iHM/Connecticut Supports Community with Resource Portal

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, April 28, 2020

We Are Connecticut Strong

iHeartMedia Connecticut has announced the launch of a website with dedicated resources to help residents navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic at WeAreConnecticutStrong.com. The online portal provides community resources, a listing for local businesses and their hours, hiring and job postings, exclusive interviews with Connecticut leaders, well as a listing of local non-profits and charitable causes. The portal is available across all eleven radio station websites.

The destination is being promoted through a coordinated on-air campaign alongside digital and social media support to help drive to the destination. Connecticut businesses are encouraged to submit their website, contact information and operations modifications for inclusion.

"We want to be as accessible as possible to help convey local business messaging through our local radio stations," said Hartford Region President Steve Honeycomb. "Small businesses across Connecticut are the cornerstone of the state's economy and we want to be able to help spotlight them on WeAreConnecticutStrong.com as well as on our airwaves."

The charitable focus of WeAreConnecticutStrong.com spotlights organizations in need. Due to food insecurity rising across the state, iHeartMedia Connecticut is supporting both Connecticut Food Bank, as well as Foodshare in Virtual Food Drives. These food drives are asking for monetary donations during a time where physical donations are unsafe.

On Monday, April 27, iHeartMedia teamed up with Foodshare, Hammond Iles and NEFCO Corporation to donate face masks to all first responders in East Hartford, Connecticut as well as provide food and face masks to residents of the state at Rentschler Field, the largest parking lot in Connecticut. When iHeartMedia Connecticut Director of Community Affairs Renee DiNino, and honorary Director of Foodshare, found out that first responders in her town did not have the masks they needed, she mobilized partners to aid in the mask distribution.

Alongside distributing KN95 masks to police and fire officials, face masks to the public were handed out to 1,200 cars. For almost two weeks daily, Foodshare has been distributing 21,000 to 26,000 pounds of food daily from 8:30am until noon to those in need, up to 1,200 cars daily.

"Thank you to iHeartMedia and Renee DiNino for going above and beyond to help our community in need during this crisis. We appreciate your partnership and help getting out masks and raising much needed funds for us here at Foodshare," said Foodshare President/CEO Jason Jakubowski.