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Annual Make a Difference endeavor premieres today
“Many of the people we serve are considered high risk based on underlying conditions, so isolation becomes that much bigger of a concern — especially for those that live on their own.” DENISE TIFT, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH, ARC EASTERN CONNECTICUT
The Day’s 13th annual Make a Difference series premieres today, kicking off a season of community generosity when more people than ever are in need.
In response to The Arc Eastern Connecticut’s contribution to the 2019 series, a family of three in which the mother was medically unable to work, CEO Kathleen Stauffer in a statement said the community support was “inspiring.”
“Folks donated $ 1,000 in gift cards, sheet sets, pots and pans and more,” she said in the statement. “A lot of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities had a better holiday ( in 2019) thanks to The Day and to our friends and neighbors who demonstrated tremendous good will.”
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, however, Denise Tift, director of community outreach, said the needs of the families served by The Arc Eastern Connecticut have changed dramatically. For the family selected for the 2020 campaign, for example, she said the mother has to face the challenges of keeping her two special- needs sons on track with their online learning in addition to financial struggles.
Tift said that technology access and use in particular has been a challenge for their clients.
“Being able to connect to friends and community is vital during these times of quarantining,” she said. “Many of the people we serve are considered high risk based on underlying conditions, so isolation becomes that much bigger of a concern — especially for those that live on their own.”
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich, last year featured a family of six displaced due to medical debt, and executive assistant Laura Malone said the family received monetary and physical donations ranging from toys and clothing to a new microwave for the house. She