Norwalk ACTS director’s weekly shout outs

Anthony Allison is the executive director of Norwalk ACTS. 

Shout Out to Social Venture Partners (SVP) Connecticut, Fairfield County Community Foundation, and to the SoNo Public Library for hosting a panel discussion on early childhood education this past Monday. The panel was designed to feature leaders in the Early Childhood Education field as they discussed ways in which nonprofit, government, and community-level initiatives are working to prepare all children for kindergarten.

Panelists included Anthony Allison, Executive Director of Norwalk ACTS, Mark Holloway of SVP Portland, OR, Jessica Sager, Co-Founder and CEO of All Our Kin. All Our Kin is a member of Norwalk ACTS and has done critical work in building program capacity in Norwalk. Takeaways included a better understanding that learning begins when the child is born, well before they enter school; the importance of supporting the whole child (health, wellness, social/emotional) and the critical role that parents and caregivers play in preparing a child to be “ready to learn” when they enter Kindergarten.

Shout Out to O’Neill’s Pub and Restaurant in South Norwalk for organizing O’Neill’s Annual 5K Race last Sunday to benefit the Norwalk Educational Foundation (NEF). The event was held in memory of Annie Curtin who passed away at the age of six and half. To celebrate her life, Annie’s parents Paul and Kat Curtin, along with O’Neill’s Irish Pub, established an annual fundraising event to help children in our community. This year’s event raised more than $30,000, according to Marge Costa, NEF Director, adding that the funds will help support programs that enhance student learning, promote student well-being, and expand teacher resources and innovation.