Like many of you, I was ready to usher in this new year of 2021. Many of our dreams and hopes and wishes for 2020 were dashed by a novel virus. Our patience and resilience became strained as we grew weary of the continued health and safety practices and protocols—masking, social distancing, forgoing our traditional ways of connecting with each other. I am aware of how many of you are disappointed at not being able to volunteer with us. We share that disappointment.

Even with all of the disappointments that 2020 brought—cancelled events, lack of volunteers on site, the ReStore closing for 3 months, not seeing colleagues in person—I am exceedingly hopeful about the things we have learned throughout that disappointment. Our construction team has a renewed sense of appreciation for the value and service our volunteers provide on the construction site. Family Services understands the value of face-to-face interaction with our families in a new way. Our connections with each other no matter how they happen have become more precious. And we all know the value of home in a deeper way.

I cannot predict when we will be able to fully reopen up sites, our office, and the ReStore to volunteers, but I am hopeful it will happen in 2021. I can say with absolute certainty it will be a joy to welcome all of you back.

Yours in partnership,

Dr. Cathy Collins

CEO

On Monday January 18^th 2021, Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County will host a virtual Celebration of Service, dedicated to the tremendous work of our Habitat CFC volunteers and to the eternal legacy of service to the community left behind by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Throughout 2020, the contribution of our volunteers continued to be a shining light throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers have stepped up in many ways, some very different than previous years, to make the year another testament to the tremendous community that surrounds us.

Join us for this interactive conversation between our Habitat CFC staff, special guest speakers, other volunteers, and you! The celebration will be hosted by Anthony Orfino, Habitat CFC Volunteer Services Coordinator.

Guest speakers including:

A special spoken word poetry performance by

Please email AOrfino@habitatcfc.org to register.

The year 2020 has been one of the toughest years on record for everyone and especially for the volunteer program here at Habitat CFC. When we were first shutting down in March, there was real concern as to how we would continue our work and to continue to engage volunteers with so many factors to think about that never came to mind in previous years. The safety of our staff and our volunteers was paramount so we had to put in protocols to achieve that goal.

Since it was not an option to have our normal large groups on site, the way volunteers signed up to volunteer changed drastically. Instead of using our online sign-up method, as we had been using for a few years now, we were forced to use a tried-and-true method of one-on-one scheduling, with the volunteers scheduling directly with our Volunteer Services Coordinator. This was to ensure that the safety protocols were followed and allowed for us to schedule and organize the work more effectively.

We were so blessed to find a strong crew of volunteers who were willing to work with us every week. We are so appreciative of those volunteers who took time away from their families and put themselves out into an unknown situation. Not only did they take these factors in stride, they flourished. The progress made on the homes has been a tremendous accomplishment given the situation this year.

It has been great to see our volunteers engage with us in non-traditional ways as well. From the great support and participation in our Virtual 5K from all of the Habitat community and our wonderful Women Build committee, to our Youth United group holding holiday decoration sales at the ReStore and helping us with a clean-up project at one of our older Habitat homes. We also want to recognize those on our Golf Tournament committee who were integral in making our 2020 Golf Tournament a tremendous success.

We want to thank all of the volunteers and those that have helped us during this very difficult time. We know that we have a great community of folks who are willing to help us in any way so we can fulfill our mission of getting deserving families into their own home. We will continue to work with all of you and we hope that 2021 gives us more of a chance to be together but we know that whatever what happens the Habitat CFC family is strong!

Sincerely,

Anthony Orfino

Habitat CFC Volunteer Services Coordinator

We closed out 2020 by celebrating with the three generations of women in Lisbeth's family who will make the beautiful, accessible Habitat house on Wessels Ave into a home!

Congratulations to soon-to-be homeowner Lisbeth and the whole family on this achievement. We know that having a home that meets the needs of everyone in your family will bring comfort and joy for decades to come.

Need a reason to smile? Watch the dedication! bit.ly/LisbethDedication

Please accept our gratitude to all of you who participated in strategic planning process.

We held focus groups, listening sessions and individual interviews with volunteers, donors, future and current homeowners, Board members, the senior management team, all individual departments, and community partners and members. Over 75 people participated. All of your insight and good ideas will help inform the strategic plan that the Board of Directors will be formulating over the next few months. It will reflect our best hopes for our future and the steps we need to take now to get there.

Still want your voice to be heard, please reach out to Chanttal Cabral at ccabral@habitatcfc.org to receive a set of questions that you can complete in writing.

Please know we always welcome your input. And we look forward to sharing the results of our strategic planning process with you in the near future.

Over the course of November and December, Habitat CFC in partnership with State Farm and Youth United held presentations on advocacy in a series for youth volunteers entitled Habitat CFC Advocacy 101: Using Your Voice to Affect Change. During the three presentations, our youth volunteers were guided through what advocacy is, the importance of advocating for affordable housing, and how they can put their knowledge into action to affect change.

The presentations were hosted by Director of Communications & Outreach Caitlin Dalton, CEO of Habitat CFC Cathy Collins, and Volunteer Services Coordinator Anthony Orfino. The presentations were both informative and interactive with guest speakers including some Youth United officers and Steve Boyle, a local State Farm agent and Habitat volunteer.

As a part of the advocacy series, Habitat CFC put out an advocacy challenge to those that attended. The challenge presented to the group was to create an action plan of how they would advocate for affordable housing, creating a draft letter to send to politicians and local leaders, and to reach out to local leaders via social media. The two winners of the contest will receive a spot at the virtual Habitat on the Hill conference going on February 9th – 11th.

In December, Habitat CFC lost a good friend and supporter, William F. (Bill) Wadsworth, Sr., who passed away after suffering a major stroke. Bill was the Founder and co-Founder of several successful local businesses as well the Wadsworth Family Foundation. We are truly saddened by his passing.

Bill, along with his wife Sandra, have supported Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Connecticut and Florida for more than fifteen years. They have been instrumental in helping fund our Granfield Avenue neighborhood. They supported the Bauer Match in 2018 by sponsoring a home and in 2019, Bill and Sandra’s children (Bill Wadsworth, Jr., Beth Wadsworth Crew, Kathy Wadsworth Kmietek and Kim Wadsworth Ruidiaz) each became a sponsor of their own Granfield Avenue house.

For Bill, interaction with Habitat families did not end at the home dedication ceremonies. While in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bill was concerned about the homeowners that his family has supported over the years, so he got on his motorcycle and road to each Habitat home. He wanted to check in with the families and see if they needed any help or support during this difficult time. He was happy to find out that they were all doing fine and did not need any assistance. After learning this, he was further convinced that the Habitat model of sweat equity and education makes a family strong and ready to handle difficult situations that come their way.

In 2021, we are happy that Sandra and the Wadsworth children will be able to participate in our Granfield Avenue home dedications. And in Bill’s memory, we look forward to working with the Wadsworths to help more Habitat families become successful homeowners.

If you love the Stratford ReStore, make sure you are following us on social media. Be the first to know when something special hits the floor, keep up with the latest sales, and stay in the loop on Habitat happenings!

1785 Stratford Ave, Stratford, CT | (203) 383-4358 | donate@restorecfc.org

Open for Shopping: Wednesday through Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM

Donation Drop-off Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM

Looking at the year ahead, even in these unpredictable times, we remain committed to plan and host fundraising events bringing our community together socially while focusing on our mission whether it is virtual - or hopefully in the future - safely in person. 

Please stay tuned for potential events during International Women Build week in March, our annual Gala in April, She Nailed it! in May, Habitat CFC Picnic in July, Golf at the Country Club of Fairfield in September and our annual 5K in October, and the Gourmet Tasting in the fall. We may even have a few new events up our sleeves throughout the year! 

While these events may not look the same as in the past years, our focus and goals remain consistent with our mission to support local families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership.

To join an event committee, please reach out to Suzanne Francis, Events Coordinator at sfrancis@habitatcfc.org or 203-520-7690