This year marks a big moment for Hall Neighborhood House: we’re celebrating 140 years of serving our community. That’s 140 years of meeting families where they are, adapting as Bridgeport has changed, and staying focused on what people need most. The city looks different than it did in 1886, but the heart of Hall hasn’t changed.
We’re marking the anniversary with a special logo and some reflection, but this year is really about what comes next. The stories in this newsletter are a good snapshot of that. You’ll read about how Hall got its name, new STEM learning spaces opening in local schools, holiday moments at our senior center, and the many ways our community shows up for one another—from toy drives to hams on holiday tables.
None of this happens without the people who believe in Hall and continue to support this work, year after year. Thank you for being part of our story. We hope you enjoy this look at where we’ve been—and where we’re headed.
History Corner: How Did Hall Neighborhood House Get Its Name?
Hall is named after someone who truly believed in showing up for her neighbors.
In 1886, as Bridgeport was growing and changing, a group of local women came together to help young migrant families adjust to life in a busy, industrial city. One of those women was Sarah Hall.
In 1901, Sarah opened her home to young women who needed a safe place to land. The “Hall Home” offered more than a roof—it was a place where women could get training, find job opportunities, and build a sense of stability. That simple, generous act of opening a door to others is where Hall Neighborhood House gets its name, and it’s a spirit that still guides our work today.
Senior Center Holiday Party
Thanks to the sponsorship of John and Connie DeMattia, the Hall Senior Center’s holiday party was filled with good food, great music, and lots of laughs.
Our older adults were invited to choose from more than 400 coats donated by Bridgeport Rescue Mission. Volunteers from M&T Bank were on hand to help them find the right fit, along with hats and scarves to match.
Hall-i-Days Toy Drive
The Hall-i-Days Toy Drive was a success! Our preschoolers had a magical time meeting Santa and choosing gifts provided by Fairfield University, Sacred Heart University, Al’s Angels, and many other caring donors.
Beyond our preschool, a generous donor gave presents to the youth in our after-school and HNH LEADS programs, making their Christmas truly special, too!
Ham Giveaway
Thanks to the generosity of the Carl Palmieri Turkey Drive, John Palmieri, and friends, we distributed 300 hams to families in our community ahead of Christmas! We handed out hams as parents arrived to pick up their children and hand-delivered them to our older adults in Hall’s senior center, ensuring everyone who wanted one had one for their holiday table.
STEM Expansion Reaches Bassick High School
The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center is now open at Bassick High School, bringing hands-on robotics learning into classrooms and labs. As part of this investment, we installed VEX robotics equipment to support the school’s robotics program and give students meaningful experience with engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork.
Additional STEM installations are planned for Harding and Central later this month, expanding access to robotics and STEM learning to even more students.
The Big Dig is Back
A few dedicated board members recently took fundraising to a new level—by climbing into a drained pond at Brooklawn Country Club.
Tom Riley and Stu Zarich, along with Bob Dzurenda, collected pledges based on how many golf balls they could recover from the pond on the 15th hole. When the pond was cleared, the final count came in at 551 golf balls!
Thank you to everyone who pledged, participated, and helped make this year’s Big Dig a success.