Bob Knebel, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County ,and David Kennedy, President & CEO of United Way of Norwalk & Wilton.
Here are some examples of how our work to help identify and solve problems is starting to deliver positive results:
The Fairfield County Collaborative Fund for Affordable Housing was created to address the lack of affordable housing opportunities in Fairfield County. Thanks to a partnership of local bankers, community and family foundations, individuals, and United Ways, $550,000 in start up funding was raised. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) manages the Collaborative on behalf of the funders and has already awarded grants to four affordable housing non-profits with a combined total of 482 affordable housing units in their project pipelines.
Vision 2020, dedicated to the healthy development of all of Wilton’s young
people, conducted a Mental Health Needs Assessment funded by our United Way. The need to provide mental health care for at-risk children and their families who are under or uninsured surfaced as a priority need. As a result, a three-year plan
was developed to reduce the two most significant barriers to services: cost and wait time. Initial response has been very positive, with private clinicians and the Town of Wilton’s Social Services Department already taking steps to assist with the
cost of services.
Efforts to prepare Norwalk’s children to enter school ready to learn took a major step forward with the creation of a three- year Early Childhood Action Plan. The plan integrates efforts to increase availability of quality preschool programs, access to family-based health services that support healthy child development, and information for caregivers relating to child development and services for young children. A Norwalk Early Childhood Council will expand the work of the current School Readiness Council and assume responsibility for implementing the goals outlined in the plan.
