EMPOWERING CHILDREN, ADULTS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL THE NEWSLETTER OF FAMILY CENTERS | SUMMER 2011CenterPiece

Board member Julie Graham and Self-Sufficiency Program CoordinatorMarisol Rivera were recognized as“Family Champions” by the Connecti-cut Council of Family Service Agencies(CCFSA) for their outstanding commit-ment to improving the lives of families.

Since joining the Family Centers Boardof Directors in 2000, Julie has displayedan unfailing dedication to the childrenand families of lower Fairfield County.In addition to serving on the agency’sFamilies in Crisis committee, she hasco-chaired three major benefit events.Julie is also an advocate for volun-teerism, and has encouraged her sonand other family members to donatetheir time and talent to others in need.

Marisol has worked at Family Centersfor nine years. As the agency’s Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinator, shehas helped to improve the lives ofhundreds of families and seniors livingin lower Fairfield County. Through theReaching Independence ThroughEmployment (RITE) program, Marisolhas given low-income families thevocational training, career counselingand life skills support they need tolead more independent lives. She alsofacilitates Healthy Hearts, a nutritionand cardiovascular education programgeared toward families living in publichousing complexes.

Marisol Rivera (left) and Julie Graham

GRAHAM, RIVERA NAMED“FAMILY CHAMPIONS”

Crane Co. Helps Prepare FamilyCenters’ Clients for the Working World

Top left: (l-r) RITE client JeffreyTelesco of Stamford, RITE clientEugene Ceriello of Stamford,RITE client Barbara Kossakowskaof Stamford, Crane Co. President& CEO Eric Fast, RITE clientVeronica Ubaldo of Norwalk andRITE client Oscar Leiva ofGreenwich. Top right: RITE clientOscar Leiva (right) learns theropes from Crane Co. employeeMark Kirves. Bottom: RITE clientJeffrey Telesco participates in amock interview with Crane Co.employee Victoria Garcia.

Employees at Crane Co. recently gave five clients enrolled in the ReachingIndependence Through Employment (RITE) program valuable insight and

helped strengthen the skills they need to land a job and succeed in the businessworld.

As part of the third annual Job Readiness Day, RITE program clients toured theCrane Co. headquarters in Stamford, met with top executives and participatedin resume evaluation, mock interview and job shadowing exercises with morethan 50 Crane employees.

Since 2008, Crane Co. has helped the RITE program realize the self-sufficiencygoals of low-income individuals and families. Through a grant from “The CraneFund for Widows and Children”, Family Centers was able to bring the RITEprogram back to Stamford after a five year hiatus. The Job Readiness Day isjust another example of how Crane Co. is working with Family Centers tostrengthen the community.

2 W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

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When best-selling author Lee Woodruff learnedthat her husband, former ABC Nightly News

anchor Bob Woodruff, was seriously injured by aroadside bomb while on assignment in Iraq, she was inthe middle of a Disney World vacation with her fourchildren.

And while she managed to put on a brave face forthe sake of her children, it was the support shereceived from friends and family that helped herthrough one of the most trying times of her life.In her remarks at the Center for HOPE SpringLuncheon on June 6 at the Country Club ofDarien, Woodruff talked about how she kepther family together throughout Bob’s long andpainful recovery. She also stressed the impor-tance of programs like the Center for HOPEand The Den for Grieving Kids.

“In any life-altering event, support is necessary,” shetold the audience of more than 250. “If you haven’t been to the Center forHOPE yet, you’re lucky. But chances are, you probably have known or sup-ported someone who has. That’s what programs like this are all about.”

The Luncheon, chaired by Jan Dilenschneider, raised more than $125,000 forthe Center for HOPE and The Den for Grieving Kids – Family Centers’ criticalillness and bereavement support programs.

Center for HOPE Luncheon Sponsors were: The Windmill Foundation,The Hillenbrand Family Foundation, Wells Fargo, M. Bonnie Axthelm FamilyFoundation, Marge & Bill Berkley, Jan & Bob Dilenschneider, Wendy &Richard Hokin, Mitchells of Westport – Richards of Greenwich, MysticAquarium and Exploration Center, Ring's End Lumber, TurningPointFoundation, Terri & Chris Walker and Joan Melber Warburg.

Photos (clockwise from top left): Nancy Axthelm and Lee Woodruff, Joan Warburg and Helen O’Malley,Cathy Malloy and Jan Dilenschneider, Laurie Host, Pam Caffray, Laurie Grauer and Paula Liang, LeeWoodruff and Bob Arnold. Photos courtesy of Elaine Ubina.

Best-Selling Author Lee Woodruff StressesImportance of Support at CFH Luncheon

3W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

More than 300 members of the area’s business community packed the GrandBallroom at the Stamford Plaza Hotel on April 12 to hear former Federal

Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker discuss the global economy.

Volcker’s keynote, which was the highlight of Family Centers’ BusinessBreakfast, focused on the breakdown and future role of U.S. banks, the massivegovernment bailouts and the emerging economic strength of China and otherEastern countries. Volcker was introduced by Robert Steel, Deputy Mayor forEconomic Development for The City of New York and former President & CEOof Wachovia.

The event raised $90,000 for Family Centers’ programs that serve families in crisis.

Many thanks to our sponsors: Connecticut Community Bank; Laurie & PeterGrauer; The Dilenschneider Group; Leigh & Ben Carpenter; Hearst MediaServices; Patricia & Eric Fast; Legacy Ventures Partners, LLC; Douglas Lane &Associates, Inc.; Maywood Advisors, LLC; The Ashforth Company; Wells Fargo;Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, New Canaan Private Wealth Group; Mary& Garrett Moran; Whitman, Breed, Abbott & Morgan; Peter Orthwein;Deloitte; Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney and Cutler & Andrews Financial Groupof Wells Fargo Advisors.

Former Fed Chair Paul Volcker ShedsInsight on Economy at Business Breakfast

(l-r) Event Co-Chair Jan Dilenschneider, StamfordMayor Michael Pavia, Paul Volcker and FamilyCenters’ President Bob Arnold

(l-r) Kevin Walsh, Doug Brown,Mike McKeever and John Shaban

Family Centers Board Chairman LaurieHost (right) and Robert SteelPaul Volcker FAMILY CENTERS

CREATES VOCATIONALSUPPORT GROUPS

For the nine percent of Connecti-

cut’s population that is out of work,

finding a way to stand out amongst

other job seekers could be the key

to securing employment.

To help jump start local residents’

job searches, the Family Centers’

Reaching Independence Through

Employment (RITE) program now

offers two new vocational guidance

groups.

Facilitated by a career counselor,

the RITE Job Search Club will pro-

vide participants with helpful hints

designed to improve their chances

of finding a job. The RITE Resume

Writing Club is intended to help

young professionals or those just

entering the workforce create a

resume that gets noticed by

employers. Also facilitated by a

career counselor, the group will

discuss the elements every resume

needs and common pitfalls many

job seekers fall into.

Both clubs are held weekly and are

open to the public at no cost. For

more information, contact Myriam

Zelada at 203-324-3167 or

mzelada@familycenters.org.

PhotoscourtesyofElaineUbina.

4 W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

Family Centers Takes Guests DownFamily Centers Takes Guests Down

With the Generous Support of Our Event Sponsors and

Contributors, Family Centers Raised more than $520,000

SilkAnne & Jack BallMarge & Bill BerkleyLaurie & Peter GrauerArlene & Reuben MarkValerie & Mike McKeeverTurningPoint FoundationJoan WarburgLois & Greg Willis

RubyLeigh & Ben CarpenterTerri & Chris WalkerDebby & Peter WeinbergSue Ann Weinberg

JadeMary & Marvin DavidsonPatti & Eric FastWendy & Richard HokinAlice & Chris HolbrookMary & Garrett MoranNonie & John SullivanRosemarie & Gary Wendt

LapisAbby & Tom BowersChristina & John HornerSonia & Paul JonesRachel & Alexander McAreeBarbara NetterThe Overbrook FoundationLindsay & Arthur ReimersSerendipityEdith & Roy SimpsonThompson ReutersKathleen & Ken TropinCathy & Randy WeisenburgerLynne WheatSusan & Cliff Yonce

CarnelianJan & Bob DilenschneiderCory & Bob DonnalleyStephanie & John HortonJeanne & Stig HostLaurie & George HostMary & Thomas McGowanSharon & Barnet PhillipsBarbara & John RobinsonCindy & John SitesLouise & Henrik Vanderlip

OnyxAnonymousBob ArnoldEllen & Alan BreedPat & Gil CaffrayNancy & Jock CoffinFactSet Research Systems, Inc.Rosemary & Carlos FerrerHyacinthe HoffmanMuffy & Don MillerJane & Paul ShangWendy & Peter Wright

SaffronSuzanne & Lex AaronsonAnonymousFabiola & Andrew ArredondoBrooke & Tom AshforthJane & Mike BashamSerena & David BechtelAllison & Avery BourkeDeenie & Frank BrosensBridget & Stafford BucknallNancy & Martin CannonMary & Michael CarpenterTracy & Philip ChadwellGay & JT CoeMeg & Bradley CritchellHolli & John CuttingLucy & Mike DanzigerGinny & Sean DayLucy & Nat DaySusan Dederick & Dan DenehyDiana & Lyman DelanoHelen & Bruce DixonKristin & Mike Duda

Whitney & Park DuncanNancy & Frank FazzingaMuffie & Desmond FitzGeraldIcy & Scott FrantzElizabeth GaltCatherine & Charles GatesKara & Michael GerardiAnne & Carl GoodnowAnne GreenJessica & Drew GuffAnne & Bill HarrisonMelinda & Tom HassenLisa & David HenkelSusan & Peter HinrichsSophie Bosch de Hood &William Hood

Bess & George HubbardHeather & Wayne JervisKimberly & Chris JohnsonEllen & Bob KaufmannJackie & John KeeshanSherrill & Brett KellamBim & Don KendallNisa LeeK.K. & George LowtherKristina & Frank LoverroTia & Michael MahaffyCaroline & Gregory MartinezMaryAnne & John McGowanPatricia & Edward McLaughlinMarsha & Ken MifflinElena & Jonathan MofflyMimi & John Henry MoultonEarl NemserBeverly & Peter OrthweinNell & John OttoKim & Peter ParentJill & Kevin PlancherAngie & Kurt PolkValantina & Nicholas ProutyLynn & George ReillyMary Jo & Bill RiddleDeborah & Perry RobinsonLiz & John RoddyLeslee & David Rogath

Jeannie & Jeff RoseJen & Martin SeidelSuzanne & Timothy SennattVictoria & Spyros SkourasCynthia Vanneck & Richard SmithLynda & Curt SolsvigBarrie & Nick SomersBonnie & Tom StraussMimi & Marc TabahLinda & Thomas TaylorMonique & Jean Paul TisseyreVictoria & Mike TriplettSuni UngerSamuel WalkerCandee WeedNancy & Scott WilliamsSandra WilsonJulie & Trevor WoodsPamela & Thomas WorkmanLizora & Sam YonceChrissy & Michael Zimmerman

TraderAnonymous (2)Nancy & Allan BernardGinny & Bill CaragolAnn Garner CrollCarole & Art EliasMark FazekasHands on Pottery, LLCMelissa HawksNancy Kail & Marcos RodriguezBeth & Jonathan KernShelly & Tony MalkinIrene MartinBrooke MegrueCarolyn & Jim McArdleNicole & Thomas MillerKatharine & Kenneth MountcastleChristine & Averardo PascarellaBetsy & Jim PerryLinda & Rony SchlapferDee Dee & Rob ShermanElisabeth & George TaylorKaren & Gene WilderAndrea Zacher

5W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

the Silk Road for Annual Benefitthe Silk Road for Annual Benefit

Logan Yonce, Allison Bourke, Dwight Cobb

Katha Warren and David Sussman

Jack & Anne Ball Sam & Lizora Yonce Ken & Marsha Mifflin

Chris & Alice Holbrook

Karen Keegan

Susan & Cliff Yonce

Barbara Netter and Bob Arnold

Peter Mark, Elizabeth Needham,Arlene Mark

Mimi & John Henry MoultonGeorge, Jeanne, Paige, Stig & Brooks Host

Photos

courtesy

ofElaine

Ubina

6 W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

Family Centers Takes Guests DownFamily Centers Takes Guests Down

Mike McKeever, Valeria McKeever, Doug Brown

William Mitchell and Linda Clarkson Louise & Henrik Vanderlip

Deb & Perry Robinson

Fabiola Rolfe, John Horton and Sophie HoodLois & Greg Willis

Margot Brody and Suni Unger Lynn & George Reilly Chris & Terri WalkerThomas Peterffy, MaryAnne &John McGowan

Bob & Gillian Steel, Lindsay &Arthur Reimers

Family Centers’ Board of Directors

7W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

the Silk Road for Annual Benefitthe Silk Road for Annual Benefit

Ben & Leigh CarpenterGary Wendt, Jan Dilenschneider, Gov. Dannell Malloy andBob Dilenschneider

Valantina Prouty, Lynne Wheat and Beverly Orthwein

Belly Dancer and David Van Dyke

George & Laurie Host

Jane Gosden, Laurie Grauer and Julie Graham

Kevin & Kathy WalshGeorge Walker & Marta PhillipsPam Caffray, KK Lowther and Bridget Bucknall

Mimi & Marc Tabah

Wayne & Heather Jervis

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS, VISIT

www.fairfieldcountylook.com

8 W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

After 13 years of survivingon assistance from

various community housingresources, Nancy Williamsonwas abruptly told her bene-fits had been exhausted andshe needed to leave her home.At 48-years-old, Nancy’s lifewas completely turnedupside down. Because of along history of mental ill-ness, Nancy wasn’t able to

work and had very little money saved. Now, she was onthe verge of homelessness.

While at Norwalk Hospital for a routine exam, sheexplained her situation to a staffer. The hospital employeeremembered hearing about a program offered by FamilyCenters that seeks out affordable housing for people liv-ing with a prolonged mental illness. After looking into itfurther, Nancy was referred to the Housing ResourceProgram.

Soon, the search was on to find Nancy’s new home.Knowing how comfortable Nancy was in her home ofmore than a decade, the Housing Resource Program stafftried to find a different apartment in the same complex.

FACES OF FAMILY CENTERS NancyWilliamson

As luck would have it, a room was available for rent justa few units away. To make the transition as seamless aspossible, the Housing Resource Program negotiated alower monthly rent and gave Nancy a small no-interestloan to cover the room’s security deposit.

But getting settled wasn’t such a simple process, aspersonality conflicts quickly created hostility betweenNancy and her new roommate. Despite multiple effortsto mediate the two roommates’ disagreements and find away for them to live harmoniously, the Housing ResourceProgram decided it would be best if Nancy live on herown.

Now that Nancy’s life is more stable than it’s been inyears, she’s optimistic about the future. Being so close tohomelessness, Nancy says she enjoys doing the typicalhousehold chores most people take for granted. Andwhile Nancy is living a mostly independent lifestylethese days, the Housing Resource Program still lends ahand with day-to-day issues like minor repairs, gettingutilities like cable and telephone connected and movingfurniture. “It’s nice to know that Family Centers is only aphone call away, “she said. “They’ve done so much topick me up when I was at my lowest point. Aside fromsaving me from homelessness, Family Centers gave memy dignity back.”

Family Centers teamed with Stamford Hospital to give women easy

access to the mammogram screenings needed to ensure breast health.

On April 7, Family Centers and the Center for HOPE hosted Stamford

Hospital’s Mobile Wellness Center in Darien.

Of the nearly 210,000 new cases of breast cancer in 2010, one-third were

diagnosed in the later stages. According to the American Cancer

Association, regular mammograms and self checks are the best way to

detect breast cancer at its onset. By utilizing the latest in digital technol-

ogy, Stamford Hospital’s Mobile Wellness Center promotes early detec-

tion practices for breast cancer and osteoporosis.

Photo right: Family Centers’ Director of Professional Services for Darien and New Canaan

Thomas Miller (left) and the Stamford Hospital Mobile Wellness Center staff

FAMILY CENTERS DELIVERS MAMMOGRAM SCREENINGS TO COMMUNITY

9W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

The New Canaan Community Foundation (NCCF) recently awarded FamilyCenters with $20,000 to keep area seniors connected to their communitiesand help families coping with adversity find successful resolutions.The grant will fund Family Centers programs under the Healthy Agingand Families in Crisis Centers of Excellence.

Additionally, NCCF’s Young Philanthropists Fund provided the YoungParents Program with a $500 grant to provide education services andsupport to teen parents living in Stamford. The Young PhilanthropistsFund is overseen by a steering committee of high schoolers interested infundraising, nonprofit work and community leadership.

New Canaan Community FoundationOffers Support

Photo left: Family Centers’ Grant Manager Candice Alvarado (left) and Cynthia Gorey, ExecutiveDirector of the New Canaan Community Foundation.

Family Centers partnered with Charter Oak Communitiesto host Stamford’s first ever East Side Father’s Day

Celebration at Lawn Hill Terrace. The event was part of anationwide initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development (HUD), in which fathers,uncles and other men were celebrated for being role mod-els for children and young adults.

More than 100 people attended and enjoyed a community-wide barbecue catered by Garden Catering. Attendees alsotook part in pick-up baseball games and decorated T-shirtsdepicting the importance of fatherhood and thriving families.

Family Centers and Charter OakCommunities Celebrate Fathers

In celebration of Older Americans Month, Family Centers held

a Healthy Aging Expo on May 17 to showcase its programs

serving residents over the age of 50.

Through interactive presentations and hands-on demonstra-

tions, attendees learned about the many ways Family Centers

is helping older adults stay active, healthy and connected to

their communities. Representatives from the Friendly

Connections, Healthy Hearts, Senior Health Insurance

Program (SHIP) and Counseling and Support programs

were on hand to explain their services and answer questions.

FAMILY CENTERS HOSTS HEALTHY AGING EXPO

Left: Families decorate T-shirts during the East SideFather’s Day Celebration.Right: Family Centers’Self-Sufficiency andIndependent Living Team

10 W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

Thanks to an $8,000 grant from the Red RibbonFoundation, Stamford CARES has launched

a new early intervention initiative to educate thepublic about HIV/AIDS and provide those who might beinfected the services needed to detect and manage the virus.

Called Project Good S.T.A.R.T. (Screen, Test, Access, Refer,and Treat), this new program will act as the bridge betweenHIV Prevention and HIV Care. Its goal is to inform unawareindividuals of their HIV status through routine testing andlink those who are HIV positive to immediate care.Stamford CARES medical case managers will also offerhealth education and necessary supports to at-riskindividuals, including mental health and substance abusetreatment. Project Good S.T.A.R.T. will also ensure that allHIV-positive individuals have access to treatment optionsindicated by a medical provider.

Red Ribbon Foundation HelpsStamford CARES LaunchProject Good S.T.A.R.T.

(l-r) Stamford CARES Medical Case Manager Lauren Tierney, Red RibbonFoundation Executive Director Nicole Hazard and Dennis Torres, Family Centers’Director of Healthcare Services.

Together with Second Congregational Church of Greenwich,Greenwich Social Services and Mothers for Others, Family

Centers recently spearheaded a children’s donation drive to

assist families in need.

Throughout the month of May, Mothers for Others, a Greenwich-

based nonprofit dedicated to giving less fortunate families the

basic goods needed to raise their kids, collected hundreds of toys,

strollers and baby clothing.

The drive culminated with a massive tagless tag sale, where

dozens of families – many of whom are involved with the

Nurturing Families Network and Young Parents Program –

browsed the donations and take home the items they needed.

Photo right: Family Centers Volunteer Manager Jennifer Flatow and Karen Giannuzziof Mothers for Others show off some of the donations they collected.

Local OrganizationsCollect Children’s Itemsfor Needy Families

11W W W . F A M I L Y C E N T E R S . O R G

~ IN HONOR OF ~

Marge & Bill BerkleyAnonymous

Jan DilenschneiderPamela & Thomas Workman

Susan & Shel EvansJune & Paul Rossetti

Laurie GrauerNell Wall Otto & John F. Otto, Jr.

Laurie HostJeanne HostPaula Liang

Marcel ItinHelen O’Malley

Kip KoonsGarMark Advisors, LLC

Micki LinenBrigitte Spiro

Arlene MarkMary & Michael Carpenter

Michael McKeeverMatt Bernard

Louis F. RosenfeldVona & James Bach

~ IN MEMORY OF ~

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SENIOR ADVISORS

Officers • Laurie Host, Chairman • Laurie Grauer, Vice Chairman • Patti Fast, Vice Chairman • Michael McKeever,Treasurer • Kevin Walsh, Assistant Treasurer • Allison Bourke, Secretary • Alice Holbrook, Assistant Secretary •Bob Arnold, President & CEO

Directors • Tom Ashforth • Will Ault • Anne Ball • Marge Berkley • Abby Bowers • Ellen Bromley • Doug Brown• Molly Byrne • Pam Caffray • David Campbell • Leigh Carpenter • Jan Dilenschneider • Helen Dixon • Cory Donnalley• Carl Goodnow • Julie Graham • Richard Hokin • John Horton, Jr. • Seeley Hubbard • Kip Koons • Johnnie Lee • ArleneMark • Charlotte Minor • Mary Moran • George Reilly • Lindsay Reimers • Nonie Sullivan • Mimi Tabah • Kathleen Tropin• David Tuttle • David Van Dyke • Terri Walker • Joan Warburg • Bunny Weicker • Bob Wells • Susan Yonce

Senior Advisors • Bert Ballin • Gini Bantle • Lucy Barrett • Darryl Branch • Karen Casey • John Conte • Bob Fields •Muffie Fitzgerald • Jane Frank • Joi Gallo • Edwen Goldstein • Judi Gooding • Mickey Graham • Hazel Hobbs • HyacintheHoffman • Jim Jakubek • Mystique Johnston • Debbie Katz • Karen Keegan • Kim Kispert • Howard Kraft • Muffie Lynch• Jeanne Matson • Tom Melly • Sharon Phillips • Mimi Pivirotto • Michael Pralle • Allison Rubeli • Marion Schmeelk-Kirkman • Margaret Sirot • Cathy Weisenburger

Elizabeth Radley AndersonEdith M. RadleyBiria St. John

George St. JohnOrson L. St. John Jr.Candee I. Weed

Harry L. BaugherLaurie Stuek

Matt BrownMarybeth May Brown

Margaret Ann ChristensonJames Christenson

Richard F. DalyClaire M. Daly

Hans-Peter DawsonStephanie Rogen & Gerard Tighe

Madeline DeloheryHolly Delohery

Paula E. DowlingJeff McDaniel Beth SimonettiDiane McGinnis Mark SlockbowerCatherine Piccolo Michael Wilder

Peter J. HowardJoan Howard

Nereo IoriPiera Iori

Patricia MullerPaul J. Muller

Edward NetterGail & Steve Trell

William E. PerleyAlthea Perley

Stanley RosenbergBarbara Rosenberg

Joseph SilbersteinThelma Silberstein

Gerald R. (Jerry) Zezima, Sr.Connie Zezima

Brunswick School’s Community Service Coordinator John Pendergast wasrecently recognized for the many volunteer projects he organizes to benefitFamily Centers’ clients.

At the Volunteer Center of Southwestern Connecticut’s Greenwich VolunteerAwards ceremony, John was presented with the Outstanding Individual AdultVolunteer Award. Last Thanksgiving, John spearheaded a massive food drive atBrunswick School that provided 70 holiday meals for Family Centers’ neediestfamilies. John and his students continued their season of giving by collectingclothes, toys and food for even more families at Christmas time.

John’s volunteer work has touched the lives of clients of the Nurturing FamiliesNetwork, Family Strengthening Program, Stamford CARES, the Dancing DolphinsSchool Readiness Classroom, the Gateway Preschool and the Clinical Program.

Brunswick’s John PendergastHonored for Volunteer Service

(l-r) Brunswick School students David Fitzpatrick and AshishRamachandran, Community Service Coordinator John Pendergastand Family Centers’ Volunteer Manager Jennifer Flatow

FF MMIILLYYCENTERS CENTERS 40ArchStreet,P.O.Box7550Greenwich,CT06836-7550

Non-ProfitOrg.U.S.Postage

PAIDBridgeport,CTPermitNo.347

ContactusFamilyCenters’ExecutiveOffices,&ArchStreetPreschool40ArchStreet,Greenwich,CT06830Tel(203)869-4848www.familycenters.org

FamilyCentersGreenwichTel(203)629-2822

FamilyCentersDarien/NewCanaanTel(203)655-0547/Tel(203)972-0556

FamilyCentersStamfordTel(203)324-3167

CenterforHOPETel(203)655-4693

FamilyCenters–StamfordGovernmentCenterTel(203)977-4939

EarlyChildhoodEducation&HeadStartPreschools

GatewayPreschoolTel(203)531-8430

FirstStepsHeadStartTel(203)522-0633

KidsCornerHeadStartTel(203)869-2730

JoanMelberWarburgEarlyChildhoodCenterTel(203)629-2822

Followuson:

Family Centers Takes Guests Down

the Silk Road for Annual Benefit

More than 300 guests joined Family Centers on anexotic journey across the deserts of the Middle East, through

ancient Chinese cities and along the shores of the Mediterraneanfor its 2011 annual benefit – The Silk Road.

With cuisine from all corners of the globe, from countries along theancient trade route, a live camel and brightly colored tapestries asfar as the eye could see, co-chairs Pam Caffray, Stephanie Horton,Sharon Phillips, Terri Walker and Susan Yonce created an authenticoasis featuring the best of the East.

Before an international feast prepared by Nisa Lee Chef & Caterer, guests mingled in the “Hookah Lounge” while listeningto the soothing sounds of Moroccan musicians. A snake charmer, belly dancers, henna artists and tarot card readers alsoentertained the crowd and added to the ambiance. As the night wore on, DJ David Chang kept the dance floor packed byspinning an eclectic mix of party tunes.

Hosted by Barbara Netter and her late husband, Edward, at the Stamford offices of Geneve Holdings, the Silk Roadbenefit raised more than $520,000 for the agency’s 30 human service and education programs.

Sharon Phillips, Susan Yonce, Terri Walker, Stephanie Horton andPam Caffray

For more event photos and a list of our generous sponsors, turn to pages 4-7.