Do you know someone who might benefit from the H.O.P.E. Program?

Saint Raphael Hospital will offer a 16-week job readiness work program that includes skill building workshops and volunteer placements beginning Sept. 1. Participants will gain workplace experience and the tools needed to secure employment. Registration is underway at Volunteer Services , or you might attend one of the informational meetings July 31, August 7, and August 14, 9–11:30am, at the Hospital. Details: Doe Haywood 789-4156.

Drop-in Recreation Sites for New Haven Youth

The New Haven Parks & Recreation Department will open two recreation drop-in sites for New Haven youth from August 7-Sept 1, 9-5, Monday through Friday. Sites are located at Salerno Rink, inside of East Shore Park off Woodward Avenue and Coogan Pavilion in Edgewood Park (the building in front of the Skate Park). These locations will be staffed by full-time recreation supervisors, and will offer table games, arts & crafts, air hockey, ping pong, card games, horse shoes and other activities.

Nature Pals Weekly Ecology Workshop for Preschoolers

Every Wednesday a group of about 40 preschoolers and their parents gather in New Haven's Edgewood Park to play and to learn about the natural world. Each week’s workshop focuses on a different animal, as Park Ranger Harry Coyle reads to kids about the creature in question, supervises arts and crafts, and even shows them real specimens. Nature Pals was started by Friends of Edgewood Park, a volunteer group. For more info., contact Ranger Harry Coyle, 946-8028, or volunteer Tatiana O'Connor at 389-4119.

Buy from the Village of POWER!

Hill Health Center’s Village of POWER program serves African-American women struggling with substance abuse, homelessness, mental health challenges, and HIV/AIDS. The program provides the women with vocational training and also helps to reinforce basic recovery principles, including patience, concentration, and cultivating creativity. Recovery programs like Growing through Sewing train the women to create a variety of items, including apparel, hair accessories, jewelry, greeting cards, and much more. One hundred percent of sales supports the program.

Details and to purchase items: 503-3484 or sfeldman@hillhealthcenter.com.

Free Diploma Covers

Choate Rosemary Hall is offering 250 (100 navy blue, 150 black) high quality textured leatherette “diploma covers” stamped with “Diploma of Graduation” in gold on the front. The inside of the front cover is white fabric with a moire pattern, and the inside of the back cover has ribbon corners to secure an 8.5x11 document. Free, in lots of 50 (of one color) and must be picked up at the Choate Rosemary Hall campus. Details: scornwell@choate.edu or 697-2252; or kgaffney@choate.edu or 697-2119.

New Books Just In...

Start Your Own e-Business: your step-by-step guide to success,
from Entrepreneur Press
Rich Dad's Guide To Investing: what the rich invest in, that the poor and middle class do not! by Robert Kiyosaki
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Personal Finance in your 20s & 30s, by
Sarah Young Fisher

Submit Your Angel of Peace Wishes Online

The Angel of Peace, the 5000-pound bronze statue that will be restored on the New Haven Green this August and then returned to the New Haven Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on East Rock, provides a vehicle for residents to submit their wishes for the world. Wishes for the World (and digital photos) may be emailed to dwheeloc@newhavenct.net or to NHall@NHRegister.com. Wishes with photos will appear at www.cityofnewhaven.com/angelofpeace and at www.NHregister.com. Contact the Mayor's office at MMM@newhavenct.net for more information.

How Can Unaffiliated Voters Vote in Democratic primary Aug. 8?

As of the most recent count (Oct. 2005) there are almost 930,000 unaffiliated voters in CT (almost 700,000 Democratic; 454,000 Republican). Unaffiliated voters may participate in the Aug. 8 primary by switching parties at least the day before with their local registrar of voters. Mail-in applications to switch parties must be received by local registrar by Aug. 3.

It's too late for Republicans to switch--their opportunity ended 90 days before the primary.

source: NY Times, 7/23/06

Grant opportunity for Connecticut Small Business Owners

The Women's Business Development Center in Norwalk announces a grant opportunity for CT small business owners to improve their understanding of financial information to boost revenues and improve operations. Selected small businesses will receive $750 toward a two-session course, Hands-On Finance, on Sept. 18 & 25, 6-9pm at Norwalk Community College. Requirements: CT-based, in business at least 1 year, must undergo assessment interview, must be willing to share financial information with instructor.

Call Fran Pastore at (203) 353-1750 x4 or email info@ctwbdc.org for application which is due by Aug. 1. Eligible applicants will be notified by Aug. 4 and invited to interview. Successful applicants will hear by Aug. 10, and $125 registration and materials fee is due by August 17.

Free Ask a Lawyer Sessions Scheduled in Area Towns

The New Haven County Bar Assn. and its Lawyer Referral Service will offer free legal consultations for the public in the following towns. No reservations are needed, 10-15 minute consultations provided.
8/10/06 (5:30-7:00pm) New Haven, New Haven Free Public Library
8/10/06 (6:30-8:00pm) Shelton, Plumb Memorial Library
8/17/06 (6:00-7:45pm) Branford, Blackstone Library
9/14/06 (5:30-7:00pm) New Haven, New Haven Free Public Library
9/14/06 (6:30-8:00pm) Shelton, Plumb Memorial Library
9/21/06 (3:30-5:30pm) Branford, Blackstone Library

submitted by
Carolyn B. Witt, Executive Director
New Haven County Bar Association
PO Box 1441
New Haven CT 06506-1441
Tel (203) 562-9652
cwitt@newhavenbar.org
www.newhavenbar.org

National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October

Americans with Disabilities: Ready for the Global Workforce is the 2006 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is designated each October by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Need help planning events? The National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) will work with member organizations to develop productive activities throughout the month or on October 18, which is Disability Mentoring Day. Consider, for example, planning a career event or seminar, showing a video from NBDC’s library, or scheduling a customized training session. For information on how to participate, contact Lynn Broder, membership specialist, (516) 465-1476, lbroder@abilitiesonline.org.
NBDC provides member companies with such services as access to a résumé database, unlimited job postings, a hotline to information specialists, and ways to target specific job applicants and expand recruiting resources. Go to www.disability-council.com for details.

submitted by
Elaine Quayle
Associate Editor
Business and Legal Reports, Inc.
141 Mill Rock Roast East
Old Saybrook CT 06475
www.blr.com

What Does Green Mean?

Entrepreneurs who want to distinguish themselves as environmentally friendly will find useful information about benchmarking, certifying and rating green products in Business Week's Small Biz summer edition (in Business Periodicals section of the library). Cradle to Cradle (http://www.mbdc.com/certified.html) is the first program to rate a wide variety of goods on three levels of environmental impact, ranging from materials reuse to water and energy use to social and workplace ethics. Other programs that rate green products (without ethical considerations) include:

• www.energystar.gov--voluntary labeling program of about 50 product categories; backed by EPA, relies on manufacturer self-testing.
• www.rainforest-alliance.org--nonprofit sets standards to determine that certain agricultural products have been grown sustainably.
• www.greenseal.org--independent certification of products that cause less pollution, conserve energy, minimize global warming.
• www.greenhomeguide.com--website offering practical advice and reviews from architects and do-it-yourselfers, without standardized benchmarks.

New Haven Animal Shelter Cats Need Food

A recent rescue of dozens of cats from an unhealthy New Haven residence has strained the capabilities of the shelter to provide for its felines. Shelter urgently needs canned cat food, adult dry cat food, nonclumping cat litter, or cash donations.

The New Haven Animal Shelter is the largest animal shelter in Connecticut, with over 60 dog runs. They take in about 2,000 dogs and cats annually, with an adoption rate of 75% (roughly 1,500 dogs and cats).

Volunteers (at least 18 years old) are needed for a variety of tasks, from walking and/or bathing dogs to helping transport animals to rescue when needed. For details about becoming a shelter volunteer: poomeister@hotmail.com or sue1275@yahoo.com, or call 484-9631. http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/CT74.html

Free E-Book downloads through August 4

Log into http://worldebookfair.com for free downloads of 1/3 million titles from nearly every classic author previously only available through the largest library collections in the world. The collection is available in 100 languages. The World Ebook Fair is sponsored by Project Gutenberg, with the assistance of the World eBook Library and other eBook efforts.

New Haven Open Schools Program adds new site

The New Haven YMCA Youth Center, 52 Howe St., joins John S. Martinez, King-Robinson, and Hill Regional Career HS in the Open Schools Program welcoming youth ages 12-18. The YMCA offers two gyms, a game room and a pool for summer drop-in activities. Details: http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/pdf_whatsnew/Flyer.pdf

Grantsmanship Training Program in Springfield, August 7-11

The program will be hosted by Springfield College, 45 Island Pond Road, Springfield, Massachusetts 01109.

The Grantsmanship Training Program covers all aspects of researching grants, writing grant proposals and negotiating with funding sources. Participants learn TGCI’s proposal writing format, practice techniques for pursuing government, foundation, and corporate grants, and develop real grant proposals for their own agencies.

Upon completion of the training, participants receive free follow-up, including professional proposal review and access to TGCI’s online funding databases.

Tuition for the Grantsmanship Training Program is $825 ($775 for each additional registrant from the same organization). http://www.tgci.com/training/tprogram.asp or (213) 482-9860.

2006 BoardSource Leadership Forum in Chicago, Dec. 3 & 4

600+ nonprofit chief executives, board members, staff and consultants will convene to discuss key governance issues and ways to meet the governance needs of nonprofit institutions and organizations. Earlybird registration discounts by July 31. www.boardsource.org.

Training Courses in Winning and Managing Government Grants

Management Concepts training calendar is out for fiscal year 2006-07, detailing courses and certificate programs intended for personnel of federal awarding agencies, pass-through entities and recipient organizations.

Examples include Federal Assistance Law (Oct. 23-25, Washington D.C., $795); Applying for Federal Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Jan. 8-9, Orlando, $675); How To Prepare the Grant Application Budget (June 1, Atlanta, $510); Developing Nonprofit Indirect Cost Rate Proposals (Apr 25-26, Washington, D.C., $675). More at www.managementconcepts.com.

CT holiday survey 2006-07

According to Connecticut HR Reports Newsletter (July 2006), almost every organization in CT observes the "standard six" holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving & Christmas. A significant number of 298 state organizations surveyed indicate plans to offer additional holidays, including Columbus Day (22%), Friday after Thanksgiving (73%), President's Day Feb. 19 2007 (38%), Good Friday (59%), Dec. 26 2006 (36%).

Read the full report at the library in the binder titled What To Do About Personnel Problems. This publication also contains monthly stats on avg. hourly earnings, employment, cost of living, job openings/labor turnover, employment advertising, jobless claims, and employment climate.