Corporate social responsibility is a critical part of our mission. We believe that it’s our job to not only serve our clients, but to make our community a better place to live. We practice this by serving on boards of directors, doing extensive pro bono work and providing regular donations to the organizations that make an impact locally and globally.

In addition, we created The UGLY Fund in 2011 to make a difference in the lives of the older adults in our area.

The UGLY (Unnecessary Gifts and Luxuries for the Young-at-heart) fund provides small luxuries to older adults. The UGLY Fund is overseen and managed by Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI), one of the nation’s oldest and most respected care management agencies. Through this fund, case managers at CCCI are able to draw small amounts to provide small luxuries—like flowers, a manicure or a long-distance calling card—to a client who might not otherwise afford it.

Purpose
  • To provide unexpected joy to CCCI clients by giving them small luxuries to surprise and delight them
  • To give CCCI case managers means to provide unanticipated comforts to their clients on public assistance
  • To honor Andrea Obston’s mother, Roberta (“Bobbie”) Schoenberg and her conviction that luxuries make life livable
  • To launch something that will continue for many decades.
UGLY Fund in Action
  • Mr. M has an acquired brain injury. He uses a wheelchair for mobility and has a very low monthly income. He loves to fish and one of his personal goals is to get a fishing license. His care manager assisted him in identifying accessible finishing locations. We used $32 from The UGLY Fund to purchase two fishing poles; one for Mr. M and the other for his care provider.
  • Ms. P wanted to attend a reunion in Georgia. She has absolutely no assets and could not afford to purchase an airline ticket. Thanks to The UGLY Fund, we purchased the ticket for Ms. P, and she was able to go to the reunion.
  • Mr. R is very involved with his church (Ebenezer Holy Temple Incorporate) and wanted to attend a church trip to Greater Mount Zion Church of God in Christ in Farrell, PA. He needed to hold onto his funds for his upcoming move to a congregate facility. He agreed to stay in a triple room in order to keep the cost as low as possible. The UGLY Fund paid for him to take this two-night trip.
  • Ms. S has congestive heart failure and a gait imbalance. She is essentially home bound except for MD appointments and is in need of stimulation. We used The UGLY Fund to purchase adult coloring books and pencils for her.

The fund also allowed CCCI case managers to provide their clients with such small luxuries as:

  • Walmart gift card to purchase fabric for sewing
  • Facial for client dealing with self-esteem issues
  • Funding to help defray expenses for client to fly to attend family reunion in GA
  • Guitar to take lessons from grandson’s friend for stress relief
  • To purchase a TV so that client could stay in touch with what’s happening in the world
  • Hair cut/color and eyebrow wax for client who spends most of her time in a wheelchair
  • Microsoft office software for new laptop so individual could use computer to fullest potential
  • Arts and crafts supplies including paint brushes and paints
  • Gift certificate for JCPenney to purchase new clothes
  • Flowers and candy for a hospice cancer patient for her birthday
  • Set up and delivery of a Christmas tree by a woman and her daughter
  • Dish gardens for Connecticut centenarians