When does $1.5 million equal $3.2 million

When does $1.5 million = $3.2 million?

When private foundations and their partners offer $1.7 million in matching state funds for a $1.5 million investment

parents holding town signs

Lawmakers, parents, and philanthropic leaders held a news conference at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Wednesday, April 1, to outline how a $1.5 million investment in child and family initiatives by the state of Connecticut would be matched by $1.7 million from private foundations.

"This is no April Fool's joke!" said Representative Cathy Abercrombie of Meriden, one of the lawmakers who hosted the event.

The organizers, who included the Commission on Children, urged state officials not to leave this money "on the table," since investments like these make good economic and social sense for Connecticut's children, especially in tough times.

Listen to the news conference

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Event photos
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge. All photos by Pat Estill.

	Ann Pratt, Director of CT Parent Power

	Elaine Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Connecticut Commission on Children, at the microphone, with Representative Cathy Abercrombie of Meriden looking on.

	David Nee, executive director of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, outlines the matching-fund possibilities. Looking on are Representative Abercrombie, Representative Bruce Morris of Norwalk (in striped tie), and Representative Henry Genga of East Hartford (in blue tie.)

	Parent leader Marisol Estrada of Meriden

	Parent leader Kimberly Clark of New Haven.

	Parent leader George Hensinger of Norwalk.

	Susan Murphy of Liberty Bank.

	Representative Gail Hamm of East Hampton.

	Representative Peggy Sayers of Windsor Locks with some of the parent leaders who attended.

	Senator Edith Prague of Columbia lends a hand to parent leader Debbie Kievitz of Norwich.

	Representative Joseph Mioli of Westport, standing between Representatives Morris (left) and Genga, waves to a friend.

	East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey.

	Judith Meyers, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Children's Fund of Connecticut, joins David Nee in explaining the funding opportunities.

	David Nee.

	James Horan, Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Human Services, and Dawn Homer-Bouthiette, Parent Engagement and Family Policy Director of the Commission on Children.

	Representative Abercrombie.

	Towns and cities throughout Connecticut were represented.

This page was last updated: June 27, 2012

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