News You Can Use

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Beth Connor wrap up Domestic Violence Month with Liza Andrews from the CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  Liza talks about the frequently ignored signs of domestic violence against men & women in the home, as well as in the workplace. CCADV is the state’s leading voice for domestic violence survivors and the agencies that serve them.  Tune in and fin...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Joy, a mother who recently lost her 20-year old son, AJ, to addiction.  AJ died from a drug overdose in their home.  Joy talks about how AJ’s addiction progressed and the warning signs that she saw and tried to deal with along the way. Joy has turned her tragedy into advocacy, becoming a spokespers...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Jamal Jimerson.  Jamal is a managing partner with Thought Partner Solutions and also the founder of the Minority Inclusion Project, a non-profit racial leadership organization, which is addressing the issue of limited diversity on boards.  His project is confronting the problem of racism and other barrie...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Vamsi Kaneru.  Vamsi is a Clinical Psychologist and a Certified Mindfulness Teacher with the Engaged Mindfulness Institute. In this episode, we learn what mindfulness is and how it relates to our mental health, physical health and to our relationships with other people.  Learning to be mindful can help u...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Daryl McGraw.  Daryl is a recovering addict who spent years in incarceration.  He talks about his journey from inmate to becoming the Program Director for the Yale University Department of Psychiatry, where he was contracted to serve as the Director of the Office of Recovery and Community Affairs for Add...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Alison Friar, Director of Clinical Development for The Connection.  With the emergence of fentanyl, overdose deaths are greater than ever, having quadrupled since 1999.  Alison discusses how The Connection is here to help, not just with opiate addiction, but with a range of addictions.  The Connecti...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Daryl McGraw.  Daryl is a recovering addict who spent years in incarceration.  He talks about his journey from inmate to becoming the Program Director for the Yale University Department of Psychiatry, where he was contracted to serve as the Director of the Office of Recovery and Community Affairs for Add...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMattis-Lepore hold a captivating conversation with former television news anchor and recovering addict, Brandon Lee. In this emotional segment of The Connection, Brandon shares his horror stories of drug addiction and how a twelve-step meeting changed his life forever. Today Brandon, nine years sober, is a motivational speaker and soon to be author. This is a show you...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Jane Upton, Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor at Willard Cybulski prison in Enfield.  Jane shares her experiences working at the prison and talks about the importance of treatment and the value of supporting those family members who have been incarcerated.  While jail isn’t a fun experience, it&...

There is hope after incarceration. On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Chief Strategy Officer for The Connection, Beth Connor speak with Barry Diamond, Executive Director of Reentry Survivors LLC and Blaine Mc Kay, former Client of The Connection now working for P.R.I.D.E.  Blaine, shares his story of how he went from being behind bars to becoming a contributing member of soci...

Looking to recreate yourself? Hosts Ann Baldwin and Chief Strategy Officer for The Connection, Beth Connor speak with Devra Sisitsky, Executive Director of MakerspaceCT. Devra had a vision to set out to build a space that allows anyone and everyone to learn new skills in hardware and software, as well as the newer technologies and additive manufacturing and the response has been tremendous. Makers...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Maria Librio, Vice President of Rose Hill Memorial Park located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. With years of experience, Maria gives her insight to listeners who are grieving from the loss of loved ones and adds advice and comfort to those struggling to find closure. If you or someone you know is struggling with the loss of a loved one or if you...

On this week’s program, NBA All Star and U.S. Gold Medalist Vin Baker joins hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore for a very candid conversation about his struggles with alcoholism that began after he turned pro. After losing it all, Vin Baker rebuilt his life, which he chronicled in his book, God and Starbucks, and now is the Assistant Coach of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. Vin...

On this week’s program, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Linda Bordonaro about her late husband, David. David passed away from melanoma in 2015 and a few months after he passed, the Knights of Columbus Council 7 asked Linda if they could hold a memorial car show in her husband’s name. David was a huge car enthusiast and owned a car he had bought when he was fiftee...

The first of a 2-part series, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Christine Grimes, a recovering heroin addict whose 18-year struggle with addiction led her to jail and the dark side of the streets before she finally decided to turn her life around. She did just that with the help of The Connection’s women’s services and other programs like REACH. If you or someone y...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Alison Friar, Director of Clinical Development at The Connection. This week’s topic: how to become your best self and realize your personal goals by eliminating triggers, focusing on the positive, eliminating clutter in your life, and practicing self- care. We also discuss how The Connection and its various mental health, addiction, and...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Elizabeth Howard, Program Manager for the Sierra Center at The Connection. Established in 2001, the Sierra Center is a 60-bed, all male facility that houses men transitioning out of prison. This work release program provides trauma informed comprehensive case management, job readiness skills, substance abuse and mental health education to adul...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Ryan Murphy. Ryan is the Director of The Connection’s Re-Entry Assisted Community Housing (REACH) program, which provides help for men and women transitioning out of incarceration and back into everyday life. This program provides temporary housing, job assistance and help securing permanent housing. For those just coming out of prison,...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Beth Connor, Chief Strategy Officer for The Connection. Beth speaks about a recent fundraiser at the Portuguese Club in Danbury, where people shared their stories of addiction and recovery. Other topics discussed at the fundraiser included the organization, CARES and suicide prevention. The Connection wants people to know it is never too late...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Chelsea Humphrey, Associate Director of Behavioral Health for The Connection. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it’s the perfect time to address whatever emotional problems you may be facing. Many of us are suffering from anxiety, depression, addiction, or other mental issues that need to be addressed. Chelsea and the Behavioral H...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Debra Borzellino, Director of Family Support Services for The Connection. May is Foster Care Awareness Month and this is a subject near and dear to our hearts! Deb, a therapist and also an expert on foster care explains how thousands of children in Connecticut are in need of foster parents and tells us how The Connection can help make it happe...

On this week’s show, hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Michael Longo, a recovering drug addict. Like so many addicts, Michael’s story began with a troubled childhood, marked by relationship difficulties with his father. His addiction took hold years later when he became a regular in the club and party scene. After years of battling his addiction, Michael finally su...

Hosts Ann Baldwin and Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore speak with Charles Barber and William Juneboy Outlaw III. Charles works with the Connection and is also the author of several books, including the upcoming book “Citizen Outlaw: One Man’s Journey from Gangleader to Peacekeeper”. It chronicles William’s life, whose journey has taken him from housing project youth to ruthless gangla...