Peter Indorf Jewelers has been a facet of Greater New Haven for decades and this year celebrates its 40^th anniversary by continuing its strong tradition of community involvement. The business is giving its customers and fans the opportunity to win a one-of-a-kind, specially designed necklace with 40 diamonds to benefit a great cause, through a partnership with United Way of Greater New Haven.

Beginning Saturday, Oct. 6, Peter Indorf Jewelers’ two locations will sell tickets that will be entered into a drawing to win the necklace, designed and handmade by Indorf himself and valued at $4,000.

Tickets will be sold for $20 each or $50 for three, and will be available at Indorf stores at 1022 Chapel St. in New Haven and 703 Boston Post Road in Madison this month. All ticket sales will benefit United Way of Greater New Haven, a nonprofit that works throughout the region to enhance the common good by focusing on education, income and health, the building blocks for a good quality of life.

The funds will support United Way’s strategic investments in education initiatives, including early childhood education; employment skills training and basic needs, including a commitment to reduce hunger and homelessness.

Mayor John DeStefano Jr. helped kick off the City of New Haven’s annual United Way of Greater New Haven fundraising campaign Wednesday, urging city workers to “give something, even it’s only a dollar a week.”

The mayor spoke to about 30 city employees, each representing various city departments, who are designated as “champions” for this year’s campaign. He stressed the importance of supporting United Way and urged the champions to spread the message - and aim for 100 percent participation - among employees in their respective departments.

Many people in Greater New Haven are working passionately and diligently to reduce homelessness in the region, but one major aspect of the problem remains frustratingly difficult to get a grasp on – homeless families.

“It’s the ‘black hole’ in the world of homelessness, understanding homeless families,’” says Amy Casavina Hall, senior director of Income and Health Initiatives at United Way of Greater New Haven.

Join us for a movie screening of "Unspoken", a new film by Youth Rights Media on Thursday, October 4th at 6pm in our Wells Fargo Community Room in our office at 370 James Street, New Haven.

Disturbing news comes to us from a new study by Connecticut Voices for Children:

The income gap in Connecticut is getting bigger. Manufacturing jobs are being replaced by lower-wage jobs in healthcare, hotels and restaurants. And Connecticut’s African-American and Hispanic workers have been left out of the economic recovery.

The Connecticut Mirror did a nice job reporting on the study.

These long-term trends have been made dramatically worse by the recession, with dire impact on those affected and on our community as a whole.

One bright spot: The New Haven Register reports that local manufacturing businesses are hiring – if only they could find workers trained to fill their needs.  That’s why we support local efforts, such as Emerge (in photo), to train potential workers in the skills they need to qualify for these jobs.

The “splash pads” spurting cold water weren’t the only big draw at the Galvin Playground Sprinkler during Thursday’s summer heat.

It had barely pulled up to the curb near the playground when the New Haven Food Truck was already drawing a crowd.