Loan Scams Make National Headlines Again

ATTENTION RESIDENTS: LOAN SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE!

As you may have seen in the April 19 New York Times article, loan scams are on the rise again. The FTC has issued a consumer alert on mass joinder lawsuits and New York Attorney General Eric Holderman has warned about scams associated with the $25 billion mortgage settlement between banks and states.

To protect homeowners from falling victim to such scams, NeighborWorks continues to publicize these twists via the Loan Scam Alert campaign website and its social media channels.

You can do your part by reading tips from the Loan Scam Alert team on the top three signs of a scam and by spreading the word about scams in your community.

COMMUNITY MUSIC

Community Music is back, THIS Saturday April 28th! It's African Drumming and Dance led by Jocelyn Pleasant. The event includes the workshop, a potluck lunch, and an open mic after lunch. Bring songs and instruments to share! Start time is 11am.

Community Music - African drumming and dance

Saturday April 28th 11am-1pm

At the Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green Street

CMI is a program of NEAT. More info at www.neatmiddletown.org/cmi

BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET MEETING

The final Board of Education Budget Meeting is this week. This will be your chance to hear important budget details. You can also access the proposed budget here.  On April 26TH @7 PM, it is the community's turn to share thoughts, make comments and be informed about public opinion on the budget.  The meetings will both take place at City Hall's Council Chambers at 245 Dekoven Rd. Attend and be informed!

Check out the pics from North End PRIDE Day, 2012.  There were projects all over the neighborhood including opening up the established Erin St. Community Garden, working in the up and coming Ferry St. Community Garden and general cleaning.

Because we had so many volunteers, we were able to build the amazing Alondra Hernandez Community Garden in one day!  We still have more to plant, but we're well on our way to a new community space.  For those who remember what 20 Portland St. looked like last year (see below for a reminder), this garden is a big change.  The Mayor declared Saturday North End PRIDE Day in the City of Middletown, which was quite an honor for our residents and their hard work.

Thank you to our amazing residents, volunteers, Comcast Cares Volunteers, Macdonough School, the Young Democrats, the Republican Town Committee, Minuteman Press, Sherwin-Williams of Cromwell, Stone Depot, Home Depot, Gorilla Graphics, St John's School in Old Saybrook, Ballek's Garden Center, CT SignCenter and the City of Middletown Public Works Department for all of the help!!  Comcast even gave the North End Action Team and Macdonough School a grant to help support our programs.



*History: When 20 Portland St. was condemned and taken in foreclosure, the city offered the lot for free (and they were going to give $$ to help rehab) to anyone willing to take the lot and rehab the buildings. The houses were in such bad shape that the city couldn't find any takers.  They were a safety concern and were bringing down the quality of life for the people who lived around them.

The city ultimately tore down the properties and issued an RFP (Request for Proposals) for ideas with what to do with the space.  NEAT submitted a proposal along with residents of Portland St. that was approved. So, NEAT now has control over the site and we built a garden this week as a partnership between NEAT and Comcast Cares Day.

GET YOUR PRIDE ON!

This Saturday April 21, from 9 am -1 pm, we will be celebrating our Pride with cleanup and beautification projects all over the North End. We hope that you have seen information about Pride Day in our emails and our newsletter. We are very excited about this years event. We have some exciting projects planned including breaking ground on two new community gardens!

Pride Day is about more than Spring cleaning. It is about getting our residents, our local businesses, and friends of the North End outside together working on common goals and building relationships. We love our neighborhood and want to take time to celebrate it.

As a friend of the North End we hope that you will join us on Saturday and spread the word in your organization. We have numerous projects that need volunteers. If you are a business or organization that is located in the North End you can also organize a project at your site. if you would like to sign up to work on a project, or are willing to join in on the project that needs you most you can call the NEAT office at 860-346-4845

Projects include:

Breaking ground at the Alondra Hernandez Memorial Garden
Breaking Ground at the Ferry Street Garden
Waking up the Erin Street garden
Miller/Bridge street park clean up
Block by block clean up and trash pick up

NEAT will provide the work gloves, water, tools, and trash bags.

We are excited to have volunteers from the neighborhood, Macdonough School, Comcast, The Young Dems, and Wesleyan University. We would love to have you join us as well!

We hope to see you on Saturday!

MEN'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS DAY - APRIL 14

This FREE event is designed to provide access to healthcare and community services for men who have limited or no health insurance. It will be Saturday, April 14, 2012 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church 24 Old Church Street Middletown, CT. There will be Prostate cancer screening and education, foot care, medical assessment of health concerns, basic eye exams, blood pressure screenings, smoking cessation, cancer prevention education, physical therapy, mental health services and massage therapy/reflexology. Registration is required by calling (860) 358-2043.

COMMUNITY MUSIC INITIATIVE: Looking for something fun to do over the school vacation?

Community Music is back, THIS Saturday April 14th! It's Fun with Rhythms led by our own Edward Leonard. Get ready for some drumming, singing, and general silliness. The event includes the workshop, a potluck lunch, and an open mic after lunch. Bring songs and instruments to share! Start time is 11am.

Community Music - Fun with Rhythms

Saturday April 14th 11am-1pm

At the Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green Street

CMI is a program of NEAT. More info at www.neatmiddletown.org/cmi

Join us for North End Pride Day!

NORTH END PRIDE DAY-SAVE THE DATE APRIL 21ST

It's getting warmer which means, we will soon be having our Annual North End Pride Day!

This year North End Pride Day will be April 21st, 2012 at 9:00 AM. Save the date and let's spend the day together beautifying our neighborhood and having fun!

Here are some of the projects we are planning for the day:

Clean up your yard!
Help clean your neighbors yard!
Be a block captain and organize a clean-up for your street!
Join one of our neighborhood teams!
Garden at the Erin Street Garden!
Help to break ground on the New Portland Street gardens!
Volunteer to help out by calling the NEAT office(860) 346-4845.

MEN'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS DAY - APRIL 14

This FREE event sponsored by the Middlesex Hospital is designed to provide access to healthcare and community services for men who have limited or no health insurance. It will be Saturday, April 14, 2012 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church 24 Old Church Street Middletown, CT. There will be Prostate cancer screening and education, foot care, medical assessment of health concerns, basic eye exams, blood pressure screenings, smoking cessation, cancer prevention education, physical therapy, mental health services and massage therapy/reflexology. Registration is required by calling (860) 358-2043.

HUSKY HEALTH PROGRAM

An informational forum for HUSKY Health Program Members to discuss the changes in the HUSKY and Medicaid programs is scheduled for Wednesday, April 11, from 1 to 3 PM. at the YMCA at 99 Union St. in Middletown. If you or anyone you know uses this program, please advise them of this important event to learn about changes and new healthcare options.

SESAME STREET'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT: EATING WELL ON A LOW BUDGET

Parents, caregivers, and providers, check out Sesame Street's Food for Thought on EATING WELL ON A LOW-BUDGET! Food for Thought: Eating Well on a Budget is a bilingual, multimedia program designed to help support families who have children between the ages of 2 and 8 and are coping with uncertain or limited access to affordable and nutritious food. The website has great resources to empower parents, kids and community members to eat healthy. Check it out by clicking here.

April 2nd, Town Hall Meeting with Governor Dan Malloy on Education

The Connecticut State Conference of NAACP & Middlesex County NAACP Branch
will be hosting A Town Hall Meeting with Governor Dannel P. Malloy. Governor Malloy will discuss his Education Reform Bill SB24 with the NAACP on Monday, April 02, 2012 at 6:30 P.M. The meeting will take place at the Shiloh Baptist Church located at 346 Butternut St Middletown, CT 06457. Here is your opportunity to have your questions answered! This is your opportunity to speak out for your child and for the children in your communities!