Kate Farrar

Food insecurity in Connecticut increased throughout COVID and many members of our community are still struggling. Hands On Hartford continues to do incredible work to improve people’s lives. I was thrilled to stop by last week to support Gather55 - our state’s first pay what you can restaurant. Just minutes from the 20th District, Gather 55 will bring economically diverse people together across our communities - all for a good cause.

I hope residents of West Hartford - of all economic means - visit Gather 55 for breakfast or lunch and stay tuned for dinner launching in October with acclaimed chef Tyler Anderson.
 
Also the Connecticut Foodshare mobile pantry is continuing to visit 100 Mayflower Street every other Tuesday from 11:00-11:30am. The next visit will be August 2nd.  See the full schedule of all mobile pantry sites here, Anyone in need can visit a mobile pantry for fresh and nutritious food - no questions asked. 

Walk-in Clinics are also offered at the Elmwood Community Center, 1106 New Britain Avenue in West Hartford. The next clinic will be held on Tuesday, July 26 from 9 AM to 10:30 AM.

For further information, please click here.

In addition to these clinics, many pediatricians and pharmacies are offering COVID-19 vaccinations. Several health systems, local health departments and the Department of Public Health are providing COVID-19 vaccine clinics as well. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccination options for kids under 5, please click here.

The new law updates Connecticut's criminal justice statutes so that our courts and law enforcement can effectively respond to juveniles with repeated motor vehicle theft and other crimes. This law:

• Makes juvenile arrest and delinquency proceedings more effective
  • Requires youth who are arrested but not detained to be brought before the court within five business days.
  • Increases from six to eight hours the amount of time a youth can be held if police are awaiting a judicial ruling on a detention order or are trying to locate a parent or guardian.
  • Provides police officers with access to electronic records containing statewide pending charges and 90 days of prior arrest records.
  • Allows courts to formally order that a youth be assessed for services.
• Provides more intensive responses to juveniles with serious, repeated charges
  • Expands the special juvenile probation docket to include homicide and firearm crimes.
  • Allows courts to order GPS monitoring for a youth charged with a second or subsequent motor vehicle offense.
• Focuses motor vehicle theft penalties on people with prior offenses
  • Establishes a new structure for motor vehicle thefts with penalties that become more serious for subsequent offenses rather than basing penalties on the value of the vehicle.

This law, coupled with increased investment in diversion programs and services, will help stem juvenile crime over the long-term. Connecticut remains one of the safest places to live because of smart-on-crime policy and I will continue to support forward-thinking initiatives.

The Tech Talent Accelerator Initiative will foster targeted, high-performing partnerships between business and higher education in emerging, high-demand tech skills in areas such as cybersecurity, virtual modeling, software development, and digital analytics critical to business growth in the state.

You can learn more here.

The purpose of the protocol is to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from hot conditions. While enacted, a system is set up for state agencies, municipalities, and other partners to coordinate with United Way 2-1-1 to make sure that information regarding cooling centers is available statewide, providing a location to get some relief from the hot conditions.

Anyone in need of a cooling center should call 2-1-1 or visit 211ct.org to find the nearest location.

Heat-related illness can affect anyone, though some people are at greater risk than others, including infants and young children, people 65 years of age or older, those who are overweight and anyone who overexerts during work or exercise or is physically ill with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.

Below are some additional tips to stay safe in extreme heat.

The Lifeline consists of a national network of more than 200 local crisis centers to get people the help they need, when they need it.

The three-digit Lifeline is a step forward in transforming America's mental health response and suicide prevention. You can learn more about the Lifeline here.

For further crisis intervention resources available here in Connecticut, click here.

Sincerely,

Kate Farrar
State Representative
she/her/hers