The award-winning ‘For the People’, produced by John Voket, focuses on issues related to aging, veterans, youth, education, health and human services, public safety, workforce and consumer issues and the environment. Broadcast segments and guests explore concerns facing communities we serve, and detail how individuals and communities may respond to address and/or mitigate those concerns.
Wilton Pride / Norwalk River Valley Trail - International Festival of Arts & Ideas - NWF Pollinator Month
Jun 11, 2023
Show notes
We're continuing our Pride Month focus showcasing a unique collaboration between Wilton Pride and the Norwalk River Valley Trail and the upcoming Push N' Pull Pride Month celebration. Tune in and find out how to be part of this first of its kind events at one of Fairfield County's newest recreational destinations. Then it's time for one of Connecticut's premier activities - the global cultural and community celebration that is the International Festival of Arts & Ideas opening this weekend and continuing through June 25 with dozens of ticketed - but mostly free concerts, exhibits, talks, and way too much to even pack into this segment. June is also Pollinator Month, so we're welcoming back the National Wildlife Federation to talk about the critical importance of sustaining and growing our regional population of pollinators utilizing a host of native plants that are easy to get, plant, and grow right in your own yard.
United Way WCT Food Farmacy Pt. 2 - Westport Pride/Westport Museum Oral History Project - CT Dept of Education Teacher Recruitment/Diversity Initiative
Jun 04, 2023
Show notes
We're wrapping up our 2-part series focusing on United Way of Western CT and its partnership with Nuvance Health on an innovative "Food Farmacy" - a community-based site designed to increase access to and consumption of healthful foods for those individuals across western and southwestern Connecticut diagnosed with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and/or hypertension. Then we'll be putting some Pride Month focus on a new and unique collaboration between Westport Pride and the Westport Museum for History & Culture - an Oral History Project aiming to fulfill the museum's mission to "make history whole" by bringing to light the hidden narratives of marginalized groups, with a specific focus on the LGBTQ+ community. And we'll close with the Education Diversity Coordinator from the CT Dept of Education - discussing a multi-faceted and well-funded commitment to fortify our state's teaching force, while expanding the diversity of educators for the benefit of all the children and youths who will learn from them.
United Way WCT Food Farmacy Pt. 1 - Career Resources Second Chance Job Fair - Bethel CT Pride
May 28, 2023
Show notes
We're kicking off the first of a two-part series focusing on United Way of Western CT and Nuvance Health which just opened their Food Farmacy - a community-based site increasing access to and consumption of healthful foods for those across the region diagnosed with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and/or hypertension. Then we're heading down to Bridgeport to chat with representatives from Career Resources about their efforts to fortify area businesses and their workforces through a May 31 Second Chance Re-Entry Job Fair specifically supporting second chance citizens. And we'll close inviting everyone ahead of Pride Month to the June 3 Bethel CT Pride Celebration - a street parade and family-friendly party featuring 50+ vendors, food, a kids’ craft tent, and health stations offering confidential HIV and Hepatitis-C rapid testing along with monkeypox and Covid vaccinations.
Junior Achievement SW New England - Clean Energy Industry Report - Histoury
May 21, 2023
Show notes
A lot of really exciting things happen when Junior Achievement is part of your kid's education. So For the People is Bringing in a former educator - now the leader of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England to learn how JA is inspiring students and young people to be productive contributors to Connecticut's communities and near-future workforce. Then we'll stay with the workforce theme — and find out how the clean energy sector is not only providing tons of opportunities for a growing number of diverse workforce candidates, but why clean energy is also critical to the state's economy, and even our public health. And we'll close connecting with Histoury — a unique nonprofit helping folks in Fairfield County show off or learn about styles of architecture and community development, while introducing its guests to the events and people that shaped the places where we live.
McCall Behavioral Health - Preusser Research Group/Transportation Trends - Yoga In Our City
May 14, 2023
Show notes
While April was Alcohol Awareness Month, health and safety issues tied to alcohol use and consumption are affecting our communities 365 days a year, so we're circling back with McCall Behavioral Health to talk about how they are carrying alcohol awareness initiatives into the summer, along with some other exciting news involving this regional health agency. Then we're going to have a candid chat with a local traffic safety scientist from the Preusser Research Group covering the importance of Connecticut's new all passenger seatbelt law, the uptrend in wrong-way highway collisions, the latest issues involving teen drivers, and UConn's Crash Data Repository. And since the free 2023 Yoga In Our City program is about to begin across numerous Connecticut Communities, we'll replay our 2022 segment on the initiative to familiarize you and hopefully inspire you to try out this health no-cost activity for yourself!
Special Report: CT Cannabis Expo
May 07, 2023
Show notes
As Connecticut's recreational cannabis market continues to flourish, and the date for legal home grown cannabis approaches, the award-winning For the People hit the floor of the Mohegan Sun convention center to chat with the organizer and a number of vendors at the recent XPOCANNA Connecticut Cannabis Expo to learn more about cannabis pharmacology, obtaining a medical cannabis card, cannabis testing, lighting, its CBG component, and how folks are tying cannabis consumption into community-building activities. So sit back and get ready to roll along with us as we explore the Expo.
Annie C Courtney Foundation - UConn's Korey Stringer Institute - CT Breast Health Initiative
Apr 30, 2023
Show notes
Since May is National Foster Care Month, we're opening with the director of the Annie C. Courtney Foundation, to learn how this nonprofit is supporting and promoting positive, empowering, loving and healthy communities for vulnerable children, youth and families with the goal of preventing the need for foster care. Then it's off to UConn to learn a thing or two about preventing serious sports injuries and death with its Korey Stringer Institute, one of the recently announced partners in the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition, which is advocating for all 50 states to adopt evidence-based policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) among high school students. And we'll close inviting you to get to know and support the CT Breast Health Initiative, a state-wide non-profit organization making a significant impact in the quest to find a cure for breast cancer by providing grants to support education and research in Connecticut.
Wheeler's Walk With Me Program - Housatonic River Commission - Aspetuck Land Trust
Apr 23, 2023
Show notes
We're circling back to the Wheeler Health network to help celebrate the recent CT Community Foundation grant supporting Wheeler's Walk With Me program - creating a safe, affirming, and inclusive array of outpatient services for LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones. Then head back up the mighty Housatonic to catch up with the Housatonic River Commission - the decades-long driving force behind a recent federal 'Wild & Scenic' designation that was provided for one of the most pristine stretches of that western Connecticut waterway. Finally, we'll lead you from the river to the forest, to catch up with the Aspetuck Land Trust and invite you to explore the 2100-plus acres they manage in southwestern Connecticut — while learning more about their Green Corridor initiative and other cool activities for the spring and summer.
Susan B. Anthony Project - Women and Families Center - Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Apr 16, 2023
Show notes
We're at the midpoint of April - Sexual Assault Awareness Month - so we're highlighting a couple of agencies providing support to victims beginning with the Susan B. Anthony Project - celebrating 40 years of service in Torrington and communities in central Litchfield County. Then we'll head to Meriden to chat with folks from the Women and Families Center, which provides sexual assault support services, as well as a number of other critical programs focusing on youth homelessness and workforce development. Their first ever Walk for Hope to End Homelessness is coming up, so we'll clue you in on that as well. Finally, we're taking the long road up to Ashford to let everyone know Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is back following a devastating fire - and is ready to re-open better than ever for the kids and volunteers who support them.
LifeBridge Community Services - Wheelchair Advocacy - Aquarion Water PFAS Mitigation
Apr 09, 2023
Show notes
Meet the new CEO of LifeBridge Community Services, a Bridgeport agency partnering with individuals, youth, and families to improve well-being, strengthen resilience, and create a brighter future. They've got an exciting event coming up called 'Creating from the HeART' - so we'll invite you to that while learning about the agency's recent designation as an Urban Trauma Center. Then, we'll welcome a panel of individuals putting the power of two wheels behind a drive to create legislation that will help greatly improve the lives, health and mobility of the thousands of folks across Connecticut who either temporarily or permanently utilize wheelchairs to get around. Finally, you've heard about the increasing levels of PFAS and forever chemicals in our environment and especially in our water supplies, so we're turning to an expert from Aquarion Water Company to learn what that public utility is doing to better identify and filter these potentially harmful chemicals from their numerous state water systems.
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