Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA)

12/01/2025

THERE'S STILL TIME for the public to join the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) members' 19th statewide Holiday Collection Drive!
Now thru this Wednesday, Dec. 3, funeral homes across the state, along with Goodwin University's Main Campus Lobby and our CFDA office in Wethersfield are welcoming donations of toys and gift cards of any value for the The Connecticut National Guard's Operation E.L.F. (Embracing Lonely Families), which assists military families AND for young patients via Yale New Haven Children's Hospital's Toy Closet program and Connecticut Children's Medical Center.
Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards may be dropped off during regular business hours at any of the following collection locations through Dec. 3rd, and then on Thurs., Dec. 4th from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at CFDA’s 137th Convention at the Bristol Event Center, Connecticut.
BELOW is the full list of funeral homes welcoming items now through December 3rd:

Avon: Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center
Branford: W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home
Bristol: O’Brien Funeral Home
Cheshire: Alderson-Ford & Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Homes
Cromwell: Doolittle Funeral Home & Cromwell Funeral Home
Derby: Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home
East Hampton: Spencer Funeral Home
East Hartford: D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel
East Hartford: Goodwin University’s Funeral Services Program in Main Campus Lobby
East Windsor: East Windsor Community Funeral Home
Enfield: Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels
Fairfield: Abraham L. Green and Son Funeral Home
Greenwich: Castiglione Funeral Home
Manchester: Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home
Meriden: John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home
Middletown: Doolittle Funeral Home & Cromwell Funeral Home
Naugatuck: Alderson-Ford & Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Homes
New Britain: Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill
Newington: Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial
Newington: Neptune Cremation Service
Prospect: Prospect Memorial Funeral Home/The Palmerie Family Funeral Home
Rocky Hill: Rose Hill Funeral Home
Seymour: Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home
Shelton: Riverview Funeral Home, Inc.
South Windsor: Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home
Southbury: Munson - Lovetere Funeral Homes, Inc.
Southbury: Stone Family Cremation Services
Stafford Springs: Introvigne Funeral Home
Stratford: Adzima Funeral Home
Torrington: Cook Funeral Home
Unionville: Ahern Funeral Home
Vernon: Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home
Wallingford: Wallingford Funeral Home
West Hartford: Molloy Funeral Home
West Hartford: Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home
Wethersfield: Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) offices at 364 Silas Deane Hwy.
Wethersfield: D’Esopo Funeral Chapel
Wethersfield: Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home
Willimantic: Potter Funeral Home
Windsor: Carmon Community Funeral Homes
Woodbury: Munson - Lovetere Funeral Homes, Inc.

Thank You for your support!
www.CTFDA.org

11/20/2025

Today is "National Children's Grief Awareness Day".
CFDA is sharing news about an innovative new bereavement resource for families can help girls and boys who are grieving with the loss of a loved one. "The Healing Chickadee” program was created by Soulful Sydney, Inc., a Connecticut-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that is dedicated to the mental and emotional health of children. The organization has begun introducing it to funeral directors across Connecticut to reach grieving families.

“The Healing Chickadee is a multi-media program featuring a group of plush birds called the Tweethearts -- ‘birds with words’ that help hard conversations take flight,” explains Terry Murphy, the Founder and Chief Enthusiast of Soulful Sydney, Inc. “Through interactive videos, activities, coloring projects, and original music by Disney composer David Friedman, children are encouraged to share their feelings in healthy, creative ways.” she says. “The bird characters, the activities, and the songs and stories are designed to enhance a child’s social-emotional skills and provide families with a catalyst for conversations about a topic that all too often seems off-limits. This communication builds connection — and helps to ensure that no child grieves alone.”

“Funeral service professionals know all too well that the effect of early childhood trauma and loss can be tremendous, and The Healing Chickadee is a creative and powerful new bereavement tool that we can share with the families we serve,” states Melissa Melin-Miles, 2025 President of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA). “Children look to adults in their lives for support during times of loss and trauma, and we want to do all we can to bring education, comfort, and compassion to girls and boys when they need it most.”

For Creators Terry Murphy and her sister, Deb Clarke, conceiving The Healing Chickadee was very personal because they know what it means to be children in grief. The sudden death of their 16-year-old brother over 50 years ago introduced them to an early experience of tragedy and loss, and they say that it was a local funeral director who greatly consoled them during that difficult time. Drawing upon this experience, they created The Healing Chickadee and her Tweet-Hearts who convey messages of comfort for a child in mourning. While it has been decades years since that tragedy, their realization that grief has no timetable was the impetus for them to find a way to help children seek comfort when they have suffered a loss, and they thought of things that would have been helpful to them and their family as they struggled to find solace and heal the wound of loss.

For info, visit www.HealingChickadee.com or call 203-521-6860.

Childrens grief & loss activities by The Healing Chickadee. Let the healing chickadee help guide your child through the soulful forest to the grief Glen.

11/20/2025

Now through Wednesday, Dec. 3, Connecticut Funeral Directors Assn.-member funeral homes across the state, with Goodwin University's Main Campus Lobby and our CFDA office in Wethersfield, are welcoming donations of toys and gift cards of any value for Operation E.L.F. (Embracing Lonely Families) of the The Connecticut National Guard, which assists military families, AND for young patients at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital's Toy Closet program and Connecticut Children's.
Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards may be dropped off during regular business hours at any of the following collection locations through Wed., Dec. 3rd.
Then on Dec. 4th, items may be dropped off from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at CFDA’s 137th Convention at Bristol Event Center, Connecticut.
BELOW is the full list of all locations welcoming items now through Wednesday, December 3:
Avon: Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center at 301 Country Club Rd.;
Branford: W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home at 244 North Main St.;
Bristol: O’Brien Funeral Home at 24 Lincoln Ave.;
Cheshire: Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire at 615 S. Main St.;
Cromwell: Cromwell Funeral Home at 506 Main St.;
Derby: Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home at 253 Elizabeth St.;
East Hampton: Spencer Funeral Home at 112 Main St.;
East Hartford: D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel at 30 Carter St.;
East Hartford: Goodwin University’s Funeral Services Program in Main Campus Lobby at 1 Riverside Dr.;
East Windsor: East Windsor Community Funeral Home at 37 Gardner St.;
Enfield: Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels at 61 South Rd.;
Fairfield: Abraham L. Green and Son Funeral Home at 88 Beach Rd.;
Greenwich: Castiglione Funeral Home at 544 Old Post Rd.;
Manchester: Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home at 400 Main St.;
Meriden: John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home at 88 East Main St.;
Middletown: Doolittle Funeral Home at 14 Old Church St.;
Naugatuck: Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home at 82 Fairview Ave.;
New Britain: Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill at 332 Burritt St.;
Newington: Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial at 20 Bonair Ave.;
Newington: Neptune Cremation Service at 3153 Berlin Tpke.;
Prospect: Prospect Memorial Funeral Home/The Palmerie Family Funeral Home at 122 Waterbury Rd.;
Rocky Hill: Rose Hill Funeral Home at 580 Elm St.;
Seymour: Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home at 161 West Church St.;
Shelton: Riverview Funeral Home, Inc. at 390 River Rd.;
South Windsor: Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home at 419 Buckland Rd.;
Southbury: Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home at 235 Main Street North;
Southbury: Stone Family Cremation Services at 125 Bullet Hill Rd. North;
Stafford Springs: Introvigne Funeral Home at 51 East Main St.;
Stratford: Adzima Funeral Home at 50 Paradise Green Place;
Torrington: Cook Funeral Home at 82 Litchfield St.;
Unionville: Ahern Funeral Home at 111 Main St.;
Vernon: Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home at 551 Talcottville Rd.;
Wallingford: Wallingford Funeral Home at 809 North Main St. Ext.;
West Hartford: Molloy Funeral Home at 906 Farmington Ave.;
West Hartford: Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home at 1084 New Britain Ave.;
Wethersfield: Connecticut Funeral Directors Assn. offices at 364 Silas Deane Hwy.;
Wethersfield: D’Esopo Funeral Chapel at 277 Folly Brook Blvd.;
Wethersfield: Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home at 34 Beaver Rd.;
Willimantic: Potter Funeral Home at 456 Jackson St.;
Windsor: Carmon Community Funeral Home at 807 Bloomfield Ave.;
Woodbury: Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home at 2 School St.

Thank You for your support and Happy Holidays to all!
www.CTFDA.org
/

11/11/2025

The Members of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association honor our nation's today....and every day.
We salute them and their families. Thank you for your service!

11/07/2025

Connecticut Funeral Directors Assn. (CFDA) President Melissa Melin-Miles and Executive Director & CEO Jesse Gomes were honored to be part of today's kick off the 24th Operation E.L.F. (Embracing Lonely Families) at the CT's William O' Neill State Armory. The press event was led by Office of Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz; The Connecticut National Guard's Major General Francis J. Evon Jr.; Melody Baber, State Family Program Director for the Connecticut National Guard; and Michael Rell, whose mother, the late Lt. Gov. M. Jodi Rell established this annual annual project.
On November 17, many CFDA funeral homes across the state will open their doors for 2 1/2 weeks to accept toys and gift cards from the public for Operation E.L.F. Stay tuned for details.
www.CTFDA.org

10/28/2025

Many members of our Connecticut Funeral Directors Association were honored to attend the National Funeral Directors Association's "2025 International Convention & Expo" in Chicago today as Connecticut's own Daniel J. Ford, CFSP, CCSP, officially became NFDA's 115th President!
Congratulations, Mr. President!!!

Alderson-Ford & Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Homes

10/15/2025

10/06/2025

The NORTHEAST FUNERAL SERVICE PARTNERSHIP, together with the CONNECTICUT FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, is launching the Certified Funeral Service Employee program, designed specifically to help employees and interns take the next step toward professional excellence and help your funeral home prepare for the future. FOR MORE INFO, call CFDA at 860-721-0234 or go to www.CTFDA.org