Our Piece of the Pie

Very excited for this resource!! When Sana Cotten came to speak to some of our DCF young people at Our Piece of the Pie, many shared that they’d benefit from an accessible, virtual support network during and after care. The youth asked, and Unashamed delivered!!!👏🏽👏🏽

This Giving Tuesday, we are excited to share a glimpse into the bond between our youth and staff. Our Piece of the Pie (OPP) pairs each youth with a Youth Development Specialist (YDS). Together they create an Individualized Success Plan. This pairing provides youth with a caring adult to help them address barriers and achieve their goals. In this video, OPP youth Javarie and Nora share how their Youth Development Specialists have motivated and supported them to be where they are today. Youth Development Specialists Roberto and Brandice share how they embody the mission of OPP and make an impact on youth each day. Thank you to Dalio Education and Sevenpair Studios for helping us share these stories. Visit https://lnkd.in/eMCAfjxZ and donate to support youth like Javarie and Nora.

Spreading Joy: 100 Thanksgiving Meals Delivered! Last week, OPP had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Basket Brigade to make a meaningful impact on our community. Together, we distributed 100 boxes filled with a turkey and complete Thanksgiving dinners to our youth, their families, and community members in need! Each box was thoughtfully packed with all the essentials for a warm holiday meal. This collaboration was about more than just food—it was about spreading hope, joy, and the spirit of community during a time when it is needed most. Thank you to Basket Brigade for their generosity and partnership in making this possible. We are grateful for the dedicated staff, youth, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to organize and distribute these meals. Here’s to fostering community and gratitude this holiday season! #Thanksgiving2024 #BasketBrigade #Gratitude

Giving Tuesday is TOMORROW! No gift is too big or too small. $50 can provide a set of scrubs to an OPP CNA student $250 can help a young person secure a driver’s license The OPP path to success is through Personal Development, Academic Achievement, and Workforce Readiness. Donate this #GivingTuesday to help OPP empower youth to succeed in education and employment. Visit https://lnkd.in/eMCAfjxZ to donate.

🙌 Dalio Education is proud to spotlight our grantee partner, Our Piece of the Pie, an organization making a significant impact in the Greater Hartford area. ✨ Under the leadership of Executive Director Hector M. Rivera Jr., MSM, MBA, OPP® is empowering youth to overcome barriers and succeed in education and employment.✨ 🤝 Our CT Opportunity Project Senior Portfolio Director, Adhlere Coffy, works closely with OPP® to support their mission. This collaboration exemplifies the findings in our recent "Elevating Voices" study, which emphasizes the importance of community-based support and personalized guidance for young people. 🤳 For more information about OPP and our other grantee partners visit: CTOP's 🔗: https://lnkd.in/erZjnJ_i OPP's 🔗: www.opp.org 🌟 Be on the lookout for CTOP's 2024 Annual Report which will be released in the coming weeks!

Happy Thanksgiving from Our Piece of the Pie! We are grateful for our youth, staff, board, donors, and community partners. Thank you to everyone who supported OPP this year!

I had the privilege of working with Marion Brockington-Jones for some time with one of my Our Piece of the Pie youth. Even despite the youth’s relocation out of the Hartford area, Marion made sure I was included in PPTs, ACRs, and all conversations involving the young person’s wellbeing and future. Well deserved👏🏽👏🏽 Super grateful for every Connecticut State Department of Children & Families worker that collaborates so closely with us at OPP!!!

Giving Tuesday is ONE WEEK away! How does each donation impact OPP youth? - $25 can provide an OPPortunity Academy (OA) student with lunch for one week - $100 can provide a monthly bus pass/help with transportation for one youth Donate to OPP this Giving Tuesday 12/3 to impact youth in Greater Hartford, CT! Ask your company if they offer a company match! If so, donate through their system and email externalaffairs@opp.org to confirm your donation. Visit https://lnkd.in/eMCAfjxZ to donate.

OPP program staff recently completed the CONNECTICUT CENTER FOR NONVIOLENCE INC training program, which equips participants with effective tools and strategies for conflict resolution. Through this specialized training, staff gained valuable insights into nonviolent communication, de-escalation techniques, and collaborative problem-solving. These skills are vital not only for maintaining a positive workplace environment but also for engaging with the youth and families OPP serves. Conflict resolution is one of OPP's five foundational pillars which Organizational Capacity focuses on. Through consistent training opportunities, OPP ensures all staff are prepared to address conflicts constructively within a diverse and dynamic workplace. Thank you to the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence for facilitating this training!

This morning, staff and youth from Connecticut State Department of Children & Families/Our Piece of the Pie’s Launch Program gave back to the community! We volunteered at the St. Francis Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry’s Annual Turkey Drive. Even in the cold and rain, our DCF young people made it an enjoyable experience full of song and collaboration🚀🦃 Shoutout to Aleena Durant for sharing this opportunity with us!! Excited to join more civic engagement projects this holiday season😊