THE CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION INC

THE CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION (CCEF) WAS FOUNDED IN MAY OF 2020. CCEF OPERATES A USED BOOKSTORE NAMED REREAD BOOKS & MORE, THE STORE OPENED TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF JOB TRAINING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING OPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. REREAD BOOKS & MORE OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE GREATER CHESHIRE COMMUNITY IN NOVEMBER OF 2020. THE NEED FOR JOB TRAINING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING OPORTUNITIES ESCALATED AND BECAME CRITICAL DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SINCE YOUNG ADULTS WITH DIFFERENCES WERE AMONG THE FIRST WORKERS TO LOSE JOBS. A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED THIS CRISIS FIRST HAND, FROM FAMILIES DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, TO PROFESSIONALS IN EDUCATION, TRANSISTION PROGRAMS, AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY RECOGNIZED THE URGENT NEED FOR INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVES. THE BOOKSTORE WAS FOUNDED TO OFFER A HOST OF JOB TRAINING AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS SERVING AS A SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL HUB TO SUPPORT CONFIDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION: A. CCEF OPERATES A THRIVING USED BOOKSTORE WITH DESIGNATED AREAS FOR CONTEMPORARY FICTION, MEMOIR, CURRENT EVENTS, CLASSICS, YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE, ART, COOKING, MYSTERY AND THRILLERS, PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCE, POETRY, GARDENING AND CRAFTS. A LARGE CENTRAL TABLE HAS BEEN SETUP IN THE STORE WITH THEMED DISPLAYS, BOOKCLUB MEETING, AND PRESENTATIONS BY AUTHORS. THE BRIGHT AND WELCOMING CHILDREN'S AREA FEATURES A COLORFUL RUG A LARGE BENCH WITH PILLOWS, SHELVES AND BASKETS OF BOOKS ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN, ALONG WITH A TABLE FOR CRAFTS. THIS SPACE ALSO ACCOMODATES CHILDREN'S PARTIES, SEASONAL ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN, AND A WEEKLY STORY TIME. B. CCEF OFFERS INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY'S OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT, WHICH PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A WORK ENVIROMENT WITH THE COACHING AND MENTORING SUPPORT NEEDED NOT ONLY FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT, BUT WHICH CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO MANY OTHER SITUATIONS AND CONTEXTS SUCH AS INDEPENDENT LIVING, SOCIAL EVENTS, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. REREAD'S GUIDE TO INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT TRAINING (2022 EDITION) PREPARED BY DR. KAREN MAJESKI, OTD/OTR/L, IN CONCERT WITH THE QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY OCCUPATION PROGRAM DETAILS SPECIFIC SKILLS, COACHING GUIDELINES, AND ASSESSMENTS. THIS GUIDE IS AVAILABLE TO EDUCATORS, STUDENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. C. PROVIDES JOB SKILL TRAINING, ACCORDING TO COGNITIVE OR DEVELOPMENT NEEDS, IN FIVE SETTINGS. REREAD BOOKS JOB SKILL TRAINING INCLUDES CUSTOMER SERVICE, REGISTERING AND ALPHABETIZING BOOKS, STORY TIME, TOURS FOR VISITING GROUP, ASSISTANCE WITH EVENTS, ANSWERING THE PHONE, SETTING UP DISPLAYS AND DECORATIONS, RECORD KEEPING, AND MAKING POSTERS AND VIDEOS FOR EVENTS. D. SERVES AS A FIELDWORK SITE FOR QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY GRADUATE STUDENTS WHICH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION EXPERIENCE, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO APPLY CLINICAL REASONING AND PRACTICE SKILLS, BUILD PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUTURE CO- WORKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CLIENTELE, AND TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO ENTRY-LEVEL OT PRACTITIONER. THE EXACT DAY-TO-DAY TASKS OF STUDENTS MAY LOOK DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHAT PROJECTS THEY ARE WORKING ON. HOWEVER, THEY WORK TOWARD THE SAME GOALS: THE ABILITY TO EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT THE ROLE AND VALUE OF OT, ENGAGEMENT WITN OTHERS IN OT RELATED ACTIVITIES AND TASKS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS, DEMONSTRATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT GUIDELINES, AND THE TRANSITION FROM STUDENT TO ENTRY LEVEL PRACTITIONER. E. COLLABORATES WITH AND SUPPORTS OTHER REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THAT SERVE THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. F. THE FOUNDATION HAS SECURED SPACE IN THE FACILITY THAT THE BOOK STORE IS LOCATED AND HAS OPENED A LOCAL EVENTS CENTER. THE COMMUNITY HAS VERY FEW OPTIONS OF AVAIALBLE SPACE FOR SMALLER EVENTS SUCH AS GATHERINGS FOR ORGANIZATIONS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, BRIDAL EVENTS AND BUSINESS MEETINGS. THE SPACE THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS SECURED WILL ACCOMODATE UP TO 100 EVENT ATTENDEES. THE FOUNDATION HAS COMPLETED RENOVATION WORK AND IS ACTIVELY BOOKING EVENTS. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EVENTS VENUE WILL PROVIDE OUR ASSOCIATES WITH ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPORTUNITIES FROM EVENT SET-UP AND CLEAN-UP, HELPING WITH THE ORGANIZATION AND ASSISTING IN EVENT OPERATIONS ALONG WITH OBTAINING LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT THRU THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE ATTENDEES. THE CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION RESOURCES INCLUDE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF 17 COMMUNITY LEADERS, 4 PART-TIME STAFF, AND A NETWORK OF 40-50 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS UNIVERSITY-BASED INTERNS.