Community Corner
Community Update
During her time as a decorated news journalist for such networks as NBC, CNN and ABC, Perri Peltz covered countless stories focusing on the human aspect of public health and poverty issues. When she went behind the camera in 2011 to direct her acclaimed HBO documentary “The Education of Dee Dee Ricks,” she explored this theme even further.<br/><br/>The film followed two New York women from very different backgrounds as they underwent treatment for breast cancer. And while Peltz aimed to illustrate the socio-economic disparities present in the U.S. healthcare industry, the documentary also showed how a support network can help ease the stress of a critical illness. <br/><br/>During her keynote remarks at the Center for HOPE Luncheon on May 20 at Woodway Country Club in Darien, Peltz told an audience of more than 200 that access to care – particularly counseling and emotional support – should be available to all in times of crisis. She added that the Center for HOPE is making that possible for people in Fairfield County coping with a life altering circumstance. <br/><br/>“It’s about providing support and hope to everybody, whether you can pay for it or not,” Peltz said. ”Everyone deserves that just by virtue of being a human being. So, I applaud the work the Center for HOPE does and the people who support the program.” <br/><br/>The Luncheon, co-chaired by Darien resident Jan Dilenschneider and Greenwich residents Pam Caffray and Susan Yonce, raised more than $100,000 for the Center for HOPE and The Den for Grieving Kids – Family Centers’ critical illness and bereavement support programs. <br/><br/>Family Centers is a private, nonprofit organization offering education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. More than 2,200 professionals and trained volunteers work together to provide a wide range of responsive, innovative programs. A United Way, Community Fund of Darien and New Canaan Community Foundation partner agency, Family Centers is a member of the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies and the Alliance for Children and Families and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The agency is licensed by the State of Connecticut Departments of Public Health and Children and Families. Visit www.familycenters.org or www.facebook.com/familycentersinc for additional information.
