Business and Organization Updates

• Nancy L. Carrington, president and CEO of Connecticut Food Bank, retired at the end of 2014. Rob Levine succeeded her.

• Anthony Vaspasiano was promoted to detective for the Fairfield Police Department.

Awards, Grants, and Recognition

• East Haven native Kathleen Brody, an attorney in the Phoenix law firm of Osborn Maledon, P.A., has been selected president of the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, a statewide not-for-profit organization of criminal-defense lawyers, law students, and associated professionals dedicated to protecting the rights of the criminally accused and promoting excellence in the practice of criminal law.

• The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s $10,000 grant to the Agency on Aging will support its AARP Experience Corps intergenerational literacy program. Experience Corps is an AmeriCorps program, a member of the National Service Network. AARP Experience Corps – Greater New Haven has been providing intergenerational literacy tutoring since 2007. Serving in Hamden and New Haven schools and New Haven Reads after-school site, Experience Corps’ older adult volunteers help young students who are struggling to learn to read. Experience Corps volunteers also promote literacy in the community by giving out gently used children’s books at community events.

• The Hagaman Memorial Library’s Hagaman Teen Advisory Group (HTAG), a community service club for teens, is one of 15 groups from across the country selected by the Young Adult Library Services Association to participate in the Teens’ Top Ten. This national book list features books nominated by the 15 groups. Local teens can read new books before they hit shelves, and potentially influence the Young Adult Library Services Association and book publishers. They will receive 1,200 to 2,400 free books from participating publishers over the two-year term. The group is advised by Sarah Mallory, Hagaman’s new Young Adult Librarian. Teens interested in joining the HTAG should call the library at 203-468-3890 and ask for Miss Sarah.

• Super Wash Laundry owner Chris Balestracci recently presented BHcare president/CEO Roberta Cook with $500 in laundry gift cards for BHcare clients. BHcare provides comprehensive behavioral health services for more than 1,300 shoreline residents each year. Super Wash Laundry is located at 606 Main Street in East Haven.

• Connecticut Food Bank is the recipient of a $20,000 grant from The Unilever United States Foundation to enhance the food bank’s ability to respond to the growing number of food-insecure households in Connecticut. The grant is part of a $200,000 grant that Unilever made to help support Feeding America and the network food banks based in communities where the company operates. A total of 18 grants were made to members of the Feeding America network to help provide food to those in need in their local communities.