July 2019
Henasi Calderon with her newborn son, Kaleb, at Nehemiah House.
A Home That's Saving Lives
Not long ago, Henasi Calderon wasn’t sure how she would face another day. Alone and sleeping in a train station, she didn’t know how she would be able to care for the baby she was carrying.

“I wasn’t ready,” she shared. “I was homeless and dealing with a lot. I wasn’t stable at all. All I kept thinking was how was I going to do this?”

Faced with pressure to abort her baby, Calderon applied for housing and tried her best to take steps toward regaining stability in her life. She enrolled in Job Corps and continued with the pregnancy, still unsure if she would place her baby for adoption or choose to parent.

After visiting a clinic when she was 15 weeks pregnant, her journey took a turn.

“What had happened wasn’t my baby’s fault,” she explained. “I had seen the ultrasound and I thought, I can’t give this baby up.”

At her appointment, she was given information about housing options, including Nehemiah House, a crisis pregnancy home in rural North Granby, Connecticut that provides a path to permanency for young women who are facing unplanned pregnancies.

“They told me about Nehemiah House,” said Calderon. “I called every other house on the list and they all shut me down because they had waiting lists. It was difficult to find a place.”

Soon after, she was welcomed with open arms by Sherry and Steve Danalis, founders of Families United Serving and Embracing (F.U.S.E.) , the non-profit organization that established and operates Nehemiah House.

“Women quickly find out that the places on the list they are given are mostly shelters and they don’t take pregnant women,” explained Sherry. “We have learned that we’re the only maternity home in New England...
featured news
We're Hiring!

Do you speak the language of video storytelling? Are you proficient with producing podcasts? Can you craft Constant Contacts in your sleep?

If so, we'd love to have you on our team! We're now accepting applications for a part-time Digital Communications Associate.
UA Network Prayer Gathering Scheduled for September
Join us for a prayer gathering for program and senior leaders in the UA network on September 19 from 9:30-11:00am at Urban Alliance .

The gathering will provide leaders with an opportunity to pray for one another, their programs and the community.
network news
Gathering and Training Recaps
What are the important characteristics of an effective program culture? How can program leaders develop a strength-based perspective? These are some of the questions that 25 program leaders from 21 churches and organizations explored, as they learned strategies to empower the people they serve, at the most recent Beyond the Basics learning community meeting on June 27 at Urban Alliance.

A grant application for enhancing program culture, which helps support programs in implementing the strategies and principles learned at the meeting, was also shared.

At the Charis learning community meeting on July 18, 20 people from 17 churches and organizations explored how to create safe spaces for healing. Participants had the opportunity to select from items provided by Urban Alliance to help enhance their program space, including wall art, plants and other décor items. Programs also may apply for Urban Alliance grant support to further enhance their program culture and support relationship building.
Save the Date for The Summit!
Are you ready to take action? 

If you are, then save the date and join dozens of ministry and program leaders at this year's Children and Youth Leaders' Summit, offered through Urban Alliance's Next Generation initiative.

Learn how to more effectively empower the NOW generation to take action and impact their world! 

Join us on Saturday, October 19, 9:30am-4:00pm, location in Greater Hartford TBD.
donor news
Every Bite Makes a Difference
During Get Stuffed for Good, Blue Plate Kitchen will donate 20% of your bill to  Beyond the Basics .

That means you’ll be strengthening
basic needs programs in Greater Hartford that help  thousands  of people who are lacking food, clothing or housing meet their basic needs and gain greater stability in their lives.

Now, isn't that delicious?

Monday, August 12, 2019
(rain date Tuesday, August 13)
4:00 - 9:00pm
345 North Main Street
West Hartford, CT 06117

Paint for a Cause!
Join UAGive donor Julie DeLucca-Collins on a very special—and art-filled—evening at MUSE Paintbar ! 40% of all sales from this event will support Urban Alliance's mission to create opportunities for people to experience lasting change in their lives.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019
7:00-9:00pm (food available at 6:30pm)
MUSE Paintbar
140 Glastonbury Boulevard
Glastonbury, CT 06033


"There are so many organizations in our community that are doing great work. I love how UA builds capacity with these organizations and helps them impact the lives of the people they serve.”

—Julie DeLucca-Collins
volunteer news
Churches Mobilizing to Serve
On July 14, UA visited  Legacy Church  to share about opportunities to get involved with UAServe , Urban Alliance's volunteer program that helps strengthen community programs run by churches and organizations in the UA network by matching volunteers to serve.

Interested in learning more about how your church can mobilize volunteers to make an impact? Contact Rosa McGuire , UA's Volunteer Manager, by clicking the button below.
Reminder: Upcoming UAServe Host Site Leader Meeting
UAServe Host Site Leaders, save the date for our next host site leader meeting!

Wednesday, August 14
3:00-4:00pm
62 Village Street, East Hartford, CT 06108

This meeting is mandatory for all UAServe host site leaders.

Please RSVP by clicking the button below.