Connecticut

Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition (BCAC)

BCAC is a coalition of 80 member organizations that described itself as committed to improving the well-being of Bridgeport's children through a program combining research, community planning, advocacy, community education and mobilization. Member organizations include child-serving agencies, health care organizations, child care centers, community centers, churches and synagogues, and civic and community groups. BCAC acts through six Task Forces: Early Childhood, Education, Health, Public Policy, Substance Abusing Women and Their Children, and Violence Prevention.

Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition
2470 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06605
(203) 549-0075
Fax: (203) 549-0203

Connecticut Center for School Change

The Connecticut Center for School Change (CCSC) describes itself as a non-profit organization that supports comprehensive reform of Connecticut's schools. Opened in September, 1994 as an initiative of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, the Center became an independent 501(c)(3) organization in January, 1999. CCSC's mission is to improve teaching and learning for all children by envisioning and supporting innovation in Connecticut schools. The Center supports and facilitates efforts at comprehensive reform through grants, technical assistance, workshops, statewide conferences and seminars, research on policy issues affecting educational reform and partnerships with other agencies and institutions committed to systemic change.

Executive Director: Andrew Lachman
151 New Park Avenue, Suite 203
Hartford, CT 06106,
Phone: (860) 586-2340
Fax: (860) 586-7360
ccsc@ntplx.net

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM)

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), founded in 1966, describes itself as a non-partisan association of cities and towns whose mission is to promote progressive, responsive, and effective government. They look to meet the evolving needs of local governments and to effectively advocate municipal interest in the legislature, executive branch, and other forums. CCM provides member municipalities various services including management assistance, inquiry services, labor relations assistance, policy development, and research analysis.

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
900 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 498-3000
(203) 562-6314
ccm@ccm-ct.org

Connecticut Voices for Children

The stated mission of Connecticut Voices for Children is to promote the well being of all of the state's young people through high quality research and policy analysis, dissemination of information, coalition building, and advocacy, including grassroots organizing of youth. Connecticut Voices describes its staff as coming from the education, law, health, business, government, and non-profit communities, and it hopes that this variety of skills will help it take a multi-dimensional approach to encouraging investment in all of Connecticut's children. A December 2002 presentation, "Early Care and Education," to the Connecticut Department of Education, is available on the group's website.

Co-Presidents: Shelley Geballe and Janice Gruendel
33 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: (203) 498-4240
Fax: (203) 498-4242
voices@ctkidslink.org

Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership

The mission of Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP) is to develop the strengths and talents of over 300 children in Connecticut's high-poverty communities by creating and implementing year-round, community-based programming designed to achieve positive academic and social outcomes. College student "Senior Counselors" and high school student "Junior Counselors" are paired together to work as a team with a group of 8-10 children of the same age and sex. Children read and are read to every day and receive intensive homework help after school. LEAP works to broaden children's views of the world through creative arts, science exploration, athletics, outdoor camping.

Executive Director: Mercedes Soto
31 Jefferson Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: (203) 773-0770
Fax: (203) 773-1695

Partnership for Strong Communities

Established in 1999, the Partnership for Strong Communities describes itself as a collaboration of seven organizations (Connecticut AIDS Residence Coalition, Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Connecticut Housing Coalition, Connecticut Housing Investment Fund, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Local Initiatives Support Corporation and National Alliance for the Mentally Ill), whose mission is to end chronic homelessness statewide. The Partnership seeks to increase affordable and supportive housing by lobbying, fostering relationships with individuals and organizations to end homelessness, and working to implement effective community development.

Partnership for Strong Communities
227 Lawrence Street
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 244-0066
(860) 247-4320

Public Education Network Local Affiliates:

Bridgeport Public Education Fund

Founded in 1993, the BPEF is an independent non-profit organization which gives a positive voice to education initiatives that are taking place in Connecticut such as the creation of a six to six regional school, the construction of a regional aqua-culture school, and the involvement of parents in the new standards and curriculum reform.

Executive Director: Margaret Hiller
446 University Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 331-0551
Fax: (203) 367-0064
bpef@snet.net

New Haven Public Education Fund

Providing a forum whereby the community can learn about its role in the education reform decision-making process and empowering parents to assume a greater role in their children’s education, the Public Education Fund works to engage the public in advocacy for high quality public education for all the children in New Haven.

Ms. Lydia Bornick, Executive Director
703 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: (203) 865-3255
Fax: (203) 865-3244
nhpef@msn.com

Norwalk Education Foundation, Inc.

The Norwalk Education Foundation is an independent non-profit organization committed to high quality public education for all of Norwalk's children.

Ms. Dorsey Gude, Executive Director
125 East Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06852
Phone: (203) 854-4068
Fax: (203) 854-4095
NEF@norwalkpublicschools.net

Stamford Public Education Foundation, Inc.

The Stamford Public Education Foundation's mission is to build the capacity within the public school system to sustain long-term educational reform, improve student performance and achieve overall excellence. The Foundation endeavors to stimulate business and community support to extend, enrich and elevate the education of all Stammford Public School students.

Ms. Cathleen Guinta, Executive Director
1 Atlantic Street, Suite 405
Stamford, CT 06901
Phone: (203) 965-7733
Fax: (203) 975-5220
info@stamfordpublicedfoundation.org

Yerwood Center

The Yerwood Center is a non-profit community center which states that it provides educational, computer literacy and cultural programs for inner-city children and computer literacy programs for adults. The organization has received 501 (3)(c) designation and with funding from the city of Stamford and the Fairfield County Community Foundation is dedicated to providing academically focused after-school programs to urban public school students.

Yerwood Center
Center Executive: Allison Sam
90 Fairfield Ave
Stamford, CT 06902
Phone: 203-327-2790
generalmail@yerwoodcenter.org