80 years! BGV celebrated its 80th birthday in 2022 with board members, staff, and the community reflecting on how much the organization has grown and adapted to the changing times. No longer a work farm for 16 “troubled boys”, BGV now provides services to more than 900 boys, girls, young adults, and caregivers each year throughout the State.
In our 80th year we continued to expand with the addition of even more new programs including: the LINK Youth Mentoring Program for LGBTQIA+ youth; two new Quality Parenting Centers in Milford and Bridgeport to support families in their reunification efforts; and the STAR program, a respite home in Bridgeport for adolescent boys who have been removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse. BGV works to identify the unmet needs in the community and develop new programs which fill those gaps.
Most importantly, this 80th celebration has underscored the support we feel from the community. Thanks to all the individuals, businesses, and foundations that have invested in our mission, BGV was able to raise more than $100,000 to receive a match of $100,000 from the Village Foundation—thank you to everyone who made this possible!
Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the difference that’s been made in so many lives. Now onto the next 80 years!
Sincerely,
Kim Shaunesey, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Carol Smith Harker Chair
Brian E. R. Moles Vice-Chair
Gregory M. Raucci* Treasurer
Portia Bonner Secretary
Britney Adams**
Lauren Barone*
Ellen Beatty, Ph.D.
Joseph N. Enright
Richard Epstein
Gina Carloni Hart
James Kane**
Joseph J. Mager, III, Esq.
Gayle McMillan*
Edward Rivera
Dwayne Smith, Ph.D.**
Keith Somers*
Joseph Tramuta, Esq.
Kim Shaunesey, Ph.D. President & CEO
Kevin Hart President
Dave Marro Vice President
Dan Cusack Treasurer
Karen Monteith-Flynn Secretary
Ray Pantalena
Gina Hart
BGV's wide range of behavioral health services offers a variety of interventions, therapies, and residential group homes. No matter what challenge a child faces, BGV wants to ensure that he or she is given every chance to overcome the obstacles they are facing and build a fulfilling future.
BGV works with families to help them relate to each other in a safe and constructive manner so the child can stay with his or her family. When this isn’t possible, BGV offers therapeutic foster care. We ensure that every child has someone looking out for them and wanting them to succeed.
We have implemented ASBTEP, which is a program for male and female youth who are involved with the juvenile justice system and have engaged in problem sexual behavior. This community based in-home program provides educational and clinical services to reduce recidivism and teach youth healthy sexual boundaries and behaviors.
Charles F. Hayden School, a K-12 special education school, welcomes children who are having trouble finding the support they need in their home school. Our teachers and therapists are skillfully trained and ready to help any child in need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
Through the Vocational Learning Center on our Milford campus and the Work to Learn program in Bridgeport, BGV provides vocational services, financial literacy programs, and life skills to youth so they can develop the tools necessary for the transition to adulthood and independence.
The year brought three new programs to BGV
This new program connects LGBTQIA+ youth with an adult mentor, providing the youth with an opportunity to have a positive and affirming adult in their life, which is crucial to their growth and development.
“This program helps to address the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth. Through meaningful and supportive adult relationships, these young people will be better equipped to face these challenges and thrive,” said Carra Conlan, BGV Vice President of Community Services & Special Projects.
BGV is currently seeking volunteers to serve as program mentors for a one-year commitment. Through interactions with trained, volunteer mentors, youth will build trust and rapport. Those interested in learning more should contact Jenna Cappellieri at cappellieriJ@bgvillage.org or call at 203-833-1175
BGV opened two QPC’s last year—one in Bridgeport and one in Milford. This program offers supervised visits between a child and their family from whom they’ve been removed. Designed to preserve and restore the parent/child attachment, BGV uses a “Visit Coaching Model” that occurs in our homelike visitation centers and reduces the child’s sense of abandonment and loss. Our goal is always to return the child to his or her family when possible.
For adolescent boys who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, the STAR Program, a short-term respite home with trauma treatment, substance use therapy, and family engagement, opened last year in Bridgeport. The goal of the STAR Program is to ensure that youth involved in the program can safely return home or, when this is not possible, are transitioned to another safe place to live.
In May 2022, the Carmine Trotta Family of Meriden Fund, in conjunction with the Devon Rotary, awarded three Hayden School students with a $750 scholarship each. The Trotta family invited the students, their families, and their teachers to a Devon Rotary breakfast at Bridge House restaurant, where the students were introduced and presented with their award. “My hope,” explained Carmine Trotta, the former head of BGV facilities, “is that the money will benefit their future education or help with the cost of their area of vocational interest, (ie: tools, equipment etc.).”
The scholarships were chosen for students or graduates of Boys & Girls Village's vocational program who excelled in academics and vocational training while displaying positive community involvement.
Program Coordinator of STAR
Program Coordinator of STAR
Da’Jah Bradshaw came to BGV one year ago to be the Program Coordinator of the new STAR program. Da’Jah’s background prepared her well for this position as she has worked with children and adults with a variety of challenges including substance use disorder, developmental disabilities, and mental health problems.
Da’Jah works to ensure that the STAR facilities are properly maintained, mandatory meetings and trainings are taking place, staff feel supported, and clients are getting everything they need. Her overall goal is to maintain a positive work and therapeutic environment.
Da’Jah speaks highly of BGV’s teamwork. She has seen staff come together to support clients without any hesitation. She says there is an opportunity for everyone to receive training and grow in their careers. BGV values its employees and their growth.
Da’Jah speaks about her team at STAR and the work they have done with pride. The youth, DCF, and everyone on staff recognizes the “professionalism, energy, and vibe” they have created within the program. Staff have an excellent rapport with the youth in STAR and take pride in each individual success. One kid who came to the STAR house had a severe case of autism. He struggled with verbal skills and needed help with day-to-day tasks. While he was only supposed to be there for two days, he ultimately lived at STAR for two months before the school where he was headed was able to take him. BGV staff went above and beyond to ensure that this boy was given the supports and care that he needed, even though this level of need was far more challenging than what the staff were accustomed to.
Da’Jah tells the story of another young man who was in the program. When he came to STAR he was struggling in school. The BGV team worked closely to get him the support he needed to be successful academically. After seven months at STAR, this youth was able to graduate early thanks not only to his incredibly hard work and dedication, but also thanks to the STAR staff who recognized that early graduation was a possibility for him and advocated on his behalf. After graduating, the individual immediately began a full-time job with his uncle and moved in with his grandmother.
These are the stories that Da’Jah loves to share and thanks to her and the entire STAR team, we are confident that the STAR program will lead to many more successes in the future.
Program Manager of Work to Learn Program
Program Manager of Work to Learn Program
The Work to Learn Program provides services to children in the foster care and court services systems to provide life skills and financial literacy alongside real-life work experiences.
Shannon: I have been with BGV for almost 4 years. I have a BS in public health and in May 2023, will graduate with my MA in counseling. My end goal is to earn my LPC when eligible. Prior to BGV, I was an assistant teacher at a private preschool in Trumbull. Most of my jobs prior to BGV included working with children.
I started with BGV as a Job Coach and I am currently the Program Manager of the Work to Learn program. My role is very blended and involved, so I complete various tasks each day depending on the needs of my staff and clients. I oversee the job coaches, collaborate with DCF and CSSD to increase referrals, conduct intake appointments, complete audits, run staff meetings and supervision, assist youth to run Youth Advisory Board meetings, and am also involved with the Regional Advisory Committee. When BGV or other agencies invite Work to Learn to participate as a vendor, I ensure our program has the supplies and equipment needed to be successful. If there are any conflicts involving my clients or staff, I step in to facilitate conflict resolution.
What I like most about working at BGV is making a difference in our client’s lives and watching them develop into young adults. I am most proud of our youth’s work with the Youth Advisory Board, which has been given consistent recognition from DCF regarding their hard work, dedication, preparation, and presentations. Our youth board works very hard each month to meet deadlines and productivity expectations. I’ve seen shy and hesitant youth take on leadership roles and learn to advocate for themselves. This is what our program is all about!
Watching the growth and maturity is so rewarding, it makes the challenges of this job worth it. We’ve had troubled youth in the past enter the program and then years later leave enrolled in post-secondary education, with a job, a bank account, and enough savings to purchase a vehicle! The results can be incredible.
VP of Administrative Operations
VP of Administrative Operations
BGV is incredibly proud of its Quality Assurance, Compliance, and IT d epartments, which come together to make sure data is being used to help steer programs, serve clients ethically and efficiently, and ensure staff have the resources they need to execute their programs at the highest quality possible.
1) How long have you been at BGV? I joined BGV in July 2019 as the Director of Compliance.
2) What were you doing before coming to BGV? Directly before coming to BGV I worked for Stanford University as the Compliance and Ethics Program Manager.
3) What is your exact title and how would you describe what you do on a day to day basis? My title is the VP of Administrative Operations and I directly oversee the compliance, quality, and IT functions of BGV. On a daily basis my work can change significantly from helping my team and others across the organization coordinate on areas for improvement to addressing regulatory requests and other special needs across the agency.
4) What do you like most about working at BGV? I most enjoy working with the amazing people we have here who are so focused on helping ensure our clients exit programs successfully and who cooperate with the quality, compliance, and the IT team to make sure all staff have the best possible tools to help them streamline that effort. I also really enjoy that no two days are the same in my job due to the dynamic needs of a quality-based, future-focused organization like BGV.
5) Do you have a good success story from your job or a moment you are most proud of? I am most proud of the automation that I have been able to help BGV implement. This has included more visible automated reminders for when key items are to be done for a program client and reminders to leadership and administrators when contracts or other agreements are nearing expiration for renewal. I believe the automation that has been established, and continues to be expanded and enhanced, ensures clients are served according to program requirements and that operations are not disrupted.
Grants
54% — $153,000
Individuals
35% — $99,078
Business and Matching
Gifts 11% — $30,775
to all of the donors and volunteers who have supported
BGV over the past year.
We would like to extend a special thank you to the following
foundations and businesses that have contributed:
A-1 Toyota, Inc.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Connoisseur Media, LLC
The Dammann Fund
The Friends of Jimmy Miller, Inc.
The Goodnow Fund
Graphic Image, Inc.
Henry Nias Foundation
L.H. Brenner
Mason, Inc
Near & Far Aid
New England Systems, Inc.
NewAlliance Foundation
Newtown Savings Bank
NRG Energy Inc.
State Farm Insurance Co
The Ernest & Joan Trefz Foundation
Town Fair Tire Centers of CT
Workers’ Compensation Trust
