| The state is introducing a new initiative to help healthcare workers pay off as much as $50,000 of their student loans. I'll break down who is eligible and how to apply for this special loan repayment program.
Higher prices at the grocery store are causing problems across Connecticut. 90,000 more people in our state are considered food insecure since 2022. I'll break down some of the staggering statistics and the plan to address this issue.
Memorial Day is only a few days away, and the 114th District will be paying tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. I have a breakdown of all the upcoming ceremonies and parades taking place over the next few days.
Here are the sections in this week's email:
- Forgiving Student Loans for Healthcare Workers
- Food Insecurity Crisis Getting Worse
- Provide Feedback on Electric Vehicle Chargers
- Memorial Day Events
- Derby Events Calendar
- Upcoming Events in Hamden
- Orange Events Calendar
- Upcoming Events in Woodbridge
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| Forgiving Student Loans for Healthcare Workers |
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The state is launching a new program to help healthcare workers pay off student loans. The Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program will offer up to $50,000 in student loan repayments to eligible healthcare providers. To receive that benefit, a healthcare worker must practice full-time in underserved communities for at least two years. Part-time options are also available for $12,500 per year over two years, totaling $25,000.
This Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program offers a distinct advantage over federal loan repayment programs because it allows for both federal and private student loan debt to be repaid, making it a more comprehensive solution for healthcare providers with diverse educational debt.
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The following healthcare jobs are eligible for this new statewide initiative:
- MDs and DOs in Family Practice, General Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN
- APRNs, including Certified Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, and Psychiatric Nurse Specialists
- Physician Assistants
- Registered Nurses
- Dentists and Dental Hygienists
- Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and Core Behavioral Health Providers, including Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Substance Use Disorder Counselors
- Pharmacists
The Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program is a tool to recruit and retain our healthcare heroes. It also represents a step toward reducing health disparities across our state.
The state began accepting applications this week.
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| Food Insecurity Crisis Getting Worse |
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| There is a sudden spike in hunger and food insecurity in Connecticut and around the country. Higher prices on food are a major financial strain for many individuals and families in the 114th District.
According to Feeding America, 468,150 people in Connecticut are food insecure, which is 90,000 more people since the last study in 2022. The most alarming data shows there is a 34% spike in the number of children who are food insecure. |
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Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap” shows a disturbing trend in Connecticut:
- 1 in 8 residents is food insecure, compared to 1 in 10 last year
- 1 in 6 children is food insecure
- 1 in 4 Black persons is food insecure
- 1 in 4 Hispanic persons is food insecure
- 1 in 11 White non-Hispanic persons is food insecure
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| The Connecticut General Assembly is trying to tackle this issue head on. This year, I co-sponsored House Bill 5011, which would have contributed more state funding for nutrition assistance. The measure would have provided $10 million to Connecticut Foodshare for the Connecticut Nutrition Assistance Program (CT-NAP) and 15% of that would have gone to farmers in Connecticut for the food they grow. CT-NAP directly affects the well-being of countless individuals, families, and businesses in our state.
My colleagues and I plan to file the bill again during the next legislative session, which starts in January. Our residents deserve nothing less. |
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| Provide Feedback on Electric Vehicle Chargers |
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The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) wants to hear from you on electric vehicle chargers!
Please take a five-minute survey to help CTDOT better understand:
- where there is a need for those chargers in Connecticut
- how adding chargers might benefit your community
- what your concerns may be around electric vehicles
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| All questions are optional, and the survey is open through Friday, May 31. CLICK HERE to take the survey! |
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| The 114th district will honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while bravely serving our country over the Memorial Day Weekend.
Tonight, the Derby Shelton Memorial Day Parade Association will conduct its annual Memorial Day Service at 6:00 P.M. at Shelton Intermediate School. As part of the one-hour solemn service, organizers will read a list of Derby and Shelton veterans who died between May 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024. Family members will receive a pin and a flower in honor of their loved one's service to our country.
Please read below for a list of Memorial Day events in your town:
- Orange: Sunday, March 26. Ceremony at 10:30 A.M. at the gazebo at High Plains Community Center followed by parade.
- Derby: Monday, May 27. Memorial Day Pancake breakfast
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- Shelton-Derby: Monday, May 27. Derby-Shelton Memorial Day Parade starts at 9:00 A.M. at Wharf Street and How Avenue in Shelton and finishing in Derby. CLICK HERE to learn more.
- Woodbridge: Monday, May 27. Ceremony at 11:00 A.M. in front of the Center Building at the Veterans of Foreign Wars monument. CLICK HERE to learn more.
- Hamden: Monday, May 27. Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony
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| Check out the events below, and click the button at the bottom of this section to access the community calendar. |
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| Stop by Derby Public Library for a book discussion and tea with author Lisa See. She will talk about her latest work, "Lady Tan's Circle of Women" on Thursday, May 30 at 1:00 P.M. |
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| Derby Neck Library is hosting an adults-only book reading of "Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith" by Jon Krakauer. The book club will meet on Thursday, May 30 at 6:30 P.M. |
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| Upcoming Events in Hamden |
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| Take a look at the fliers below to learn more about upcoming events. Make sure to click on the button at the bottom of this section. |
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| Stop into Brundage Community Library on Wednesday, May 29 from 12:30 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. and enjoy some musical performances from guitar students, rock painting with Eli's Garden of Healing, book giveaways, face-painting, temporary tattoos, crafts, a fire truck, a K-9 demonstration by the Hamden Police and a chance to enter to win a raffle! |
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| Check out the flier and community calendar in Orange below. |
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| Try out Ladies Night at The Pickle Spot on the Boston Post Road! The indoor pickle ball event will be held on Thursday, May 30 at 7:00 P.M. |
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| Upcoming Events in Woodbridge |
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| Check out the events below, and access the Woodbridge community calendar by clicking on the button at the bottom. |
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| The last Teen Advisory Board meeting is today at 3 P.M. at Woodbridge Town Library! There will be free pizza, so bring a friend and come hang out! |
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| The Massaro Community Farm is hosting a beekeeping workshop where you'll get to perform routine hive inspection and evaluate colony health during the 'honey flow' season. The event will take place on Saturday, May 25 at 9:00 A.M. |
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Check out a vibrant celebration of young talent at ART IN BLOOM: Southern CT Hebrew Academy 5th-8th Grade Girls Art Show in the Hoos Family Gallery!
Art On Display through May 29
Hoos Family Art Gallery, 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge
Step into the vibrant world of young artists as they unveil their artwork! From classical themes to modern expressions, witness 40 students' incredible journey with gouache and oil paint over six months. Click here to RSVP.
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