2025 ANNUAL REPORT 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 1
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Britt Elise Lynch Executive Director Taylor Deegan Board President Mark Berardi Board Vice President Tim Vendetti Board Treasurer Photo Unavailable Board Secretary Board Allocation Chair Gail Skrzypiec Louis Martocchio III Board Governance Chair Board Member Rich Conway Brendan Goodrich Kathy Hopko Barbara MacKay Chelsea Kent Board Member Board Member Board Member Tom Bentz Board Member Photo Unavailable Debby Mastrianni Board Member Marc Pelletier Board Member Ronald Serafino Board Member With Gratitude and Warm Farewell Carol Udeen Board Member As we close out the year, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Mark Berardi, who served as Vice-President, and Dave Harrington, a dedicated board member for many years. Their leadership, insight, and commitment to United Way of Southington have left a lasting impact. We are deeply grateful for their service and wish them all the best in their next chapters. 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 2
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MESSAGE As I reflect on the past year at United Way of Southington, one word rises to the surface: gratitude. I am profoundly thankful for the many individuals and organizations who have made our work possible over the last 12 months. From our generous donors to our dedicated volunteers, compassionate partner agencies, and our hardworking board of directors — you are the heart of everything we do. Together, we faced challenges, embraced new opportunities, and made real, measurable impacts in the lives of Southington residents. Whether it was providing food and essential services, supporting local children in their earliest years of education, or helping adult learners achieve their literacy goals, your support helped turn hope into action. I want to recognize and thank our partner agencies, who continue to provide vital programs with care and professionalism. Their day-to-day efforts bring our mission to life in every corner of our community, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading about their successes in the pages that follow. I am also deeply appreciative of our board members and volunteers, who so generously gave their time and talent to guide, support, and advocate for our work. This year, we expanded our outreach, strengthened our collaborations, and built momentum toward an even more impactful future. We are especially proud of our grantmaking process, through which we awarded more funding than in fiscal year 2024 — allowing us to reach even more of our neighbors in need. Every dollar we raise translates directly to greater support for the Southington community, and thanks to your generosity, we were able to extend our impact further than ever before. Our commitment remains firm: to ensure that every dollar entrusted to us benefits those who need it most — right here in Southington, including the villages of Plantsville, Milldale, and Marion. As we look ahead, I am filled with optimism. We are committed to building on this foundation — listening more deeply, responding more effectively, and working more collaboratively. With your continued partnership, we will remain united in our mission to create meaningful, lasting change. On behalf of United Way of Southington, thank you for standing with us. I invite you to explore this report, which reflects not only our accomplishments, but also the strength, compassion, and resilience of the community we are privileged to serve. With heartfelt thanks, Britt Elise Lynch Executive Director, United Way of Southington 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 3
UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON VOLUNTEER HONOR ROLL BOARD OF DIRECTORS In addition to the countless hours of board volunteerism, we thank the following volunteers: Peter Lawson Sarah Appleby Dylan Leece Lizzie Austin Gina Maisto Miguel Avila Kaite McDuffie Maia Bao Dylan Morrell Dave Bentz Tanya Owens Jaime Bentz Mary-Ellen Pelletier Derrick Bonilla Heather Picard Candacy Caesar Cheryl Ann Reyes AJ Colwick Neo Reyes Isa Criscitello Yvette Sayer Logan Czaplicki Nick Stavola Jodie Derwin Maria Trahan Karen Gozzo-Saucier Lauren Waskowicz Kim Herrick Taj Williams Laura Judge Susan Zabohonski Jim Kent Thanks to the time, energy, and commitment of these volunteers, the following opportunities came to life — bringing our community together and making a real difference for those we serve: n 2 Red Cross Blood Drives n Bright Lights Christmas Festival n peration Stay Warm Coat and O Accessory Drives and Pop-Up Shop n Southington Drive-In n School Supply Drive n Toy Drive }My heart lit up every time I saw a child’s happy face with something new for them.Å – Operation Stay Warm pop-up shop volunteer 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 4
PARTNER AGENCY SUCCESS STORIES Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut Story Courtesy of Ron Sheffer, Executive Director Tanisa, a Southington resident originally from Pakistan, came to Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut with a strong desire to improve her conversational English. A single mother of four, Tanisa devoted years to raising her children and supporting their education in the Southington Public Schools. She made the conscious decision to speak their native language at home so her children could maintain connections with extended family in Pakistan. As a result, while her children became fluent in English and are thriving, Tanisa’s own English development was delayed—a sacrifice she made for the benefit of her family. Now that her children have graduated from high school, Tanisa is focused on her own growth. With the help of a volunteer tutor, she is gaining critical language skills and the confidence needed to navigate daily life independently. In just a few sessions, Tanisa has made measurable progress in speaking and comprehension. She is working toward goals such as using the telephone, making medical appointments, filling out forms, handling money, and shopping for groceries—basic needs that contribute directly to her health, financial stability, and independence. Tanisa’s story illustrates the transformative power of adult literacy education and how it directly addresses critical needs in the Southington community. Thanks to support from the United Way of Southington, students like Tanisa are improving their lives through education while becoming more confident, self-sufficient, and engaged members of the community. 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 5
UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON BOARD OF DIRECTORSSUCCESS STORIES PARTNER AGENCY Prudence Crandall Center Story Courtesy of Donna Butler-Goldbach, Foundation & Corporate Grants Manager Tracy’s Story: One Survivor’s Journey to Reclaiming Her Voice After a Lifetime of Trauma (NOTE: Although the following story is true, certain information has been altered to protect the survivor’s identity.) In 2017, Tracy lost both of her parents – just one week apart. She spiraled into a deep depression and could barely care for her two children. A few years later, she found herself in a new relationship and with a third child. Her partner Steve was addicted to drugs. He was also physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive to Tracy. After several assaults, arrests, and hospitalizations, child welfare services intervened. The youngest child was removed from Steve and Tracy’s home and the oldest two were sent to live with their father. Feeling as though her life was falling apart, Tracy sought mental health treatment. After months of intensive therapy, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) recommended that she also seek additional support from Prudence Crandall Center (PCC), as we address the physical, emotional, psychological, and financial consequences of domestic violence so survivors can heal and move forward to stable, self-sufficient lives, free from violence. Tracy was reluctant because very few people had ever been in her corner. However, she reached out to PCC, in hopes of DCF reuniting her with children if nothing more. She was assured that our counseling program was a confidential, judgement-free space of healing and trust where she could safely express her needs, feelings, and experiences. After attending several group sessions via Zoom – sometimes from the beach – she slowly began to trust PCC’s counselor and her peers in the group. Eventually, she even allowed herself to become vulnerable enough to discuss her turbulent childhood with an opioid-addicted parent, as well as her current environment of drugs and violence. For the first time, Tracy felt heard and validated by others who understood. Months later, Tracy took another courageous step and began individual counseling at PCC. Through the process, she gradually began to understand the effects of past trauma and domestic violence on her life and the lives of her children. Determined to reclaim her life for herself and her children, she began to take advantage of the full spectrum of intervention 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 7
UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON PARTNER DIRECTORS BOARD OFAGENCY SUCCESS STORIES BOARD OF DIRECTORS services that PCC provides - individual counseling, support groups, information and referrals, and court advocacy. Although losing custody of her children had been painful, it was a necessary turning point in Tracy’s life. However, Tracy’s journey was not simple or without setbacks. It took consistency and hard work – active participation in group and individual counseling sessions with the same counselor to help her regain her voice and her identity. Working through unimaginable trauma, pain, and loss with the same counselor each week was key. It gave Tracy the trust and stability she needed to heal, rebuild her self-esteem, and feel empowered. In the process, Tracy also found the courage to leave Steve. With PCC’s support, Tracy learned to advocate for herself in court. She received a lifetime protective order against Steve, a man with 29 prior arrests for domestic violence and protective order violations. It took three years but she was also granted legal guardianship of her youngest child. Her persistence and hard work had finally paid off. In 2025, Tracy and her three children are together and thriving. Tracy is also on a new career path. Motivated by her disappointment in the criminal justice system that had repeatedly failed to protect her, she is now pursuing a degree in criminal justice to become a Domestic Violence Victim Advocate so she can help other domestic violence survivors effectively navigate the court system. In addition, she is also working on a Recovery Support Specialist certificate to support survivors experiencing substance misuse issues. Through PCC’s Intervention and Prevention Services Program, our specialized support services, and the care of our dedicated counseling and court staff, Tracy has navigated the challenging effects of domestic violence, processed her loss and grief, and addressed her emotional health needs to achieve a life of safety, strength, and purpose. Tracy’s transformation is a testament to the courage and resiliency of domestic violence survivors, the power of PCC’s trauma-informed counseling and court services, and the impact of PCC’s Intervention and Prevention Services Program. 2025 ANNUAL REPORT UNITED WAY OF SOUTHINGTON • 8
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