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Site MapPublic hearings by the Speaker's Task Force on Children in the Recession
As part of its assignment to find ways of meeting the needs of Connecticut's youngest and most vulnerable citizens in this economic crisis, House Speaker Christopher Donovan's Task Force on Children in the Recession held public hearings in each of Connecticut's five congressional districts. Watch and read testimony gathered at those hearings below.
This 5-minute video, prepared by Speaker Donovan's office, collects the most poignant remarks from the various hearings. For more on a particular hearing, continue scrolling down. If a YouTube window does not appear above, watch the video here instead.
Click on a hearing site to learn what happened there
.Saturday, December 5, 2009, at the Legislative Office Building, Hartford
Partners: 1st District Congressman John Larson and the 1st Congressional District Youth Cabinet
Written testimony
- Suzette Strickland, SNAP policy manager, End Hunger CT!
- Janet Alfano, operations manager, the Diaper Bank
- Werner Oyanadel, acting executive director, Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission
- Community Renewal Team, on behalf of Latasha Fitzwilliams
- Community Renewal Team, on behalf of Kevin Booker
- Archibald Stuart, professor emeritus, University of Connecticut School of Social Work
Note: Not everyone who testified submitted written remarks
CT-N video
You may watch the full meeting below, courtesy of the Connecticut Network (CT-N). If a video window does not appear, go to the CT-N website. Length: 2 hours, 42 minutes.
News coverage
"Youth panel looks at recession’s effects," New Britain Herald, 12/5/09
"Recession is clobbering kids, officials told," Youth Journalism International, 12/7/09
Saturday, January 23, 2010, at Asnuntuck Community College, Enfield
Partners: Congressman Joseph Courtney and Enfield KITE (Key Initiatives to Early Education)
Written testimony
- Mario Saccoccio, a grandfather raising his grandson
- Linda K. Bridges, executive director, Enfield Food Shelf
- Claire Hall, executive director, Educational Resources for Children (ERfC)
- Kathy Schiessl, director of child and family services, Community Health Resources
Note: Not everyone who testified submitted written remarks
Saturday, February 13, Killingly Town Hall, Killingly
Partners: 2nd District Congressman Joseph Courtney and state Rep. Mae Flexer of Danielson
Written testimony
- Danielle Da Silva, program manager for the Nutmeg Families Network at Day Kimball Hospital
- Evaluation of the Connecticut Family Resource Center (FRC) program by the Zigler Center on Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University
- Amelia Parcinski of the Plainfield Family Resource Center
News coverage
"Rearranging services is positive step for children," Norwich Bulletin, 2/21/10
Thursday, February 18, 2010, Graustein Memorial Fund, Hamden
Partner: 3rd District Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
Written testimony
Note: Not everyone who testified submitted written remarks
Remarks of House Speaker Christopher Donovan:
Saturday, February 6, 2010, at the Bridgeport City Hall Annex
Partners: 4th District Congressman Jim Himes and state Senator Anthony Musto
Written testimony
- Barbara Edinberg, assistant director, Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition
- Karen Jackson, mother of three in Bridgeport
- Sheek Lorael, single mother and student at the University of Connecticut Social Work
- Rhonda Wooten, Bridgeport mother
Note: Not everyone who testified submitted written remarks
Thursday, February 16, 2010, at the Vogel Wetmore School in Torrington
Partners: 5th District Congressman Chris Murphy
News coverage
"Connecticut bill aims to help ‘children of the recession,’" Register Citizen of Torrington, 2/28/10
Friday, April 9, 2010, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut in Ledyard
Written testimony
Note: Not everyone who testified submitted written remarks.
