Free COVID vaccination clinic next week Thursday and Friday. No appointments, ID, or insurance required.
Sending you Holiday Greetings!
How Can I Protect My Family From Omicron?
The Omicron variant is spreading widely and risk for infections is higher than before. This creates uncertainty for parents, especially those with children too young to be vaccinated.
At this time, there is no plan to return to remote learning. Our schools will continue to work closely with the Norwalk Health Department and to follow all state guidelines, which currently require that students attend school in person.
The President announced sweeping measures yesterday to combat rising COVID-19 cases across the country, including buying half a billion at-home COVID-19 test kits that will be sent out for free and utilizing the Defense Production Act to manufacture as many tests as possible.
Testing:
There are over 400 testing sites open in the state. Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their primary care provider to schedule a test. Anyone who does not have a primary care provider should call 2-1-1 or visit the CT Testing Locator to locate the nearest testing site.
What about protecting my children from Omicron?
The risk of getting infected and the risk of becoming seriously ill are two ways to look at the rise of Omicron. A high level of infection in the community does increase the risk of infection in all ages. But vaccinating children isn’t the only way to protect them. Generally, we can increase the protection of unvaccinated children by ensuring that the adults in their lives are vaccinated. This remains an important way to protect children who are too young to be vaccinated.
You can also reduce the risk that your child will be exposed to the virus by avoiding crowded, indoor spaces and other gatherings, using rapid tests before social events, and having adults wear masks around your young children.
Regarding the risk of disease in young children, fortunately, all the data we have suggest that the risk of their developing severe illness if they become infected is much lower than for adults and teens.
Boosters:
If you have not gotten a booster and you qualify, public health officials recommend you get one immediately. According to the CDC, studies show after getting vaccinated against COVID-19, protection against the virus and the ability to prevent infection with variants may decrease over time.
Getting the COVID-19 booster shot if you are eligible will protect you and your family. Click here to schedule a COVID-19 booster shot appointment. Below is information on who is eligible for a COVID-19 booster.
Carver’s Toy Drive brings holiday cheer to Norwalk families
On Friday, December 17, Carver employees and volunteers handed out nearly 550 gifts to over 240 families during our Holiday Toy Drive.
Tricia Massucco, Carver’s Director of Elementary School Based Programs, handed out gifts to families while looking extra festive.
There was an increased need for gifts this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact Norwalk families. Within an hour of our Toy Drive’s online registration form going live, over 100 families had signed up for over 300 gifts. We were forced to halt registration, unsure of whether or not we could accommodate more families. Thankfully, there was an outpouring of support from generous individuals and organizations in Norwalk and the surrounding communities that made it possible for us to register more families. Ultimately, we gave out more gifts than ever before.
Traditionally, we’ve held a Holiday Party at the Carver Community Center complete with games, dancing, and Santa Claus. Families would grab their gifts and join in the fun. When the pandemic hit, however, we had to make adjustments in order to continue meeting the needs of our families while prioritizing their health and safety. When last year’s Toy Drive proved to be a successful solution, we knew we had to repeat it again this year.
We’re thrilled we were able to bring joy to so many children while easing the financial burden weighing on families. We’re also humbled by the incredible generosity shown by the Toy Drive’s supporters:
Campbell’s Snacks
Greens Farms Academy
Mike Barbis Santa Toy Drive
Rowayton Civic Association
Rowayton Fire Department
Saint Jerome Church
St. Luke’s School
USPS Norwalk
Westport Police Department
And all of the compassionate individuals who made monetary and in-kind donations!
Many, many thanks to everyone who made our Holiday Toy Drive possible, including volunteers from Brien McMahon High School, Jensly Hernandez and Doulsina Sandoval; Greens Farms Academy, Max Kim and Cecil Reid; the Rowayton community, Joan de Regt and Jeff Walsh; and the Rowayton Fire Department. We are incredibly grateful for these wonderful communities. Together, we are illustrating the season of giving in action!
Fairfield County Sports Commission renews its annual support of Carver's youth development programs
Tom Chiappetta, FCSC Executive Director, presents Shannon Singleton-Bates, Carver’s Recreation Coordinator, with this year’s grant.
The Fairfield County Sports Commission (FCSC) partners with Carver to support our Girls’ Development Program.
FCSC also sponsors the Chelsea Cohen Fitness Academy at the Carver Community Center. This major initiative of the FCSC acts as an umbrella organization to supplement and complement existing fitness programs, as well as provide area youth year-round access to the best available trainers, coaches, dietitians, and health and wellness experts. The academy is designed to be the rallying point to engage all-important community stakeholders in children’s health, nutrition, and in the fight to combat childhood obesity.
The Commission, which is an all-volunteer organization except for the executive director position, is the one-stop resource for the sports communities in the county. The focus of the Commission is creating and supporting programs for fitness awareness education in the 16 communities it serves. Giving time, effort and money back to its county residents and partners is FCSC’s primary mission and role. Since 2008, the Commission has supported more than 30 county youth organizations and programs with financial support.
Carver’s Girls’ Development Program provides many supports, including tutoring; Ladies Night (recreation, activities and educational programs); mentors; nutrition education; academic support; SAT, ACT, and PSAT PREP support; community service opportunities; college preparation (college tours, FASFA, college essays), and assistance with and with obtaining financial aid; field trips and team-building activities; and so much more!
The Carver community is deeply grateful for the many years of support given to our youth by the Fairfield County Sports Commission.
Senator Murphy's annual MLK Essay Contest due date is 1/12/22!
Upcoming COVID Vaccine Clinics for Ages 5-11
Ny-Aja Boyd has many talents and strong aspirations
Helpful. Dependable. Involved. These are the words Carver employees use to describe Ny-Aja Boyd, a speech-language pathologist, children’s book author, aspiring university professor, and Carver alumna.
Ny-Aja graduated in 2017 from North Carolina A&T State University, where she double-majored in elementary education and speech-language pathology. She then went on to receive her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Sacred Heart University. While in school, Ny-Aja helped form a cheerleading squad, volunteered at the Special Olympics’ Healthy Hearing program, and participated in Sacred Heart’s Interprofessional Global Health Program in Guatemala. She also served as a member of both the NC Association of Educators and the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH), and as the Connecticut Representative for the National Student Speech-Language and Hearing Association (NSSLHA).
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Ny-Aja is working at a private practice outpatient clinic as a pediatric speech-language pathologist, evaluating and treating children with autism spectrum disorder, cleft palates, hearing impairments, Augmentative Alternative Communication systems, and intellectual disabilities. She will soon be pursuing her Ph.D. in speech-language pathology to achieve her dreams of becoming a university professor. But it doesn’t end there; she also hopes to open a clinic one day to provide speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy to her community.
The accomplishment she’s most proud of, though? Self-publishing her first children’s book called Grandfather’s Garden, dedicated to her great-grandfather, Michael.
Bursting with vibrant illustrations, Grandfather’s Garden tells of the lessons a granddaughter learns from her grandfather as they tend to his prized rose bush and vegetable garden. Ny-Aja echoes the wisdom bestowed on her by her great-grandfather to craft a simple yet powerful story applicable to children of all ages. “I have spent the last decade reading and listening to my family heritage stories, and I love to share my memories with others,” she says. “I believe that sharing stories can change the world, and I use my stories to inspire and empower young people.”
As the story’s grandfather and granddaughter cultivate his garden, Ny-Aja cultivates words of encouragement, writing, “In a person’s life, a dream is like a tiny seed. If nurtured properly with attention, planning, and hard work, a dream can become a reality.” Ny-Aja is the living embodiment of that sentiment.
Life-changing experiences at “The Carver”
Ny-Aja with Carver CEO Novelette Peterkin at Carver’s 43rd Annual Testimonial Dinner in June 2013.
Before her book, before undergrad and graduate school, Ny-Aja was a Carver kid.
“The Carver has always been in my family,” she explains. Her father played basketball at the Carver Community Center in high school and her mother worked there when Ny-Aja was young. She began attending Carver’s after-school programs in elementary school, jump-starting her 13-year involvement with Carver that continues to this day.
Her first job was at the Carver After-School Program for Education and Recreation (CASPER). The program’s manager recalls Ny-Aja being reliable, hardworking, and “an all-around good kid.” In high school, she attended many of Carver’s college tours to states like Georgia and North Carolina; on one of these tours, she discovered her dream college and alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University.
When asked about her favorite memory from her Carver days, she fondly reflected on her experience with NicaPhoto, an organization focused on empowering disadvantaged families living in the poorest barrios of Nicaragua and breaking the cycle of extreme poverty. Carver’s partnership with NicaPhoto enabled students like Ny-Aja to learn about photography and exchange images with children in Nicaragua. At the end of the program, Ny-Aja and her peers traveled to Nagarote, Nicaragua to meet their pen pals and gain a deeper understanding of their culture.
Ny-Aja credits Carver with broadening her horizons by providing her with opportunities to explore the world outside of her local community. Carver enabled her to travel to a different country; introduced her to schools outside of Connecticut and to historically black colleges (HBCUs); helped her financially with college scholarships; and supported her journey to become an author and give back to her community. “[Carver] is a place where I met my friends, grew relationships, and learned a lot,” she adds.
A role model for the next generation of Carver students
Ny-Aja’s advice for current Carver students is to “be confident in the village the Carver has created for you. Whether that be the administration, mentors, Carver kids before you, or those who follow after you. We are all a family and will do anything to help you succeed in your dreams.”
Thank you, Ny-Aja. We’re so proud of all that you’ve accomplished and look forward to seeing where your life’s journey takes you next.
Ny-Aja’s children's books can be purchased at WWW.NYAJABOYD.COM. She recently released her second children’s book, Christmas at Hattie’s.
Follow her author journey on instagram at @BOYDBOOKSPUBLISHING
She loves to help and mentor any aspiring authors. Please feel free to contact her!
You can now donate Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs and other cryptocurrencies to Carver!
Carver accepts cryptocurrency donations!
Donating Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is one of the most tax-efficient ways to support Carver for the holidays. Check out The Giving Block's tips and talk to a tax professional.
Through Carver’s cryptocurrency donation platform, The Giving Block, Carver also benefits from their Cause Fund program by which we receive support from donors across the nation who give to support a cause, in our case Children & Youth. These donations are distributed evenly to each participating charity once per month. All charities on The Giving Block platform that also receive these Cause Fund distributions have like Carver been thoroughly vetted and approved.