News

Open Doors FOC celebrates first Savings Match Program graduates
The first graduates of the Savings Match Program at Open Doors’ Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) celebrated their successes on Friday, July 22. Each client works with FOC financial coach Eddy Agyeman to create a plan with their budget to save at least $400 over six months. Open Doors initially planned to match each dollar saved,


2022 Spring / Summer Newsletter
Check out what’s happening at Open Doors! Learn more about our partnership with Norwalk Community Health Center and their location at Open Doors’ Smilow Life Center Check out Open Doors’ community closet program Revisit our first in-person Gala since 2019 And see how the school year has been for Open Doors’ Feeding 500 students! Read


New Canaan HS junior founds Feeding 500 to address poverty in Fairfield County
“It’s awesome to see people going out of their way to help us,” Oliver Tuff, the 17-year-old president and founder of Feeding 500 said. The organization’s name comes from the goal to have each of six teams of New Canaan High School students feed meals to 500 people. Since its inception in early 2021, students


Open Doors Presents at LISC CT Financial Opportunity Center open house
On May 17th, 2022, LISC was joined by over 70 community partners at the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) Network 2nd Annual Virtual Open House. LISC presenters included Michele Conderino, Executive Director and Eddy Agyeman, Financial Coach & Digital Literacy from Open Doors. Michele Conderino, Executive Director at Open Doors, highlighted the impact of the pandemic on


Students aim to feed thousands through New Canaan food drive
High school-aged students held a food drive Sunday in New Canaan to feed thousands of people in need across Fairfield County. The group Feeding 500 held the drive at Walter Stewart’s Market where they collected non-perishable food items for Open Doors, a housing and homeless organization. “We started with the original goal of feeding 500


Evictions could top pre-COVID numbers, hit vulnerable communities hardest
Evictions are devastating, and increasing rents across the state are making it harder for our neighbors to be able to stay in their homes. “Average rents in Connecticut have increased by more than 15% year over year… Meanwhile, more than 50% of renters are cost-burdened, or pay more than 30% of their income on housing costs.” Connecticut