In order to help soften the impact of immediate job losses for former A.J. Wright distribution center workers, CFC staff members Andrew Mello, Robert Raposa, and Tayna Fragata participated in the job resource fair sponsored by the Fall River Career Center at Bristol Community College on February 23, 2011.

Fuel Assistance staff members Bob Raposa and Tanya Fragata

Despite best-ever annual sales results, parent company TJX recently decided to close down the A. J. Wright division of the company. This corporate decision resulted in over 800 employees from the A. J. Wright distribution center in Fall River being laid off from their jobs during the past two months. The Fall River Career Center counted 577 former A. J. Wright workers that came to the job resource fair seeking new employment and information about services that may be of assistance to them. There were more than 30 employers, and at least that many educational and training sponsors available on site to answer questions about the particular services they can provide.

Citizens for Citizens, Inc. prepared a booklet for distribution that highlighted more than a dozen programs that the former A. J. Wright workers could apply to for social service assistance. Portuguese and Spanish versions of the CFC booklet were also available.

Given the current high cost of heating oil and other sources of home heating fuel, the CFC Fuel Assistance Program received the most interest from people who attended the resource fair.  Both Mr. Raposa and Ms. Fragata work for the Fuel Assistance Program and they were able to explain in detail the documentation required to apply for the program and answer other questions about the program operation.

The Citizens for Citizens, Inc. booklet also includes information concerning other CFC antipoverty assistance programs such as Weatherization, Home Heating Repair/Replacement Program, Head Start Program, Senior Cyber Café, and other social service programs for low-income area residents. Additional information on other programs is available by calling Andrew Mello at 508-679-0041.

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The Citizens for Citizens, Inc. – Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), headquartered in Taunton, received a recent visit from WJAR Turnto10 television Health Check reporter, Barbara Morse Silva.

WIC is a federal program that provides food to moderate-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to five years of age. During her visit, Ms. Silva interviewed WIC clients and program administrative staff about the importance of the program and the multiple ways it can benefit women and their children. She spoke with Dayna Markley, who entered the program as a client  and has since been hired to work in the breastfeeding peer counselor program. Lidia Munoz, a WIC senior nutritionist, talked with the reporter about the process of locating  the correct baby formula for client Judith Frank and her granddaughter.

Karen Swass, Director of the WIC Taunton-Attleboro Office, was also interviewed. She detailed the steps followed by each client in the WIC Program, from the initial meeting with a nutritionist to the development of a supportive relationship that helps to provide a healthy diet of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables for the client’s young children. Ms. Swass further stated that eligibility for WIC is not limited to people with extremely low incomes, noting that a family of four can have an annual income as high as $40,793 and still qualify for program benefits.

To view the television spot that aired February 10, 2011, please open this link.

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