Awards Doled Out at CCF Annual Meeting

Connecting for Children and Families (CCF) held its 20th Anniversary Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Italian Workingmen’s Club.

Established in 1995 with startup funds from the Rhode Island Foundation, CCF’s mission is to transform the lives of Woonsocket children through high quality educational opportunities and family support.

The keynote speaker for this event was Neil D. Steinberg, president and chief executive officer of the Rhode Island Foundation, which works to address the needs of Rhode Island’s diverse communities through philanthropy, grant making, and community leadership. Steinberg came to the Foundation in 2008 from Brown University, his alma mater, after serving as vice president of development. For the three decades prior to that, he worked for FleetBoston Financial, where he rose to the position of chairman and chief executive officer of Fleet Bank Rhode Island.

In 2014, he was named one of the 10 most influential leaders in the region’s business community by Providence Business News and in 2013, he received the Rhode Island School Superintendent Association’s Paul Crowley Award for his commitment to improving the quality of education for the children of Rhode Island.

Additionally, the Woonsocket Middle School Theatre Club performed 2 songs from the musical Beauty and the Beast Jr., which will be performed for the general public on May 8th. This club is one of the many after-school programs offered by CCF for students in grades K-12

Awards were presented to the following:

Outstanding Community Leader Award to Nancy Dufresne, Vice President and Relationship Manager at Bank Rhode Island, in recognition of her dedication and tireless efforts on behalf of Woonsocket children. Ms. Dufresne has been a CCF Board member for the past 11 years and treasurer for the past 7 years.

Outstanding Business Award to CVS Health for their ongoing commitment and strong partnership with CCF to help children thrive. Candace Jodice, Senior Director of Benefits Strategy, accepted the award on behalf of CVS.

Outstanding Volunteer Award to Constance and Michael Speidel for their exemplary service as volunteers in our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The CCF 2015-2016 Board of Directors slate was approved at the Annual Meeting:

Lisa Carcifero, Chairperson, Woonsocket Prevention Coalition

Ericka Moore, Vice-Chair, Neighborhood Health Plan of RI

Kathy Orovitz, Treasurer, Navigant Credit Union

Ben Washington, Secretary, Parent Representative

Linda Andrews, Northern Rhode Island Area Health Education Center (nriAHEC)

Geraldine Barclay-King, Parent Representative

Christopher Beauchamp, Woonsocket City Council
Laura Belisle, Cox Communications
Capt. Todd Boisvert, Woonsocket Police Department

Cynthia Carlozzi, Parent Representative

Nancy Dufresne, Bank Rhode Island
Nancy Giambusso, Even Start Family Literacy Program

Emma Gonzalez, Parent Representative

Angela Holt, Kevin K. Coleman Elementary School

Marge Jacob, RE/MAX Town and Country Cumberland Office

Candace Jodice, CVS Health

Matt Moylan, Ciro’s Tavern

Stacey Phommatheth, Center for Southeast Asians
Lisa St. Onge, Amica Mutual Insurance Company

Elizabeth Santana, Parent Representative

Connecting for Children and Families (CCF) is a community-based nonprofit organization with a mission to transform the lives of Woonsocket children through high quality educational opportunities and family support. CCF offers a wide range of initiatives, including quality childcare, before and after-school enrichment; financial stability, parenting education and support, and community safety projects.

Photo 7629 left to right: Lisa Carcifero, CCF Board President; Candace Jodice, Candace Jodice, Senior Director of Benefits Strategy, accepting the award on behalf of CVS; and Terese Curtin, CCF Executive Director

Photo 7638 left to right: Lisa Carcifero, CCF Board President; Liz Chace; Terese Curtin, CCF Executive Director; Lauren Goldenberg, CCF Director of Development and Communications; and Neil Steinberg, President and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation