The Elisabeth C. DeLuca Foundation, Inc. and The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, Inc. have been longstanding generous supporters of JA of Greater Fairfield County and have positively impacted thousands of young people in greater Fairfield County. Funds from Elisabeth C. DeLuca Foundation, Inc. have helped support many programs, including our JA Inspire: Here to Career yearlong program, which was comprised of a series of events and mini camps. Through this cohort-based, comprehensive program, high school students experienced JA sessions focused on skills assessment and career planning; learned from guest speakers and industry panelists about career pathways; and took part in workshops on interviewing and resume writing. As part of their JA Inspire: Here to Career program, Bullard-Havens Technical High School students in Bridgeport were visited by JA volunteers from Yale New Haven Hospital. The Yale New Haven Hospital volunteers served as guest speakers, sharing information about their careers in healthcare and the paths they took to get there. Students heard from high-ranking healthcare professionals from the Nursing Operations, Pathology and Clinical Laboratory, and Clinical Engineering departments. One volunteer commented, “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak today. It was a pleasure for me to hopefully inspire some young minds and help them along their journey. I think I saw a few light bulbs go off myself.”
