"Marie" was beaten by her drunken boyfriend for years. She was isolated, forced to quit her job, completely dependent on a man who was the father of her newborn son. Not wanting to raise a second child without support, she stayed, hoping to shield her son and 10 year old daughter from the nightmare she was living, hoping things would change. They didn't, so she took action. "Marie" called the Prudence Crandall Center's prudencecrandall.org 24 hour crisis hotline, 888-774-2900 and the next morning escaped with her kids and a few bags of clothes to the Center's emergency shelter.
"Marie" says, "When I walked in, I was low on myself, my head held down. I didn't want to look at anybody and they helped me bring myself back to where I can be functionable for my kids. My main goal is to be strong and let my children know that its not okay to be abused."
The mother of two is now one of the first residents of the Center's new Rose Hill supportive housing program. She can live in a secure, 3 bedroom apartment, free to come and go as she pleases, for up to two years. Her daughter is now thriving in school, her son, now three, uses his words instead of fists.
Mary Healey, board president of the Prudence Crandall Center's Foundation, says, "She will empower other women to get out and say I don't need to be in danger. I deserve to live a good life with my kids and I deserve to be happy and to feel loved and I can do that because I have options."
The supportive housing includes 8 transitional living and 10 permanent supportive housing apartments. Residents don't pay rent. They receive counseling, educational support and job training. Children are nurtured and can resume living normal lives. Its a costly endeavour for a non-profit, so fundraising is year round.

FOX 61 ANCHOR SUSAN CHRISTENSEN, DR. WILLIAM PETIT, MARY HEALEY, PRES. PRUDENCE CRANDALL CENTER FOUNDATION

This Friday, June 12th, the Petit Family Foundation petitfamilyfoundation.org will hold its 4th annual "Silent No More" auction and reception to benefit Prudence Crandall Center at CCSU at 6pm. Dr. William Petit, a survivor of a violent home invasion in the summer of 2007, when he lost his wife and two daughters, says, "I think the stability of a place like this and the security of an institution like this.. the ability to go out and work and support your family and know that your children are safe.. I think are the critical issues." Which is why he says his Foundation is honored to be part of the Prudence Crandall Center's mission-- to provide caring support, beneficial information and individual advocacy to women, men and children who are victims of domestic violence.
To learn more, tune in to the Fox 61 News at Ten Monday, June 8th to see my Fox Focus report.

The music's pumping, hearts are racing and imaginations soaring at the Green Street Arts Center, a department of Weslyan University in Middletown.www.greenstreetartscenter.org

In 2005, a former brick schoolhouse opened to mark the beginning of a revitalization in the city's impoverished North End. Between partially renovated 3 story apartment houses and littered back lots, the Center offers a safe haven for children after school, and adults who want to pursue an artistic talent, or dream.

Children can learn how to break dance, play an instrument, manage peer pressure through theater, and cook healthy food. Adults can learn salsa, record a demo tape, or throw clay.

On May 31st, a giant mural, designed and painted by children at the Arts Center, will be put up on Green Street, to inspire the passing public and let them get a glimpse of the talent and creativity that's just down the block.

Check out their website for classes and mark your calendar for their fifth annual Arts Festival on Saturday, June 13th from 1-4pm. Be sure and watch my Fox Focus report on the Fox 61 News at Ten, Monday night, May 18th for a taste of all the action.

Getting older was never so much fun. The West Hartford Art League www.whal.org turned 75 this month and is celebrating the occaision in style with a "Whet the Palette" Gala Fundraiser tonight. Over the years, I've profiled several of the organization's events in my Monday night Fox Focus report on the Fox 61 News at Ten. In December, it was the "Light the Night" fundaiser for Foodshare and the West Hartford Food Pantry. Luminaria were put up on the hillside outside the Art League's Salt Box Gallery in a fabulous community art installation.

Its was my pleasure to be the event's Honorary Chair. Here I am with Roxanne Stachelek, the Art League's Executive Director.

The Art League also runs Artwalk every year, where the works of local and regional artists are displayed in store windows in the Center. Its great exposure and adds to the visual appeal of the town.

Check out the Art League's many summer offerings, for kids of every age, and get creative Connecticut!

A few years back I did a Fox Focus on a terrific gymnastics class for special needs kids offered at Dynamite Academy of Gymnastics in Waterbury. The young teachers were so in tune with what the children needed, and helped them progress at their own pace, having a lot of fun in the process. Parents exclaimed at how gymnastics was really making a difference in their child's behavior.

Now in Waterbury, funding for the autistic program in the school system has been cut, so parents are scrambling to put together a fundraiser. If you're interested in enjoying a concert for a good cause, head down to Kennedy High School in Waterbury on Friday, May 15th. The music starts at 7. What a nice way to kick off the weekend and help support the teachers and parents who reach out to autistic children.

If stopping in open houses and touring model homes is a passion, have I got the house for you! The Junior League of Hartford is featuring a beautiful 1915 stucco colonial on Kenyon Rd. as its Showhouse 2009.www.jlhartford.org More than 30 decorators and designers have put together dream settings in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Three floors of creation and with the price of admission, $25 dollars at the door,. You also have a chance to buy just about everything featured in the home, with 25% of proceeds going to the Junior League's charities. This year, fundraising will benefit two programs aimed at ending hunger in Hartford. They're trying to raise $150,000.
You can pick up tickets at 7 outlets around the Hartford area, or on line. There's even a chance to eat lunch at the nearby Town and County club as part of your outing.
The Showhouse is open May 2nd-May 24th, so grab your mother, sister, daughter, or drag your husband, and check it out. Decorating ideas abound!
And if you really fall in love with the house, its for sale! Just contact the owner who's a major realtor in the area. For an on-line preview, check out my Fox Focus report on Monday night on the News at Ten, or on line at www.fox61.com

Ever wonder how much you'd get for your used car? Nowadays, probably not a lot, with thousands of new models sitting on dealership lots. So why not pass along your Passat or SUV for free, and get a hefty tax break?

Its possible through Good News Garage.http://www.goodnewsgarage.org.

GNG is a non-profit car donation program that began in Vermont 13 years ago. Since then they've turned around more than 4,000 cars to people who really need a ride. Recipients apply to Good News Garage and have to share why they need a car, but can't afford a new one. 80 percent of clients are single mothers trying to break the cycle of poverty by being unable to find dependable transportation to a job or school.

Partner garages perform a 72 point safety inspection on all donated vehicles and mileage on most averages about 130,000. GNG staff even helps recipients register at DMV.

To learn more, watch the Fox 61 News at Ten on Monday, April 27th for my Fox Focus report. You'll also be able to see the story again under the Fox Focus tab.

Ever wonder if hypnosis really works? Think you'd fall under the spell? How about using hypnosis to lose weight? I sat through a one time session on just that, given by professional hypnotist Bill Priftis at St Francis Hospital in Hartford. On April 30th, you can check out my special assignment story to see if it might just get you ready for bathing suit season. Tune in to Fox 61 News at Ten to hear, and see the results of several people who wanted to be believers.

If you're in need of food because the economy has you down and out, but you need that food to be Kosher, Jewish Family Services can hook you up. They have a Kosher Food Bank that's doubled the amount of food they've given out to needy families in the past year.

Jewish Family Services, in Bloomfield, is supported by the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. Executive director, Anne Danaher, says she's walked people down to the pantry, who very sadly tell her they never thought they'd see the day come when they would need to rely of the pantry to feed their families. Danaher adds, "Some of our new clients are people who've donated to us over the years."

If you want to help support the Kosher Food Bank, or give to the United Way, check out their website. You can also see one of my Fox Focus stories about it by clicking the Fox Focus tab under news on fox61.com

Got cavities? Get free dental care. Anyone willing to get up before 5am and get in line next Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th can have their mouths checked out, free of charge.
About 900 volunteer dentists, dental hygenists, doctors, and nurses will be on hand for the second annual Mission of Mercy at the New Haven Field House at 480 Sherman Parkway in New Haven. Various sponsors are helping cover the cost for patients. Last year's event in Tolland had a thousand people receiving $500,000 worth of care. This year, dentists are expecting an even larger crowd due to the poor economy and people losing, or not having dental insurance.
Not only will cavities be filled, but dentists will also be giving x-rays, doing root canals, cleanings, and taking out teeth. Dental hygiene students from the University of New Haven will also be on hand to provide education about the importance of keeping teeth healthy.
It's enough to make you smile! To see my Fox Focus report on the Mission of Mercy, tune in Monday night, April 13th to the Fox 61 News at Ten.