CHEFA Funds Support Campus Meal Program

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Fellowship Place awarded a $61,000 grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority as part of its 2014 Nonprofit Grant Program.

Fellowship Place is one of 56 nonprofit providers throughout the state selected to receive a grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) as part of its 2014 Nonprofit Grant Program, focused on the areas of food, housing and medical care.

CHEFA funds will support the Fellowship Place campus meal program, to help eliminate hunger and meet the basic nutritional needs, for people with chronic mental illness attending our campus daily for their therapeutic & social rehab activities. “Our Healthy Meals initiative is just one way that Fellowship Place supports our clients’ efforts to stay on track for recovery from mental illness or a co-occurring substance abuse disorder,” said Fellowship Place Executive Director, Mary A. Guerrera. She added, “Fellowship Place is grateful for CHEFA’s interest in the health and well-being of this very vulnerable population in our community.”

“The need is great as evidenced by the 123 non-profits that submitted letters of interest for the grant program. Since 2003, CHEFA has provided more than $26 million in grant funding and targeted investments to Connecticut nonprofits, more than $10 million of which has been awarded through this program alone.” said Jeffrey A. Asher, CHEFA’s Executive Director.

CHEFA is a quasi-public agency created by the State Legislature to help Connecticut healthcare and educational institutions, and other not-for-profit entities obtain tax exempt financing. CHEFA is self-sustaining and receives no taxpayer funds.

For more information, please contact Melissa Holroyd, Fellowship Place Development Director at mholroyd@fellowshipplace.org

Fellowship Place participates in Greater New Haven Opening Doors, a Regional Alliance to Prevent and End Homelessness.

100 day challengeFellowship Place participates in Greater New Haven Opening Doors, a Regional Alliance to Prevent and End Homelessness. This summer Fellowship is joining forces with other service providers to assess and connect the most vulnerable homeless people in our community with housing & support services. Our goal is to match approximately 75 chronically homeless individuals with available housing by July 30. Fellowship Place is proud to be able to contribute some of its resources to this community effort.

Bailey Orell, Intake & Homeless Services Coordinator, is shown interviewing a client to assess her needs and barriers to getting housed. Bailey is serving as a Housing Liaison for the Opening Doors project.

Mariel Hemingway joined Fellowship Place and presenting sponsor Northwestern Mutual, for “Dinner and a Movie with Mariel”

On June 4, 2014, Mariel Hemingway joined Fellowship Place and presenting sponsor Northwestern Mutual, for “Dinner and a Movie with Mariel” at the Omni Hotel in New Haven, CT.

The successful evening kicked off with a dinner with Ms. Hemingway, followed by a screening of her film “Running From Crazy”, a documentary by two-time Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple and Executive Producers Oprah Winfrey and Mariel Hemingway, about the family of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway and their multi-generational struggles with mental illness. Post screening, Ms. Hemingway engaged with the audience, to answer questions about the movie. This event marked Fellowship Place’s 10th Annual Solnit Memorial Lecture, honoring the legacy of Dr. Albert J Solnit, by educating the general public about mental illness and recognizing men and women who work to eliminate stigma and improve the quality of life for children and adults with mental illness.

 

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Above Right- from left to right: Fellowship Place Founder Phyllis McDowell, Fellowship Place Board President Ronald Netter, Fellowship Place Executive Director Mary A. Guerrera, and Mariel Hemingway

AboveLeft: Presenting Sponsor Northwestern Mutual’s Gene Frost & wife Karen, and Mariel Hemingway

 

Fellowship Place Annual Education Fair

Ed Fair MontageOn Tuesday March 18, from 9:30am-11:30am, Fellowship Place hosted our annual Education Fair. This successful event, open and free to the public, offers opportunity for individuals to meet with community educational representatives for information about resources, programs, and financial aid.

Among the education agencies attending, were representatives from Southern Connecticut State University, Gateway Community College, Albertus Magnus, Stone Academy, New Haven Adult Education, and CT Works.

We are proud of you Fellowship Place Steppers!!!

Walk May 4_2

On Sunday May, 4th at College Woods Park, East Rock Park, New Haven, the Fellowship Place Steppers participated in the “Walk Against Hunger” to raise funds for the Connecticut Food Bank. The funds raised will help provide groceries, fresh produce, and hot meals to hungry children, families, seniors, and individuals served by nearly 700 food-assistance programs in Fairfield, Litchfield, New Haven, New London, Middlesex and Windham counties.

Way to go Steppers!!! To see our team’s progress, or to make a donation of support, please visit the following link:

http://ctfb.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General/1133375781?pg=team&fr_id=1100&team_id=3890
As a participating agency, Fellowship Place’s Meal Program will receive a portion of all funds raised that day.

The Birgitta Johnson Campership Fund for Fellowship Place

This year Fellowship Place established The Birgitta Johnson Campership Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. As a long time Fellowship Place Board member and supporter, this fund was established in memory of Birgitta’s years of dedication to the agency, her commitment to philanthropy, and her love of travel and adventure. The fund will award three camperships annually, for Fellowship Place members to attend Camp CONNRI, an adult retreat and vacation center operated by the Salvation Army located on over 250 acres overlooking a lake in eastern Connecticut. The existence of a Campership Fund presents our members with an opportunity of a lifetime; most have never taken an overnight trip outside of the city, let alone an activity-filled vacation in the country fresh air. Camp activities range from swimming and boating to miniature golf, archery, arts & crafts, and theme dances. In March 2014, Fellowship Place’s Board of Directors conducted the first annual Campership contest. Interested members were asked to submit an essay or piece of artwork describing why they wanted to go to camp. Awards were given for Best Essay, Best Art Work, and Best Overall Entry. Our 3 campership winners joined 14 other Fellowship members and 3 staff at CONNRI from July 8-11. For most of the members in our group, the trip to CONNRI was their first overnight vacation. The opportunity to leave the inner city for a few days and enjoy the natural beauty of the camp builds confidence and recharges their batteries to cope with the many challenges they face at home.

]Post trip testimonials: “When I wake up in my apartment in New Haven, I hear constant noise from police sirens & emergency vehicles. At CONNRI, I woke up to peace & quiet. It felt wonderful.” “This was my first opportunity to go swimming in 15 years. I loved it.”  “The chance to get away to a peaceful place revived my spirits and makes me feel ready to deal with my many challenges.” “I have never had a vacation before. It felt wonderful to get out of the city.” “I loved the dance and meeting people from another agency. We all got along and it was so much fun.” “I loved shuffleboard. I have never played before.” “I hope I can go again next year. This was the best trip ever, everyone was so nice.”  Click here to make a Donation to The Birgitta Johnson Campership Fund for Fellowship Place Or mail a check, payable to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven at 70 Audubon Street, New Haven CT 06510; please write Campership Fund in the memo line.