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Health & Fitness

Where the Connecticut River Meets the Sound

Learn how Middlesex United Way is making a difference in the town of Old Saybrook.

The town of Old Saybrook has a long history, beginning back in 1635 when it was an independent colony known as the Saybrook Plantation. Today it is a community with approximately 10,000 residents and features a stunning shoreline and a charming downtown.

Old Saybrook is a key part of ’s work and has exciting programs and initiatives happening. United Way was the primary funder that helped launch HOPE Partnership, an organization developing affordable workforce housing along the shoreline. We continue to support HOPE as they work with town government, builders and other private partners to build housing that is attractive, sustainable and appropriate to the surrounding neighborhood.

Recently, HOPE cut the ribbon on Ferry Crossing, a beautiful new development of 16 townhouses, four of which were targeted to families who are currently homeless and two of which were earmarked for military veterans referred by the U.S. Veterans Administration.

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United Way also partners with Old Saybrook Youth & Family Services for two programs – Early Childhood Education (ECE) to increase children’s readiness to learn by school entry and Healthy Communities-Healthy Youth (HCHY) to reduce risky behaviors among youth. Over the past six years, United Way has provided more than $126,000 to support these two programs alone.

More than 340 Old Saybrook youth and their families have been touched by United Way through their involvement with HCHY, which aims to increase assets, or strengths, among youth while decreasing risky behaviors such as substance abuse, violence and anti-social behavior. Since Old Saybrook began this asset development work more than ten years ago, they have consistently scored better than the national at improving assets. In fact, Old Saybrook became the model for which we expanded HCHY throughout the county. It is a true community impact initiative that is moving the needle and improving community conditions all across Middlesex County.

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The ECE program has provided 160 free screenings for Old Saybrook children to help identify those youngsters with behavioral problems before they enter school. There is a strong consensus among service providers and professionals that identification and services need to begin at an early age to best ensure children’s development.

Other programs that United Way supports in Old Saybrook include the Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries, Gilead Community Services, Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, The Connection Counseling, Literacy Volunteers – Valley Shore, Women & Families Center’s Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Rushford’s Connect-to-Care Program, and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

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