August 2024 Newsletter
What's Inside!
Our New Team Members
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Event Recaps
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News & Happenings In Our Community
Over the past year, the Health Collective has undergone some remarkable growth and transformation. I am proud to report that, for the first time in our history, we have achieved gender AND racial parity within our workforce. Alongside this achievement, we now have a more multilingual staff, and nearly half of our employees hold advanced degrees, enhancing our ability to serve our community better than ever before.
Additionally, with our groundbreaking facility move to Hartford’s Maple Avenue on the horizon, we have also focused on improving the experiences for families, seniors, and people living with HIV at our Manchester location. These advancements, alongside our strategic investments, operational improvements, and expansion of services, mark an exciting time for our organization.
However, none of this would be possible without the support, commitment, and feedback of our volunteers, donors, and community. Your voice is crucial in helping us make informed decisions that will sustain and expand our programs and services.
There are many more exciting developments to come, so please stay tuned and thank you for your continued support of the Health Collective.
Sincerely,
David A. Grant, MPA
Executive Director
Barry W
Director of HIV Services
Barry is an experienced non-profit professional, having spent over a decade working in HIV services, advocacy, and policy alongside a diverse range of stakeholders and governmental entities. He currently serves as the Director of HIV Services for the Health Collective.
His diverse background is complemented by a Bachelor’s in Urban Studies, as well as a graduate certificate in Non-profit Management. Barry lives with his partner of 28 years, and together they have a son. When not working or volunteering, Barry likes to tend to his garden and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Syeda Z
Junior Grants Manager
Syeda currently serves as a Grants Manager at the Health Collective. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of New Haven and speaks Turkish, Arabic, Urdu, Spanish, and English. Among the various achievements of her professional career, Syeda prides herself in her “quantitative and qualitative analysis on 'Prevalence of Disparities Among Stroke Patients Pre- and Post-Pandemic in Connecticut' which she conducted while interning at the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH). Her passions include improving healthcare access and strengthening public health initiatives both within Connecticut and nationally. Outside of work, she enjoys writing, journaling, learning different languages, and traveling.
PRIDE MONTH TABLING
June was an incredible month for the Health Collective. We participated in 14 events including a variety of PRIDE festivals and community fairs. In total, we engaged with nearly 4,983 people to hand out safe sex and dental kits, sign up volunteers, and provide FREE testing!
To request our team at your event, please reach out to our Director of Community Engagement, Kay Munoz, at
kaym@healthcollective.org.
30TH ANNUAL QUEER PROM
On Friday, June 28th, the Health Collective held our 30th Annual Queer Prom at the Bond Ballroom in Hartford. We had eighty-four high school juniors and seniors in attendance and thirty-four adult volunteer chaperones. At the event, we also recognized the winners of our LGBTQIA+ scholarships and partnered with Playhouse on Park to host a private performance of their musical “The PROM.”
Below are just a few of the pictures captured by our photographer Matthew Wallace who attended our Queer Prom when he was in high school. It truly was a magical night for everyone involved.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR DONORS AND PARTNERS
In June and July, the Health Collective held several fundraising events with some incredible partners! To help celebrate PRIDE, businesses like Alvarium Brewing, MAX Group, Small State Provisions, and Trulieve stepped up to launch fundraising campaigns raising thousands of dollars to support our work.
Groups like the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance and individual donors contributed over $19,000 to the Health Collective to help fund our Senior Dentures program which provides FREE denture services to individuals over the age of fifty.
We could not do what we do without the support of our community, and we are so grateful. If you want to sponsor a fundraiser or make a donation please contact our Director of Development, Maria Grove, at mariag@healthcollective.org.
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