For many Hartford residents, the financial problems unfolding at a local nonprofit have developed into a painful chapter in the city’s history.
The Blue Hills Civic Association, founded more than 60 years ago, aims to empower residents to create stable and attractive neighborhoods through organizing, advocacy and multi-generational programs.
It serves about 500 adults per year, though some of its most important work supports local youth. The nonprofit is a community partner for Weaver High School. Hundreds of teens and young adults also participate each year in its summer youth employment program.
With that summer jobs program now in jeopardy, we recently spoke with community leaders about the unexpected turmoil at the Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA), and a grassroots campaign to help local families left in limbo.
Reporter Maysoon Khan visited North Hartford to learn about the neighborhood and interview two former BHCA employees. Kelvin Lovejoy, a community organizer who works with the youth program, told us students not only get a chance to make money. They also learn about the world of work, improve their self-esteem and develop into leaders.
The program was halted this spring, however, after BHCA unexpectedly laid off most of its staff. Records provided to the state show it lost $300,000 in a wire transfer fraud, but was slow to notify state officials of what transpired. As a result, officials from the Department of Economic and Community Development have temporarily frozen all funding to the organization, and clawed back about $1.5 million in state grant money.
With BHCA's programs now on hold, Lovejoy and others have been pressing state and city officials to find alternatives for local youth. That’s now on track to happen, according to the mayor’s office, which says another nonprofit called Our Piece of the Pie will add capacity for summer youth employment.
The future of other programming that BHCA offers is less certain. Public funding for the organization will remain on hold while it undergoes a forensic audit.
In the meantime, the loss for Hartford residents has been acute. Community members attending a public safety summit in North Hartford last month paused to recognize former BHCA employees in the room, and offered a standing ovation for the organization and its work.
Some have lingering questions about how Blue Hills should define its mission and scope in the future. But its value is evident, as reflected in the creed that Blue Hills employees teach local youth to recite. It reinforces the value of scholarship, discipline and focus, and encourages children to elevate “myself, my family, my community and humanity.”
