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08/15/2019 12:01 AMDid you know that right here, in our own back yard, there are friends and neighbors who struggle to meet their family’s basic needs? Simple things many of us take for granted, such as a safe place to live, enough food to eat, a good job—all are essential for a healthy life, a sense of security, and a thriving community. Yet, according to the most recent Connecticut United Way Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) report, 32 percent of households in Middlesex County fall below income levels that are needed to pay for basic needs such as housing, food, child care, health care, and transportation. We know every town in the county has households that are one emergency away from a financial crisis, and we applaud one of the towns that decided to take action—Westbrook.
A group of volunteers and business leaders, working with the Town of Westbrook, launched the Westbrook Economic Action Initiative (WEAI). They identified 12 areas that assist those struggling today and those likely to face economic challenges in the future. Knowing that they couldn’t necessarily address all areas at once, they chose to focus on developing a plan for students as they transitioned from school to career. The all-volunteer committee constructed a roadmap for success: hire a full-time coordinator in the school district to assist local businesses in identifying training and internship opportunities for students, and help the students map their career goals. The plan would not only prepare students for jobs but would also assist employers in finding qualified staff in this tight job market.
The next step was coordinating efforts to raise funds to provide support for their initiative. Working with the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC), WEAI established the WEAI Project Fund at CFMC. The committee would be responsible for raising enough funding to launch the coordinator position, while the community foundation would serve as the administrative backroom, distributing the funds to the Westbrook School District on the committee’s behalf. Thanks to amazing community-wide support, the school–to–career coordinator project is well on its way with sufficient funding for the first year of the program. Leslie Carson has been hired to fill this new position, which starts this fall. The position will then be included in the school district’s 2020 budget.
A round of applause goes to Andy Schatz, Tony Cozza, Jim Crawford, the WEAI Committee, the Westbrook Board of Selectmen, the Westbrook School District, and the Westbrook community at large, for taking action and demonstrating that when people put their minds to solving critical issues, results happen. We at CFMC are honored to work in partnership in each and every one of our local communities, to provide opportunities and vehicles that help improve the quality of life for all, now and forever. We salute all of the many caring and dedicated individuals who are making great things happen throughout Middlesex County, and encourage you to learn more about what’s happening in your community. Give CFMC a call at 860-347-0025 or visit MiddlesexCountyCF.org.