While the world wrestled with Covid-19 during the past year, West Haven Community House had its own sets of struggles and accomplishments as noted in its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2020-21.
According to Executive Director Patty Stevens, WHCH was encouraged to be able to open programs in July of 2020 as the community began to venture out.
“You will see that our usual number of participants during this challenging year were much smaller than pre-pandemic,” Stevens noted in the report. “However, we are proud to report that programming was a success and everyone that participated received vital services in a healthy, safe, and protected environment.”
During the past year, WHCH welcomed back staff from its Head Start and Children and Youth Services programs.
“We are grateful for their willingness to return to help these preschool and elementary school children experience valuable socialization activities,” Stevens stated. “We are especially grateful for our Community Connections Day and Residential and Day staff that worked throughout the pandemic closings and ensured that our residential clients were safe, engaged and well taken care of.”
Previous reports during the pandemic, noted just the financials of the West Haven Community House. The 2020-21 report notes the programming of:
Children & Youth Services – An out-of-school-time program giving parents peace of mind knowing their child has an affordable, safe and constructive place to be while they are at work.
Community Connections – A residential and day program providing opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities to experience community living and increased independence.
Head Start – A school readiness program for income eligible, working families that give children from at-risk backgrounds a “Head Start” with the skills they need to be success in school and life.
The closing of Fiscal Year 2020-21 also saw a change of leadership at the Board of Directors. President William Heffernan, who served three-terms and passed the reigns of leadership to his sister Katie Farrell.
The Annual Report also thanks the hundreds of donors who make it possible to WHCH to provide the best possible enrichment, protection, and compassionate care for adults with intellectual disabilities, children and families, according to Stevens.
“We are so honored to have dedicated staff and board members and a community that supported us through this pandemic with both financial and compassionate resources to ensure that our agency and programs survive,” according to Stevens in the report.“