Celebrating MLK, CT Content Creator Collaborative, and the AARP Community Grant Challenge

January 20, 2026

I hope this email finds you and your family well. Martin Luther King Jr. Day invites us to pause, remember, and connect. As we reflect on Dr. King’s dream, we celebrate the strength of community, the power of service, and our shared responsibility to uplift one another with kindness and purpose.

There is plenty to get to in the email below, so make sure to keep scrolling for more on: 

  • Celebrating MLK
  • Connecticut Content Creator Collaborative
  • Vaccine Guidance
  • AARP Community Grant Challenge
  • CT History Day Judges Needed
  • Community Events

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at any time.

On Monday, January 19, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Bristol Eastern High School will host its Annual Scholarship Fund Breakfast, a meaningful event honoring the lives and legacies of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Reverend Dr. Eddie C. Whitehead. The scholarship supports graduating seniors from Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Southington, Terryville, and Thomaston high schools pursuing a college, university, or technical education.

This special morning of reflection and community celebration will feature Superintendent Iris White of Bristol Public Schools as the keynote speaker.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth under 17. All proceeds support the NAACP Scholarship Fund. We invite community members, families, and supporters to join us in commemorating these influential leaders while investing in the future of our students.

This week, Governor Ned Lamont announced the launch of the Connecticut Content Creator Collaborative, or C4. This is a new digital platform designed to connect businesses, organizations, and agencies with content creators and influencers who authentically represent Connecticut.

C4 serves as a centralized, searchable database where content creators can list their profiles for free, and where businesses can easily discover, filter, and connect with creators based on industry focus, geography, audience demographics, and content specialty, from lifestyle and culinary to travel, culture, family, and entrepreneurship.

Users can explore creators by:

  • Content category (culinary, lifestyle, travel, family, culture, business)
  • Geographic focus
  • Audience demographics
  • Platform reach and specialties

C4 is free for creators to join, boosting visibility, credibility, and access to new opportunities while giving businesses a trusted, efficient way to find partners who bring stories to life.

Click here to explore what C4 has to offer.

While many people have questions following changes to federal vaccine guidance, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has not changed its vaccine recommendations. Its guidance continues to be based on the best available science and long-standing public health evidence to help protect individuals, families, and communities.

Vaccines remain a safe and effective way to prevent serious illness across the lifespan. If you’re looking for clear, reliable information, these resources may be helpful:

CT DPH Immunization & Vaccine Info: https://portal.ct.gov/.../individuals-and.../immunizations CT.gov
Access your vaccination record (CT WiZ): https://ctwizpublicportal.dph.ct.gov/ ctwizpublicportal.dph.ct.gov
General vaccine info (disease-based): https://portal.ct.gov/.../public.../vaccine-information CT.gov
Find or schedule a vaccine near you: https://www.vaccines.gov/en/ vaccines.gov

You are encouraged to talk with your health care provider and rely on trusted, evidence-based sources as you make decisions for yourself and your family.

AARP Connecticut invites eligible nonprofits and government entities to apply for the 2026 AARP Community Challenge. The program funds quick-action projects that improve community livability, especially for people age 50 and older through enhancements to public spaces, transportation, housing, digital connectivity, and more.

The organization will award more than $8 million will be awarded nationwide. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3), (4), and (6) nonprofits and government entities. Other types of organizations are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Grant options include:

  • Flagship Grants: Support projects in public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and disaster resilience. Awards range from a few hundred dollars to up to $15,000.

  • Capacity-Building Microgrants: Support for projects focused on walkability and bikeability, accessible home modifications, and disaster preparedness. Awards of $2,500.

  • Demonstration Grants: Fund replicable projects, with a 2026 focus on pedestrian safety, broadband access and adoption, and housing choice design competitions. Awards typically range from $10,000 to $25,000.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on March 4. Click here to learn more and apply. 

A program called Connecticut History Day is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to serve as judges at one of its five Regional Contests. Judges play a crucial role in encouraging students as they share their historical research and creative work. Click here to learn more and sign up to judge at a regional contest.

Judges have the opportunity to meet students, evaluate and rank projects, and provide meaningful, constructive feedback to every participant. No prior judging experience is necessary, judges receive pre-contest training and clear materials to review in advance.

Contest day judging runs from 8:00 a.m. until the early afternoon with coffee, snacks, and lunch provided. Website and paper judges meet with students on contest day, but they review projects in the week prior to the event. Documentary, performance, and exhibit judges both view the project and meet with the students at the contest.

On Saturday, January 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at WorthWhile Reads (1 Richmond Place, it backs up to Center Street) build confidence, awareness, and skills to stay safe by learning real-world self-defense from a master instructor. No experience necessary.

Click here for more information and to buy tickets ($33.85 with tax).

Click here for more information on shows and to purchase tickets.