On the eastside of Bridgeport, a sanctuary of hope and love awaits mothers and children at Caroline House.
With a beautiful yellow exterior, Caroline House stands as a beacon of warmth and support, welcoming any who wish to join. Inside its walls, the air is filled with love and laughter with the promise of new beginnings. As Fairfield University students step in to assist the staff at Caroline House, they embark on a journey of learning, lessons and growth with mothers and children.
In this nurturing environment, a group of dedicated students makes a huge difference in the lives of those in need. Committed to providing educational and loving support, these Fairfield University students work directly with Caroline House.
This Victorian-style home is filled with many educational and hospitable rooms. With three floors, there is a kitchen, living room area, multiple classrooms and a daycare. Gifted by the School Sisters Notre Dame, Caroline House offers a cozy and enriching environment.
With around 50 members participating in weekly meetings, Senior and President Kate Enriquez works very hard to ensure the club prospers. The actual Caroline House program was created in November 1995 and Fairfield has been working alongside it for years. It was only last year though that the Caroline House Club became an official Fairfield University organization; before that it was just a junior board.
Enriquez explains that while she fulfills a lot of tasks- including planning events, scheduling meetings and communicating with the house- her main goal is always to support the women and children at Caroline House.
A big part of what the club entails is attending weekly tutoring sessions at the house. Club members sign up to visit Caroline House every Tuesday and Thursday, tutoring the children in their after-school program.
Enriquez says, “The Fairfield University students work one-on-one helping the children solve whatever problems or difficulties they may have with their homework.”
While tutoring is a large part of what the club does, they also play a part in fundraising events for Caroline House. Sophomore Giuliana Camilleri is the Public Relations Coordinator and she works hard to spread the word of the club through their events.
Caroline House offers a plethora of events throughout the year including an Easter Egg Hunt, Trunk-Or-Treat, Valentine’s Day card making and wine tastings. Caroline House Club works alongside its staff to make sure these events happen.
The Easter Egg Hunt was Camilleri’s favorite event she participated in last year. She commented on how great it is to get hands-on experience with the children saying that, “it’s so nice to see a balance of the children having fun while still learning important life skills.”
Enriquez also loves the annual Easter Egg Hunt, but her favorite is the Trunk-Or-Treat event they hold every October around Halloween. This is the first year that the Caroline House Club is planning and organizing this event all on their own.
She explained, “We as a club, dress up in Halloween costumes to hand out candy from our decorated cars to the children at Caroline House.”
Enriquez said that these types of events are so nice because she gets to see smiles on the children’s faces.
Camilleri works specifically on the club’s social media, running their Instagram account. Her job as Public Relations Coordinator is to spread the word throughout the student population. Since Caroline House is a newer club at Fairfield University, Camilleri emphasizes how important it is to gain attraction to grow as a whole. She works hard running social media, creating graphics, Instagram posts and photographing events.
Other editorial board roles consist of Vice President, Administrative Chairs, Volunteer Coordinator, Education Liaison and Co-Fundraising Directors. All of their roles play a crucial part in keeping the Caroline House community thriving.
Both Enriquez and Camilleri believe in the power that community service holds. There is a lot of support and contributions throughout Fairfield County that contribute to the success of Caroline House. Enriquez explained how lucky she is to be a part of Caroline House’s mission and expressed her gratitude towards helping others through non-profit work.
Camilleri agrees and believes that it’s important for Fairfield students to recognize the privileges they hold. She said that, “Caroline House is a great opportunity to get outside of Fairfield. Understanding the differences in the world around us is very important.”
As the Caroline House Club continues to grow, it continues to embody the spirit of service and compassion and offers students amazing opportunities to get involved.
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