Posted on July 26, 2024
Local State Representatives Discuss Needs of Regional Nonprofit CAAWC
Danbury, Conn. – The Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut, which has been operating in Danbury under various names for about six decades, serves 20,000 people in the region. State Representatives Rachel Chaleski (R-Danbury), Martin Foncello (R-Brookfield), and Mitch Bolinsky (R-Newtown) recently sat down with Executive Director Michelle James to learn more about the nonprofit and discuss the state’s role in their operations.
The 501(c)3 nonprofit serves 25 towns in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties and is one of nine federally designated community action agencies in Connecticut.
Clients can come to CAAWC for help with SNAP, Husky, job searches, ESL classes, CNA training, and Danbury Works programming, among others. CAAWC also provides energy assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
“It was really insightful and rewarding to learn more about this umbrella agency, under which are programs that I have specifically lent my support through policy and volunteering. When I learned that vendor participation in the LIHEAP program was waning due to rising costs on businesses, I proposed a bill in my first year as a legislator to establish a more fair reimbursement system that ultimately passed by way of the biennium budget,” said Rep. Chaleski. “I also answered the call for volunteer assistance at the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger food drive, where donations were sorted and delivered to the Community Food Rescue housed at this CAAWC location. I am grateful for all that this organization provides to our communities, especially knowing its leadership is dedicated to running a tight ship in adhering to all federal, state and local regulations.”
CAAWC is federally funded, through the state, but also has a benefactor for part of their community food rescue program, specifically for a senior mobile food pantry and SNAP outreach. With the food rescue program, CAAWC collects food and other products from grocery and big box stores to distribute to local food pantries, which are all open during different days of the week. Dorothy Day, Daily Bread, The Center for Empowerment & Education, as well as other crisis response and homeless services agencies also receive food donations. A food pantry is run from their Triangle Street location on Thursdays. The senior mobile program is run out of a van that visits senior housing once a month.
CAAWC has had to scale back their Diaper Program as funding has dried up. It’s a partnership with Nuvance Health at Danbury Hospital for clients with newborns.
“CAWWC provides so many vital services to people in need. Whether its low-income residents looking for energy assistance, families who are food insecure, or new parents who may need help affording diapers, they’ve been a great backstop for their clients,” said Rep. Bolinsky. “Despite all the good work they accomplish, we must address years of underfunding for them, and all our nonprofits. Their work is critical and irreplaceable, which is why I am always advocating for nonprofits to be a budget priority, and will continue to do so.”
The organization also runs a daycare center on Balmforth Avenue with funding from the Office of Early Childhood and School Readiness. A new preschool program is getting ready to open at New Hope Baptist Church next month.
“What we heard from Ms. James is what a lot of daycare providers have been telling us. Reimbursement per child from the state hasn’t gone up since 2015, though it did increase slightly this year for preschoolers. The cost of living and minimum wage both have gone up and put the squeeze on them,” said Rep. Foncello, a member of the Early Childhood Caucus. “Part of that crunch is they can’t charge families more because it’s on a sliding scale from the state. I will continue to advocate for the state budget to prioritize nonprofit funding.”
CAAWC employs 75 people across their operations.