by Hall Neighborhood House | Sep 1, 2023 | About Hall, Leadership Profiles
Local DJ Jonathan Lett has been a part of the Hall Neighborhood House community since 1985 when his aunt started working for us as a teacher. Over the years, he’s seen many different iterations of our programs, but one thing has stayed the same: “They help people, period.”
Jon Lett (right) with Hall Board Member Ricky Sherrod.
“I would come here as a kid,” he said. His childhood—like that of so many of his peers—was marked by violence and struggle. Hall gave him a safe place—and Hip Hop gave him an outlet. Through music, Jon found a way to deal with death, despair, and poverty—and when he purchased his first turn tables and mic at age 17, he found a path to his future.
As he grew up, music remained part of his story—and so did Hall Neighborhood House. “I worked here from 1999-2003—and then came back in 2006 and worked with the youth department.”
Jon is passionate about making a difference, and he’s been able to work with Hall to do just that. In 2019, he founded Hip Hop 1001, a music and mentorship program operating out of our very own state-of-the-art music studio.
“Mr. Dzurenda [Hall’s Executive Director] let us start at Hall,” he shared.
Hip Hop 1001, named after the address where Jon recorded his first song, is emblematic of the role we try to play in our community—working to make life better. We saw Jon’s passion for the work and the positive difference it could make for youth here on the East Side, and we worked with him to make it happen. Our goal as a community center is to see what our neighbors need and find a way to provide it—no matter what it is.
As Jon puts it, “Hall does everything.”
“They’ve been influential in my career,” he added. “I’ve been in the social services field for over 20 years, and Hall Neighborhood House has been a big part of that.” At this point, Jon is enmeshed in the Hall community. He knows where everything is and he’s experienced our story unfolding for decades!
His work at Hall also helped him get Hip Hop 1001 set up as his own nonprofit. The program, which is headquartered at Hall Neighborhood House’s on-site music studio, uses lessons from Hip Hop to mentor participants. They learn about the elements of Hip Hop, including rapping, DJing, music production, dance, and graphic design. Jon, who is the Executive Director of the program, and his team blend the arts with relationship building to help youth grow, develop, and pursue bold futures.
Jon Lett serves as the DJ for a number of the events at Hall Neighborhood House.
“Hall gives you a chance to grow,” he said.
Jon is also heavily involved across Hall programs. He has been instrumental in our Kings Kids basketball program—another program that uses fun (in this case, basketball) to mentor our youth—helping them get into the Fairfield County league.
He provides security, helps out at events, recruits staff from the community, hires people who are going through tough times, and DJs our annual holiday party. He organizes men’s basketball games on Sundays and always involves a preacher or a speaker to share wisdom with participants. He supervises our new Midnight Basketball program, provides entertainment, and helps with cleanup.
When he’s not at Hall, he works with young children with special needs from the Kennedy Collective, and he regularly brings kids to Hall to volunteer.
Put simply, Jon exemplifies what it means to be part of the Hall community—and his presence is felt across all of our programs and initiatives.
“I love helping people,” he said. “I got it from Hall to help people out. They serve everyone: children to seniors, adults, and youth. They’re a great community ally.”
When asked what word describes Hall, Jon didn’t hesitate. Family, he said. It all comes full circle for him. As a young man at Hall, he spent hours playing basketball and talking about music with his friends. And now, 20 years later, he’s doing that very same thing with another generation of kids, equipping them to put their own hearts back into their community—just like he does.
by Hall Neighborhood House | Jul 27, 2023 | About Hall, Leadership Profiles, News
Here at Hall, we are so proud of our amazing team! They work together every day to carry out our mission and serve our neighbors. To celebrate them, we’re starting a Leadership Profile series here on the Hall Neighborhood House blog and in our monthly newsletter so you can meet them and learn more about how they got involved with Hall.
Edith Peralta, Senior Services Director
Edith Peralta, our Senior Services Director, came to Hall Neighborhood House with extensive experience providing services to seniors and families in Bridgeport. Over the last four years, she’s led and grown our senior program, ensuring it is comprehensive and meets our neighbors’ needs.
As a mother of three boys living in Bridgeport with a long career in case management for a variety of senior services programs, Edith is deeply involved in the Bridgeport community. In fact, when she came to interview for her current role, she already knew many of the seniors in our program!
As Senior Services Director, Edith coordinates all the programs we offer our elderly neighbors. That includes social and emotional wellness through the Better Me program, exercise classes, and weekly healthcare/wellness screenings, alongside fun activities like weekly bingo, casino trips, special meals, and more!
“We like to do fun stuff,” she said.
Edith sees firsthand the power the Hall community has in seniors’ lives, and she works to create connection, community, and fun for them each and every day. To her, Hall is happiness—for herself, the seniors, and the entire community.
“They come here to have fun. They come here to learn. They come here to interact with others,” she said. And Hall is the perfect place for this, with three generations under one roof at the same time.
Hall’s seniors program is currently at full capacity, and we are excited to announce that we are in the process of a redesign and expansion project. Please stop by to see our plans for the future! The senior center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. For seniors who need transportation support, a van is available to ensure they can make it to Hall to enjoy their programs.
“There are so many favorite parts to my job,” Edith said. “I love helping our senior population complete paperwork and solve problems. I love our conversations. I love seeing our regulars every day and knowing they wake up and decide to come right to Hall.”
by Hall Neighborhood House | Nov 30, 2023 | News
It’s been another busy month at Hall Neighborhood House! We celebrated our partnership with Southwest Community Health Center and the accessible care it brings our neighbors, and our students are continuing to develop their STEM skills in our state-of-the-art Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center.
As we enter the sprint toward the end of the year—with its multitudes of holidays, celebrations, and commitments—I want to pause for a moment to express my gratitude for you. Thank you for being part of our community, for supporting our mission, and for continuously stepping up to help us make life better for our neighbors.
We appreciate you!
With gratitude,
Bob Dzurenda
Executive Director
Welcoming Southwest Community Health Center to Hall
We are thrilled to partner with Southwest Community Health Center (SWCHC) to provide comprehensive health care to all of our families at Hall Neighborhood House! We loved getting to celebrate this partnership on November 9 with a special Grand Welcoming event.
Learn more about our partnership with SWCHC and the health services we provide our neighbors in our latest Leadership Profile—featuring Dianne Lillicraf, our Health Services Manager!
Keeping our Community Healthy
At our recent vaccine clinic we provided flu shots to our community! This service is convenient for neighbors of all ages, but it’s an especially important service for our seniors who appreciate the accessibility of care. They know they can get care they trust at Hall.
Supporting STEM Education in Bridgeport Public Schools
The Harding High School Robotics Club is up and running!
Four students in the new club—Eythan, Sezar, Christopher, and Maria—unwrapped a FarmBot Genesis, an open-source robotic farming system that is capable of autonomous planting, watering, weeding, and soil sensing. The robot uses Artificial Intelligence to lay out and plant a crop, monitor growth, and provide feedback on crop health and growth.
Over the coming months, students from Warren Harding High School will be working on building the FarmBot mechanical systems and designing the planting bed. In addition, students from Bullard-Havens Technical High School will help build the planting bed in their wood shop, and students focused on IT will help with coding, software development, and internet connectivity.
We are so excited about enhancing STEM education in Bridgeport Public Schools!
Honoring Ruby Bridges
We celebrated Ruby Bridges Walks to School Day on November 14 by taking a walk around the Hall building to commemorate Ruby Bridges’ courage and the progress we have made towards equality!
We are so thankful to have brave leaders like Ruby Bridges, and we hope to inspire our children to change the world just like she did over 60 years ago.
Behind the Scenes at SHU
The middle schoolers in our after-school program got to take a special trip to Sacred Heart University to watch a theater rehearsal! It was so cool to see talented actors in action—and our students loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at a real production!
![September 2023 News from Hall]()
by Hall Neighborhood House | Jul 28, 2023 | News
This fall, we launched a new initiative that will impact thousands of youth across Bridgeport. In partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and in memory of Alan Wallack, we’re expanding STEM education to students in our community through The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Centers. This innovative partnership between public and private institutions will change the way STEM is taught throughout the country.
We value lifelong learning here at Hall and believe that STEM skills are some of the most important building blocks for learning. We’re proud to instill this knowledge in our community. Keep reading to learn more about The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Centers and our big, bold plans for the future!
Your steadfast support has laid the groundwork for this expansion. Thank you for being part of our community and investing in education at Hall!
With gratitude,
Bob Dzurenda
Executive Director
The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center
In partnership with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, we are thrilled to unveil The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center at Hall Neighborhood House—the first of its kind in our community, and our first step toward putting a similar STEM Center in every public school in Bridgeport. Ultimately, we hope to honor Alan’s legacy by impacting over 18,000 students in over 30 Bridgeport Public Schools.
We are also grateful to Alan’s close friends John and Connie DeMattia. They have been instrumental in bringing The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Centers to life.
The Ribbon Cutting
We had so much fun at our ribbon cutting! Missed the event? Watch it here! ➡
Alan’s Legacy
Alan Wallack created a legacy for students of all ages in our community, and we are thrilled to honor his memory through The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center at Hall Neighborhood House.
Born and raised in Bridgeport, Alan dedicated his entire 54-year career to the youth of Bridgeport, serving as Athletic Director of the city for 37 years before overseeing the construction of schools and ball fields as Construction Coordinator for 17 years.
The week before his untimely passing on March 24, 2023, he was nominated to become a board member at Hall Neighborhood House. His friendship, compassion, wit, charm, and service to the youth of Bridgeport are sorely missed, but we are inspired by his example to continue creating facilities and opportunities for students throughout our community. Our hope is that these STEM Centers will serve students for another 54 years and beyond.
Meet the STEM Team
David and Lynn are the dynamic duo behind our innovative STEM programming! Read their leadership profile to meet them and learn more about the future of our STEM program.
Take a Tour!
We invite you to stop by Hall Neighborhood House for a tour to see STEM in action! Call 203-345-2045 to schedule a tour. We’re excited to show you our cool technology and exciting experiments!
![September 2023 News from Hall]()
by Hall Neighborhood House | Jun 28, 2023 | News
Last month, we celebrated several events and milestones as a community—from our Celebrity Breakfast to Father’s Day to our Early Learning Dance Recital. These moments of togetherness remind me why we do the work we do.
Here at Hall, we provide resources and programs that make life better, provide a space for community connection, and ensure our neighbors have opportunities to learn and grow. Your support helps make that possible. Thank you for all you do.
With gratitude,
Bob Dzurenda
Executive Director
Celebrating Father’s Day
We celebrated Father’s Day in our senior center and youth classrooms this year! We had so much fun honoring the incredible men—fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and brothers—who help raise the kids in our community.
Celebrity Breakfast
We are so grateful to everyone who attended our annual Celebrity Breakfast! It was such a special morning of connection, laughter, and camaraderie—all in support of the comprehensive services we provide to our community.
Click here to check out all the photos from the event!
Please also join us in extending a special thank you to Terry O’Connor, Anthony Latina, and Jay Young for their exciting and illuminating conversation!
Midnight Basketball
The Bridgeport Chief of Police ran Midnight Basketball at Hall Neighborhood House during the month of June! From 6 – 12 p.m., our gym was open for kids ages 14 – 24 to play basketball with local police officers. We also had snacks and opportunities to try our music studio, with help from our friends at Hip Hop 1001.
We’re excited to report a strong turnout for these community-building events!
Meet Ms. Felicia!
This month, we interviewed Ms. Felicia, our amazing Classroom Coordinator, about her experiences here at Hall Neighborhood House! During her 20+ years working with children here at Hall, Ms. Felicia has built lasting relationships with so many families. Read the profile to learn more about how she makes a difference through her work in our community.
Headstart Pilot
Our year-long Headstart Pilot just concluded, with families and the Headstart team reporting very positive results. We are proud to provide this best-in-class service to our families and support our teachers with professional development resources.
As part of the program, we received equipment to test children’s hearing and vision in our classrooms. Volunteers from the University of Bridgeport Nursing program have been helping with testing, and so far, they have identified over 20 children in need of additional testing or services to address vision or hearing deficits.
Gilbert the Party Pig
We had a fun visit from Gilbert the Party Pig! He showed off some cool tricks, impressing youth of all ages.
Early Learning Recital
Members of our Early Learning Dance Program wrapped up the year with a recital! We are so proud of the performance they put on and thankful to our teachers for their hard work in bringing it to life.
Summer Camp
Summer camp is starting soon! Students in our summer program will have opportunities to keep learning, enjoy safe and exciting activities with friends, and explore Bridgeport through field trips. We are so excited for the summer of fun they are going to have!
Thank you for being part of our story. You are helping make life better. We wish you a fun and special summer!
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