nothin A New Corporate Player Gives Readmobile A… | New Haven Independent

A New Corporate Player
Gives Readmobile A Fill-Up

Paul Bass Photo

Covidien Surgical CEO Scott Flora.

New Haven’s newest corporate leader is pumping $20,000 into New Haven’s library on wheels.

The donation was celebrated at an event Tuesday in the parking lot of the Hill Health Center.

The donation comes from Covidien Surgical Devices, a division of a global high-tech health products company which next month begins moving 400 office jobs in its Surgical Devices division to New Haven’s Long Wharf.

The Covidien grant will help the public library send its library on wheels, the Readmobile” van, to senior centers, youth programs, and clinics like Hill Health.

It will also go toward the library’s Living Well, Learning at the Library” program, which puts English- and Spanish-language books about health and wellness in the Readmobile and in branch libraries. Covidien gave the program laptop computers for the Readmobile.

The donation fits in with Covidien’s mission, and its plan for how to direct charitable dollars in New Haven, according to Vice President of Communications Diana Sousa. She said the company plans to donate money in November to Market New Haven to promote healthful eating as part of the group’s next Restaurant Week” promotion.

Covidien’s Surgical Division already has plants in North Haven and Norwalk.

When I got here three years ago, I met [Hill Health founder, the late] Cornell Scott,” said Covidien Surgical’s CEO, Scott Flora. Covidien at the time donated $50,000 to the clinic for its expansion.

He also said he’s been encouraging Covidien employees to volunteer and contribute to the United Way.

We’ve challenged the whole leadership to to get more involved in the community. You’ve got to be a good neighbor,” Flora said.

[Note: This is an updated version of this story.]

Among the speakers at Tuesday’s event: Mayor John DeStefano and city social-services chief Chisara Asomugha …

… and State Sen. Toni Harp (pictured with Flora).

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