Meriden Salvation Army is a local branch of the Salvation Army in New England with a community center location based on Saint Casimir Drive. The location offers numerous activities and programs for residents, including religious education, nursery care, social services, day care, youth ministries, adult Bible study and more. The location also offers food pantry services in Tuesdays and Thursdays and also provides volunteer programs and prayer meetings. Check the main site for details on programs or events or for details on social services provided.
The Meriden YMCA is a non-profit organization that strives to better the surrounding community. The large facility offers gym equipment, for both strength and cardio workouts, a full-size pool and fitness classes. Children's programs and camps are available throughout the year. Student, senior, and family membership discounts are available.
Easter Seal Rehabilitation Center of Central CT provides treatment for individuals with physical disabilities. The center offers a variety of activities and services for both children and adults. Call for more information or to schedule an appointment.
United Way of Meriden and Wallingford raises and distributes money to support local nonprofit social-service agencies. It is one of approximately 1,400 independent United Way organizations across the country.
United Way uses a team of twenty-five to thirty trained volunteers to allocate money to agencies that need it most and would use it most effectively to do good in the community. In addition to funding, United Way provides local agencies with training, technical assistance and other forms of support.
United Way of Meriden and Wallingford's Volunteer Center matches needy families with corporate sponsors that "adopt" and shop for those families during the holidays. This United Way also administers the community service program for the Meriden Superior Court.
The organization coordinates the Federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program that provides more than $70,000 to local agencies like the American Red Cross, the Meriden Soup Kitchen and the Salvation Army. In addition, United Way collects and distributes clothing, furniture, computers and other in-kind assistance for local agencies.
Women & Families Center is a human service agency that offers services for women and families to foster independence and empowerment. Services include crisis prevention, sexual assault crisis services, before- and after-school programs, and open DOHR - developing opportunities in human resource employment. A variety of resources are available here for both youth and adults.
This center is very helpful for busy parents with young children. There are three locations in Meriden and each one accepts Care 4 Kids, a program that helps families pay for child care. The Crown Street location cares for 60 children ages 3 to 5 and has a staff-to-children ratio of 1:10. It is funded by the Department of Social Services and charges based on a sliding scale. Prices range from $8 to $95 per week.
Children First is a Meriden nonprofit serving local children and families through a variety of free educational programs and political advocacy services. For parents, it provides a leadership training institute that teaches democracy skills meant to empower them within the educational system and local government. Graduates include City Councilor Hilda Santiago and State Representative Cathy Abercrombie. Senior Buddy Readers matches retirees with first- and second-graders who need to hone their reading skills. The organization also runs the Meriden Family Zone, established in January 2010. Modeled after New York's Harlem Children's Zone, the project focuses on improving the lives of a group of at-risk families in a small geographic area through coordinated early childhood education, health care and access, parental education and community-building -- putting "cradle to career paths in place" for local children.
Residental Management Services was founded by four local Arc organizations (formally Meriden Wallingford Society for the Handicapped) with the goal of providing more than 20 residential options for people with disabilities. It also supplies help with activities and daily life to people with special needs.
Lil' Rascals might be hard to find at first - but a quick peek down a long driveway shows the tell-tale signs of a day care -- brightly colored plastic cars and toys. While there is no sign out front, the building located deep on the property is a well reviewed daycare center. The caregivers are attentive, and the children are lively.
The Arc of Meriden-Wallingford provides services and advocacy for people with intellectual, cognitive and developmental disabilities. From its beginnings in 1952 as a group formed by parents meeting in living rooms, the organization has grown to serve about 320 individuals each day. The Arc offers several types of programs, from recreational activities to group homes to employment opportunities. Services for disabled children include in-home support, an after-school program (with transportation), a playgroup that meets every other weekend, and weekend respite care. The Arc Eatery, located in the same building as The Arc's headquarters, employs sixteen disabled individuals who prepare and serve breakfast and lunch to the public. Stop by and sample freshly baked breads and cookies, roasted meats and soups prepared fresh daily. The Eatery also provides catering and offers delivery service to the Meriden area with a $20 minimum purchase.
Located at the back of the Kennedy apartment building, Birthright is the local chapter of an international charity that assists women and girls with unplanned pregnancies find alternatives to abortion. The center provides free pregnancy testing, referrals for housing, social agencies, counseling, education and legal and medical aid, maternity and baby clothing, and adoption information. Founded in 1968 by a Canadian woman named Louise Summerhill, the organization offers nonjudgemental assistance and doesn't weigh in on abortion in the political realm.