Today we're celebrating those brave pioneers who are making a go at it as a Connecticut entrepreneur with the founder of the Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards. Find out all about how you can get involved supporting these local enterprisers by voting through April 2 - and attending their virtual award ceremony.

Then we'll circle back with Abilis, which has just expanded its involvement with the Life Skills, Employment, Advocacy and Partnership or LEAP program, which is poised to help young adults with special needs throughout lower Fairfield County and now in the Norwalk area experience a seamless transition into adult life. 

And we'll close hearing from the director of the Connecticut-based Foodshare Institute For Hunger Research & Solutions. Whether you are a casual donor to a local food drive, you volunteer or help run a local pantry, or you visit one - our chat today will focus on a new publication that can help your local food provider address social inequity and food insecurity.

Today we continue our deeper dive showcasing how local agencies and human service programs are maintaining, surviving, and continuing to serve in a COVID-19 world.

First, we'll reach out to anyone who is feeling anxious, angry, sad, scared or alone during the current pandemic - to bring you an information packed and hopefully stress reducing conversation with the Executive Director of NAMI Connecticut.

Then we'll learn about a Connecticut company owner who created a not-for-profit program - masksforcitizens.com - to get masks to regular folks who need them while reducing the need to divert PPE away from medical workers and responders. 

And we'll close with the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality. We'll hit a few high points of the CEQ's annual report to the Governor - aimed at keeping environmental preservation and protection efforts in focus even while he's dealing with the COVID-19 emergency.

We're opening today with the Yankee Institute, which just launched a new comprehensive database of every public labor contract in the state, and how it can help you and your elected leaders better understand how they impact our communities and economy.

Then we're going to have an energized conversation with the new CEO of one of the state's oldest human services agencies, the Children's Center of Hamden. We'll learn how this new, vibrant agency leader is thinking outside the box, while helping established staff, students, and clients stay safe while benefiting from all the Center's services.

And we'll close on another critical subject involving our kids and the state's workforce - as we welcome a representative from Connecticut's Office of Early Childhood, talking about a brand new partnership with the Women's Business Development Council - laser focusing on protecting, enhancing, and sustaining our fragile network of childcare centers.