Submitted by Elaine Jackson
(January 20, 2024) — The Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center provides mental health services and care for youth ages 13 to 17 who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties. Managed by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, it is the only state-operated behavioral health care facility of its kind, with campuses in both Middletown and East Windsor.
Our mission is to provide the best assessment and treatment possible, with the goal of reintegrating and reconnecting youth with their families, communities and educational systems.
On behalf of South Campus, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to the many generous donors who provided our youth with a very special holiday this past year. From gift cards, toys, games, clothing, welcome baskets, art, fitness supplies, and winter coats to donations for Solnit’s youth activity fund, the generosity was overwhelming
Donations came from businesses, individuals, churches, schools, and organizations. We have donors who have been giving for many years. One generous family has been giving for 29 years!
Some examples of this year’s generosity include donors who purchased specific gifts that the youth wished for:
- Wolters Kluwer’s ELM Solutions; Zion Lutheran Church, Southington; North Guilford Congregational Church; North Branford Congregational Church; Connecticut Line Dancers, Milford; Liberty Bank Corporate office workers, St. Pius Church, Middletown; First Church of Christ, Kennedy Family, and South Church, Middletown; and Leone family, Haddam.
Additional donations came from: Emmanuel Church, Killingworth; Grace Lutheran Church, Senator Matt Lesser and family, Mercy High School National Honor Society, and Third Congregational Church, Middletown; St. Josephine Bakhita RC Church, Rocky Hill; Larry & Cindy Goodrich, Southington; Mary’s RC Church, Portland; St. Pio Parish, Westbrook & Old Saybrook; St. George’s (Greek) Orthodox Church, New Britain; UConn Students-Confetti for Kids Club, Storrs; Bouvier Insurance, Waterford; Marlborough Congregational Church, Marlborough; United Congregational Churches of Haddam/Higganum; Christ the King Church, Wethersfield; Faith UMC, North Haven; Connecticut Alpha Delta Kappa Beta Chapter, Middletown; United Methodist Church, Portland; First Congregational Church, Madison; Murphy family donation, Cromwell; Ericson family donation, Newington.
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- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Guilford and Killingworth Lions Club donated winter coats for EVERY YOUTH at Solnit Children’s Center!
- And several individual donors continued to provide monetary donations toward Christmas gifts.
- For youth who don’t have the opportunity to be home at this time of the year, this is especially meaningful. It is so important for them to have good memories to build on and to see that people want them to experience a special holiday season.
Some donors give all year with funds that furnish items for welcome baskets, fleece blankets to provide a soft warm blanket for admission, and donations to the youth activity fund so that the kids can create craft projects, go to the movies, and enjoy other activities.
To inquire about donating, contact Elaine Jackson at 860-704-4386 elaine.jackson@ct.gov, Margery Reynolds at 860-704-4126 margery.reynolds@ct.gov, or Rachel Correll at 860-704-4160 rachel.correll@ct.gov
