YWCA Darien Norwalk

YWCA Darien/Norwalk Announces New Leadership Team

Download PDF

The YWCA Darien/Norwalk Board of Directors announced a new management team for the organization “to continue the organization’s mission driven work and programs supporting the community.” Here’s the rest of the announcement from the YWCA Darien/Norwalk:

The team will include:

—Marli Hayes, who will be interim president/CEO and will continue in her role as director of community services. —Sara Mirsky, will assume the role of director of memberships, as well as overseeing the YWCA’s Toddler Time and Summer Fun programs.

—Carol Donnelly is the director of finance

—Jen Russey will manage media, marketing and the website as director of communications. “This new leadership team gives us a stronger operational structure and clears the way for deeper partnerships between the YWCA Darien/Norwalk and it’s members and community partners,” said Aidan Welsh of the YWCA Board of Directors. “The Board is thrilled to work with these four talented women who all bring a high level of enthusiasm and experience to their roles.”
Week Without Violence
The team’s first collaborative project will be YWCA’s Annual Week Without Violence.

YWCA online webinar family tensions in pandemic

YWCA Online Webinar Tuesday For Parents With Family Tensions During Pandemic

The YWCA Darien/Norwalk Parent Awareness is hosting an upcoming webinar entitled “The Way Things Used to Be: How parents can find meaning and hope as they navigate the grief and uncertainty the pandemic has created for their families and themselves.” Chelsea McGee, LCSW from Center of Hope and Julianne Green, LMSW, from The Den of Grieving Kids will have an open discussion about how to acknowledge, understand and normalize these feelings of lost events, and routines so parents can support and encourage children in this “new” normal. The Zoom meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept 22. The event is free and open to members and non-members. Registration is required here, on the YW website.

YWCA online webinar family tensions in pandemic

YWCA Online Webinar Tuesday to Help Parents With Family Tensions During the Pandemic

Download PDF

The YWCA Darien/Norwalk Parent Awareness is hosting an upcoming webinar entitled “The Way Things Used to Be: How parents can find meaning and hope as they navigate the grief and uncertainty the pandemic has created for their families and themselves.” Chelsea McGee, LCSW from Center of Hope and Julianne Green, LMSW, from The Den of Grieving Kids will have an open discussion about how to acknowledge, understand and normalize these feelings of lost events, and routines so parents can support and encourage children in this “new” normal. The Zoom meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept 22. The event is free and open to members and non-members. Registration is required here, on the YW website.

Stand Against Racism protest signs 2020

Parents Invited to Web Events on ‘Institutional Racism’ This Tuesday, Wednesday, June 23, 24

Download PDF

Two online “community conversations” for parents, together titled “Current State of Affairs: Institutional Racism & Real Talk,” and sponsored by Darien organizations, will take place next week. Each one for parents of children in different age groups. Each conversation will be hosted on Zoom from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ‚ on June 23, 2020 for parents with children ages birth to 10 and on June 24 for parents of children ages 11 and up. — an announcement from the YWCA of Darien-Norwalk

Rashad Randolph will be a guest speaker, along with Lynn S. Sullivan, M.S. Ed., MA of Diversity Benchmark Consulting. The event is hosted by YWCA Darien/Norwalk in partnership with A Better Chance Darien and Council of Darien School parents.

Women of Distinction YWCA Darien/Norwalk

YWCA Darien/Norwalk Now Accepting Nominations for 2020 Women of Distinction Awards

Download PDF

The YWCA Darien/Norwalk is seeking nominations for women who epitomize leadership and have used their skills to make our community a better place to live for the 11th annual YWCA Women of Distinction Awards. If you know of a woman who fits this description, please consider nominating her today! The deadline to submit nominations is March 6. — an announcement from the YWCA Darien/Norwalk

After nominations are received, the Women of Distinction Nominations Committee will review the submissions and select the honorees. The honorees will represent leadership in varied service and business fields throughout our community.

Carol Weitzman square thumbnail

YWCA Parent Awareness Presentation: The Power of Play — Building Healthy Brains, Thursday, Jan 16

Download PDF

A presentation for parents on “The Power of Play: Building Healthy Brains” will be presented by Dr. Carol Weitzman, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine, on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Norwalk. — an announcement from the YWCA of Darien/Norwalk

This talk will present information about early brain development and the critical role that early relationships play. Weitzman will also briefly focus on potential threats to early childhood development. Parents will learn the importance of responsive parenting and we will brainstorm ways to enhance intentional, child-focused parent-child interactions.