Park City Pride Brass Ensemble, Mayor Bill Finch, former Mayor John Fabrizi, and Trumbull First Selectman Ray Baldwin, who will read Clement C. Moore's "The Night Before Christmas." Also, the Police Department's mounted unit will be there as will Engine Company No. 6, the first responder to the 1982 blaze. At 2 p.m., Santa will make his grand entrance with a police escort, Marella said. Admission is $2 for everyone. The PAL Christmas Village is located at 7 Quarry Road, Trumbull, off of Old Town Road. It's open daily from 1 to 8 p.m. until Dec. 23. Call 576-7604 for more information. December 2007Come to the Sullivan Senior Center in Torrington on Thursday December 13 and Tuesday December 18 from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm and have your Christmas gifts wrapped free of charge.CSI's Torrington Alternative to Incarceration (AIC) staff, one of whom is Rick Dallavalle, and under the direction of Beth Warburton, Program Director, is volunteering their time and holiday wrapping supplies to give Seniors a break from the task of gift wrapping presents for your family and friends. Their generosity and holiday spirit is extended to you. So, don't miss out, bring your purchases to the center and leave with beautifully wrapped gifts. December 2007Coventry House Earns a Varsity TeamCoventry House employs a merit based level system by which performance translates into points and points translate into advancement up the level system. Reaching the top level is difficult to accomplish and takes a minimum of seven weeks assuming the residents' behavior is near perfect. Traditionally it takes much longer and usually takes many fits and starts to achieve. The norm usually sees a couple of residents on each level from top to bottom with the previous record of five boys on the top level, varsity, at one time. Two weeks ago we had all eight boys achieve the varsity level at one time for the first, and perhaps only, time in the programs history. December 2007The staff at the Torrington AIC/Transitional has again this year, volunteered to adopt a family in need from the Torrington community to provide a holiday meal as well as gifts under the tree for all.December 18, 2007Sandra Hunt, Federal Probation Officer, will be the guest speaker at CSI's case management meeting, Tuesday, December 18th at 1 pm at the Drapelick Center in Bloomfield.December 15, 2007Stepping Up To FatherhoodThe Hartford Courant Angel Rodriguez, Jr., an inmate at the Drapelick Center halfway house in Bloomfield, spends time on Friday night with his son, Angel III, 6, as part of the Hartford Fatherhood Initiative, run by the Capitol Region Conference of Churches. The program tutors dads absent from the home on how to become better fathers. Read the entire article December 15, 2007HomeTown Buffet at 165 Slater Street in Manchester, CT will be collecting toys on December 15th from 8 am to 12 pm, to benefit CSI's Safe Home which is a DCF licensed facility for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. Donate a new, unwrapped toy (value of $10 or more) and HomeTown Buffet will provide you with a coupon for a free Child's meal or an adult discounted meal.December 11, 2007Surveys: Spend more on treatment for young offendersThe Reading Eagle Pennsylvania is one of four states in the study of juvenile justice. The results show that many surveyed back rehabilitation over jail. Read the entire article December 11, 2007CSI's Safe Home to Speak at St. Luke's Church religious education classesSafe Home, Community Solution's DCF licensed facility for abandoned, abused, and neglected children, will speak to religious education classes at St. Luke's Church in Ellington, CT on December 11th. Children and parishioners will be collecting three laundry baskets full of kitchen supplies, pull-ups, and toiletries to be donated to the children at Safe Home. Laura Gaiten, a religious education teacher at St. Luke's, became aware of Safe Home during United Way's "Day of Caring" several years ago and has adopted the program ever since. December 2, 2007PAL LIghts Up Christmas VillageConnecticut Post It's been 25 years since hundreds of people gave their time and money to pull off the so-called Christmas Miracle, the emergency rebuilding project that followed the disastrous fire that leveled the Police Activities League Christmas Village in Beardsley Park in Bridgeport. Today at noon, the PAL Christmas Village, which has brought holiday glee to children since 1950, will open, with its mechanical holiday displays, lights, decorations and seat time with Santa Claus. The village is now located at the PAL headquarters on Quarry Road in Trumbull, just over the Bridgeport line; it moved there from Beardsley Park in 1999. On Friday, volunteers were busily preparing the village displays, which are expected to attract about 5,000 children who will be accompanied by 3,000 adults, according to Mike Marella, Bridgeport PAL executive director. Many of the workers are from the Alternative Incarceration Center, where lawbreakers pay their debt to society through community service. Marella said that they have been doing a "fantastic" job. "We have about 12 to 15 people who'll have to wrap 3,000 gifts," he said. "When they start to run out, we'll probably have to pick up another 2,000, like we did last year." Children will see the familiar mechanized village displays again this year - Santa's workshop, sleeping Santa, the Bake Shop, the Village Square, the Fire Station, the Gingerbread House and the carolers, to name a few - while walking the circuitous path that will eventually take them to the lap of Santa Claus. Marella, who has intimate knowledge of what the man in the red suit hears from the children, said that some of the requests can be heartbreaking. "The saddest request is when they ask Santa to bring their parents back together again," he said. Today's opening features a performance by the Park City Pride Brass Ensemble, Mayor Bill Finch, former Mayor John Fabrizi, and Trumbull First Selectman Ray Baldwin, who will read Clement C. Moore's "The Night Before Christmas." Also, the Police Department's mounted unit will be there as will Engine Company No. 6, the first responder to the 1982 blaze. At 2 p.m., Santa will make his grand entrance with a police escort, Marella said. Admission is $2 for everyone. The PAL Christmas Village is located at 7 Quarry Road, Trumbull, off of Old Town Road. It's open daily from 1 to 8 p.m. until Dec. 23. Call 576-7604 for more information. November 2007CSI was recently awarded the contract with the Connecticut Department of Corrections (CTDOC) and Connecticut Board of Pardons and Parole to provide technical assistance to clients in pardon applications as well as to provide workshops and community outreach programs geared towards employment to offenders. These services will be conducted in Hartford, New London, Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. Services are slated to begin in January 2008.November 29, 2007Ribbon Cutting for Safe Homes New Play GroundAlmost 18 months ago, Alice Formeister, Program Director and Susan Guay, Administrative Assistant, began dreaming about having a brand new playscape for the children in residing at the Safe Home. They started researching what it would take to obtain a new playscape and after many months of creative fundraising events facilitated by the program staff the play scape has arrived in time to bring additional joy to the residents this holiday season. On November 29th, Bob Pigeon, CSI's CEO, cut the ribbon to officially open the new playground. The Safe Home is planning a second celebration this spring to thank the many community organizations who helped to make this dream come true.
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