Service

President Obama and the First Lady have called on all Americans to give back to their communities through USAService.org, created by the First Lady. As part of our goal, we are determined to respond to that call through serving Connecticut's people and communities in need.

TAKE ACTION: Listed below are various agencies and organizations that provide service to our communities in many ways that you can get involved in.

GENERAL COMMUNITY SERVICE

Empanda Volunteers is a community service and volunteer group. All who want to better the community are welcome. Their goal is to get like-minded individuals together who are interested in volunteerism and helping the community.

American Red Cross In Connecticut has chapters located in 11 towns that serve these towns and their surrounding areas that include Ansonia, Bridgeport, Darien/Stamford, Danbury, Farmington, Greenwich, Greater Hartford, Middletown, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, and Waterbury.

HUNGER

Connecticut Food Bank. "Founded in 1982, Connecticut Food Bank is an affiliate of America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network. It is the largest centralized source of donated, emergency food in Connecticut. Through warehouses in East Haven, Fairfield, and Waterbury, and distribution sites in New London and Stamford, we provide food products to more than 650 soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries and daycare programs in Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, and Windham counties."

Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) mission is to provide free, nutritious meals for homeless individuals, families, and the working and non-working poor of the Greater New Haven area. DESK serves hot evening meals, packs free bag lunches, stocks food pantry bags, and maintains an emergency food bank for people in crisis.

The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries' mission is an interfaith ministry that provides food and fellowship to people in need and educates our communities about hunger and poverty. Founded in 1989, at the Baptist Church in Essex, Connecticut, the agency continues in its mission to feed the hungry in body and spirit.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Connecticut promotes home ownership with volunteers building houses in partnership with residents in need of adequate housing. See also Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut and Habitat for Humanity of Southeastern Connecticut.

HOMELESSNESS

LITERACY

LEAP's (New Haven) mission is to develop the strengths and talents of young leaders who create year-round community-based programing designed to achieve positive academic and social outcomes for children living in high poverty urban neighborhoods.

Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut. Through helping people learn to read, write, and/or speak English, our trained volunteers (we provide all necessary training, no experience is needed) help our students move forward in achieving their personal, family, or career goals. Often, our students will share with their tutors exciting accomplishments such as being able to read to a child for the first time, getting a better job, or even something as basic as becoming able to choose which medicine is the right one for a sinus headache. The possibilities are endless.

In addition, Literacy Volunteers also provides services through various affiliates in Central Connecticut, Danbury, Greater Hartford, Greater New Haven and Waterbury.

Read to Grow, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that works to improve early literacy and give all Connecticut children a good start in life. We provide books for children and families, encourage language development, and promote awareness of literacy services.