To assist with issues impacting individuals from "school age to advancing age," on Wednesday, Aug. 9, Branford residents from all walks of life can drop by "Branford Cares Connects." Free assistance, answers and information will be provided by a variety of service agency experts and community assistance organization representatives gathered under one roof.

The first "Branford Cares Connects" day takes place Wednesday, Aug. 9 at Trinity Church Parish Hall (Branford green), 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and kicks off the new, monthly drop-in program designed to connect people with services and information. Branford Cares Connects is geared to help Branford residents of all means, said Trinity Episcopal Church's The Reverand Sharon Gracen.

"We really want to stress the many different types of help that are available, not simply for those living in poverty, but for so many of life's challenges, from school age to advancing age. There's lots of help available, and we want to make it easier to find," said Gracen, who helped implement the program.

Branford Cares Connects will be held the second Wednesday of every month at Trinity's Parish Hall. Following the Aug. 9 kick-off, future dates for the program will be Sept. 13, Oct. 11 and Nov. 8.

The program runs under the umbrella of Branford Cares, a community volunteer initiative which Gracen established in 2012. Branford Cares came on the scene to encourage a community-wide response to help strengthen Branford's ability to provide for the needs of residents through social service and local non-profit assistance programs. Now, Branford Cares Connects gathers many of Branford's community experts together in one place, providing a, "...one-stop shopping place for people in town to get help and social services," said Gracen.

Since May, Gracen and a dedicated team of committee members representing several Branford agencies and organizations have been working to finalize and perfect plans for Branford Cares Connects. The idea has the support of First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove and similar efforts are already working elsewhere on the shoreline, said Gracen. She first learned of the concept from fellow clergy running a program out of Old Saybrook's Grace Episcopal Church.

"They put together a sort of clinic offering assistance, and put flyers around town, and 100 people showed up the first day," said Gracen. "My senior warden and I went out to experience it and see how it was working, and it just became clear to us that we could do this for the people of Branford."

To make it inviting and easy for Branford residents to participate, Branford Cares Connects requires no registration, fees or paperwork.  What it does provide, in abundance, is knowledgable assistance and guidance.

"A big piece of this is being there for people who don't know how to navigate the system," said Gracen, adding, "...this isn't just for people who are struggling financially. This is for anybody who needs to know, 'How do I find out what kind of help and resources are available in town?' This is the place where you can find out about all of the services that are out there to help you."

On Branford Cares Connects days, residents can walk in and connect with those who can begin the process of getting help for a variety of life's challenges. The August kick-off date also supplies some great timing to help families with kids take advantage of back-to-school assistance, Gracen noted.

"We wanted to get it going before school started, because if people need help in any way with back-to-school stuff for their kids, we can help with that," said Gracen. "But we're also looking at all of the situations in town that happen to people; like what help can you get if you have an elderly parent recently diagnosed with dementia?"

While the internet can offer answers to some questions, having an experienced hand available to narrow the search and point the way is something you can't find online, said Gracen.

"For some people, it's just best to have someone to talk to," she said.

Branford Cares Connects will have representatives with the resources to help Branford residents find services to assist with medical/healthcare, housing, transportation, early childhood development, elder care, behavioral health, education, job training, work, food, clothing and utilities. Participants will include Branford Counseling Center, Branford Early Childhood Collaborative, Branford Food Pantry/Feed Branford Kids, BHcare, BHcare Clothing Bank, Branford Family Resource Center, Branford Senior Center, Community Dining Room, ERACE, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Shoreline Elder Care Alliance, Trinity Church and VNA Community Healthcare.

"We're bringing in everything we can think of to make it accessible for people to know what kind of help is available, and what kind of resources there are, and how to connect with them," said Gracen.

Beginning August 9, Branford Cares Connects takes place the second Wednesday of each month, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Hall on the Branford Green (1109 East Main St.) For more information, email branfordcares@gmail.com