The Center's purpose is to do the following: We strive to respect, nourish and protect all living things. We believe that knowledge leads to understanding. Understanding will encourage us to take action. We believe that every individual has the ability to make a positive difference. We are also the parent organization for an award-winning Roots and Shoots Student Club.We were founded by Dr.Jane Goodall, herself, in 1995 when her home office was in Ridgefield, Ct.; since that time we have had special lectures/workshops featuring Jane and/or other environmental speakers, including our own faculty and students.   One of the most important things we are doing now is partnering with the community on several fronts:  1) Climate Change lectures on campus and in the region to the community; and, 2) Using our permaculture garden as a tool to share produce with regional food pantries, and teach young adults in the community about sustainability. We are actively working with the Danbury Library, the Danbury Food Collaborative and local schools on sustainabilitiy and permaculture.