Launching New Ways to Help Our Youth!

Fall is here, and with it comes a wave of excitement and opportunity for our community! I am thrilled to announce that BGV has been awarded not just one, but two Launch Programs (formally known as Work-2-Learn) that kicked off October 1 in both our Bridgeport and Milford campuses. These programs are designed to empower at-risk youth, providing them with invaluable skills and experiences that will pave the way for brighter futures.

In addition, we are proud to introduce the Family Based Recovery (FBR) program, which offers in-home substance use treatment tailored for families with young children. This initiative is particularly significant as it focuses on enhancing parent-child interactions, ensuring that families receive the support they need in a nurturing environment. With the expansion of this program, we will now be able to extend our services to the communities of Fairfield and New Haven counties, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to high-quality, culturally competent care.

These developments are a testament to our strong partnership with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and reflect our dedication to creating impactful programs that resonate with the families we serve. We are excited about the positive changes these initiatives will bring to our community. We thank you for your dedication and support; you are truly appreciated!

Sincerely, Kim Shaunesey, Ph.D. President & CEO

Summer highlights and great things to come...

Summer is in full gear and many exciting things happened this past Spring at Boys & Girls Village. I am excited to share them with you as well as what we can expect in the coming months. To start, we were re-awarded the Multisystemic Therapy-Problem Sexual Behavior (MST-PSB) program for New Haven and Fairfield Counties. This in-home program assists male and female youth who have engaged in harmful sexual behavior, change their patterns of behavior and prevent reoffending. We also bid on and won a new program, Parent and Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), which will become part of our clinic services offered in both Bridgeport and Milford! This evidence-based treatment focuses on improving the bond between young children and their caregivers by enhancing their engagement and interactions. Finally, I am pleased to announce that we marked the 1-year anniversary of the Kraft House opening in April!

In addition to these accomplishments, this May we held our first in-person Wellness Fair for employees since the pandemic. Many of our board members and staff compiled “relaxation baskets” which were raffled off. We celebrated Juneteenth with some delicious traditional foods. This June also marked Charles F. Hayden’s graduation and end-of-the-school-year celebrations. There was record attendance by family members with over 80 individuals attending the lower school and 100+ the upper school! Congratulations to our graduates and all the youth moving to the next grade level or back to their home schools.

Regarding things to come, BGV hopes to begin breaking ground this Fall for our new upper school addition! In April we were awarded funds from the Nonprofit Grant Program (NGP) of $1.2 million to support this construction. We have already started on the preliminary work. (see rendering below).

In closing, none of these accomplishments would be possible without our fantastic and dedicated staff, board of directors, and donors like you.

Thank you for supporting BGV and helping us to further our mission by touching the lives of more youth and families!

Sincerely,

Kim Shaunesey, President & CEO

BGV Blog

Launching New Ways to Help Our Youth!

Summer highlights and great things to come...