Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2025



 

View this email in your browser

Dear Neighbor,

I spent last week at the NewDEAL leaders conference, and I hope you’ll take a moment to read some of my takeaways from spending time with municipal and state leaders from across the country. 

I also hope that (as I say every year) you will consider doing your holiday shopping at small businesses throughout our wonderful district, not only this Small Business Saturday but throughout the season of giving. 

Maybe you’re driving to your in-laws or maybe you’re fighting the crowds at a local grocery store. I hope wherever you are and whomever you’re celebrating with, that you have moments of real joy and thanksgiving ahead of the hustle and bustle of the rest of the holiday season. 

Have a great Thanksgiving,

Eleni
 

Shop Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday shines a spotlight on locally owned businesses.

It encourages folks to shop small and support their communities during the busy holiday shopping season.

By participating, you can find unique, personalized gifts while contributing to the local economy by keeping money within your community.

Small Business Saturday fosters a sense of connection, strengthening neighborhoods and ensuring that local businesses, which are often the heart of their communities, continue to thrive. You can find participating small businesses HERE.
 

Nominate Your Small Business!

National Small Business Week 2026 will take place May 3-9, 2026. SBA will officially recognize these small businesses for their hard work, ingenuity, dedication, and contributions to the economy. For more details, please click HERE.
 

Housing: A Human Right

Click on the image below to view a short clip.
 

Click on the headline below to read the CT Insider story.
 

Help Your Neighbors 

Interested in making monetary donations to programs in Avon, including the Avon Pet Pantry and Avon Food Pantry? Please click on the image below for more details. 
 

Donations Sought: Gifts for Canton 

Please consider donating to the Gifts for Canton Holiday Toy & Gift Card Drive. Please see the flyer below for donations sought and the locations where you can drop them off, as well as a couple of events coming up next month where you will have an opportunity to donate again.
 

NewDEAL Leader Conference

Last week, I had the privilege of attending my first NewDEAL leader conference last week in Washington, D.C.

Sometimes, I feel like I want to pinch myself when I’m in these rooms with leaders from across the country that I look up to for their public service. It’s great to hear how they are initiating projects in their communities or writing legislation that changes people’s lives for the better.

It also reminds me that many of these colleagues chose public service because they wanted to make a difference in their own backyards, and even though our jobs have been incredibly challenging this year, and we may be geographically far apart, we are in this work together.

I returned hopeful, and dare I say optimistic, that we have critical and good work ahead of us across our country. Our democracy is hard fought and hard won and worth choosing every time.

Sincerely,

Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative

Website
Website

Email
Email

Facebook
Facebook
 

Forward to a friend | Unsubscribe from this list | Update subscription preferences