Meet Tara, Our Senior Intern!

My name is Tara Menon and I am a senior at New Canaan High School. This fall, I will be attending George Washington University in D.C., where I plan to major in International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs. I am very excited to be interning with the New Canaan Community Foundation, where I’ll have the opportunity to explore grant management and interact with local organizations. In my first week, I chose eight organizations that were of interest to me, all of different impact areas: human services, behavioral health, arts, etc. Throughout my internship, I will have the opportunity to visit these organizations and learn more about what they do. At each visit, I will present the respective organization with a check fulfilling their grant request. I hope to play a small part in strengthening local communities through my internship with the NCCF!

Below you can find each of my blog posts that encompass the various site visits I have done with local organizations.

Site Visit #1: Children in Placement Connecticut (5/28)

My first site visit was with Children in Placement Connecticut at the Bridgeport Probate Court. I met with Janet Freimuth, the executive director of the organization, who explained what she does along with the goals of the organization. I also met with Katherine Pastrana, the regional manager of the Western Connecticut branch of the organization. She talked about her role in the organization along with the work she does with children, guardians, DCF (Department of Children and Families), and other members of the court system.

When deciding which organizations to visit, I was very intrigued by the work of Children in Placement Connecticut. They work with children in underserved communities that have experienced abuse and neglect. Through the work of their organization, they focus on the Guardian ad Litem Program which is a group of trained volunteer advocates who serve as court-appointed representatives for the victims. These volunteer advocates provide crucial emotional support and stability to the children who are experiencing continued challenges. To put their work into perspective, approximately 4,000 children enter the child welfare system each year and through the Children in Placement (CIP) program, 250 children are assisted annually. The work this organization is doing is extremely beneficial as it places the children in stable environments that is crucial during their developing years.

At the end of the visit, I presented a $5,000 check to the organization, fulfilling their grant request and hopefully playing an important part in their mission to help children. Talking to both Janet and Katherine was very interesting as it gave me a better understanding of what their organization does, in addition to the court system. As someone who is interested in going into law, I learned a lot during my visit and I am very happy that I was able to meet with them.

Site Visit #2: The New Canaan Nature Center (5/30)

I met with Bill Flynn, the Executive Director of the New Canaan Nature Center, who talked about the grounds and new programs that will be implemented in the future. The NCNC has various programs for children to interact and visit the grounds, which is something he is trying to make more accessible to students in all grades. A common theme throughout our discussion was sustainability. The NCNC is committed to a chemical-free space, and does not use any pesticides to protect their grounds.

The NCNC is working on multiple projects that will help to promote their goals of sustainability and land management. One of the projects Bill talked about was the Solarization Project, which aims to eliminate invasive species through a chemical-free process. The plants will have a plastic cover placed on top of them, that stays for 3-6 months. This cover allows for heat generation which is used to kill off the invasive species that might be growing around the plants. This project was started last year and is set to continue due to its success. This is just one of the many projects the NCNC has been working on.

Another notable development at NCNC is the utilization of the Audubon House land. When you walk into the NCNC space, there is a green area that sits right in front of the Visitor’s Center. The Audubon House was previously located in that area, before its demolition at the beginning of this year. Now, the space is used as a bird sanctuary, with several bird feeders placed throughout the space. This project is a testament to the NCNC’s commitment to utilizing their land to protect wildlife.

NCNC received a $15,000 grant from the NCCF for land management, ground beautification and ecological surveying. The Nature Center is an integral part of the New Canaan Community and its efforts to preserve the land around are especially important. For those that have yet to visit NCNC, I encourage you to please visit the grounds and you will have the opportunity to see the beauty of the space.