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| About the Norwalk Resource Directory |
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The Norwalk Resource Directory contains updated information on a wide range of resources, from those meeting the most critical human needs for emergency help, shelter, food and clothing, to those supporting the health and well being of children, families and individuals of all ages. The directory includes Norwalk and area services, civic and government listings and selected frequently sought national resources. We hope that the directory will help families and service providers find needed services. |
| How To Use This Web Site |
| You can obtain Emergency Contact Information for the Greater Norwalk Area
by clicking the Emergency Info link in the left column of every page. You
can do the same for State, Local, and Federal Government Information by
clicking on the Government Info link. To gather information about the agencies listed in the Norwalk Resource Directory, click the Search link available on every page. On the Search page, you may do a free search by entering a keyword or phrase in the text field. In addition, you may search by category of service by choosing a category from the drop down box. Then, simply click the appropriate Search button to start your search. Once a Search has been initiated, you will be presented with a list of Agencies and Programs that meet your search Criteria. Simply click on an Agency or Program name to get detailed information about that Agency or Program. |
| History/Background |
| This edition is the result of a lengthy collaborative process, initiated when Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) alumni and parents participating in the Norwalk Discovery Initiative focus groups and Community Conversations requested current information about community resources. In response, the Graustein Discovery Initiative Steering Committee agreed to support updating the Norwalk Resource Directory, last printed in 2000 by the Norwalk Healthy Families Collaborative. A Revision Team made up of volunteers from the NHFC, members of the School Readiness Council, and the Graustein Discovery Initiative Steering Committee decided on three major goals to make the new edition readily available to the entire community: |
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Develop a permanent database of detailed agency information, to ensure easy maintenance. |
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Develop a Web version from that database, available to all Internet users. |
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Provide printed copies of the Directory for families without home access to computers or the Internet. NCC Ventures Lab designed Web forms and a database with Internet access, so that agencies could submit their information on line, designed and created a first print draft, as well as a Web Site version, from the resulting database, and launched the directory on the Internet in June 2003. Norwalk Mayor, Alex Knopp, generously offered to host the Directory on the City Web Site, thus NCC Ventures transferred the database and Web version to the Information Technology Department of the City, and to the NHFC Coordinator for completion of the print version. Subsequently, much time and attention has been devoted to editing and updating the original database, and to transforming it into a more useable print document to distribute to the community and post on the Web Site. |
| Thanks and Acknowledgements |
| We would like to thank the following organizations and many dedicated individuals who contributed their valuable time, help and resources to the project: |
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The Graustein Discovery Initiative Steering Committee for their decision to support the directory revision. |
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The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund for funding the work by NCC Ventures Lab and production of printed copies, as part of the Discovery Initiative. |
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The United Way of Tri-State for funding of the Norwalk Healthy Families Collaborative Project at Norwalk Health Department through the United Way of Norwalk & Wilton under the 21st Century Grant, which allowed for project coordination and oversight. |
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Mayor Alex Knopp for his constant support of the well being of Norwalk children and families, and for hosting the Directory on the City Web Site. |
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Timothy Callahan, Director of Norwalk Health Department for his on-going support of the Norwalk Healthy Families Collaborative Project and generous in-kind contributions. |
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Maxine (Bunny) Scott, PLTI Alumna, for launching the project and devoting innumerable hours to contacting agencies and updating their program information. |
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Mary Peniston, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools and Co-Chair of the Norwalk Discovery Initiative for contributing the idea of gathering agency information online to create a permanent database, connecting us with NCC Ventures Lab, and providing valuable consultation. |
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NCC Ventures Lab Director, Tom Duffy, and Anindita Nanda, Web Programmer & Designer for creating the online Web forms and the database, designing the Web version and developing the first print draft. |
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The Directors and Program Managers of Norwalk area agencies and many other organizations for entering their program information online. |
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Anita Mackey, Executive Director of Communities in Schools of Norwalk and Coordinator of the Norwalk Discovery Initiative; Barbara Hudgins, Food, Fuel & Shelter Council; Betsy Bain, Chair of the School Readiness Council and Co-Chair of the Norwalk Discovery Initiative and Barbara Smart, Program Assistant; Ivy Burke, Coordinator of the Norwalk After School Alliance; Linda Wilock, Director of Norwalk Youth Services and Mary Budrawich, Cooperative Educational Services (CES), for designing the data entry forms, gathering and entering information into the database and on-going support. |
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PLTI Alumni George Hensinger, Eisybell Garcia, Hattie Dickens and Marianne Tiscia and Rosemary Scullane, NPS Transition Coordinator for contacting agencies to gather program information. |
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Colleagues at Norwalk Health Department for sharing information, resources and providing helpful assistance: Darlene Hoffler, Rhonda Collins, Beverly Mohamed, Craig Shoop, Christine Dudek, Pam Bates, Carol Wilder-Tamme, Pat Carey, Cindy Pagan and Monica Kak, NHFC Summer Intern. Special thanks go to Pat DiPietro, Liz Rusk and Al Kao for their technical assistance. |
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George Hensinger, Founder and Past Chairman of the Norwalk PLTI Alumni Association, for his unwavering commitment to this project, volunteering countless hours of computer expertise and hands-on assistance with the database, proofreading drafts, working with the City of Norwalk IT Department and print shops. Victoria Schilling also volunteered time researching agency information, revising the database and creating the final document for printing and posting on the City Web Site. |
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Frank Sarno, Information Technology, Norwalk City Hall, for installing the database, integrating it into the City Web Site and making it possible for agencies to email revisions in order to maintain the database over the long-term. |
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Robert Kennedy, Xerox Corporation for his tremendously helpful consultation and technical assistance. |
| How to obtain a printed copy |
| The directory is available on this web site as a PDF/Adobe file -click
on Download to print out all or part of the directory.
A limited number of printed copies will be available to Norwalk residents without computers and access to the Internet, who cannot easily get to the Norwalk Public Libraries or the Norwalk Community Centers. To reserve a copy, call the number below to place an order, on a first-come first served basis (one copy per family). Please leave your name (with spelling), full address and phone number. |
| Additions, Comments, Revisions |
| The editors made diligent efforts to provide as much up-to-date information
in this directory as possible. Services offered, locations and telephone
numbers often change, and new programs are continually being developed.
You can use the Contact Form to make additions, comments or revisions, or mail or fax your suggestions to: Norwalk Healthy Families Collaborative Coordinator |
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