Front Porch Program Round 2: The Front Porch program is kicking off again and this time it s looking to stick around year round

The Front Porch Program

Long before the days of smart-phones, video games and satellite TV, people used to entertain themselves by stepping outside after their evening meal and chatted with their neighbors and friends. They caught up on the latest gossip, news and events, they talked about their favorite recipes or sports team, often sharing a beverage. This social interaction typically occurred on someone’s front porch.

Over time, as modern technology and entertainment options advanced, people became less social and more isolated. It has also become apparent that living conditions in many neighborhoods began to deteriorate over time as fewer people stepped outside their homes to engage in conversations and activities with their neighbors. Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary & State Rep. Larry Butler at the Ribbon Cutting.

As a child growing up in Waterbury, I heard stories of the older Italian woman in Town Plot boiling water on a Saturday morning to clean the sidewalks and their front yards. These were not the homeowners, they were tenants and it didn’t matter who owned the building. That is where their families lived and keeping a clean place for their family to stay mattered greatly to them, regardless of ownership.

In 2012, the Front Porch Program sprouted from the notion that neighbors would still help neighbors and most people do enjoy a sense of community. The Citywide Front Porch was the brainchild of Sharon Hallock, executive vice-president of the Greater Waterbury Board of Realtors. Sharon applied for

US Senator Chris Murphy , then a Congressman, addresses a group of volunteers getting ready to clean up Hamilton Park on Front Porch Day.

a $10,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors and successfully leveraged those funds with a matching grant from the City of Waterbury to kickstart the program.

There was a core group of about 20 individuals that met, planned and prepared weekly for the first event. Hours and hours of prep work went into creating the first event. When the day finally arrived and the first “Front Porch Day” commenced, nearly 300 hundred volunteers showed up on a Saturday morning to make a difference for the community. Each neighborhood that participated selected a home that was chosen for improvements. At 9:00AM volunteers assembled in their designated locations and were deployed

to the streets with rakes, shovels, brooms, weedwhackers, chain saws, and other tools and equipment needed to clean the streets, sidewalks, abandoned lots and front yards of the homes. Sharon Hallock, the visionary behind the program, with Joe Cirillo.

US Senator Chris Murphy , then a Congressman, addresses a group of volunteers getting ready to clean up Hamilton Park on Front Porch Day.

Other volunteers were given painting equipment and paint to beautify porches, decks and railings while those with higher mechanical skills took on carpentry repairs. Supplies were donated from local stores including Schmidt’s and Serafines and Home Depot. Each volunteer received a red t-shirt with Front Porch Day blazon across the front, food was also donated by local grocery stores and restaurants. After the volunteers had cleared overgrown brush and weeds, painted and repaired several properties and swept and cleaned many streets, Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary welcomed the volunteers with food and refreshments at a reception held on Burton Street, after the street was closed to traffic. Groups from

across the city came together to spend a day working as a community. The police Activity League and Police Explorers were front and center helping on Front Porch Day. Volunteers young and old participated and people felt good about the future of the neighborhoods that participated.

Mayor O’Leary saw two long-time elderly residents that lived in their family homestead on Burton Street watching with smiles on their faces as they witnessed scores of folks making their street shine. Their home needed much work and they did not have the financial resources to make any upgrades to it. Mayor O’Leary took it upon himself to coordinate volunteers and solicit donations to help these elderly residents and they were rewarded with a completely new vinyl sided exterior for free out of the kindness and generosity from the Mayor and other stakeholders in the community. The Waterbury Police Explorers assemble for a picture.

The Front Porch Program isn’t just a clean-up event, it’s a state of mind. It’s evolved from being an “Earth Day on Steroids” to its new mission of enhancing community systems and outreach that will facilitate the delivery of resources, education and services to CT residents. The Front Porch Program will coordinate outreach to the residents of selected neighborhoods seeking to increase their quality of life by becoming more selfsufficient and independent. The Front Porch Program, Inc. will help strengthen existing neighborhood organizations and assist in the creation of new ones when possible. Volunteers cleaning up overgrown yards on Elizabeth Street.

The Front Porch Program, Inc., includes agency heads, elected officials, community leaders, neighborhood stakeholders, NRZ’s and concerned citizens located within designated Opportunity Zones or economically distressed municipalities as identified by the CT Department of Economic Development. The Front Porch Program, Inc also encourages citizen participation in local democracy by being involved in civic organizations that participate in the economic development and stability efforts within their community.

Front Porch volunteers celebrating a day of hard work and waiting for some food.

In 2012, the Front Porch Program has evolved and is now launching an effort in three communities, Bristol, New Britain and Waterbury. Armed with the game-plan from the first Front Porch events in Waterbury, the group has now expanded its vision and is going to be operational 12 months of the year. The first public meeting of Front Porch Bristol is March 11, at 6:00 PM in the public Library, Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu is the keynote at this event.

Bristol Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu has participated in several meetings regarding Bristol’s involvement in Front Porch. She has

Mayor Erin Stewart is excited to bring the Front Porch Program to New Britain. offered her own personal time to make it a success in her city.