United Way of Greater Waterbury Hosts its 39th Annual Celebration and Awards

PLANTSVILLE, CONN. — The United Way of Greater Waterbury will host its 39th annual awards and celebration on Thursday, March 26, at the Aqua Turf Club, 556 Mulberry St.

In addition to providing an update on its work to support the community, the non-profit organization will present John A. Zinno, Jr. with the Frederic & Lucy Kellogg Award. Meagan Anthony and Madison Rose Hicks will each be recognized as a Community Volunteer of the Year, and the James C. Smith Spirit of Excellence Award will be presented to the employees of Carpin Manufacturing, Inc.

Mr. Zinno, certified public accountant and principal with Clifton Larson Allen, said, “I’m profoundly honored to be recognized in the name of two people whose legacy embodies generosity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to community. This acknowledgement reinforces my connection to Greater Waterbury, a place that has shaped me, supported me, and given me countless reasons to give back.”

Recognized as United Way’s Community Volunteer of the Year in 2012, Mr. Zinno has shared his time and talents with many non-profit organizations, including the Palace Theater, the Mattatuck Museum, and planning committee for the Brass Button Awards event, in addition to his service on the board of the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation and Board of Directors of the Greater Waterbury YMCA.

He continued, “I believe we have a responsibility to leave our community stronger than we found it. None of us succeed alone. Every opportunity, every lesson, every moment of support we’ve received came from people who invested in us.”

Mr. Zinno’s commitment to his community is matched only by the love he has for his family - his wife, Lisa, and their children, Olivia and Jake. He often says that family is everything, and their constant encouragement has been the steady foundation that allows him to pursue his goals and stay deeply engaged in serving others.

Usually, the United Way only awards one person as its volunteer of the year. As one of the two recipients this year, Ms. Anthony has given a decade of her time to the board of Safe Haven, most of those years as secretary.

She is business manager at Jaci Carroll Staffing, the independently-owned and operated full-service staffing company founded by her grandmother. “My close relationship with her heavily influenced my attitude regarding community. She was orphaned at 14 and worked hard, raising three daughters as a single mom. Her community helped her. When she was in a position to do so, she gave back because she knew first-hand that not everyone has support.

“I want to be there for someone who maybe calls United Way 211.I can be part of the help they access.”

Ms. Anthony leads her organization’s workplace campaign and spends significant time working with the United Way affinity group Women United.

Happy to accept the volunteer award alongside Ms. Anthony, Ms. Hicks, accounting and operations specialist with Albert Bros., Inc., eagerly shares her skills with the Smaller Manufacturers Association of CT, Inc., Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Connecticut, and United Way’s Women United and Emerging Leaders because she wanted as much exposure to information and networking opportunities as she could experience.

She explained, “I am currently studying for my MSA in accounting at Post University but I realize there is more to learn than in the classroom. Sometimes, the only way to get that knowledge is hands-on.”

In addition to helping Albert Bros. to participate in Stock the Pantry and Adopt a Family, Ms. Hicks has organized Socktober, collecting socks for those in need and a spice drive to benefit food pantries. At Albert Bros., she rallies employees to build the bicycles used in the Trike Races or making sandwiches for local soup kitchens. “I get too much out of this. I want to stay involved.”

United Way will recognize Carpin Manufacturing, Inc. as an outstanding organization actively engaging donors as it raises the funds our community needs.

“David [Ferraro, president] and I are very, very honored that Carpin is being recognized with the James C. Smith Spirit of Excellence Award. It’s really recognition for all our employees, showing their dedication to Greater Waterbury.” Ralph Carpinella, founder, explained that every Carpin Manufacturing workplace campaign is characterized by information so that employees can understand what United Way means to the community and how necessary its work is. “There are so many outreach programs that are quite unbelievable.”

Carpin Manufacturing’s campaign raised an impressive $36,000 with a participation rate of 83.33%.Employee giving was incentivized with Golden Ticket chocolate bars, wrapped in raffle tickets for impressive prizes such as the opportunity to be a chocolatier at Fascia’s Chocolates, for one day. An employee campaign luncheon with presentation helped increase awareness.

Carpin Manufacturing exemplifies long-term commitment and leadership in workplace giving. Their campaign integrates financial support, employee engagement, volunteerism, and corporate leadership, which reflect the core values of the Spirit of Excellence Award.

The organization is a gold corporate sponsor and, last year, Mr. Ferraro took on the role of chair for United Way’s 2024-2025 fundraising campaign.

Mr. Carpinella said, “I’ve been on lots of boards and organizations over the years because I think community awareness and giving back show you what life is. I’m hopeful that, as Carpin continues to grow and become a bigger player in Waterbury and surrounding towns, we can give more.”

Jason R. Gagnon, partner at Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP and the 2025-2026 United Way campaign chair, commented, “A lot of hard work goes into our campaign so you can imagine that the opportunity to celebrate is a welcome event, especially given how much creativity goes into sharing the results of our campaign and the work funded by our donors. Last year, we enjoyed a talk show where our award winners were interviewed by a professional actor. I can’t wait to see what is in store this year!”

The annual awards and celebration is open to the public. Registration and more information are available at unitedwaygw.org/events/awards26.