Meet Boston's newest sports franchise, the Boston Butchers, on Thursday, April 4 at Peter Welch's Gym in South Boston. The event begins at 1pm and is open to the public.
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Governor Ned Lamont, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez today announced the release of three state grants totaling more than $400,000 that will be used to support programs focused on improving the financial wellness of Connecticut residents with a priority focus on women and girls. The grants are being awarded through a competitive RFP process issued by the Connecticut Department of Banking that solicited proposals centered on the grant’s objectives.
“These grants will be used to support programs that empower people to improve their own financial stability through education and training, with a particular focus on our underserved populations, including women and girls,” Governor Lamont said. “I appreciate the partnership of the organizations that are working in our shared goal of helping people get on the road to financial independence and wellness.”
“Empowering women towards financial wellness benefits all of us,” Lt. Governor Bysiewicz, who serves as chairperson of the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls, said. “Decades of research have shown that the benefits of women’s full participation in economies are enormous. By uplifting women and girls, we can increase financial stability in their households, as well as their local communities and broader societies. Through these partnerships, we are increasing the opportunity and accessibility – especially for women and girls – of these essential programs that will help propel them, and their communities, to a better financial future.”
“The recipients have demonstrated that they can effect real change with the money allocated from this grant,” Commissioner Perez said. “I would like to thank all the committee members who thoroughly reviewed each proposal. It was a difficult decision, as all the proposals had merit. While we could not fund all applicants, it is encouraging to see the various organizations working and making a difference each day in people’s lives.”
The Connecticut Department of Banking sourced the grants from settlement funds with various companies. As per those arrangements, a portion of the monies are set aside for financial wellness and investor education. A committee, composed of department staff, representatives of other state agencies, and industry professionals, reviewed 15 responses to the department’s RFP. Consideration was given to organizations, entities, coalitions, and collaborations able to reach and assist underserved communities, with a priority on women and girls, to improve their financial wellness and empowerment.
Each application required a detailed description that included:
- the program’s method of delivery of financial education;
- the targeted demographic of the program;
- information regarding the nature and structure of the program including the programs goals for participants;
- how the proposed program would go beyond what is available and to what extent would the program serve as an innovative and scalable model; and
- how success of the program would be measured and, if available, information pertaining to the success of past programs.
The committee considered the following factors and gave preference to proposals that:
- empower individuals with financial capabilities that help prepare them to meet their future financial goals;
- describe the benefits of saving and checking accounts;
- teach the importance of establishing good credit as a foundation for future financial success;
- encourage individuals to think long-term by teaching investing principles;
- deliver information regarding consumer protection including high-cost loans, frauds/scams, cybersecurity, and identity theft;
- apply knowledge to practical skills and real-life experiences;
- inspire participants to set personal and financial goals and demonstrates how those goals can be achieved
- provide participants with the ability to seek follow-up services; and
- build upon current programs in a manner that is innovative, measurable and scalable.
The following organizations have been selected to receive the grants:
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) will receive a $250,000 state grant to expand seven of its Financial Opportunity Centers, which are located throughout Connecticut. These serve as career and financial coaching service centers that provide three core services to individuals with low-to-moderate incomes: one-on-one employment coaching, one-on-one financial coaching, and access to benefits that help build credit, savings, and assets. The centers also have the opportunity to transition into Bridges to Career Opportunity Centers. These funds will be used to enhance one-on-one financial coaching, and access to benefits that help build credit, savings, and assets.
“LISC Connecticut is excited to receive this support from the Connecticut Department of Banking, which will strengthen our network of seven Financial Opportunity Centers across the state,” Jim Horan, senior executive director of LISC Connecticut, said. “With this award, our clients will receive budget coaching to save $500 over the course of a year, which will be matched two-to-one with Department of Banking funds and support from Liberty Bank. At the end of the year, clients will have $1,500 and improve their credit score.”
The Village for Families and Children
The Village for Families and Children will receive a $103,911 state grant for its Boosting Financial Wellness for Greater Hartford Families project, which will support connection between its Financial Opportunity Center and its family-centered programs based at the Spring Street site in Hartford. The Village’s Financial Opportunity Center helps low and moderate-income adults living in the Hartford area to effectively manage their finances and achieve financial goals. The Village served more than 690 families at the Spring Street site in the most recent program year. Many of these were single-parent, female-led households.
“At The Village, we know that there is a direct relationship between financial health and overall well-being,” Tammy Freeberg, vice president of strategy and planning for The Village for Families and Children, said. “This grant will increase capacity and resources for our Financial Opportunity Center, helping us to empower more families in Greater Hartford with education, coaching, and tools to achieve financial wellness and gain stability in many aspects of their lives.”
United Way of Southeastern Connecticut
The United Way of Southeastern Connecticut will receive a $50,000 state grant for its Path to Financial Wellness program. The mission of this program is to provide an opportunity for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and female-led households to engage in financial literacy education on their own time and at their own page, and to provide an opportunity for those individuals to make empowered financial decisions. The program will utilize self-directed e-learning and professional financial coaching to guide participants in gaining financial stability through self-assessment, goal setting, and practical application of financial literacy skills. The grant funding will allow them to provide their program to the Greater New London area.
“United Way of Southeastern Connecticut is excited to bring our Path to Financial Wellness program to New London County,” Dina Sears-Graves, president and CEO of the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, said. “We are excited to partner with local nonprofits and Chelsea Groton Bank to provide members of our community an opportunity to make empowered financial decisions. This program aims to increase financial stability, focusing on communities that are disproportionately affected by financial hardship including female single-headed households, Black, Indigenous and people of color.”
Three Prize-Winning Students Awarded $20,000; 24 Students Awarded $6,000; Ten Connecticut Schools Also Announced as Recipients of Technology Prizes
State Treasurer Erick Russell, Trustee of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET), today announced the winners of the 2023 CHET Dream Big! Competition.
Three students were awarded $20,000 prizes and 24 students were awarded $6,000 prizes. An additional 336 students will be awarded $500 prizes this month.
Treasurer Russell also announced ten schools that will receive a $7,500 technology prize to help provide new items like tablets, smartboards, and small electronics for classrooms. Each school in Connecticut represented by at least one entry in the Dream Big! Competition was eligible for a random drawing for these prizes.
Since 2013, the Dream Big! Competition has awarded over $4.5 million dollars to Connecticut students to help pay for future education expenses. The 2023 competition began on August 1, 2023, and ended on November 6, 2023, and was open to all Connecticut residents in grades K-12.
To enter, students were asked to submit a drawing, short essay or video answering a question focusing on their dreams for the future – dependent on their grade level group, as defined in the competition Official Rules.
From bettering neighborhoods with free sports equipment, improving the environment, helping people with addiction, and working in a soup kitchen to sheltering the homeless, being kind, and collecting donations, winning entries showcased imaginative and innovative dreams for themselves and their communities through essays, drawings, and videos.
“I was so impressed with the nearly 3,000 entries we received from students from across the state for the Dream Big! Competition,” said Treasurer Russell. “These students’ entries were so creative and show that they are truly committed to their goals and their communities. I congratulate all our winners and look forward to seeing all they do in the future.
“I also want to congratulate the ten schools that won technology prizes,” he continued. “We are grateful for your encouragement of students to Dream Big.”
First-prize winner in the kindergarten through fourth grade group, Flynn J. of Watertown, wants to organize a community garden at his school to benefit people in need. “Each week, a different grade would be responsible for caring for the garden. After each grade has improved the garden, we could harvest the vegetables and divide them into groups to sell 50% and donate 50%,” he wrote.
Grand-prize winner in the fifth through eighth grade group, Zia V. of Manchester, created a detailed and colorful collage showing different ways someone could improve the lives of others. Examples include helping the less fortunate, being an active listener, becoming a teacher, supporting people with mental health needs, and protecting the Earth.
First-prize winner in the ninth through twelfth grade group, Layan J. of Farmington, wrote about a nonprofit organization she created to benefit people in Yemen, her mother’s home country. “After receiving a tremendous amount of support from the public, (my organization’s) outreach increased dramatically, ultimately allowing me to acquire a greater sense of purpose,” she wrote. “As I transition into the next chapter of my education, I plan to pursue political science in order to expand my ability in solving international issues.”
For more information about the CHET Dream Big! Competition and the winners’ vision, go to www.chetdreambig.com.
*** END ***
It is important that we maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers. I told our steel workers I have their backs, and I meant it. U.S. Steel has been an iconic American steel company for more than a century, and it is vital for it to remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated..
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Governor’s Bill Approved by General Law Committee Last Week, Now Awaits Further Action by the Full Legislature
Governor Ned Lamont is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to approve legislation he proposed for consideration this session that will enact a new consumer rights law requiring upfront pricing on all event tickets, hotel and short-term rental accommodations, and food and beverage sale and delivery services, and accordingly prohibit the increasingly common practice of adding unexpected, mandatory hidden fees that are tacked on at the end of a consumer’s transaction.
These hidden fees, frequently known as junk fees, are often vaguely labeled as a “service fee” or “convenience fee.” It is estimated that they cost Connecticut families thousands of dollars each year and they disproportionally impact low-income families who may lack the time, resources, or financial literacy to filter through these fees or search for a competitive price.
The governor’s proposal is Senate Bill 15, An Act Requiring Fee Disclosures. It was unanimously approved last week by the members of the General Law Committee, and it now awaits further action by both chambers of the General Assembly. The governor is urging them to act on the legislation so that he can sign it into law.
“We are increasingly seeing situations in which a product or service is being advertised at a low price and then when a consumer gets to the very end of their transaction that price suddenly increases with any number of mandatory fees being tacked on, and frequently consumers will complete their purchase without even realizing the price jumped until well after it has already been finalized,” Governor Lamont said. “This proposal simply says that the price of a product or service cannot be misrepresented to consumers. Upfront pricing will ensure that consumers are able to make well-informed purchases, and it levels the playing field among competitors in these industries by requiring that they all be honest and transparent on the costs of their products and services from the get go.”
Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli also support the enactment of this law, saying that if it is approved by the legislature it will be a major win for Connecticut consumers.
“Junk fees tacked on at the last minute add up to serious costs for consumers,” Attorney General Tong said. “These hidden charges make it next to impossible to compare costs and find affordable deals. Everyone hates these bait and switch charges, and I fully support the governor and the legislature in strengthening our state laws to ensure fair, transparent pricing.”
“Companies have increasingly found ways to gain more money from consumers, often by tacking on superfluous ‘service fees’ just when you’re ready to hit the final purchase button on an event ticket, hotel room, or food purchase,” Commissioner Cafferelli said. “By waiting until the last second to add on these junk fees, companies make it difficult for consumers to shop around, price compare and find the best deal. This legislation promotes open and honest transactions in the marketplace and raises consumer confidence in our retail and services industries, and putting money back in people’s pockets.”
This proposal builds on a provision included in Public Act 23-98, which the General Assembly approved and Governor Lamont signed into law last year. That law, which took effect on October 1, 2023, requires upfront disclosure of pricing for the purchase of tickets to live events, however some consumers have noted that since its enactment certain ticketing platforms continue to run advertisements or otherwise not disclose the full price of tickets until the consumer begins a transaction by selecting the tickets they want to purchase. Senate Bill 15 closes this loophole by requiring ticket platforms to disclose the full price of tickets beginning at the moment they are first advertised, displayed, or offered, even prior to the consumer selecting a ticket.
President Joe Biden, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently announced similar efforts to crack down on junk fees on a nationwide level. Governor Lamont applauds these efforts, and notes that until those federal rules are able to take effect, the states must act to protect consumers from deceptive pricing.
The General Assembly must act on the proposal prior to the adjournment of the regular session, which will occur on May 8, 2024.
On Friday, the White House Office of Public Engagement hosted a Celebration of Black Men, an event highlighting the achievements of Black male leaders and entrepreneurs across the fields of professional sports, arts and design, media, academia, and finance. The event underscored the Administration’s commitment to investing in Black Americans’ ability to succeed by expanding access to economic opportunity – a key part of Bidenomics.
Event participants comprised over 120 Black men including members of national and local community organizations, university students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other regional institutions, government officials, and leaders from the private sector.
During a panel conversation moderated by Senior Advisor to the President and Director of Public Engagement Stephen Benjamin, Black entrepreneurs had the opportunity to discuss their respective journeys navigating different industries, and provided insights and advice for younger audience members in attendance. Participants also celebrated Black male White House and Agency leaders representing the most diverse Administration in history.
Officials emphasized the Administration’s dedication to furthering the implementation of the President’s policy agenda to secure and expand the unprecedented gains made for Black Americans. This historic event marked a continuation of the White House’s 2024 celebration of Black History Month.
Biden-Harris Administration Participants:
- Stephen Benjamin, Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
- Michael Smith, CEO of Americorps
- Eric Morrissette, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Commerce Performing the Nonexclusive Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary for Minority Business Development
- Taylor Wright, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, Office of Public Engagement
Program Participants:
- Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24)
- Jason Wright, President, Washington Commanders
- Olajuwon Ajanaku, Founder, Eastside Golf
- Jarrid Tingle, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Harlem Capital
- Dr. Brandon Frame, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer, TheBlackManCan Inc.
- Rashan Brown, Founder, Poetry Me, Please
HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law legislation approved this afternoon by the Connecticut General Assembly that allocates $17 million to cover a gap in federal assistance to the state this winter from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Federal LIHEAP money is used by the state to fund the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Social Services and helps low-income residents afford to heat their homes during the winter months. This year, Congressional Republicans blocked consideration of President Joe Biden’s request for additional funding for LIHEAP, rolling this aid back to the lowest levels since the winter of 2018-2019.
The legislation signed into law today by Governor Lamont designates $13.5 million in supplemental aid for CEAP this winter season, and $3.5 million for Operation Fuel, a nonprofit that provides energy assistance support to Connecticut residents.
“The federal LIHEAP program is an important safeguard to assist our most vulnerable residents, seniors, and families with children,” Governor Lamont said. “Working with the state legislature, we have identified one-time funds that can be used to supplement the decline in assistance that our state received this winter. The Connecticut Department of Social Services and Operation Fuel will work to ensure this funding gets to those in need. I continue to urge bipartisan leaders in Congress to follow the example of what Connecticut’s Congressional delegation have repeatedly demanded – more federal funding for LIHEAP next winter.”
The legislation is Senate Bill 111, An Act Concerning Home Energy Assistance. It was approved in the Senate by a vote of 35 to 0 and in the House of Representatives by a vote of 147 to 0. The bill took effect immediately upon being signed by the governor this afternoon
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Good afternoon. Let me start by welcoming His Majesty, the King of Jordan. He’s been a good friend. Abdullah, welcome back to the White House, man. Welcome back. And, by the way, Barack is looking at you in the corner over there.
And along with Qree- — Queen Riana [Rania], who is meeting with Jill now, and the Queen — and the Crown Prince Hussein. Where — is the Prince out here? I thought he was coming out. Any rate.
We’ve known each other for many years. And His Majesty has been a good friend all those years, a steadfast partner alongside the Queen, and a beloved leader to their people. The partnership between the United States and our ally Jordan is strong and it is enduring.
the King and I discussed with our senior foreign policy staffs what — the issue that’s front and center in the Middle East and well beyond: the war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas. Over four months ago, on October the 7th, Hamas attacked Israel in an act of sheer evil, massacring more than 1,200 innocent women, men, and children — the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
More than 250 hostages were taken. A hundred and thirty-four are still being held hostage by Hamas. We don’t know how many are still alive. The anguish that their families are enduring week after week, month after month is unimaginable. And it’s a top priority for the United States to bring them home.
I’ve made clear the United States shares the goal of seeing Hamas defeated and ensuring long-term security for Israel and its people.
After the October 7th attacks, Hamas retreated back into Gaza, where its leaders live in underground tunnels, stretching for over 100 miles beneath civilian infrastructure, including — including schools, playgrounds, and neighborhoods.
The past four months, as the war has raged, the Palestinian people have also suffered unimaginable pain and loss. Too many — too many of the over 27,000 Palestinians killed in this conflict have been innocent civilians and children, including thousands of children. And hundreds of thousands have no access to food, water, or other basic services.
Many families have lost not just one but many relatives and cannot mourn for them or even bury them because it’s not safe to do so. It’s heart-breaking.
Every innocent life [lost] in Gaza is a tragedy, just as every innocent life lost in Israel is a tragedy as well. We pray for those lives taken — both Israeli and Palestinian — and for the grieving families left behind.
Not only do we pray for peace, we are actively working for peace, security, and dignity for both the Palestinian people and the Israeli people. And I’m working on this day and night with the King and others in the region to find the means to bring all these hostages home, to ease the humanitarian crisis, and to end the terror threat and to bring peace to Gaza and Israel — an enduring peace with a two-state solution for two peoples.
As the King and I discussed today, the United States is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, which would bring immediate and sustained period of calm into Gaza for at least six weeks, which we could then take the time to build something more enduring.
Over the past month, I’ve had calls with Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, to push this forward. The key element of the deals are on the table. There are gaps that remain, but I’ve encouraged Israeli leaders
to keep working to achieve the deal. The United States will do everything possible to make it happen.
The King and I also discussed the situation in Rafah. As I said yesterday, our military operation in Rafah — their — the major military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible plan — a credible plan for ensuring the safety and support of more than one million people sheltering there. Many people there have been displaced — displaced multiple times, fleeing the violence to the north, and now they’re packed into Rafah — exposed and vulnerable. They need to be protected.
And we have also been clear from the start: We oppose any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Today, the King and I also discussed in detail how to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza. From the very beginning, my team and I have relentlessly worked to get more aid in. I urged Congress for months to make sure that our nation’s support for Israel and — also includes urgently needed aid for Palestinians. And I’ve spoken repeatedly with partners across the region, including the King, to help facilitate the flow of such aid into Gaza as much as possible and that will actually get to the people that there — that are — need it.
We worked to get the Rafah Crossing open. We worked to get Kerem Shalom open. And we insist that we remain — it remain open — both remain open. We’re working to open other routes as well. And we’re also working relentlessly to make sure aid workers can get the aid where it’s needed once it gets through.
I want to recognize Jordan and the King specifically for all he has done to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, including just a few days ago. He personally got in a plane and helped conduct an air drop of urgently needed medical supplies into Gaza.
I understand that two of his children have also joined those air drops. They helped fly humanitarian supplies in. And for years, the Queen has been passionate — a passionate advocate for the Palestinian people, particularly women and children. Your family’s leadership, Your Majesty, and humanitarian commitment are commendable.
And at the same time, we’re working to create the conditions for a lasting peace, as we talked a lot about upstairs, with the Israeli security guaranteed and Palestinian aspirations for their own state fulfilled. I say this as a long — lifelong supporter of Israel. That’s the only path that guarantees Israel’s security for the long term. To achieve it, the Palestinians must also seize the opportunity.
As I discussed with the King today, the Palestinian Authority must re- — urgently reform so it can effectively deliver for the Palestinian people in both the West Bank and Gaza. Once Hamas’s control of Gaza is over, they must prepare to build a state that accepts peace, does not harbor terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
And together, we will keep working to complete what has — what we started: to integrate the region, to bring about peace between Israel and all its Arab neighbors, including a Palestinian state. That effort was already underway before the October 7th attacks. It’s even more urgent today.
No one — no one understands better than our allies and partners in the region, including the King, what we need. I’m grateful to him for his friendship, including his and Jordan’s unique role — unique role: custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem.
We’re grateful for this friendship. We saw that again just two weeks ago when three brave American servicemembers were killed in an attack at a military outpost in Jordan, close to the Syrian border, by radical militant groups backed by Iran, operating in Syria and Iraq. Since then, U.S. military forces have struck targets in Iraq and Syria, and our response will continue.
We’re grateful for our partners and allies like the King who work with us every single day to advance security and stability across the region and beyond. It’s difficult times like these when the bonds between nations are more important than ever.
And Jill and I are pleased to welcome him and the Queen and the Crown Prince to the White House today.
Your Majesty, over to you.
KING ABDULLAH II: Thank you, sir.
(President Biden moves from one side of the podium to the other.)
Mr. —
PRESIDENT BIDEN: I switched sides on you.
KING ABDULLAH II: Sorry.
Mr. President, thank you for your gracious hospitality accorded to me and my delegation today.
My visit today carries an added meaning as our countries this year mark 75 years of exemplary strategic partnership. However, we had hoped we would be marking this major milestone during better circumstances in my region and the world.
Unfortunately, one of the most devastating wars in recent history continues to unfold in Gaza as we speak. Nearly 100,000 people have been killed, injured, or are missing. The majority are women and children.
We cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah. It is certain to produce another humanitarian catastrophe. The situation is already unbearable for over a million people who have been pushed into Rafah since the war started.
We cannot stand by and let this continue. We need a lasting ceasefire now. This war must end. We must urgently and immediately work to ensure the sustainable delivery of sufficient aid to Gaza through all possible entry points and mechanisms. And I thank you, Mr. President, for your support on this.
Restrictions on vital relief aid and medical items are leading to inhumane conditions. No other U.N. agency can do what UNRWA is doing in helping the people of Gaza through this humanitarian catastrophe.
Its work in other areas of operation — especially in Jordan, where 2.3 million are registered — is also vital. It is imperative that UNRWA continues to receive the support it needs to carry out its mandate.
The potential threat of Palestinian displacement beyond the borders of Gaza and the West Bank is something we view with extreme concern and cannot be allowed.
At the same time, we must ignore — we must not ignore the situation in the West Bank and in the holy sites in Jerusalem.
Nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7th, including almost 100 children, and over 4,000 injured.
Continued escalations by extremist settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem’s holy sites and the expansion of illegal settlements will unleash chaos on the entire region.
The vast majority of Muslim worshippers are not being allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque. Christian churches have also voiced concerns about increasing and unprecedented restrictions and threats.
It is also important to stress that the separation of the West Bank and Gaza cannot be accepted.
Seven decades of occupation, death, and destruction have proven beyond any doubt that there can be no peace without a political horizon.
Military and security solutions are not the answer. They can never bring peace. Civilians on both sides continue to pay for this protracted conflict with their lives.
All attacks against innocent civilians — women and children — including those of October 7th, cannot be accepted by any Muslim, as I have previously stressed.
We must make sure the horrors of the past few months since October 7th are never repeated nor accepted by any human being.
We must together, along with Arab partners and the international community, step up efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and immediately start working to create a political horizon that leads to a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution — an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital but living side by side with Israel in peace and security. This is the only solution that will guarantee peace and security for the Palestinians and the Israelis, as well as the entire region.
Your leadership, my dear friend, Mr. President, is key to addressing this conflict. And Jordan is ready to work, as always, with you towards peace.
Thank you.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank
Photo Jordan news
The Vice President and the King also discussed the importance of maintaining stability in the West Bank. The Vice President thanked the King for his continued leadership in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She reiterated the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to a two-state solution, and noted it is the best path to durable peace and security. She emphasized the Palestinians’ right to dignity, security and self-determination.
