Our Partners

Our Partners

CLiCK’s beginning partner was the Community Economic Development Fund (CEDF). CEDF has supported CLiCK in multiple ways, including financially by matching our mortgage for the building with a $100,000 grant, a $25,000 loan and a $25,000 line of credit.

All these funds were used to make repairs on the building, to build-out the existing commercial kitchen, and to purchase equipment for the processing kitchen. In addition, CEDF has financial support, business skills training, and business consulting available for future entrepreneurs.

CLiCK has received additional funding from the following: REBG and LFPP grants from the USDA, CT Department of Agriculture, the Jeffery P. Ossen Foundation, the Town of Windham, the Windham Welfare Bureau, the Savings Bank of Manchester, the Willimantic Food Co-Op, and many other dedicated donors and community supporters. This funding will be used to continue growth of the commercial and processing kitchens as well as develop educational programming using the teaching kitchen. We are also seeking funding for scholarships to increase the accessibility of CLiCK classes and better serve CLiCK’s commitment to social justice and equity.

Other social service partners include the Access Community Action Agency, The No Freeze Hospitality Center, The Covenant Soup Kitchen, The Windham Harm Reduction Coalition, Generations, WAIMGROW Windham, Horizons, and more.

Other community business partners include the Willimantic Food Co-op, the Willimantic Farmer’s Market, The Last Green Valley, The Windham Community Food Network, CT NOFA, Pleasant Pizza, and Marilyn’s Creations Salon.

CLiCK also has relationships with the two local universities (Eastern Connecticut State University and UCONN) and the local community college (Quinebaug Valley). In fact, two of CLiCK’s Board members are UConn professors (Dr. Phoebe Godfrey and Dr. Hedley Freake) and a number of UConn students have already completed internships with CLiCK. We hope to host many more interns from all the surrounding schools, including Windham High School and The Depot Campus in Mansfield.

We are currently seeking new members. Please email us if you have an interest!

Our full Board currently meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6pm at 41 Club Rd, Windham, CT. If you are interested in potentially joining us, please let us know ahead of time. You can email clickwillimantic@gmail.com.

We have sub-committees that meet at various times. These committees consist of:

  • Grant Committee
  • Fundraising Committee
  • Building Committee
  • Education Committee
  • Finance Committee
  • Garden Committee

If you have a passion and want to be on a committee, you do not have to be a Board member to be of assistance. Please contact CLiCK at (860) 786-7907 or clickwillimantic@gmail.com if you would like to join a committee.

For further information, contact our Executive Director, Leigh Duffy. She can be reached directly at (860) 786-7907 or by email at: clickwillimantic@gmail.com

Board of Directors

Our board members bring a variety of interests and knowledge to the table.
Stephanie Smith – President
sjsmith.clickwillimantic@gmail.com

Stephanie is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice since 2002. She resides in Willimantic.

Hedley Freake – Treasurer
hedley.freake@uconn.edu

Dr. Freake is a Professor of Nutrition at UConn. He teaches a wide range of courses on nutrition and seeks to get students involved with CLiCK.

Mary Buchanan – Secretary
mary.buchanan@uconn.edu

Mary is a PhD Geography student at UConn studying sustainable food systems and mapping.


Doug Crane – Director
dbcrane54@gmail.com

Doug Crane is the creator of Dragon’s Blood Elixir. He makes award-winning hot sauce out of local ingredients right here at CLiCK.


Michael Puglisi – Director
michael.puglisi@uconn.edu

Michael is a professor at UConn in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and leads the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) for Connecticut.


Dario Sarmiento Loayza – Director
dariosl86@gmail.com

Dario is a teacher at the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy.


Caroline Kolb – Director
gardensclick@gmail.com

Caroline (Cece) is head of the garden committee.


Christos Provistalis – Director
cprovistalis@yahoo.com

Christos is a local businessman, owner of Pleasant Pizza in Willimantic, and a member of the fundraising committee.

Gayle Klim – Director
jgklim@gmail.com

Gayle is head of the marketing committee.

Staff Members

Denise Reardon-Popp, Kitchen Manager
clickkitchenmanager@gmail.com

Denise is the Kitchen Manager of CLiCK as well as a chef, caterer and saavy business owner.

Hours: 25 hours a week — please contact for an appointment
Tuesday- 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wednesday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Thursday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Overall Functions: Kitchen and facility management, kitchen schedule management, new member business intake, existing member business support, community relations

Chelsea Cherrier, Education Coordinator
clickeducationcoordinator@gmail.com

Chelsea is the Education Coordinator for CLiCK and a Nutritionist with a Masters degree in Science of Nutrition.

Hours: 15 hours per week — please contact for appointment

Overall Functions: Develops educational programs and classes relating to wellness in all forms. Recruits and coordinates teachers as well as promotes CLiCK and the teaching kitchen space.

Teaching Kitchen Hours: 7am – 9pm