A Voice for Change

Giving parents the tools to help other parents

Exuding a mother’s warmth and a CEO’s take-charge attitude, Evelyn Richardson is a dynamo when it comes to bringing people together to improve children’s lives.

Evelyn Richardson, with her daughter, Chaneaka, and great-nephew, Cincair, at the Catholic Charities Asylum Hill Family Center

A life-long resident of Hartford, Evelyn left Weaver High School before graduating to begin a family. Not the type to leave anything unfinished, she earned her GED at age 36.

Wanting to put her parenting skills to work, Evelyn applied to be a nursery coordinator at a local church. The woman interviewing her was so impressed with her volunteer activities that she encouraged her to apply for a program called the Parent Leadership Training Institute, sponsored by the Connecticut Commission on Children and Hartford’s office for Young Children, and funded in part by the Hartford Foundation through its Brighter Futures Initiative.

The program’s goal is to “equip parents and other adults to be leading advocates for all children in their community,” said Trish Torruella, facilitator for Hartford’s Family Civics initiative. In class, Evelyn learned that “as individuals, we have the ability to change what isn’t working in our communities. In fact, I now feel it’s my civic duty.”

I realized that I really do have the ability to rally people around
a cause.

The 20-week program covered social and economic trends affecting children and families, how state and local governments work, using the power of the media, forming alliances, and evaluating program success.

After graduating in June 2010, Evelyn put her new-found knowledge and skills to work. She spearheaded the annual Community Day for Hartford’s Clay Arsenal neighborhood.

“It was a collaboration of many organizations and people,”said Evelyn. “Health agencies brought important information for parents; others brought craft activities for the kids.” Over 250 people attended.

Then, Evelyn coordinated the Pliny Street Block Party. “I had lived in the Clay Arsenal community for nine years, and in the last year, there were about eight murders in that and the nearby neighborhood,” she said. “I wanted to get to know more people and to make some changes.” More than 300 people attended. Parents learned ways to keep themselves and their children healthy and safe. After that, Evelyn said, “I realized that I really do have the ability to rally people around a cause.”

Evelyn now works as a family specialist at the Catholic Charities Asylum Hill Family Center, developed and partially supported through Brighter Futures. “This is right up my alley,” she said. “it’s an opportunity to create programming that parents want and need to help them be better parents. I can do more here than on my own - now I have an organization backing my efforts.”

At the same time, Evelyn still volunteers in the community.

She serves on the board of directors for Community Health Services, Hartford’s largest community health center; on the Food Policy Advisory Commission, working to ensure that Hartford residents have access to fresh, affordable and nutritious food; and Weed and Seed Steering Committee for the upper Albany/Clay Arsenal community, to name a few.

Also, as a member of the Parent Advisory Board, Evelyn is helping to develop a Brighter Futures Family Center at the new Parker Memorial Community Center in North Hartford. She is proud of - and energized by - all of her community activities. But, Evelyn’s greatest pride clearly comes from the success of her own children, one of whom is a middle school teacher pursuing her master’s degree.

José Colón-Rivas, executive director of Hartford’s Office for Young Children, and Trish Torruella, facilitator for the Family Civics Initiative

“Helping parents like Evelyn Richardson to use their passion and knowledge of their communities to lead efforts to improve the lives of children is immensely satisfying,” said José Colón-Rivas, Ph.D., executive director of Hartford’s Office for Young Children.

“Our overarching goal is to ensure that Hartford children, birth to 8, are better prepared for success in school. In addition to leadership training and other programs for parents, we also focus on ensuring high-quality early childhood programs. We’ve developed a blueprint to guide us in addressing the social, health and educational needs of children, and help us measure our progress against specific goals.”

“My biggest wish is that poverty doesn’t create a barrier for children to be successful,” Evelyn said. “Somebody gave me the tools that have helped me, and I want to help others the same way.”