Dear Friends,

Two months into 2024, we’ve seen progress on crucial projects to improve infrastructure, healthcare, housing, and quality of life for residents across Southwest Connecticut. Read on to learn about some of the major highlights for CT-04.

Investing in infrastructure

As our towns and cities continue to flourish, our infrastructure and housing supply must keep up with population growth. I was thrilled to attend the recent grand opening of the Stamford Parking Garage at the Stamford Transportation Center (STC), which will feature nearly 1,000 spaces for cars and over 100 for bikes, plus charging stations for EVs and digital displays to make navigating the lot easier. The STC is the busiest public transportation hub in Connecticut, so I am delighted to see this project completed to help connect our communities and make commutes safer and more efficient.

I also toured the Oak Grove housing development in Norwalk, a joint venture between Norwalk Housing Authority and Norwalk-based developer Heritage Housing, Inc., to make a 7.8-acre site into 69 affordable apartments for families at various income levels. Seven units will be set aside specifically for formerly homeless families. The campus will include a community center, walking trail, and afterschool learning center for children. I’m excited to see families move into these homes starting in December of this year.

Celebrating the grand opening of the new Stamford Parking Garage, part of the busiest public transportation hub in Connecticut.

Strengthening our community

We’re fortunate to have remarkable advocacy organizations in Southwest Connecticut dedicated to making our community a better place to live.

Barbara’s House, formerly Community Centers Inc., has served Connecticut residents, the majority of whom live in subsidized public housing and single-parent homes, since 1955. I visited in Greenwich to hear about the free programming they offer, including after-school tutoring, citizenship classes, and English language classes.

At the Person to Person (P2P) in Norwalk, I learned about the non-profit’s food assistance program—operated out of its onsite food pantry—and the help it offers to families across lower Fairfield County. P2P provides financial assistance for rent and utilities, childcare, and eviction prevention along with skills training for nearly 28,000 individuals across the district.

Connecting with kids

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is visiting young people in their schools. I was grateful to join a middle school civics class and crafted with kids as part of my annual Valentines for Vets program. Now in its 13th year, Valentines for Vets encourages students from 60 different schools to create heartfelt notes and drawings for Connecticut’s veterans, which my team then distributes across our district.

At the Cos Cob Library, I helped kick off their Books & Beasts event in partnership with the Stamford Museum & Nature Center by reading Where the Wild Things Are—one of my all-time favorites. It was great to have such a rapt audience and help children get out of the house and excited about reading.

Crafting with kids at Silvermine Dual Language School as part of my 13th annual Valentines for Vets program.

Improving health outcomes

I joined Senator Blumenthal for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in Norwalk to celebrate the launch of their new school-based health and wellness center. Federal funding will help make social workers, counselors, psychiatrists, and practitioners available to support students. The past couple of years have illuminated the crucial role that physicians and mental health professionals play in our communities, and I am grateful that Norwalk schools received first-of-its-kind funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand mental health services for students.

I also checked in with the tremendous staff at Planned Parenthood Bridgeport, whose work is always important but especially now as women’s reproductive rights have come under attack. Our community is stronger because of the high-quality health care, education, and advocacy provided by Planned Parenthood. We must continue to protect the fundamental right to reproductive freedom for all.

Checking in with providers at Planned Parenthood Bridgeport.

Celebrating Black-owned businesses

In celebration of Black History Month, I joined Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling to tour SoNo Entertainment and Recording Studios, where owner Sweets Ragin not only helps local artists produce music, but also offers a pop-up roller rink in her studio and recently launched a nonprofit to help Norwalk residents cope with grief through art. We also went down the block to visit New Image Hair Salon, which Darlene Wilson has owned and operated for over 20 years.

Sweets and Darlene both earned grants through the Norwalk Innovations Program, partially funded by the American Rescue Plan, which I was proud to support last Congress. I’m grateful to see these powerhouse female entrepreneurs build
their businesses and bolster the local economy.

Catching up with Mayor Harry Rilling and owner Sweets Ragin at SoNo Entertainment and Recording Studios.

Supporting our seniors

How we care for our elderly citizens says a lot about our values. That’s why I was grateful to spend time visiting with seniors across Southwest Connecticut in recent weeks. I spoke with residents at Edgehill Senior Living, a continuing care retirement community in Stamford for folks aged 62 and older, about the government’s role in emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.

I also joined Staying Put New Canaan, a social organization for seniors, for a morning coffee hour during which I explained my work in Washington and how it affects them. Staying Put New Canaan provides programming for elderly citizens to live confidently in their homes and engage meaningfully with their community as they age.

Stopping to smell the…seafood?

As a bonus, the News12 team braved the cold to come out to Tod’s Point with me for one of my favorite activities: oystering. We discussed the importance of building climate resilience on our coastline and keeping the Long Island Sound clean. Plus, I got to show off my oystering techniques and bring home a decent haul for dinner. You can watch the interview here.

Oystering with the News12 crew at Tod’s Point.

My team is standing by to help you with federal agencies and let me know your thoughts on legislation in Washington. Please don’t hesitate to call my Bridgeport office at (203) 333-6600 if there is anything we can do to assist you and be sure to sign up for my newsletter if you haven’t already.

Sincerely,

Jim