JavaDB Problem

import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.DriverManager;
import java.sql.SQLException;

/**
 * This class is used to connect to Derby Database.
 */
public class DatabaseUtility {

        static final String hostName = "jdbc:derby://1527/charitydatabase";

    public static Connection getConnection() {

        Connection connection = null;
        try {
            Class.forName("org.apache.derby.jdbc.ClientDriver");
            connection = DriverManager.getConnection(hostName, "charity", "charity");
        } catch (SQLException | ClassNotFoundException ex) {
            System.out.println(ex.getMessage());
        }

        return connection;
    }

    public static void putConnection(Connection connection) {
        try {
            if(connection != null) {
                connection.close();
            }
        } catch (SQLException ex) {
            System.out.println("Error: " + ex.getMessage());
        } finally {
            if (connection != null) {
                connection = null;
            }
        }
    }
}