Tag Archives: Jeff Wieser

Project Return Joins Homes With Hope Family

Posted on June 30, 2016 | 3 comments

For 33 years, Project Return has helped teenage girls and young women in crisis rebuild their lives.

For 33 years too, Homes With Hope has provided emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, food and services to homeless men, women and children.

Starting today, 2 of Westport’s most important organizations merge.

Just 2 months ago, Project Return — the converted 8-bed farmhouse on North Compo Road that since 1983 has housed hundreds of females from Westport and surrounding towns — learned that on June 30, it would lose all state money.

The Department of Children and Families — which provided 80% of the group’s funding —  has been hit hard by budget cuts. In addition, DCF has shifted its policy, from group homes to foster care.

Project Return, on North Compo Road.

Project Return, on North Compo Road.

At the same time, Project Return was moving its focus to a slightly older group: 18-25-year-old women. It’s an under-served population that is projected to rise, says Kim Lake, board member and chair of the organization’s Strategic Action Committee.

“Partnering with Homes With Hope is by far our best option,” Lake says. “They’re excellent at what they do — and they’re part of our community.”

Homes With Hope president and CEO Jeff Wieser is thrilled with the new collaboration.

“Project Return will be a separate, fully functioning program under our umbrella,” he says.

“They’ll continue their wonderful work: nurturing, coaching, helping young women get back to their families or begin independent lives.”

Homes With HopeWieser adds, “Project Return is very tied in to our mission, of supporting those without homes, or at risking of losing theirs, achieve more self-sufficient lives.

“But we did not have the facilities to focus on that population, right here in our own community.”

1983 was a watershed: The year 2 fantastic organizations were founded.

2016 will go down in both groups’ histories — now shared — too.

3 Comments

Posted in Organizations, People, Teenagers

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Plastic Bag Ban Sponsors Respond

Posted on July 29, 2015 | 40 comments

In 2008, RTM members Jonathan Cunitz, Liz Milwe, Gene Seidman and Jeff Weiser sponsored the “retail bag ordinance” banning plastic bags in Westport. In response to today’s post about the new CVS bags, they sent this message to “06880”:

RTMWe remain proud of the enlightened action that the Westport RTM took 7 years ago to act responsibly with regard to plastic bags. Ever since Mel Sorcher and Don Wergeles first brought their concerns to our attention, and after nearly a year of organizing, engaging the community, and legislating, the RTM overwhelmingly passed the Plastic Bag Ordinance by a vote of 26-5 on September 2, 2008.

We have been gratified by the strong support that our Plastic Bag Ordinance has gained in the town. It also is gratifying to note that while the ordinance was inspired by a similar, earlier ordinance in San Francisco, ours has been a guide for a number of other towns that have adopted ordinances since 2009.

We conservatively estimate that the town of Westport has eliminated 15 million plastic bags from circulating in our environment, creating a problem in our rivers, Long Island Sound, the Atlantic and beyond. Many Westporters say they are very proud that our town has the distinction of being a leader in the environmental movement, by being the first town east of the Mississippi to ban plastic bags at retail.

CVS bag 1

The CVS bag shown and mentioned in your article this morning directly and intentionally circumvents the spirit of the Plastic Bag Ordinance. While the CVS bag may be technically “legal,” it is certainly contrary to the intention of the law. It’s a way for the plastics industry to stay in the business of providing unnecessary bags.

It is worth noting that the only way plastic shopping bags can be recycled is if the consumer returns them to a grocery store. The recycling rates at grocery stores are well below 10%. The CVS bags will jam Westport’s single-stream recycling machines and continue to be a nuisance, stymying Westport’s recycling efforts.

Westporters have gotten used to bringing reusable bags to the grocery store — and they’ll get used to bringing reusable bags to CVS and Walgreens, all the while being responsible and proud citizens of the environment.

We know that even little efforts make great impact, and show our children that we care about the environment. The plastic bag ban has proven to be successful and should continue to be enforced.. CVS will respond to public pressure. So, next time when you are in CVS, just say no to their plastic bags!

 

40 Comments

Posted in Environment, Local business, People

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Signs Of Vigilantes

Posted on November 6, 2012 | 10 comments

Alert “06880” reader Jeff Wieser — who doubles as president and CEO of Homes With Hope — writes:

The end of the political season is a terrible time to raise this issue – again. The entire town is sick of yard signs, and the controversy they continue to stir up.

But I would love to make “06880” readers aware of a different reality about yard signs.

The town has a very specific policy about non-political yard signs. Not-for-profits (those that abide by the regulations) ask the office of the selectmen (in advance) for permission to erect yard signs at specific town-owned locations.

They can be placed no more than 2 weeks before an event, and there can be no more than 15 of them. At Homes with Hope we abide by these rules for the 2 events per year for which we put up yard signs. We also make sure after those events to take the signs down quickly.

This Saturday (November 10) we have our annual fundraising benefit — “Stand Up for Homes with Hope,” at the Westport Country Playhouse. We put up yard signs 2 weeks ahead of time in our town-approved sites. The storm uprooted a few signs, but we replaced those in our last-ditch attempt this week to inform Westporters about this important annual fundraiser.

Have you seen me?

It appears, though, that a few neighbors object even to these town-approved attempts at getting the word out. A large number of signs have disappeared, seemingly victims of a few vigilantes.

While I apologize for our need for yard signs, the fact is they are very effective in letting people know about events. For those of us who respect the rules of the town, I think it fair that our neighbors should also respect the rules and let us keep up our signs!

10 Comments

Posted in Organizations, People

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