NICE is pleased and proud to support this year three outstanding organizations that change people’s lives and truly embody the spirit of the NICE mission to promote awareness of the diversity of people from around the world and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of what each group brings to our community.
We urge everyone to join in the support of these fine organizations.
IIConn (now… Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants)
The International Institute of Connecticut, is a statewide nonprofit organization that assists refugees and immigrants resolve legal, economic, linguistic and social barriers so that they become self-sufficient, integrated and contributing members of the community. It shares NICE’s belief that Connecticut should be a place where ethnic diversity is valued as a cultural and economic strength by all. Established in 1918, the Institute is the only statewide nonprofit agency recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals to provide immigration services to low income individuals. In 2016, IIConn assisted over 4,000 low-income clients from nearly 100 countries navigate immigration laws. It also provides critical services such as translation and interpretation, refugee and survivor, and ESL and citizenship assistance. Please visit iiconn.org.
The Connecticut Food Bank
The Connecticut Food Bank, serving this state since 1982, is the largest centralized source of emergency food in Connecticut and last year distributed enough food to provide more than 19.2 million meals. The Connecticut Food Bank partners with the food industry, food growers, donors and volunteers to provide food through a network of community-based programs to six Connecticut counties – Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham counties. It also actively promotes public awareness about the problem of hunger. Please visit http://www.ctfoodbank.org/.
The Open Door Shelter
The Open Door Shelter’s mission is to address the issues of the homeless and working poor by providing shelter, food, clothing, case management and treatment services, short- and long-term transitional planning, subsidized housing, education, employment and a path towards independence and success It provides shelter nightly with over 95 beds in its Norwalk facility at 4 Merritt Street and supportive housing to those working and earning an income but unable to afford housing in the area by operating a number of private residences. Please visit http://www.opendoorshelter.org/.
NICE INC, the non-profit 501 c3 organizations that runs the festival, also distributed part of the proceeds of the 2017 NICE Festival its 2017 NICE Charities Recipients: The Open Door Shelter, The Connecticut Food Bank and the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants.
Attendees included Mayor Harry Rilling, State Senator Bob Duff, Corky Stewart, President of the Board of Directors, The Open Door Shelter and staff member Ashley Eda; Claudia Connor, President and CEO, Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants; Beverly Catchpole, Director of Fund Development Operations and staff member Delores Wisdom from the Connecticut Food Bank, and local residents.
The NICE Festival Engages, Inspires, Unifies and Builds Strong Communities. As with the first festival in 2016, The 2nd Annual NICE Festival held on July 8, 2017 was met with astounding success as more than an estimated 6,000 individuals attended from across the Northeast.
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