by Robert Dzurenda | Jul 17, 2025 | About Hall
We had an amazing time at our annual Celebrity Breakfast with Yale Coach James Jones and ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg. It was fascinating to hear their take on the college transfer portal system and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money for college athletes, and how these policies are affecting the college athletic landscape. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us for this fun (and delicious) breakfast!
But the Celebrity Breakfast isn’t just about great stories and food—it’s about rallying behind the mission of Hall Neighborhood House. Thanks to your presence and energy, we were reminded of the strength and generosity of our partners and friends.
Thank you for being part of the breakfast—and thank you for being part of the Hall Neighborhood House community!
Meet Our Volunteer of the Year
Meet Dave Mahder, Hall Neighborhood House’s Volunteer of the Year!
Dave enjoyed a career spanning more than 40 years as a marketing executive in the insurance and consumer products industries before retiring in 2021. In retirement, he was eager to give back to the community. Two years ago, Hall Neighborhood House invited him to support our High School LEADS (Learn, Engage, Aspire, Deliver, Succeed) program. Hall connected him with the program’s coordinator, and soon after, Dave began tutoring and mentoring students as they prepared for life beyond high school.
“I have tremendous respect for Hall and its selfless staff—it’s an amazing place,” Dave shared. “The LEADS program has been a vital part of the lives of the high school students who participate. Many of them didn’t believe they could go to college, but the program gave them the resources and the confidence to make that happen. It is a joy getting to know these students and helping them with college applications and essays. They have given me much more than I have given them.”
Words of Gratitude for Dave Mahder from LEADS Students
Kelaia, Class of 2024: “Dave’s desire to help us was inspiring and admirable. I appreciate how willing he was and I could tell how genuine he was. I thank him for his helping hand and encouraging words.”
Del’vondre, Class of 2024: “Mr. Dave is a great man, and I could tell that he genuinely enjoyed helping us. He goes above and beyond to build a connection and truly help. This went beyond just the program’s hours. He would do his best to help me even when nobody asked him to. When I got accepted to Fairfield, he personally brought me and three others up to see the campus and back when it was time to apply. He went out of his way to send a recommendation on my behalf, which is one of the reasons I credit for my acceptance. His role for me went beyond just being a volunteer, and he evolved into a mentor for me. Advising me on things in life when he could have just left it at being a volunteer, but he decided to go above and beyond, and I’m grateful for that.”
Celebrations at Hall Neighborhood House
Father’s Day was extra special as our Early Learning students celebrated with their dads, grandpas, and uncles! The following week, the Youth Program wrapped up the school year with celebrations and big achievements. All six LEADS seniors are off to college this fall, and our incredible SAT Prep instructor earned another Master’s degree!
Finally, we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Day. Our Early Learning Program is led by more than 100 teachers, assistant teachers, aides, and coordinators, who oversee 274 children. Thank you, teachers! We are so grateful for you!
An Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center Dedication
In June, Larry & Sheila Merriam helped us dedicate The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center at Thomas Hooker School to Larry’s parents, Rose and Sam Merriam.
As a former Barnum Festival Ringmaster, Larry was joined by his fellow Ringmasters to celebrate this heartfelt tribute and exciting new resource for students!
With Hall Neighborhood House STEM Centers now active in 28 Bridgeport Public Schools, we’re reaching over 14,000 students with hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math. These STEM products and activities would not be available to Bridgeport Public Schools without Hall’s involvement and investment.
Learn more about The Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center at Hall Neighborhood House at hallneighborhoodhouse.org/stem.
Lower Level Update
We’ve made great progress on our renovations to Hall’s lower level, and we cannot wait to be able to use this space! Our youth will move downstairs, creating more room for us to expand our childcare programs.
Coming Up This Summer…
- Youth summer camp! Make sure you’re following Hall Neighborhood House on Facebook and Instagram to see photos of all of our campers’ awesome activities.
- Senior social activities. We love planning fun opportunities and outings for our senior community!
48 local boys and girls are attending basketball camp at Sacred Heart University and Fairfield University at no cost because of the generosity of the HMR Cup, which supports underprivileged children.
Thank YOU for being part of the Hall family.
We’re grateful for your support and all the ways you help build community, connection, and care here in Bridgeport.
by Robert Dzurenda | Jun 9, 2023 | Events, Photo Gallery
Thank you to our amazing community for making our 2nd Annual Celebrity Breakfast a success.
We are extremely grateful for your involvement with our event and your interest in learning more about Hall Neighborhood House. By your generous donations, sponsorships, and attendance, you are helping us serve and meet the needs of thousands of families on the Lower East Side of Bridgeport.
As you heard, we are beginning a new chapter on an original, innovative STEM program that has the power to impact over 19,000 youth in Bridgeport. With your help and participation, we can continue to create significant first-rate programs like the Alan Wallack STEM Learning Center.
We truly appreciate everyone who gave so generously. If you didn’t get a chance to make a donation, I invite you to do so now at hallneighborhoodhouse.org/donate, and we also ask that you share the work we are doing here on the East Side with your friends and family.
I know you Join me in extending a special thank you to Coach Anthony Latina, Coach Jay Young, and Mr. Terry O’Connor for their exciting and illuminating conversation. Great job, gentlemen, and thank you!
by Robert Dzurenda | Feb 22, 2023 | News
Last month, Congressionally Directed Spending Grants were announced—and I am thrilled to announce that Hall will be receiving $4.5 million to support the expansion of our programs and facilities here on the East Side of Bridgeport.
This grant will make a massive difference for our neighbors, and it shows the faith our community leaders and legislators have in our programs. As a supporter of our mission, I know you share that faith, too.
I am so grateful for your belief in the power of this community. You continually show up and help us improve community health, support families, and educate the next generation.
Together, our future is limitless. Thank you.
With gratitude,
Bob Dzurenda
Executive Director
Investing in community
Hall Neighborhood House is the recipient of a $4.5M Congressionally Directed Spending Grant! These funds will allow us to expand our footprint, upgrade our facilities, and meet important needs for our childcare, youth, and senior programs.
Serving more children
This month, we opened two new early childhood classrooms, increasing our capacity by 24 children! We are so excited to be able to provide high-quality, affordable childcare to even more children and families in our community.
Early childhood education sets the foundation for a lifetime of learning, and we continue to look for ways to provide access to affordable care to more families in Bridgeport!
Sacred Heart obstacle course
We had such a special visit from Sacred Heart University students who built an innovative obstacle course in our gym! Our students had so much fun racing through the course.
Congratulations, Felicia! Welcome, Dianne!
We are excited to congratulate Felicia Anthony as she transitions to her new role as our Classroom Coordinator, and welcome Dianne Lillicraf, our new Health Services Manager. As we expand our services, they will help ensure we are meeting all of our neighbors’ needs.
Supporting senior mental health
Hall Neighborhood House is partnering with Southwest Community Health to provide group and individual counseling sessions for seniors! We are proud to break down the stigma around mental health care and provide access to dedicated, professional support right here at Hall.
![September News From Hall]()
by Robert Dzurenda | Sep 30, 2022 | Uncategorized
September is a time of big changes and new beginnings. After a summer of learning and growth, students are back in school—confident that the community is there to help them through any challenges that arise.
Thank you for being part of our mission at this critical time so we can provide academic programs, developmental support, and amazing STEM education to kids in Bridgeport.
And students aren’t the only neighbors we serve. Seniors in our community are finding connection and friendship, neighbors of all ages have increased access to health care, and we provide critical support for families raising children on the East Side.
Thank you for being part of our story. We’re making a difference, together.
Bob Dzurenda
Executive Director
Rock Climbing
At the end of July, our students took an unforgettable field trip to a local rock climbing spot! They learned all about safety and the different roles climbers can have, then they got a chance to try out some routes.
This trip was a fun bonding experience that allowed our students to step out of their comfort zones and try something new.
Let’s Play Pool
Many of our seniors visit Hall Neighborhood House every day for social gatherings, meals, and other forms of support. They also love playing games.
This month, we upgraded their game room with some new pool tables! We’re proud to provide opportunities for seniors in our community to have fun, unwind, and get competitive.
Building Improvements
We’ve been busy renovating Hall Neighborhood House to make it safer, more functional, and more beautiful for all. Some of the recent initiatives include installing a new HVAC system, painting our classrooms, renovating and modernizing several restrooms, refinishing the floors, installing a new gate, and trimming our trees! And this fall, we’re starting a big project to renovate the lower level!
Back to School
Students are officially back in the classroom! This summer, we hired two certified teachers thanks to the support of The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. All summer long, they helped students complete math and reading workbooks to ensure that they were ready to go back to school this fall with all the skills they need to be successful learners.
Thank You, Sacred Heart University students!
We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with Sacred Heart University. Recently, student volunteers helped us clean out our storage space so we can use it more effectively.
Celebrating our summer graduates
At our preschool graduation ceremony last month, we sent 75 5-year-olds off to kindergarten with confidence, enthusiasm, and new backpacks filled with supplies! We loved celebrating with these young learners after a summer full of education and fun!
International Youth Day
Although every day is a celebration of our amazing youth at Hall Neighborhood House, we were delighted to recognize International Youth Day and the role the next generation plays in our future on August 12! It was an important reminder that kids should have a say in their futures—and that intergenerational cooperation is the way forward for our world.
by Robert Dzurenda | Aug 8, 2022 | News
Hall Neighborhood House plays an important role in the lives of many of our neighbors. And our commitment to them is simple: we’ll be there for them. We’ll meet their needs—even as those needs shift and change.
Last Summer, that meant increasing academic support at our Summer Camp. It meant expanding our Senior Center. And this summer, it meant celebrating the grand opening of our brand new dental clinic!
This new addition to Community Health at Hall will provide dental care to neighbors of all ages, adding to the menu of health services available right here at Hall.
We are able to continue to meet these needs thanks to your support. Thank you for being an integral part of our story.
With gratitude,
Bob Dzurenda
Executive Director
A Bountiful Harvest
Our students have taken amazing care of our garden this summer! The garden provides opportunities to get up close with nature, learn about where food comes from, and try new fruits and vegetables.
Our raised beds, a generous gift from the Trumbull Rotary, allow seniors and other neighbors with reduced mobility to get involved in the community garden, too.
Dental Clinic
We were delighted to cut the ribbon on our new dental clinic in July. We look forward to ensuring that community members of all ages have bright smiles for years to come.
We are all so excited to add oral health care to our full suite of medical services available at Community Health at Hall! Physicals, vaccinations, teeth cleanings, and more are all available on-site at Hall Neighborhood House.
Thank you, University of Bridgeport students
We were grateful to host volunteers from the University of Bridgeport School of Nursing this month. These future nurses worked with our youth, promoting healthy habits and providing routine medical care.
Thank you for partnering with us to provide community health care!
Broadway Method Academy
Hall Neighborhood House students learned about the theatre during a visit from Broadway Method Academy. It was awesome to watch their creativity and confidence bloom as they danced and performed together!
Thank you, Broadway Method Academy!
International meals
Each week during the summer, our students are trying foods from a new country, using the exposure to new cuisine to learn about different cultures across the globe. Thanks to some amazing local restaurants, our students have tried foods from Nigeria, Jamaica, India, and more!
Mystic Aquarium
Students enjoyed an unforgettable visit to the Mystic Aquarium! They learned about countless aquatic animals—from sharks to starfish—and the role we all have to play in conservation.
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