Front left: Jessica Gueniat, Torrington Library director; Sarah Fox, CCEH CEO; Leonardo Ghio, Northwest Hills Council of Governments; Nancy Cannavo, director Gathering Place/New Beginnings; Deirdre DiCara, executive director of FISH/Friends in Service to Humanity of Northwestern CT. Back left: The Rev. Carrie Combs of Trinity Episcopal Church; Julie Scharnberg, NWCT Community Foundation; Greg Brisco, executive director of YMCA NWCT; David Rich, The Housing Collective.
TORRINGTON — On a cold, blustery morning, Nov. 22, state legislators and advocates for homeless people met in the Torrington Library to discuss the current state of unhoused people in the Northwest Corner. The emphasis of the dialogue, by the Waterbury-Litchfield County Coordinated Access Network, concerned the crisis within our statewide system of care and housing.
Homelessness is up 14% in Connecticut since 2022, and numbers are rising steadily. There are 51 shelter beds for a known population of 482 men, women, and children sleeping outside in tents, cars and under bridges.
Due to a $500,000 cut in Connecticut Cold Weather Emergency Response funding, the overflow winter shelter opening at Trinity Church in Torrington was delayed until Dec. 1, which meant more frigid nights spent sleeping under layers of blankets in tents in the woods.
Deirdre Houlihan Di Cara, Executive Director of Friends in Service to Humanity welcomed the concerned crowd that filled the room. FISH is a 35-bed shelter with five beds reserved for veterans and a food pantry serving the most vulnerable people living in the 900 square miles of the Northwest Corner of Connecticut.
More than half of the clients using the FISH shelter are senior citizens whose Social Security no longer cover their rent.
“We have over 2,652 neighbors in need using our FISH Food Pantry,” DiCara said. “This is an increase of 952 people this past year. We distributed enough food items for 182,859 meals. At their coat drive in November FISH distributed 1,800 cold weather items. Funding through the Department of Housing covers half of the cost of operating a shelter. Di Cara added, “We are trying to save lives.”
Nancy Cannavo, Director of the Gathering Place/New Beginnings daytime drop-in center reported since this October that 604 new people began using the facility. Of the 1,188 housing requests they fielded, 64 people were housed, 2,391 hot showers were taken and 810 loads of laundry were done. Cannavo proposed that non-photo IDs, such as birth certificates and social security cards should be free.
Anne Giordano, early child specialist at EdAdvance (whose mission promotes the success of school communities) revealed the group most likely to be homeless are infants. Of the 53 homeless people in Torrington, eight of them are children under 6. Giordano expressed concern, “The impacts are negative because the lack of consistency and nurture often have long-lasting effects on the development of children.”
Nationally 1.2 million pre-K through 12th grade children are homeless — 365,000 of them under the age of three. “In Connecticut we have 4,000 homeless children from pre-K through 12th — 1,000 of them under the age of three,” Giordano said.
Only 68% of homeless kids graduate from high school, contrasting with the 86% national average. Giordano concluded the negative cycle continues as high school dropouts are four times more likely to become homeless.
Julia Scharnberg, vice president of Community Engagement at the NWCT Community Foundation emphasized the role of philanthropy in finding solutions. Credible websites with accurate data are essential to address negative assumptions. Banishing the stigma of homelessness is crucial. Housing is the vital answer to this dilemma, but housing development is slow. Obstacles to housing are landlords not accepting vouchers, limited credit and rental history, jobs with low wages, and insufficient space — Connecticut currently has a 2% housing vacancy rate.
Leonardo Ghio, Project Director of Northwest Hills Community Health Network at NW Hills Council of Governments and Co-Chair of CAN explained the importance of annualized funding. Ghio expressed concern for young people without trusted adults who suffer adverse childhood experiences during the trauma of being homeless.
State Rep. Jay Case (R-63) often gives hands-on help at area shelters. He said the funds for addressing homelessness must become a line item in the Connecticut budget, which newly elected State Rep. Joe Canino (R-65) and State Sen.-elect Paul Honig (D-8) acknowledged.
Sarah Fox, CEO of Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, recalled being homeless as a child which informs her advocacy. Fox shared a working draft of legislative priorities including annualized funding, homelessness prevention measures, tax incentives for landlords honoring housing vouchers, expanded shelter capacity, and protections to prevent criminalization of homeless people.
Even after approval for housing vouchers, the wait for a home can take up to a year. Fox estimated that Connecticut needs more than 98,000 affordable housing units to close the gap.
MILLERTON — Donald Francis “Frank” McNally Jr., passed away peacefully at Vassar Brothers Medical Center on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025, after a short illness. Frank was a resident of Millerton since 1996. He was born on Jan. 27, 1955, in Cold Spring, New York, at Butterfield Hospital and was raised in Garrison, New York, where he enjoyed exploring and camping in the wilderness of the Hudson Valley, participating in the Boy Scouts as a bugler, and competing as captain of his high school wrestling team.
He was a graduate of James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls class of ‘74 and SUNY Cobleskill class of ‘76 where he majored in animal husbandry, specializing in equine science. He then proudly volunteered for the United States Peace Corps where he accepted an assignment to his host country of the Philippines, where he met his wife. Frank would then pursue his lifelong passion for horses and horseback riding on several horse farms in Dutchess County. Later he would work for New York state where he would then retire, spending his time caring for animals, reading, fishing and taking photographs. Frank enjoyed a good laugh with family and friends, while also occasionally winning a game of RISK. Frank was an avid reader, often reading several books a week while in the constant company of his cat.
Frank is survived by his wife and best friend, Paz (Alpez) McNally who resides in Millerton, and two sons, Patrick A. McNally and Philipp F. McNally; his daughter in-law, Erin McNally and his beloved grandchildren, Jack and Lila who brought him immeasurable joy in his life. Frank is also survived by his sister, Mary R. (McNally) Gutierrez and her husband Victor and their son Juan, and his brother, Daniel McNally Sr., and his daughter Jacqueline and son Daniel Jr. He was predeceased by his father Donald F. McNally Sr. and his mother Jacqueline (Adams) McNally.
There are no calling hours. At Frank’s request, cremation has taken place at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery in Poughkeepsie. A celebration of Frank’s life will take place in the spring. Memorial Contributions may be made to the NorthEast–Millerton Library, P.O. Box 786, Millerton, NY 12546 or to a local animal shelter of your choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Frank’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
NORFOLK — Florence Eugenia Cooper died on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, at the age of 92 at Geer Lodge in Canaan, Connecticut where she had been a resident for 2 ½ years. She also spent a couple of days a week at the home of her daughter, the artist Hilary Cooper and her husband Chris Crowley, in Lakeville.
Florence (neé Muhas) was born and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Greek immigrants. She went to local public schools and then to college at Barnard where she was mentored by Professor of Religion Ursula Niebuhr, wife of the philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr, who urged her to go to her alma mater St Hugh’s College, Oxford University where she earned a D. Phil degree. Later, she received an M.A. in foreign policy with a specialty in China, at the London School of Economics.
Florence met her future husband, Kenneth Cooper, a Diplomatic Courier, in Athens where she was visiting and he was passing through. Ken grew up in Kansas, served in submarines at the end of World War II, and graduated from the University of Kansas under the G.I. Bill. Shortly after his marriage to Florence in 1958, he became a Foreign Service Officer and served as such for the rest of his professional life. His service brought the family to Frankfurt, Belgrade, Karachi, London, Washington D.C., Manila and finally Hong Kong. Their sixty-year marriage was the center and the joy of both their lives from the start to Ken’s death in 2018. Florence was bookish and a little shy. Ken had an easy social charm. They both had wonderful senses of humor. They had two children, Hilary, born in late 1958, and Christopher “Topher”, born in 1960.
Florence wanted to work but that was not so easy in the 1960s and 70s, even for a gifted and lavishly educated woman. During the Washington assignment she searched for a job in vain (how many words can you type per minute was the usual question.) At the suggestion of a friend, she met with a remarkable woman who had started the Women’s Rights Movement, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Through that organization she found work at the State Department. When Ken was posted to Manila, she was given a commission as a consular officer issuing visas, often to young brides of servicemen at Subic Naval and Clark Air bases. She also ran the fraud unit which was a colorful challenge.
The single and central sadness of their lives was the loss of Topher of a traumatic brain injury in 2004. Shortly afterwards the couple moved to Norfolk to be near Hilary, opening a new chapter in their lives. One day Hilary brought Florence along to the Yale Art School community drawing group run by Sam Messer, who immediately gave her a pad and pencil. Florence demurred, and he said, “either you draw or take your clothes off and model!” She started drawing and never stopped, also becoming a sculptor. The drawing group and the Yale Norfolk community were a central joy and she and Hilary continued to attend sessions right up until last summer.
WEST CORNWALL — Frederick Ralph Scoville II, 72, of 243 Town St., died Jan. 7, 2025, at the Waterbury Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Fred was the husband of 45 years to Lynn (Pollard) Scoville. Fred was born in Torrington, son of the late Ralph and Thalia (Hicock) Scoville.
Fred spent his whole life in West Cornwall. He attended Cornwall Consolidated and Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The only time he left was to attend the University of Connecticut for animal science. After school he came home to work with his father on the family farm taking over full-time in 1996 milking dairy cattle and selling hay. His life passion was the farm. He could always be found tinkering on equipment or surveying the neighborhood on his golf cart. The only thing that rivaled the farm was his love of his family. His wife, sons, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren meant the world to Fred.
After changing the farm from a dairy operation to all beef in 2006, Fred went to work for the Town of Cornwall Public Works, where he got to keep up on the town chatter. He was a founding member of the Cornwall Agricultural Commission and looked forward to the local Ag Fair each year. His expertise in judging maple syrup was unparalleled! He was regularly seen around town giving “sage” advice to many local farmers.
In addition to his wife, Fred will be deeply missed by his sons, Stephen and Frederick R. Scoville III (Katherine) of West Cornwall. His sisters: Grace Kanderfer (Peter) of New Hartford; Eliza Cleaveland of Bloomfield; and Maria Bonetti (Walter) of East Canaan. Fred leaves behind his two grandchildren, Abbé Lynn and Frederick Ralph Scoville IV of West Cornwall. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Fred was predeceased by his infant sister, Priscilla, brother and sister-in-law Ralph and Marta Scoville of Denville, New Jersey.
Funeral services will be held on Jan. 18, 2025, at the West Cornwall Meeting House at 11 a.m. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. There are no calling hours.
The family has requested that you come as you are and the way Fred knew and loved you. No fancy dress, no need to impress, just come as YOU.
Memorial donations in Fred’s memory may be sent to the Cornwall Agriculture Advisory Committee Scholarship Fund, 26 Pine Street West Cornwall, CT 06796. Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.
MILLERTON — Violet Leila Woods, 95, passed away peacefully on Jan. 1, 2025, in Mesa, Arizona. She was born on Jan. 23, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York. Following birth, Violet resided in Millerton, New York, where she lived until moving to Jacksonville, Florida following her retirement. She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Woods; her parents, Henry George Rice and Eurie Marion Rice; her ten siblings; Audrey, Glendon, Joseph, George, Robert, Gordon, Beulah, Marion, Edith, and Betty. Violet, more commonly known as “Vi” lived a long, fulfilling, and wonderful life spent with family and friends.
Day to day, Violet spent time playing sudoku puzzles and was an avid reader, finding joy in exchanging books with friends. She also found great joy playing bingo, pinnacle, poker, and had a lifelong passion for knitting and crocheting, which she learned from her mother. Many friends or relatives have received sweaters, blankets, and afghans hand-made by Vi. Her handmade gifts truly touched the lives of many.
She is survived by her children; Karan, Dianne (George), Ron, and Donna, children of her late husband, Sandy and Paul. She leaves behind her grandchildren, James II (Melissa), Jenna (Kevin), Joey, and Matthew (Jenna), as well as her three great-grandchildren; Bailey, James III, Georgie and many nieces and nephews. Her love and generosity will be missed by all who knew her.
Violet will be cremated in Arizona. Her celebration of life will be held on Jan. 26 at the Arlington Lions Club, starting at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Arlington Lions Club in her memory. Donations can be made through their website at www.jaxarlingtonlionsclub.com/ or by check made to Arlington Lions Club, at 6523 Commerce St., Jacksonville, FL 32211.
