Child sexual abuse awareness and prevention are becoming increasingly necessary as the coronavirus pandemic rages on, trapping children in households with their abusers and isolating vulnerable families from the resources they need to get help.

Watching my garden grow shares similarities with the gradual re-opening of our nation from the COVID-19 pandemic. I can only imagine the amount of planning and preparation that the leaders of our agencies, cities and states have had to do—they are operating on a much larger scale than my 12×50 foot garden plot.

With guidance from UCONN epidemiologist Dr. Kevin Diekhaus, The West Hartford Village Second Chance Shop will reopen at the end of June and the Glastonbury shop will open after July 4. Simsbury and Suffield shops plan to open around Labor Day.

While VITA sites across Connecticut suspended in-person support in compliance with COVID-19 distancing mandates, the VITA program now offers free tax help to low and moderate income filers through internet-based virtual appointments.

Millions of Americans find themselves at home these days and wonder what to do with their time. Some have shifted into the new virtual world with ease, while others have hit some road bumps.

Do you find yourself daydreaming and staring off into space? Or reaching for your cell phone all day long—for no specific reason? Perhaps you are half-listening to conversations around you. In all of these cases, it may be the result of being overly “tuned in.”