1999 Hartford Grant Recipients

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Model Public Participation Plan
$10,000

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection initiated this project to evaluate the state's current public notification and participation process and make recommendations for future program, policies, and potential regulatory changes. Tasks include hiring a technical assistance provider, soliciting and selecting community participants, developing a technical assistance team within DEP, conducting workshops to train community grantees with regard to CTDEP, creating a document presenting findings, and developing a small scale model to implement findings.

Measures of Success: Coordination with community groups to evaluate current Agency programs; final report presenting findings and recommendations.

Project Partners: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection

Contact: Kim Trella, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106 Tel: (860) 424-3234

Connecticut Voices for Children
Building Parent Power Community Education and Action Project
$15,000

Connecticut Voices for Children, Inc. a parent-led advocacy and action organization, will develop training and education materials to help parents become better informed about the environmental issues facing Hartford residents and how to address those issues. This effort will include consultation and technical assistance from residents of other cities who have successfully addressed similar environmental issues, a series of educational sessions in English and Spanish focusing on the environmental issues in Hartford held in central locations throughout the city, and a full-day workshop to develop strategies for action and a written action plan for the City. This plan will be implemented in collaboration with the many already established community partners to address the most pressing community environmental issues.

Measures of Success: Development and implementation of eight education and awareness sessions on Hartford's environmental issues; networking and learning from activists in other cities; final workshop to produce organizing strategies; development of a citywide "Action Plan" to address environmental health concerns.

Project Partners: Hartford Environmental Justice Network, Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health, Citizen's for Connecticut's Children and Youth, Northend Seniors in Action

Contact: Patricia Wrice, Building Parent Power, 2 Hartford Square West, Suite 100, Hartford CT 06106 Tel: (860) 527-6569

Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc.
Urban Green Space Revitalization Project – South Branch of Park River
$20,000

The Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area program was created to assist local citizens in developing and carrying out action plans for the social, economic, and environmental betterment of their communities. The goal of the project is to restore, maintain, and enhance the ecological integrity and social viability of the South Branch of the Park River Watershed in the Behind the Rock neighborhood. This revitalization project will improve the environment of the Behind the Rock neighborhood by converting an overgrown dumping area into an open space for public use by removal of trash and undesirable species. The park will be landscaped and seeded with benches and flower pots. The area will be converted into a public park with the installation of walking trails and bikeways for the community.

Measures of Success: Decrease in illegal dumping; decrease in trash; increase of positive community use (e.g. biking and walkways); community groups will serve as watchdogs to report infractions and to coordinate sustainable clean-ups of the area; increase in cleanliness of the river environment.

Project Partners: Warburton Community Church, Trinity College, NRCS, HART, Hartford Food System, Hartford Housing Authority; Knox Park Foundation, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection

Contact: Moses Taylor, Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development Area, 4 Hyde Ave, Vernon, CT 06066 Tel: (860) 870-4942 x 105 Fax: (860) 870-4730

Hartford Health Department
Community Environmental Outreach
$27,500

The Hartford Health Department will expand its capacity to work collaboratively with Hartford's communities in addressing environmental health issues with the establishment of a Community Environmental Outreach position within the Environmental Health Division. The outreach coordinator will interface with the community on a variety of environmental and health issues, and work with the community to reduce exposure to environmental hazards such as pollution, lead, trash, rodents, and vacant lots. The creation of this position will enhance the health department's ability to provide clear and accurate environmental health information to the people of Hartford.

Measures of Success: Creation of an environmental health mailing list; development of educational materials on priority environmental health issues; distribution of fact sheets; coordination of monthly environmental issue forums; outreach at community events.

Project Partners: Hispanic Health Council, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System

Contact: P. Bryon Backenson, Hartford Health Department, 131 Coventry Street, Hartford, CT 06112 Tel: (860) 543-8817 E-mail: pbryon@juno.com

Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford Regional Lead Treatment Center
Healthy Homes: Asthma and Lead Safe
$15,00

The Hartford Regional Lead Treatment Center (HRTLC) provides comprehensive treatment, education, temporary lead safe housing, and housing relocation to regional children with lead poisoning and their families. This project extended the Center's Lead Safe Home program into a Healthy Home Program to serve children with severe asthma as well as lead poisoned children. Community outreach staff conducted home assessments and home-based education on environmental triggers and reducing allergens, focusing on families referred by the Connecticut Children's Medical Center Easy Breathing Program. Families that needed to relocate due to allergens within their homes were assisted in finding allergen free housing. Five temporary housing units in the Lead Safe Home were made available for families during the process of securing permanent housing.

Measures of Success: Education provided to 60 families in the Hartford area that have children with severe asthma; relocation of families referred by the Easy Breathing program to healthy homes; reduction in hospitalizations and emergency room visits for treatment of pediatric asthma; documentation of the extent to which "Healthy Homes" contribute to controlling asthma for referred children.

Project Partners: Connecticut Children's Medical Cente, Saint Francis Pediatric Clinic, Connecticut Citizen's Research Group, Hispanic Health Council

Contact: Lisa Menillo, M.D., Hartford Regional Lead Treatment Center at Saint Francis Hospital, 114 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT 06105 Tel: (860) 714-5316