Enhancing Health

CLIR provides meaningful and serious intellectual activities for retirees and other adults from all walks of life, conducted in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. There are no academic requirements.

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We provide information, education, and assistance to community and economic development leaders and decision makers to help them best respond to local needs and opportunities.

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The State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) has been designated by the USDA to administer the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) activities. DSS, in turn, has contracted with UConn and the CT Department of Public Health to design and implement SNAP-Ed projects. Nutrition education and obesity prevention are provided for SNAP recipients and other eligible low-income individuals, focused on building knowledge and skills to help people make healthy choices on a budget and increase physical activity. The program is evidence based and consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate.

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The Connecticut Trail Census is an innovative statewide volunteer-based data collection and education program that encourages data-informed decision making and promotes active citizen participation in multi-use trail monitoring and advocacy. The Trail Census includes trail use counts recorded by infrared pedestrian counters, trail user intercept surveys administered by trained volunteers, and public education programs. The project is statewide and serves community leaders and decision makers including local elected officials, planners, economic development professionals, trail advocates, trail maintenance professionals, environmental, health and outdoor activity advocates, as well as the general public. The program was developed as a partnership program between the University of Connecticut, the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, the Connecticut Greenways Council, and local trail advocacy organizations.

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The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) at the University of Connecticut is dedicated to providing top-quality diagnostic services to our clients, who are veterinarians; members of the agricultural industry; owners of companion, zoo, and aquatic animals; stewards of Connecticut wildlife; and residents of Connecticut, New England, and beyond. We strive to work cooperatively with federal and state veterinary agencies to enhance disease surveillance and response.

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Since 1968, EFNEP has been funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and is an integral part of the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System. Currently, it is one of the federal government’s longest running educational outreach programs targeted to low-income families. Specially trained EFNEP Nutrition Assistants, who know their communities well, work with program families in their homes or in small community groups to offer knowledge and skills to help people control and manage their food and nutrition practices for better health and quality of life. In combination with food assistance programs such as WIC and the USDA Food Stamp Program, EFNEP can make a difference in improving food choices and health.

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UConn EDEN seeks to reduce the impact of emergencies and disasters in Connecticut through research-based outreach education.

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The UConn Extension Financial Education Program provides a variety of workshops, professional development sessions, events, and resources to help Connecticut citizens as they strive to work toward a better financial future. Our financial literacy programming reaches adults and youth across our state with relevant, research-based information and tools to encourage them to adopt sound financial management practices..

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The CDC estimates that each year roughly 48 million people get sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die of foodborne illness. The safety of our food supply is the responsibility of all who grow, process, sell, prepare, and eat food.

Choices made regarding the safe production, processing, preparation, and consumption of food should be based on current science-based safe handling guidelines.

Here you will find the food safety information and resources Connecticut consumers, producers, processors, retailers, and others need to help them produce and prepare safer food.

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Interested in more nutrition information for you and your family? The Healthy Family Connecticut website from the UConn Department of Allied Health Sciences offers many fact-based and nutrition resources for you and your family to stay healthy that are offered in both English and Spanish. Resources are offered for adults, parents of kids under five, tweens and teens.

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A healthy home supports the health and safety of the people who live there. UConn Extension has an educational series of workshops and information on how to make your home a healthy place to be. Your health is affected by the health of your home. Learn about indoor air quality, asthma and allergies, lead poisoning prevention, carbon monoxide, residential drinking water, mold and moisture, household products, safe and green cleaning, pest control, and home safety.

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The Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) serves the needs of active individuals and athletes at all levels – youth, high school, college, professional, people who are physically active, recreational athletes – and those who supervise and care for these individuals. Components of these services include: consultations, advocacy, education, research, athlete testing, and mass-market outreach.

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The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program is an educational outreach program that is part of UConn Extension. The program started in 1978 and consists of horticulture training and an outreach component that focuses on the community at large. Master Gardeners are enthusiastic, willing to learn and share their knowledge and training with others. What sets them apart from other home gardeners is their special horticultural training. In exchange for this training, Master Gardeners commit time as volunteers working through their local UConn Extension Center and the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford to provide horticultural-related information to the community.

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UConn is joining other colleges and universities around the world in adopting a new approach to sustainable health. The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources along with UConn Extension promote the holistic concepts of One Health and believe that an integrative/inclusive approach to health is where solutions to complex problems may lie. Through educational, experiential learning programs, UConn aims to train the next generation of educators and environment-friendly citizens to address health issues using One Health principles. This is achieved through the expertise of program leaders in all disciplines including food production, food safety, and water resource management. The well-being of the planet as a whole is dependent on the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment, and One Health education provides knowledge to collaboratively address world-wide health issues.

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PATHS (People Active on Trails for Health and Sustainability) is an interdisciplinary team of University of Connecticut extension educators, faculty, and staff committed to understanding and promoting the benefits of trails and natural resources for health, community & economic development and implementing a social ecological approach to health education. The UConn Extension PATHS team works in a wide variety of departments and disciplines including public health, health education, nutrition, community development, and landscape architecture.

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The UConn People Empowering People Program is an innovative personal and family development program with a strong community focus. The UConn PEP program is for adults and older teens. The program is designed to build on the unique strengths and life experiences of the participants and emphasizes the connection between individual and community action.

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The UConn Physical Therapy C.A.R.E.S. Pro-Bono Clinic is a student-led, faculty-guided initiative of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program that offers rehabilitation and wellness services to uninsured or underinsured community members who may not otherwise be able to receive physical therapy services. Students, working with licensed physical therapy faculty, will provide a variety of physical therapy services at the clinic site and within the community.

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The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides benefits to participants who are 60 years of age or older OR disabled individuals under the age of 60 living in housing facilities occupied primarily by older individuals where congregate nutrition services are provided.

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Safe and effective vaccines are America's best protection against COVID-19. UConn Extension received funding to strengthen immunization excitement in Connecticut through a grant funded project by USDA-NIFA and the CDC. The UConn project focuses on residents in Windham, Middletown, East Hartford, Mashantucket, and Groton. Our goal is to strengthen excitement for immunization in our five secondary cities in Connecticut. We are working with stakeholders to understand the barriers, identify key community influencers, create target social media and print media to increase vaccine awareness, efficacy, and safety and willingness to obtain vaccination.

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UConn Extension hosts several programs to help build a sustainable food system that can supply fresh, healthy, local food to residents. Sustainability encompasses environmental integrity, economic vitality, and social equity. We are a small, hard-working team that values a diversity of perspectives and life experiences. Our progress is thanks to collaboration with state agencies, community-based non profits, municipalities, producer associations, and researchers/experts. We receive support through federal, state, and private grants.

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4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension. As part of the University of Connecticut, 4-H has access to research-based, age-appropriate information needed to help youth reach their full potential. The mission of 4-H is to assist all youth ages 5-18 in acquiring knowledge and developing leadership and life skills while forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of their families and communities.

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Emily Alger

4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator

emily.alger@uconn.edu

860-345-5218

Erica Benvenuti

EFNEP - New London County

erica.benvenuti@uconn.edu

860-885-2825

Angela Caldera

EFNEP - Hartford County

angela.caldera@uconn.edu

860-409-9072

Marc Cournoyer

Educational Program Coordinator - 4-H Youth

marc.cournoyer@uconn.edu

860-774-9600

Tina Dugdale

Community Nutrition and Health

tina.dugdale@uconn.edu

860-486-4262

Sharon Gray 

EFNEP - Hartford County

sharon.gray@uconn.edu 

860-409-9062

Margaret Grillo

Center Coordinator & 4-H Youth Development Associate Extension Educator

margaret.grillo@uconn.edu

203-407-3158

Heather Peracchio

EFNEP - Fairfield County

heather.peracchio@uconn.edu

203-207-3266

Umekia Taylor

EFNEP - New Haven County

umekia.taylor@uconn.edu

203-407-3169

Indu Upadhyaya

Food Safety

indu.upadhyaya@uconn.edu

860-875-3331

Mary Ellen Welch

Healthy Homes

mary.welch@uconn.edu

860-885-2829

Denis Coble

Allied Health, Cancer Prevention

denis.coble@uconn.edu

860-486-0014

Valerie Duffy

Public Health Nutrition

valerie.duffy@uconn.edu

860-486-1997

Toni Ellis

EFNEP - New Haven County

toni.ellis@uconn.edu

203-407-3171

Faye Griffiths-Smith

Family Economics and Resource Management Associate Extension Educator

faye.griffiths-smith@uconn.edu

203-407-3160

Heather Pease

EFNEP - Hartford County

heather.pease@uconn.edu

860-409-9073

Mike Puglisi

EFNEP, Program Director

michael.puglisi@uconn.edu

860-486-1198

Dianisi Torres

EFNEP - Windham County

dianisi.torres@uconn.edu

860-774-9600

Zoraida Velazquez

EFNEP - New Haven County

zoraida.velazquez@uconn.edu

203-407-3169