National Poetry Month Starts April 1

Celebrate!

Start at Poets.org, the very rich site for the Academy of American Poets

Subscribe to a daily podcast of poetry

And attend our annual

Reception

for our Poetry Contest finalists and winners

Saturday, April 21, 1 pm

at the Main (Ives) Library, 133 Elm St.

Celebrate our own poets

with attention, applause, awards and refreshments!

 

Hips Against Hunger, March 30 and 31 at 8 pm

Rangeela, Yale's Bollywood Dance Troupe offers a belly dance spectacular and fundraiser for the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen at Harkness Auditorium in Sterling Hall of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven.  Swirling skirts, spinning veils, breathtaking sword balancing, and dances to traditional and modern music from the Middle East and beyond celebrating the 25th anniversary of D.E.S.K.

Sponsored by the Yale Office of International Students and Scholars, the McDougal Center, and the Yale Graduate and Professional Student Senate. See the facebook event for updates and sneak peaks!

New Haven Restaurant Week April 15-20!!

Sunday, April 15 – Friday, April 2034 Restaurants will offer a three-course, prix fixe menu consisting of an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Prix fixe menus are priced at $18 for lunch and $32 for dinner. Enjoy!

TEAM has jobs and volunteer opportunities

Want to volunteer to work with the elderly? Want to help out at their Early Education Center? Interested in preparing tax forms as a VITA volunteer? Looking for a job where you can make our community a better place? TEAM offers a number of opportunities for volunteering and employment.

Visit BoardSource for all sorts of useful information about and for nonprofits

And, following up on the recent meetings around the state regarding the ARTS: click here for a list of books, articles and organizations that provide assistance to nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations and their boards. (If you are a nonprofit organization that provides resources to nonprofit boards and senior staff, please contact them if you are interested in being listed.)

In case you missed snow this winter...Photos of the Blizzard of 1888 are now online

The Connecticut State Library has completed the digitization of its collection of photographs of the Blizzard of 1888 and made them available online.

Also known as the "Great White Hurricane," the Blizzard of 1888 lasted for three days, from March 12-14. The blizzard buried an unprepared Northeast in up to 50 inches of snow. The precipitation was accompanied by winds reaching 60 mph that piled snow drifts up to 38 feet tall. Horse cars, stagecoaches, and trains came to a halt, making the delivery of food and fuel difficult. Most communication by telegraph was disrupted by downed lines across the region and cities like New York, Boston, and Hartford were unaware of events around them. The blizzard left more than 400 people dead and caused upwards of 20 million dollars worth of property damage. The resulting cleanup effort was accomplished by plows drawn by horses and oxen or more often by shovel.

Community Foundation rolls out toolkit to support the arts

Roughly 200 artists and arts supporters and producers attended a meeting yesterday in Hamden to discuss the current state of all things art in our region. Some connections that are available to help include:

• arts toolkit with links, ideas and action opportunities
• gnhcommunity.org, Connecting nonprofits, communities & businesses for the greater good in our region--join in!
• Jamie A. Hulley Arts Foundation is currently requesting RFPs for $1000 max minigrants that will be awarded to teachers and certified school personnel to enhance the curriculum and student learning through hands-on learning experiences in the arts. Contact Judy Primavera for more information: 203-891-8869. Deadline to apply is May 15, and recipients will be notified by June 1.  

Elders over 100 are invited to special luncheon May 2

The Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut invites individuals age 100 and more to the 26th annual Centenarians Luncheon on Wednesday, May 2, 11 am-12:30 pm at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven at 360 Amity Rd., Woodbridge. The luncheon is free for centenarians and a guest of their choice and $11 for each additional guest. RSVP here or call 203-785-8533.

New Haven Promise workshops for parents coming up

New Haven Public Schools offer free college-focused workshops for parents April 10 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School, 177 College St. Find out more here.

Click here for sample of Guidestar's 2011 Compensation Report

Click here for latest list of RFPs from the Foundation Center

CT Main Street Center in Hartford has Two Openings

1.   Community Engagement Director to spark and guide downtown revitalization through a comprehensive statewide strategy using a combination of training and education, coalition building, community organization and grassroots advocacy.

2. Downtown Economic Development Director to drive economic growth in municipalities statewide through a combination of dynamic community organization, creative resource coordination and strong analytical and reporting skills.

Click here for details.

Citizenship Classes Resume March 27 at Main (Ives) Library

Classes to assist students to pass the United States Citizenship Exam resume next Tuesday, and are open at any time--walk-ins are welcome. Classes will take place every Tuesday from 5:30-7 pm. 203-946-8130 x200.

Volunteer for/Enjoy Artspace Annual Art Auction and Gala April 28

This event has two parts--SHINY POP, a silent auction of works from the Artspace Flat File, followed by SCREEN TEST, a Warhol-themed live auction and party, full of wonderful artwork and art experiences (and plenty of aluminum foil, Factory-style). Tickets are discounted if purchased before April 1.
Volunteer and enjoy the event for free!  Volunteers are needed as runners, auction assistants, greeters, people to take coats, staff the front desk, help with food and drink, etc. Dressing up as Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick, and the like is welcome (and optional!). Details here or call 203-772-2709.

Young writers invited to participate in Connecticut Young Writers Trust writing contest

Connecticut Young Writers between the ages of 13 and 18 (during school year 2011-12) may submit their original poetry or prose (essays, short stories, reviews, plays, research papers or news articles). A teacher in a public or private school must nominate entries for the competition. Home school nominations are also accepted. 

Click here for guidelines and application form.

Click here for latest RFPs listed by Foundation Center

Multiple Scholarship Opportunities Available from Funds at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

Application Deadlines Are Approaching!

Several scholarship opportunities are available through Community Foundation funds. Eligibility criteria and deadline dates vary; click here for details or call 203-777-7079.

 

Connecticut Association of Nonprofits announces Spring Workshop Calendar

Check out their new 2-day Social Media Certificate Series, offered in partnership with the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Window Repair Workshop Saturday March 17, 9 am-1 pm

Got historic (old) windows? Keep the beauty, lose the draft. Join Neighborhood Housing Services staff and historic restoration expert Michael Klem for a special half-day training on how to repair and restore your wood windows. Repair? Replace? Find out how to determine the most cost effective, energy efficient solution for your home’s particular window situation.

Location: NHS Energy Conservation Lab, 333 Sherman Avenue, Building #3, New Haven 

FREE Please pre-register at 203-777-6925 x26.

Volunteers in Tax Assistance (VITA) Updates

VITA will not be available at Ives (Main) Library on March 16 or April 6. VITA will not be available at Wilson Branch on April 7.

Spring Lecture Series at New Haven Museum

The Museum will explore the natural history of New Haven in the following series: 

• March 28, 6 pm--Branford resident Richard Radune discussing his new book Sound Rising: Long Island Sound at the Forefront of America’s Struggle for Independence.
• April 11, 6 pm--Tom Andersen presents “Exploration, Discovery, Mutiny and Money: Captain Adriaen Block and the 400th Anniversary of His Journeys to Long Island Sound.”
• April 26, 6:30 pm--Dr. Jelle de Boer, Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science, Emeritus at Wesleyan University, discusses the geology and artistic depictions of East and West Rock. 
• April 28,1-4pm--Dr. de Boer leads a bus trip to the summits of East and West Rock, exploring their geological makeup firsthand. $35/$25 members, advance purchase required: 203-562-4183 x11.

Youth ages 14-19 invited to participate in Bregamos Community Theatre

Singers, poets, rappers, dancers, actors and graffiti Artists are invited to the launch of the Inner Theatre Project on Saturday, March 17, 3-6pm, at Bregamos Community Theatre, 315 Peck St., Building #8, New Haven. Details at 866-631-8880.

Gov. Malloy in New Haven March 13

The topic is education reform, and this is part of a series of town hall meetings that the governor is hosting to answer questions about Senate Bill 24, which is currently under consideration in the legislatures Education Committee. 

WHEN: Tuesday, March 13,  7-8 pm (Suggest you arrive early)

WHERE: Wilbur Cross High School, 181 Mitchell Drive, New Haven

Early registration at Gateway Community College

Gateway has launched an early registration campaign for summer and fall classes to avoid  inconvenience associated with the college's move into its new downtown New Haven campus in July.

 

For continuing students, online registration opens April 1 and in-person registration begins April 16. For new students, online registration and in-person registration begins May 1. Also, due to commencement, only online registration will be available May 21-25.

Financial Aid Week is March 5-9 and its Program Advising Weeks are March 26-30 and April 2-6. The college hopes to have all summer and fall registration completed by June 1.

GCC has altered its academic calendar to accommodate the move to its new campus. This year, the summer semester will feature two sessions, May 28 to June 30, at the college’s existing Long Wharf and North Haven campuses, instead of the typical four or five sessions. The 2012 fall semester begins Sept. 4 in the new downtown campus. College offices and facilities will move into the downtown campus on a staggered schedule over two weeks in July.

For more information click here or call 203-285-2020.

Resources for Women's History Month

Resources are made available through the Connecticut State Library and US!

Click here for latest RFPs listed by the Foundation Center