MIDDLETOWN — As a nonprofit, the Middlesex United Way is lucky to have the opportunity to work alongside some amazing volunteers. Fortunately for us, we are often contacted by college students hoping to volunteer in the form of an internship, where they can develop their own professional skill set while assisting us in our crucial work.
Today, we are excited to introduce our newest intern, Caitlin Miller, a junior at Sacred Heart University working toward her bachelor’s degree in social work. Caitlin will be interning alongside our Community Impact Director, Christina Heckart. Among other duties, she will be assisting with the Middlesex United Way grant process by joining the Community Impact Team meetings and meeting with our current funding partners.
During her internship, Caitlin will focus on gathering data related to the Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Fund and the Middlesex United Way COVID-19 fund to help better serve people in the future. She will work to analyze the demographics of who received assistance, as well as review the distribution process to streamline in the event of the need of anther emergency distribution fund in the future.
Caitlyn will also gain experience engaging with families and individuals who are recipients of assistance, which is one of her goals for the internship.
Alongside interning with Middlesex United Way, Caitlin spends her time raising her 6-month-old daughter, Everly, as well as nannying and working as a Door Dash driver. She is an active member of the community, volunteering at her local church in the infant/toddler classroom. Caitlin has also spent time as a volunteer at Middlesex Health in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where she watched over the babies and helped cuddle them.
“I am interning at Middlesex United Way to earn field hours for my major,” Caitlyn said. “I am majoring in social work. I chose Middlesex United Way because it seemed like the right fit for me. I live in the Middlesex County, so I felt like I could help to make a difference in my own community and be familiar with it.”
Caitlin resides in Clinton with her daughter Everly.
In the spirit of giving back and volunteering, we would also like to highlight that to help ensure families have fresh food, especially during this time of need, the Middlesex United Way is partnering again with the USDA Farmers to Families program and St. Vincent de Paul Middletown.
They are working to distribute boxes of fresh food to individuals and families at Amazing Grace food pantry, 16 Stack St., Middletown, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We are also requesting volunteers to help with the distribution, which will be contact-less, and volunteers will assist with putting food boxes into cars. To sign up, please call 860-346-8695.
Farmers Feeding Families is a USDA program created in response to food insecurity as well as farmers suffering from the closure of restaurants due to the pandemic.
To learn more about this or other volunteering opportunities, including internship opportunities, please contact our office at 860-346-8695.
Kevin Wilhelm is president and CEO of the Middlesex United Way in Middletown.
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