News You Can Use

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Connecticut State Representative Brandon L. McGee, who is serving his 4th term representing the areas of Windsor and Hartford.  A good friend of The Connection and a passionate community activist and advocate of social solutions, Representative McGee talks about how he is continuing to address societal proble...

On this week’s program, Ann Baldwin and guest host Beth Conner talk with Beth’s daughter Amanda Conner, a 6 th grade Math teacher about some of the pros and cons of distance learning after COVID-19 forced teachers and students out of their classrooms and learning from home. While this has been a major adjustment for teachers across the country, Amanda talks about some of the issues hav...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore discuss how COVID-19 has turned graduating high school seniors’ worlds upside down.  Lisa’s 18-year old son, Nico Lepore, is just one of many young people missing out on milestones like prom and high school graduation.  He and others like him are now dealing with what attending college is going to look...

Happy Mother’s Day! On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Lelaneia Dubay from Hartford Flavor Company.  Hear the amazing story of how this family owned distillery has reinvented itself as a result of COVID-19.  Using their stocked ingredients, Hartford Flavor has created their own recipe of hand-sanitizer for front line healthcare work...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Teresa Ferraro, Director of Behavioral Health at The Connection. Teresa sheds light on the impact COVID-19 has left on those suffering with mental health problems, as well as an increase in family violence for some of their most vulnerable clients. Tune in this Sunday to learn more about The Connection’s sta...

On this week's program, Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore welcome Bill Carbone, Senior Lecturer at the University of New Haven and Executive Director of the TOW Youth Justice Institute, to the show. We discuss how young people in the Juvenile Justice population are being impacted by this COVID-19 pandemic and why he feels early release for some of these offenders is the right thing to do to ea...

On this week's program, Ann Baldwin and guest host, Beth Connor, Chief Administrative Officer at The Connection, welcome Paul Kidwell, Senior Vice President of the Connecticut Hospital Association. With the emergence of COVID-19, hospitals are doing everything in their power to combat the virus and slow the spread.  Paul tells us how his organization has partnered with hospitals in the state...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Ray DeMatteis, or as Lisa affectionately refers to him as, “Uncle Ray”.  As a long-time New York City resident and actor, both on and off Broadway, Ray shares with us the true reality of how the Corona Virus is impacting himself, as well as his fellow actors.  Speaking with us from his home o...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Jennifer Kolakowski, CEO of Recovery Network of Programs (RNP). RNP is an organization dedicated to helping those living with substance use and mental health disorders and homelessness. Tune in this Sunday as Jennifer shares information on RNP’s innovative programs and the impact they have on individuals, fa...

On this week's program, Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore welcome Bill Carbone, Senior Lecturer at the University of New Haven and Executive Director of the TOW Youth Justice Institute, to the show. We discuss how young people in the Juvenile Justice population are being impacted by this COVID-19 pandemic and why he feels early release for some of these offenders is the right thing to do to ea...

As we all try to navigate through these difficult times, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore welcome Peter Callahan, the Leadership & Engagement Director at Copper Beach Institute. Peter shares with us how to heal suffering though mindfulness.  He talks about why it is okay to acknowledge uncertainty and that in every problem there is an opportunity.  Peter also provides some...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with The Connection’s Training and Staff Development Specialist, Nikita Joslyn and CIT Officer Jeffrey Fish of Hartford PD. Nikita and Officer Fish talk about public safety and why mental health training matters for first responders. Tune in this Sunday to learn more about symptoms of mental illness, awareness of...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Kevin O’Flaherty, Tobacco-Free Kid’s Regional Director. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a leading advocacy organization working to reduce tobacco use and its deadly consequences. Tune in this Sunday as Kevin speaks about the youth E-cigarette epidemic in CT and ways his campaign is pushing lawmak...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Erica Mello, Klingberg’s Children’s Advocacy Center Director and Kathy Carbine, Klingberg’s Outpatient Clinic Supervisor. Klingberg’s Children’s Advocacy Center, or the KCAC, specializes in a new initiative program, interviewing children of abuse or trauma in a sensitive manner. Erica...

On this week’s program, host Ann Baldwin and Chief Administrative Officer of The Connection, Beth Connor, talk with New Britain Mayor, Erin Stewart.  During her three terms as Mayor, she has made it a priority for New Britain to be knows as a “recovery friendly community.” Stewart speaks about the results of her H.O.P.E. campaign, since its launch in March of 2019, as well a...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with John Lawlor, Director of Homeless Youth/Young Adult Programs at The Connection. John provides information about the youth homeless problem in Connecticut and explains who is affected and why. Help us raise awareness within your community about this very real issue.

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Laura Ward, of Laura Ward Coaching; a life and recovery program focused on leveraging strengths and maximizing potential. Laura speaks about why she became a coach and her own struggles battling addiction. Learn more about ways you can seek help or become a support coach within your community.

Ann Baldwin and The Connection’s Beth Connor speak with Andrea Barton-Reeves, the President/CEO of Harc, a Connecticut nonprofit organization focused on providing special needs support for those with intellectual disabilities. Harc has recently launched Sockstarz, a retail sock business to raise funds for their life-changing programs. With a store in West Hartford, CT and an online presence,...

Join hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMattis-Lepore for a “raw” discussion about the holidays, hopes for the new year, and just surviving it all!  Most of us enjoy fun times, creating new memories with family at the holidays.  However, this can be a trying time for many, especially those battling drug addiction, incarceration, homelessness, or estrangement from families. The Conn...

Are the holidays stressing you out? If so, you are not alone. On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Chelsea Humphrey, The Connection’s Director of Behavioral Health, about ways for us to deal with holiday stress.  Taking care of ourselves emotionally, mentally and physically is critical to our well-being.  Tune in Sunday to learn some...

On this week’s program, host Ann Baldwin speaks with Amanda Furlong, the Communications Director for the Middlesex United Way. The Middlesex United Way supports 38-local organizations in the areas of education, health, housing and financial stability. Find out how you can support United Way by volunteering or by supporting their annual Stuff-a-Cruiser event by providing unwrapped gifts for y...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Beth Connor speak with Cassie Volcy, Administrative Director for Hang Time, an organization dedicated to helping men and women transition back into society after incarceration.  Hang Time connects people to resources and information regarding employment, housing, social services, mental health and more. Through Hang Time’s networking t...

On this week’s program, host Ann Baldwin and Guest Co-host Beth Connor speak with Professional Certified Coaches, Alicia Davis and Stacie Watson of Transformative Leadership Strategies. We discuss the many ways that having a “coach” can be beneficial both personally and professionally.  From improving company culture, to helping individuals reach their full potential, they e...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Beth Connor speak with Yolanda Ortiz and Erica Mastroianni, both Regional Coordinators with VOCA.  The Victims of Crime Act, passed in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, created the Victims of Crime Act Fund, or VOCA Fund, to be a protected and dedicated source of funding for crime victim programs.  Nearly 4 million victims a year are...