The 80th Anniversary Gala was truly an event for the ages!

Carver's 80th Anniversary Gala was truly an event for the ages! Joining us in this celebration were Ray Dalio presenting our Child of America award to Sean Combs, elected officials, Carver students and alumni, many generous supporters, program partners and staff, devoted friends and volunteers. It was a time of joy and of raising crucial support for the enduring work of the Carver Foundation of Norwalk. 

There were many moments during the evening that deserve their own blog posts, Carver alumnae Gabriel Pierre-Louis singing during the reception; a video greeting by Carver kids; Carver alumni sharing their stories; the high drama of the Silent Auction, Paddle Raise and Live Auction managed by the thrilling Robbie Gordy; Ray Dalio presenting the Child of America award to Sean Combs; a music video of Carver kids and Carver Alumnus Kenneth "FNX" Shuler rapping Carver's new anthem, "We Are Carver"; and then the exuberant fellowship afterward.

And those are merely the headlines. This is the first post of more to come!

Carver's 80th Anniversary Gala Auction -- now LIVE online!

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK! Join us in celebrating our many teachers!

Carver in the news: Carver is an Impact Fairfield County finalist

Greenwich Time, by Ken Borsuk, Monday, April 30, 2018              See the entire article here. 

 

Greenwich giving group gets ready to make a double Impact

Impact Fairfield County, the women-run philanthropy organization that aims to make game-changing gifts to non profit service agencies, will determine its next recipients this week.

The group’s 190-member governing body will vote on the recipients of two $100,000 grants from a slate of four area finalists Wednesday morning. This is the third year of operation for the Greenwich-founded giving circle, and the first time it will award two large Impact Grants. All four of the finalists will walk away with something after an application and evaluation process that began last fall.

“We are so excited and thrilled to be at this point,” Impact Fairfield County co-President Vicki Craver said on Monday. “This time of year is so exciting. So much has happened to get us here. We have reviewed all the proposals and done all the site visits. Now it is time for the big vote.”

Craver and fellow co-President Wendy Block, both of whom are from Greenwich, said Impact is a chance for women to make a real difference and the community is responding as this year’s 190 members represent a sharp jump from last year’s 80 members.

The four finalists being considered are the Carver Foundation of Norwalk’s middle school summer transition program; Open Doors: Changing Lives Through Living Wage Jobs, based in Norwalk; the Stamford Public Education Foundation’s Ready. Set. Shine! program; and the Supportive Housing Works’ Vehicle for Change program, which is based out of Bridgeport....

See the video of the Norwalk Public Schools STEM Expo!

Students, families and community members had fun learning about science, technology, engineering and math solutions to everyday issues while attending the Norwalk Public Schools STEM Expo. The second annual citywide event, which took place on March 24 at Brien McMahon High School, offered demos ranging from egg drop devices to alternative energy racers, catapults, and garbage bag gliders.

Announcing the first Wall Street Sidewalk Lantern Parade, Friday, May 4th!

The first annual "Wall Street Sidewalk Lantern Parade" that is set for First Friday, May 4 at 8:30pm.

The parade was conceptualized by First Friday co-organizer Pam Hubbard as a family-fun community event - a way to bring positive attention to our beloved Downtown Norwalk - Historic Wall Street - Arts District. The parade will kick off from the Lewis Street Path (at the top of Wall Street - across from Troupe 429), will proceed along the sidewalk toward West Avenue, where it will curve around to Belden, and end where First Friday all began near 16 River Street (near Banc House/Yankee Doodle Garage). 

Please note that the Norwalk Public Library and Austin McGuire Company have graciously donated 50 lanterns + LED lights that are available to us for the parade. (The organizers are still accepting local sponsors!).

There will be a lantern-assembly party at the Library at 4pm and all are welcome. There is limited space so please confirm by email:NorwalkArtsDistrict@gmail.com

The goal is to light up the night from one end of Wall Street to the other - so the more the merrier! Invite your friends, family, kids, and please help us share the information.  The parade is open to all who want to walk with any kind of battery-operated lantern, paper lantern lit by a small LED, etc - Be Creative!

Novelette Peterkin to be honored by United Way of Coastal Fairfield County

On Wednesday, May 16, 2018, from 3-5 p.m. at the Congregation B'nai Israel, 2710 Park Ave., Bridgeport, CT, the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County will honor Novelette Peterkin, Carver's Executive Director, with the annual Elizabeth Roberts "Changing the Odds for Children Award."

Here is the list of all of this year's honorees at this annual United Way event..

Award of Distinction
Joseph M. Carbone, President & CEO, The WorkPlace

Bridgeport Prospers Partnership Award
William M. Jennings, President & CEO, Bridgeport Hospital 

Collective Impact Leadership Award
Carmen Colon, Vice President, Bridgeport Ys 

Carla Miklos, Executive Director, Operation Hope

The Elizabeth Roberts "Changing the Odds for Children Award"
Novelette Peterkin, Executive Director, The Carver Foundation of Norwalk 

The Madison Sayles "Neighbors Helping Neighbors Award"
William J. Haas, Ph.D., President & CEO, LifeBridge Community Services 

The August F. Serra "Community Engagement Award for a Lifetime of Excellence in Community Engagement Work Award"
Charles B. Tisdale, Executive Director, Action for Bridgeport Community Development (ABDC) 

The Norman Leeds "Giving Back to the Community Awards"

Tocqueville Level Giving and Engagement
Carla Klein, The Klein Family Foundation 

Chairman's Circle Partnership: Aquarion Water Company; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; GE; People's United Bank; and Pepperidge Farm.

A day in the life of Carver scholars!

Sunday is Earth Day!

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated by Carver and everyone else on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

On Earth Day 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by the US, China and some 120 other countries. This signing satisfied a key requirement for the entry into force of the historic draft climate protection treaty adopted by consensus of the 195 nations present at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.

In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and the concept of peace, to first be celebrated on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. This day of nature's equipoise was later sanctioned in a proclamation written by McConnell and signed by Secretary General U Thant at the United Nations. A month later a separate Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. Nelson was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom award in recognition of his work. While this April 22 Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations.

Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on the environmental issues that the world faces. In 2017, the March for Science occurred on Earth day (April 22, 2017) and was followed by the People's Climate Mobilization (April 29, 2017).

Carver 80th Anniversary Gala in the news

The Hip-Hop Star Is Honored For His Commitment To The Carver Foundation, Which Provides After-School And Summer Programs For Middle And High School Students In The U.S.

SEE THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

AceShowbiz - Sean "Diddy" Combs a.k.a P. Diddy will be honored for his philanthropy by bosses at the Carver Foundation next month (May). The hip-hop mogul will receive the 2018 Child of America Award at the Carver Foundation's 80th anniversary gala for his commitment to the organisation, which provides after-school and summer programs for middle and high school students in the U.S.

"That's near and dear to him," Carver executive director Novelette Peterkin reveals. "He does a lot of philanthropic investment in programs like Carver, and we're honoured that he accepted our invitation."

"We try to honour exceptional role models for Carver youth and it's called Child for America for a reason, because we look to honour someone who's national," she adds. "He inspired my generation and he continues to inspire the younger generation now."

Throughout the years, the 48-year-old has supported a number of philanthropic causes, including The Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School in 2016. He also established the Sean Combs Scholarship Fund at his alma mater Howard University.