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It Takes a Village

Have you ever heard the expression, “It takes a village”?

I’d like for you to imagine for a moment and have you think back to when you were in your early 30s or when you first started your family and ask yourselves, Who made up your village? Who was there to help financially? Maybe it was a loan for a car or a down payment? When you had questions, who did you turn to for advice?

Now, imagine that your family has fallen on hard times financially, and you need help to feed your family. Or perhaps in order to protect your young children, you felt that you had to leave your war-torn country, so you immigrated to a country that you know very little about. You bring with you only what you can carry, you know no one, you have no job, and you don’t speak the language. When you arrive, you’d certainly be without a village, wouldn’t you agree?

Well, I have known families that needed help in order to feed their children, and I also know of a young family who migrated to the United States from Ukraine, in particular Old Saybrook, nine months ago with the help of a non-profit called The Colossus Project, www.thecolossusproject.org, which was founded earlier this year by Lois Caldrello, Harbor News’ Sept. 28 Person of the Week.

As a long-time resident of Old Saybrook, I know that there are a number of families struggling in our community, so my ask is very simple: Be kind to all those around you and to help out financially if you are able. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help the Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries or to a bonafide non-profit organization like The Colossus Project.

Jim Canavan

Old Saybrook