Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So how many times have we been talking the Great Gift?
Jack how many times has it been you and I? I
feel like this is our third time.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Oh no, this is more like our sixth or seventh time, really.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Because I know and I always say it. In the
beginning it was Christine, so that that goes back a
long time. Then I felt like there was someone else
for a little while. Have you been in and you've
been in Live to the studio a couple times before,
and it's Jackie Downing.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I am the project lead on the team manager, and
we have a great team that works on the Great Gift.
But I work for the Community Foundation for Great New
Haven and I'm the senior director of grant Me non
profit support and the Great Great Way that we in
the community.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Off and the Great Give This year is May seventh
through the eighth. The website is just that, right, the
Great but well, actually it's the Great Give dot org
if I'm remembering correctly, that's correct, And it's a thirty
six hour online giving event. And I remember that one
(00:59):
of the years we did it. I think that was
one of the first times with you. It was COVID time.
We were worried and COVID wound up being one of
the best performing years for the Great.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Giv Yeah, we doubled what we did. I mean, this
community was so generous because they realized that nonprofits were
in demand for services was way up. People needed more help,
people needed more support, people needed a place to go
to feel good, and the nonprofits was that safety net
(01:31):
that everyone could rely on. And people who you know,
at that point got their stimulus checks and didn't need them,
gave to the community. They stepped up and really gave.
So we doubled in one year what we had done
the year before.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
That's interesting. It's so funny too, because I remember at
the time feeling, you know, I got to check one
dad nowhere, and I'm like, JESU, this is a little crazy.
I kind of don't need it, Like should we be
willy nilly about money in this way? You know what,
I need that money now, Jack, I really didn't need
it then. So that's interesting to hear. I said as
(02:06):
much on the air, so I know people were calling
in like, yeah, we may regret this later. So it's
interesting to hear that some people are like, I'm doing
just fine. I'm going to take this money and go
to the Great Give with it. That makes total sense
to me. Any new organizations that could be on the
lookout for as far as the Great Give this year
is concerned.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well, I just want to go back to that for
a second, because I don't think you ever regret investing
in the community and doing something good in the community.
So if you gave the money away, I don't think
you'd ever regret that. To know the impact that even
small dollars can have on all of these organizations that
work in the Great Give, we have five hundred and
(02:46):
eighty three different organizations, all local organizations to choose from,
Yeah no, I mean they do such phenomenal work.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah no. And please do understand, of course when you
give to these great organizations, and I'm a fan of
so many of them. What I meant was, I remember
at the time Talk Radio wise people were just like, jeez,
as a nation, are we going to regret? Like, is
this going to be money that the work? Oh? Yeah,
you know, these checks were cutting. It's a little premature.
We don't know where we're going to be. We all panicked.
(03:16):
COVID was a weird chapter, and we all panicked in
a variety of ways. Obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, well we're in a weird chapter right now. You know,
as a political climate and funding cuts are coming down
from the federal government. They are hitting nonprofits in big ways,
and they're hitting the state. So the state is also
cutting the budget of our nonprofits. Yeah, but you know,
we're the organizations that provide day services for intellectually and
(03:45):
developmentally disabled adults, that provide comfort and rescue for animals.
So they're still out there doing what they need to do.
They just have to be a little more creative on
where they get the funds from.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah, you know, I was surprised in recent years too.
I saw Best Video was part of the Great Gift too,
and I thought, well, that's fantastic. I mean, it's so
I've always regarded Best Video, Film and Cultural Center as
my own little secret, Like I just turned my son
onto it in the past. Here it's right up his ali.
(04:19):
They do these great screenings and it's just a great
artistic outlet. I didn't know they fit the criteria. It's
wonderful to see. I was excited to see them as
part of the Great Gift. What is there a criteria
as far as being a not deemed nonprofit is concerned
because I wouldn't have thought of Best Video as one.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Well they aren't. They have their five oh one C
three from the federal government. So that's our requirement. You
have to be a nonprofit. You can't have just you know,
we do good work, but we don't have the piece
of paper. You have to have the piece of paper
because when you make a donation, you wanted to be
tax deductible. So they have to jump that hurdle and
they have to serve our twenty ten So we weren't
(05:01):
in reach from Milford to Madison and up to Cheshire
and Wallingford. So as long as they're a five to
one C three and they're in those twenty towns really
serving those twenty towns, they can be part of the
Great Give. And that's why we have five hundred and
eighty three playing the game this year.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah, and I see that the Best Video.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
I will tell you what Best Video did a few
years ago. You probably know that stage that's out in
their parking lot. Yeah, that's the Great Give stage. They
bought that with the money they raised one year in
the Great Gift. Very so that is a tangible thing
that made a difference because now they can do outdoor concerts.
They do little musicians do little gigs there.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Well.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Sure, let people go for their coffee in the morning.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, yeah, it's a great uh hop skipping and jump
from Radio Towers Park, you know, from where I do
the show every day. I saw too that, you know,
the list does grow. Broadway on Maine, great artistic venue
at the East Haven, a new one, fairly new to
East Haven. It's only in a couple of years I
saw them making the list too, or being a part
of the Great Gift yep.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I think this is only their second They've only been
a five to one C three for a couple of years.
They had a for profit before that, huh but and
they've been doing good work. But they became a nonprofit
last year and that's when they joined us for the
first time.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Love it. Yeah, And so I found them on there
and they're right next to Do you remember Jack, we've
you said yourself, We've spoken so many times. My favorite
is one of my favorites is right next to Broadway
on Maine. Do you remember what it is?
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Mediterranean bun Landia, bun Landia, Oh the list you mean, yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Yeah, alphabetically, Yeah, I love. I thought bun Landia was
great the first year.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
The yeah that I read about that it's a bunny rescue.
We have horse rescues, we have we have horse rescues
and all kinds and all kinds you know, certainly dogs
and lots of cats. Yeah, but we have a great
the Greyhound Rescue that that takes greyhounds that have finished
their running days. And I saw that, Yeah, make them
into people's pets.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah, that's fantastic, you know. And I just watched so
many people that I grew up with going on a
tear because Easter just passed, and they were like, a
bunny is not an Easter present, because that's probably exactly
what bun Landy is. Makes up a good portion of
bun Landy is rabbit rescue. It's people who thought this
was a great gift idea. So I know a lot
(07:24):
of people who are very vigilant about that across the year. Like,
you know, these living creatures, they're not whimsical gifts to
just be giving. It's interesting to hear that even about
the horses too, yep, yep.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Because you know, horses get old and what do you
do an old horse? Well, you kind of you kind
of move them to someplace else. But you know, and
some farmers don't want to keep the horse because it's
too old and it's no longer productive. Yeah, but what
do you do? You don't a brand and the horse,
so it goes to a place like High Hope Therapeutic
(07:58):
Riding where it becomes a therapy animal and people with
developmental disabilities and physical disabilities go there and ride. And
we'll also be able to groom the animals. So just
the act of grooming. If you think about brushing the horse,
think about how comforting that is. So when you're nurturing
(08:19):
something else, you learn to care for yourself.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
That's well said.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
So High Hopes Therapeutic Riding does that. They help people
understand how to care for animals. And then the motion,
like if someone has let's say, cerebral palsy and their
legs are seized up and stiff, if they get on
a horse and ride the horse, the motion and the
heat from the horse's body relaxes the muscles.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
And the legs, and that is interesting stuff and therapeutic.
You know that that's been an interesting avenue that we've
gone down to to as the species ourselves because It
extends the life of all these creatures to the piece
that we can give to each other. I see City Seed,
(09:09):
which has been around for a long time. Fantastic New
Haven organization, still in play. Clifford Beers, I mean that
was around when I was a kid, fifty seven years old.
I remember Clifford Beers from the early seventies. The list
is longer than ever, I see. The countdown clock is
up as far as the Great Give is concerned. So
you can mark your calendar at the Great Give May
(09:31):
seventh through the eighth. Right now, we're about a week
out right, yep.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And start next Wednesday morning at eight o'clock and actually
given if you're not going to be around next Wednesday
and Thursday, the giving opens this Friday, So if you
want to sneak in early, you can get your giving
done this weekend. That'll be fine. Giving any time. And
gifts start at five dollars. Yeah, so you don't have
to be a mega millionaire to help these folks out.
(09:59):
You know, a gift the five or twenty or twenty
five dollars is huge for some of these small organizations.
And you know what's meaningful to you? Did you go
to a summer camp when you were a kid. Did
you send your kids to a camp? Those are nonprofits?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, and I did too that you remember the one
on Audubon Street. The arts is right next.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Door to the arts at Neighborhood Music School.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
It's right next door to Neighborhood. My kids went to
Neighborhood Music School. You know, I'm a big fan of theirs.
And right next door to them there was some arts
and crafts and they did a great arts camp in
the summer.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
I can't think of they still do creative Arts workshop,
Creative artill there.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Those are great summers of my kids' lives. I still
have all over the house the art that they made
that summer when they went to camp there. That's fantastic.
And for anybody who's listening right now, you go to
the Great give dot org. The main page. You can
click right on find an organization to support, and you
just browse them. So many are going to resonate with you,
(11:00):
you know there will. There'll be some that you pass by,
Others that you'll be shocked even exit you know even exist.
So be sure to click on find an organization to support,
do a little bit of homework. The great give May
seven through eight, Jack, I always look forward to chatting
with you, and don't we get you back on too
for the arts and ideas fast. Isn't that you too?
Speaker 2 (11:22):
No, that's not me, that's somebody else.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Well, I love I love both there on the list.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
That's here too, that's yeah, they're certainly on the list here, yep.
And the giving is the giving is next week. We
hope you know this is a time that your generosity
is most appreciated right now for these organizations. Make sure
we ring and we'd love to have folks support us.
Thank you.
So how many times have we been talking the Great Gift?
Jack how many times has it been you and I? I
feel like this is our third time.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Oh no, this is more like our sixth or seventh time, really.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Because I know and I always say it. In the
beginning it was Christine, so that that goes back a
long time. Then I felt like there was someone else
for a little while. Have you been in and you've
been in Live to the studio a couple times before,
and it's Jackie Downing.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I am the project lead on the team manager, and
we have a great team that works on the Great Gift.
But I work for the Community Foundation for Great New
Haven and I'm the senior director of grant Me non
profit support and the Great Great Way that we in
the community.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Off and the Great Give This year is May seventh
through the eighth. The website is just that, right, the
Great but well, actually it's the Great Give dot org
if I'm remembering correctly, that's correct, And it's a thirty
six hour online giving event. And I remember that one
(00:59):
of the years we did it. I think that was
one of the first times with you. It was COVID time.
We were worried and COVID wound up being one of
the best performing years for the Great.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Giv Yeah, we doubled what we did. I mean, this
community was so generous because they realized that nonprofits were
in demand for services was way up. People needed more help,
people needed more support, people needed a place to go
to feel good, and the nonprofits was that safety net
(01:31):
that everyone could rely on. And people who you know,
at that point got their stimulus checks and didn't need them,
gave to the community. They stepped up and really gave.
So we doubled in one year what we had done
the year before.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
That's interesting. It's so funny too, because I remember at
the time feeling, you know, I got to check one
dad nowhere, and I'm like, JESU, this is a little crazy.
I kind of don't need it, Like should we be
willy nilly about money in this way? You know what,
I need that money now, Jack, I really didn't need
it then. So that's interesting to hear. I said as
(02:06):
much on the air, so I know people were calling
in like, yeah, we may regret this later. So it's
interesting to hear that some people are like, I'm doing
just fine. I'm going to take this money and go
to the Great Give with it. That makes total sense
to me. Any new organizations that could be on the
lookout for as far as the Great Give this year
is concerned.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well, I just want to go back to that for
a second, because I don't think you ever regret investing
in the community and doing something good in the community.
So if you gave the money away, I don't think
you'd ever regret that. To know the impact that even
small dollars can have on all of these organizations that
work in the Great Give, we have five hundred and
(02:46):
eighty three different organizations, all local organizations to choose from,
Yeah no, I mean they do such phenomenal work.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah no. And please do understand, of course when you
give to these great organizations, and I'm a fan of
so many of them. What I meant was, I remember
at the time Talk Radio wise people were just like, jeez,
as a nation, are we going to regret? Like, is
this going to be money that the work? Oh? Yeah,
you know, these checks were cutting. It's a little premature.
We don't know where we're going to be. We all panicked.
(03:16):
COVID was a weird chapter, and we all panicked in
a variety of ways. Obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, well we're in a weird chapter right now. You know,
as a political climate and funding cuts are coming down
from the federal government. They are hitting nonprofits in big ways,
and they're hitting the state. So the state is also
cutting the budget of our nonprofits. Yeah, but you know,
we're the organizations that provide day services for intellectually and
(03:45):
developmentally disabled adults, that provide comfort and rescue for animals.
So they're still out there doing what they need to do.
They just have to be a little more creative on
where they get the funds from.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah, you know, I was surprised in recent years too.
I saw Best Video was part of the Great Gift too,
and I thought, well, that's fantastic. I mean, it's so
I've always regarded Best Video, Film and Cultural Center as
my own little secret, Like I just turned my son
onto it in the past. Here it's right up his ali.
(04:19):
They do these great screenings and it's just a great
artistic outlet. I didn't know they fit the criteria. It's
wonderful to see. I was excited to see them as
part of the Great Gift. What is there a criteria
as far as being a not deemed nonprofit is concerned
because I wouldn't have thought of Best Video as one.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Well they aren't. They have their five oh one C
three from the federal government. So that's our requirement. You
have to be a nonprofit. You can't have just you know,
we do good work, but we don't have the piece
of paper. You have to have the piece of paper
because when you make a donation, you wanted to be
tax deductible. So they have to jump that hurdle and
they have to serve our twenty ten So we weren't
(05:01):
in reach from Milford to Madison and up to Cheshire
and Wallingford. So as long as they're a five to
one C three and they're in those twenty towns really
serving those twenty towns, they can be part of the
Great Give. And that's why we have five hundred and
eighty three playing the game this year.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah, and I see that the Best Video.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
I will tell you what Best Video did a few
years ago. You probably know that stage that's out in
their parking lot. Yeah, that's the Great Give stage. They
bought that with the money they raised one year in
the Great Gift. Very so that is a tangible thing
that made a difference because now they can do outdoor concerts.
They do little musicians do little gigs there.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Well.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Sure, let people go for their coffee in the morning.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, yeah, it's a great uh hop skipping and jump
from Radio Towers Park, you know, from where I do
the show every day. I saw too that, you know,
the list does grow. Broadway on Maine, great artistic venue
at the East Haven, a new one, fairly new to
East Haven. It's only in a couple of years I
saw them making the list too, or being a part
of the Great Gift yep.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I think this is only their second They've only been
a five to one C three for a couple of years.
They had a for profit before that, huh but and
they've been doing good work. But they became a nonprofit
last year and that's when they joined us for the
first time.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Love it. Yeah, And so I found them on there
and they're right next to Do you remember Jack, we've
you said yourself, We've spoken so many times. My favorite
is one of my favorites is right next to Broadway
on Maine. Do you remember what it is?
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Mediterranean bun Landia, bun Landia, Oh the list you mean, yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Yeah, alphabetically, Yeah, I love. I thought bun Landia was
great the first year.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
The yeah that I read about that it's a bunny rescue.
We have horse rescues, we have we have horse rescues
and all kinds and all kinds you know, certainly dogs
and lots of cats. Yeah, but we have a great
the Greyhound Rescue that that takes greyhounds that have finished
their running days. And I saw that, Yeah, make them
into people's pets.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah, that's fantastic, you know. And I just watched so
many people that I grew up with going on a
tear because Easter just passed, and they were like, a
bunny is not an Easter present, because that's probably exactly
what bun Landy is. Makes up a good portion of
bun Landy is rabbit rescue. It's people who thought this
was a great gift idea. So I know a lot
(07:24):
of people who are very vigilant about that across the year. Like,
you know, these living creatures, they're not whimsical gifts to
just be giving. It's interesting to hear that even about
the horses too, yep, yep.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Because you know, horses get old and what do you
do an old horse? Well, you kind of you kind
of move them to someplace else. But you know, and
some farmers don't want to keep the horse because it's
too old and it's no longer productive. Yeah, but what
do you do? You don't a brand and the horse,
so it goes to a place like High Hope Therapeutic
(07:58):
Riding where it becomes a therapy animal and people with
developmental disabilities and physical disabilities go there and ride. And
we'll also be able to groom the animals. So just
the act of grooming. If you think about brushing the horse,
think about how comforting that is. So when you're nurturing
(08:19):
something else, you learn to care for yourself.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
That's well said.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
So High Hopes Therapeutic Riding does that. They help people
understand how to care for animals. And then the motion,
like if someone has let's say, cerebral palsy and their
legs are seized up and stiff, if they get on
a horse and ride the horse, the motion and the
heat from the horse's body relaxes the muscles.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
And the legs, and that is interesting stuff and therapeutic.
You know that that's been an interesting avenue that we've
gone down to to as the species ourselves because It
extends the life of all these creatures to the piece
that we can give to each other. I see City Seed,
(09:09):
which has been around for a long time. Fantastic New
Haven organization, still in play. Clifford Beers, I mean that
was around when I was a kid, fifty seven years old.
I remember Clifford Beers from the early seventies. The list
is longer than ever, I see. The countdown clock is
up as far as the Great Give is concerned. So
you can mark your calendar at the Great Give May
(09:31):
seventh through the eighth. Right now, we're about a week
out right, yep.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And start next Wednesday morning at eight o'clock and actually
given if you're not going to be around next Wednesday
and Thursday, the giving opens this Friday, So if you
want to sneak in early, you can get your giving
done this weekend. That'll be fine. Giving any time. And
gifts start at five dollars. Yeah, so you don't have
to be a mega millionaire to help these folks out.
(09:59):
You know, a gift the five or twenty or twenty
five dollars is huge for some of these small organizations.
And you know what's meaningful to you? Did you go
to a summer camp when you were a kid. Did
you send your kids to a camp? Those are nonprofits?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, and I did too that you remember the one
on Audubon Street. The arts is right next.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Door to the arts at Neighborhood Music School.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
It's right next door to Neighborhood. My kids went to
Neighborhood Music School. You know, I'm a big fan of theirs.
And right next door to them there was some arts
and crafts and they did a great arts camp in
the summer.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
I can't think of they still do creative Arts workshop,
Creative artill there.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Those are great summers of my kids' lives. I still
have all over the house the art that they made
that summer when they went to camp there. That's fantastic.
And for anybody who's listening right now, you go to
the Great give dot org. The main page. You can
click right on find an organization to support, and you
just browse them. So many are going to resonate with you,
(11:00):
you know there will. There'll be some that you pass by,
Others that you'll be shocked even exit you know even exist.
So be sure to click on find an organization to support,
do a little bit of homework. The great give May
seven through eight, Jack, I always look forward to chatting
with you, and don't we get you back on too
for the arts and ideas fast. Isn't that you too?
Speaker 2 (11:22):
No, that's not me, that's somebody else.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Well, I love I love both there on the list.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
That's here too, that's yeah, they're certainly on the list here, yep.
And the giving is the giving is next week. We
hope you know this is a time that your generosity
is most appreciated right now for these organizations. Make sure
we ring and we'd love to have folks support us.
Thank you.
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