TEAM, Inc.

06/23/2026

🍊Look at all that food!🍊 Another great TEAM Project MANNA food drop in the books. Fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, oatmeal and more now on the shelves of our partner pantries. Nearly 3,000 people in our community visit food pantries each month, and we all need access to foods that will adequately fuel our bodies. Project MANNA helps provide dignity of choice and quality at the pantries - providing comfort and care when someone may feel at their lowest.

Thank you to our community for coming together to make Project MANNA possible! Visit https://givebutter.com/teamdonate to chip in!

06/22/2026

Continuing to celebrate our visit from Rep. Rosa DeLauro last week, and thank you to the Valley Independent Sentinel for covering our special day of celebration and advocacy for the nation's most successful federally-funded program - Head Start.

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When Yvette Cartagena moved to Connecticut from New York more than 38 years ago, she had three children to take care of and no family nearby to help.

One day, Cartagena said, a neighbor told her to enroll her then-three-year-old son in the Head Start program.

“At that time, I thought I was signing my child up for preschool. What I didn’t realize was Head Start was about to change my life,” Cartagena said.

ANSONIA – When Yvette Cartagena moved to Connecticut from New York more than 38 years ago, she had three children to take care of and no family nearby to help. One day, a neighbor told her to enroll her then-three-year-old son in the Head Start program.

06/18/2026

TEAM Inc. celebrates Head Start!

06/18/2026

Yesterday, TEAM had the honor of hosting Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Elena Trueworthy, and the Head Start State Collaboration Office Director Karen Pascale at our early childhood center in Ansonia to celebrate $9.2 million in continued funding for operating our contracted Head Start program.

While this funding allows us to continue to serve the hundreds of children who come through our doors smiling each day, we recognize that our funding is vulnerable, and any cuts would be detrimental to the families in our region. That is why our guests offered remarks beside our very own TEAM champions – Yvette Cartagena, Robyn Stanley and Jackee Parks. As Head Start parents, educators and advocates, our colleagues shined as they told their stories, their experiences and their WHYs – why they have dedicated their time to Head Start and the thousands of families who have participated in the program throughout the years. TEAM was proud to add our voice to the chorus of advocates who are fighting for increased funding for our program.

Head Start offers incredible ROI - six dollars of economic benefit for every dollar spent running the program, as it allows families to work during the day while their children are in a safe place. And of course, offers children from all backgrounds equal access to early learning opportunities to provide a solid foundation for the rest of their educational experience. Head Start matters.

Thank you to our leaders for joining TEAM and helping to celebrate and fight for Head Start right here in the Valley.

State Senator Jason Perillo
State Representative Mary Welander
State Representative Kara Rochelle
Annmarie Drugonis, First Selectwoman of Seymour
- thank you for joining us!

06/17/2026

The job fair is coming up quick! June 24th @ Ansonia High School - mark your calendars and get ready for your next chapter!

06/15/2026

Sharing this event coming up in Westport - just a 30 minute drive from the Valley - for anyone interested in planning for the care of a senior loved one. The more resources and information we can receive as we make these complex and often difficult decisions for our families, the more confident we will be!

Don’t wait for a crisis to start planning.

Join us for an educational evening designed to support seniors, aging parents, and family caregivers with the tools, resources, and guidance needed to plan with confidence.

📅 Thursday, June 25, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Westport Library, Westport, CT

Learn about home care services, senior housing options, elder law planning, care management, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and more.

Featuring local senior care professionals. Free raffles and giveaways will be available after the presentation.

For questions or reservations, contact Monique Bongartz at 203-606-8419 or [email protected].

06/11/2026

It's Installation Day! This morning, TEAM CEO Tim Makris joined Jack Walsh and Derby Public Works to install the plaque for the mural honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The mural, commissioned by donations raised via the Valley MLK Committee, honors the work of Dr. King and two local Black leaders - Mary Portis and Ebenezer Bassett. This mural celebrates the progress these leaders made towards an equitable society, plus recognizes that we all have a role to play in supporting equity and opportunity as we move our community forward - together.

When you walk the Derby Greenway this summer, be sure to pause at the mural and take a moment to soak up this message.

Credit to artist Isaac Bloodworth for the design and creation of the mural!

06/08/2026

"I wanted to say thank you for the Diaper Bank. We were given a backpack with the rash cream, puzzles, and the first aid book. This was an amazing gift. Not only is everything useful - I am an experienced parent but the book should be something every parent should have as emergency reminders. Thank you again!"

These are words from Sam, one of our Diaper Bank families via our newly established program - Diaper Distribution Demonstration & Research Pilot (DDDRP under the Administration for Children & Families). The DDDRP provides wraparound services for families receiving diapers - because often diaper need is just the tip of the iceberg. By holistically supporting families with young children, we are addressing household basic needs and setting each child and their family on the path to stability and self-sufficiency.

The DDDRP recently provided this extra special gift - a backpack full of educational goodies and essentials for children and their parents - to be picked up along with their monthly supply of diapers and wipes.

Thank you to Connecticut Association for Community Action for funding this program!

Pictured: Kassandra, our Senior Office Assistant!