Mental health and substance use challenges look different for each person affected. No challenge or diagnosis is exactly the same, and some mental health challenges can be difficult to recognize. It can be easy to generalize or make assumptions, but realities vary, and these challenges can impact more than you may think.

We face a moral crisis as a country and as a people. It cannot be met by repressive police action. It cannot be left to increased demonstrations in the streets. It cannot be quieted by token moves or talk. It is time to act in the Congress, in your State and local legislative body and, above all, in all of our daily lives.

Kind, compassionate, empathetic. These words characterize those who show appreciation and gratitude for others. These words can also describe a small business—particularly one that gives back to its community. A Connecticut business helps other businesses to spread the word, highlighting what they do, how they do it, and the impact it has.

Even before COVID-19, many Connecticut renters struggled to make ends meet. The number of low-wage jobs in Connecticut increased by 34% between 2007 and 2018, while the cost of household essentials rose. United Way of Connecticut estimates that, before the pandemic, 38% of households lacked enough income to cover basic needs. The pandemic has made the situation more acute, and without government intervention, evictions will spike in January.