LIVE from The Travelers Championship: Archdiocese of Hartford

David Elliott, Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of Hartford, joins us live at the Travelers Championship to talk about the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal. This annual fundraising initiative supports organizations and ministries throughout Hartford, New Haven, and Litchfield counties.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm Alison Demurs.
I'm over here at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell. Alongside
I have David Elliott, he is Director of Communications from
the Archdiocese of Hartford, here to talk about the Archbishop's
Annual Appeal.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning, Thanks so much for having me. You know,
it's a very windy day here at the Travelers, which.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Is nice for those of us in attendance, maybe not
so great for the golfers, but I think they'll manage.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
So after yesterday and that heat. Can I just tell
you this is such literally a breath of fresh hair?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Sure? Exact?

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Really is?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
That's right? That's right.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
I've been so blessed as a reporter over the years
to be able to work on the Archbishop's Annual Appeal
and see the amazing impact it's had. But for those
who don't know about it, what is the Archbishop's Annual Appeal?

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (00:41):
So, the Archbishop's Annual Appeal is a yearly fundraising initiative
that's spearheaded by our chief Shepherd, Archbishop Christopher Coin, who's
been Archbishop of Hartford for a little over a year now,
and the intention is really to raise and distribute funds
to organizations and ministries that serve the communities of the
archdiacees just hard for New Haven atlitvial accounts.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
What would be some of those, Well.

Speaker 3 (01:05):
We have a Vicaria Outreach program which a lot of
our funder that goes towards and those organizations that receive
funds through that program are places like food pantries, shelters,
clothing banks, places that are really doing a great job
just to give people a little leg up, you know,
some people who need a little relief in life, you know,
so we're really really happy to provide financial assistance through

(01:28):
the generosity of our donors.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Still, organizations such as those.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, there's so many different organizations that you help. Besides
food pantries, there's an array of other organizations that you
can help. How can people find out about the Archbishop's
anual Appeal.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, we do have a website Archdiocese of Art for
dot or organ You could just click on the appeal
to have there and you can really see the list
of organizations that receive money, see where the contributions go,
and really see the impact that the generosity of our
donors makes, you know.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Talk about that impact. How has it positively affected people?

Speaker 3 (02:04):
Well, you know, it's just incredible because I've been to
many of the organizations that receive funding from the appeal
and when you see the gratitude all over their faces,
you know, it's really it just it brings such a
warm feeling over you. And I can think of one
sort of very tangible example. Last year, You're sure you
recall the flooding that was in the nat Value historic
levels flooding, and Archbishop Cooint had mobilized some some funding

(02:28):
from the Triple A twenty five thousand dollars each to
different food banks in the area because people were really hurting,
you know, they needed food. You know, they some of
them didn't know how they were going to make ends meet,
and Archbishop point had made funds from the appeal available.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
I believe it was overnight.

Speaker 3 (02:43):
And I know that those organizations have gratitude, you know,
for the appeal, and you know it just it means
so much when you when you see that gratitude expressed
and knowing that you're making a difference in the lives
of people.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
In the area.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Absolutely you're positively affecting their lives, changing lives for the better.
What can we respect what we see a video in churches?
How will people see more about this?

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Sure?

Speaker 3 (03:04):
Well, you know, we kick off the appeal every year
towards the beginning of the year. All of our videos
are online and yeah, in churches throughout the archeiazes, there
will be little updates here and there, whether they're videos
or in the bulletins, and really just keeping people up
to date with how their generosity is affecting others.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
And of course donations help, and that's why you're here
for the Berdi's for Charity program. For every dollar raised,
Webster Bank is going to give fifteen cents. So people
can also go to the Archdiocese of Hartford dot org
if they'd like to make donations. There's all of these
things that they can do. They can volunteer, they can sponsor,
there's so much.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah, and I'm glad you brought up Berti's for Charity
because of course we want to thank Webster Bank for
their their tremendous generosity. It really shows their commitment to
the state of Connecticut and its community.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
So we're extremely grateful for the donation match.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
Is there anything else that people should know about the
Archbishop's annual Appeal.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Well, I just want to say it.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
You know, as ask Catholics were called to shine the
light of christ love on those in need of it.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
And we are so deeply thankful for the people of the.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
Archdiocese and more broadly in Connecticut who have really answered
that all to read that love of Christ throughout the area.
So thank you so much to all of our donors,
and be assured of our prayers and archbishop Coins prayers
for all of you out there.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Wonderful.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
And I'm speaking with David Elliott, director of Communications from
the Archdiocese of Hartford. He was here to talk about
the Archbishop's annual Appeal. Please donate to that and also
don't forget to donate to them for Bertie's for charities.
You can go to the Archdiocese of Hartford dot org
or Travelers Championship dot com. Thank you so much for
being here and for serving the community.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Thank you, Alice, appreciate it.