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A message from Richard Porth,
President/CEO of United Way of Connecticut
 Stable and healthy families are the foundation of a thriving community. How different would our state be if all working families earned enough to not just get by and meet their basic needs, but also to get ahead and make plans for their family's future?
Connecticut's United Ways are collaborating with United Ways in five other states to identify and give voice to the people in our communities who work hard and yet face challenges making ends meet. We call this population ALICE, a United Way acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
In September, we will release our statewide ALICE report, which utilizes a data-driven, comprehensive research approach showing that ALICE lives and works in every community.
We invite you to be among the first to meet ALICE in Connecticut by signing up to receive the report as soon as it's released.
In advance of the report's release, there will be several opportunities to learn more about ALICE, which can be found on the ALICE website at this link.
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| Sec. 8 Housing Voucher and Rental Assistance Program Waitlists to Open |
 The State of Connecticut Department of Housing will open the waiting lists for both the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) and the State Rental Assistance Program (RAP) for the first time since 2007.
Beginning on August 4th, pre-application forms and announcements for both programs will be printed in daily newspapers throughout the state for three consecutive days. Pre-application forms and additional information will also be posted to the Department of Housing Website ( www.ct.gov/doh) at that time.
Pre-applications will be accepted by mail and must be postmarked between the dates of August 4, 2014 and August 18, 2014. Online applications will also be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on August 18, 2014. Filling out the pre-application form will put a household in a lottery for possible inclusion on the waiting lists for both programs. 5,000 applications will be chosen by lottery for the Section 8 HCVP waiting list and 3,000 will be chosen for RAP.
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KIDS COUNT 2014 Data Book Published
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Earlier this week, the 2014 edition of the KIDS COUNT Data Book was released, showing Connecticut ranked 7th in the nation for overall child well-being.
 KIDS COUNT data includes measures in the areas of Economic Well-Being, Education, Health, and Family & Community, all of which factor into the state's overall ranking.
One of 50 state-level projects funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, CT KIDS COUNT is led by the Connecticut Association of Human Services (CAHS).
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Pet Assistance for Low-Income Families
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The Connecticut Department of Social Services is partnering with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to offer a spay and neuter program for dogs and cats owned by low-income families.
The program offers vouchers for
vaccination and sterilization of dogs
 and cats that families who participate in DSS eligibility programs can utilize to cover the basic costs of these procedures. Approved households may receive up to two vouchers, which provide a benefit of $50 for a male cat, $70 for a female cat, $100 for a male dog, or $120 for a female dog. Some veterinarians may require additional services with these procedures, and the pet owner is responsible for paying any associated costs with those services. Click here to download the application from the Dept. of Agriculture website.
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