
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series examining the role of town social service directors in the Northwest Corner.
The consensus in many states, including Connecticut, is that communities are safer, happier and healthier when their residents’ basic needs are met at both state and local levels.
The Northwest Corner, a region with a strong culture of volunteerism, also has a relatively long history of town social service employment.
Town Directors of Social Services and Social Service Municipal Agents across the country provide information, referrals and support to assist residents seeking a variety of local and state services.
The employment outlook for this kind of service, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is strong.
Employment in the field of social and human services is projected to grow by 12 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations and reflecting growing health and social-service needs of citizens.
Many Social and Human Service Assistants also work for nonprofit organizations, for-profit social service agencies, and state and local governments.
But in terms of town social service, not all municipalities invest in hiring agents, although during and because of the pandemic the need for them has become clear.
“We have amazing social service agents out in the Northwest Corner who know their communities and the needs of residents intimately,” said State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64). “They are skillful, compassionate, creative, tenacious and deeply committed to the well-being of all residents and have taken on a broad array of tasks in order to accomplish that.”
SHARON
Melia Hill was working a typical day as Sharon’s Social Service Agent on the morning that I interviewed her. Her position is part-time, but never slow. The role of Town Social Service Agent in Sharon has existed since 1988, when its initial employee, Ella Clark started both the long-valued and treasured Chore Service, and the Sharon Food Bank.
In the course of a day, Hill assists residents in a myriad of ways. She has been helping residents with needs pertaining to food, energy assistance and housing, as well as accessing other essentials for well being. Examples of her work include helping with fuel assistance via the Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut, prescription assistance via the Foundation for Community Health, food-assistance applications and transporting and delivering groceries from the Lakeville and Sharon food pantries.
Financial assistance for these programs comes from state, federal and local resources including the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Sharon Community Foundation, among others. Hill stated that generous private donations to town funds including the fuel fund were extremely helpful last year when oil fuel prices soared above $5 and $6 a gallon. Hill also coordinates receiving and distributing gift and food drives each year for Sharon for fall and winter holidays. The donations for these come from local residents, local churches, Sundays in the Country food drive, and the Salvation Army.
To reach Sharon call 860-364-1003 or email: sharon.social.services@gmail.com
KENT
Samantha Hasenflue, Director of Social Services for Kent has been in her position with a part-time assistant, funded by the town, for a year. The job has just recently become full time, with benefits.
“I am grateful,” she told me, “because this is a difficult role to fill with part-time hours, due to the increase in need.”
Hasenflue’s position has been in existence for at least ten years in Kent, she stated. Social service agents work with all age groups and Hasenflue’s role is no exception. She helps with applications for SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and all state program applications including energy assistance, renter’s rebate, and housing applications via Kent Affordable Housing and Templeton Farms Senior Housing.
Hasenflue helps with prescription assistance through the Foundation for Community Health and by navigating Medicare mainly through referrals to the CHOICES Program through the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging. She assists with financial hardship grant applications through local sources including the Berkshire Taconic and Kent Community Funds.
With rising rates of food insecurity, Hasenflue’s work running the Kent Food Bank is critical. Management tasks include: ordering through Connecticut Foodshare, monthly shopping trips to stock shelves, collecting local donations, and collaborating with New Milford Social Services for bread pick up.
Hasenflue said there is a big focus on senior citizens due to an aging population.
She has been tasked with reopening and running the Kent Senior Center, which was closed during the pandemic, and has been hard at work at the Senior Center since August 2022.
It is now in operation with bimonthly lunches and full active programming.
When I asked Hasenflue about why local rural social services might be important, she had no shortage of answers.
“Residents would have to go to Torrington or Danbury from here. The trip is challenging because of transportation difficulties that include shared or no vehicle situations,” she said. Navigating application centers can be overwhelming — even at its best. Technology is also difficult at times, and Hasenflue is happy to help residents navigate these types of websites. She can be reached at the town hall or senior center in Kent.
“Anything someone comes to me for help with, I will either find a resource, or help them navigate it. Where there is a will, there is a way,” Hasenflue said.
In terms of rural support for its residents, Hasenflue also addressed the importance of collaboration among towns. For example, towns often share food bank access. She expressed appreciation for the Kent Community Fund’s work with its Roundtable Connections.
She states that town Municipal and Social Service Agents recently gathered to meet with Project Sage, formerly known as Women’s Support Services, which serves towns in the northwest corner of Connecticut.
Hasenflue would also value increased opportunities for town agents to gather, a common sentiment among town providers.
To reach Kent call 860-927-1586 or email: socialservices@townofkent.org
CORNWALL
Heather Dinneen is full time in her role as Social Services Director for Cornwall. She works directly with over eighty families. Dineen informed me that Cornwall has heavily invested in affordable housing and social service. Cornwall has had a social services position for over twenty years. As with her colleagues in neighboring towns, she connects residents with a wide array of services and referrals. She runs the Cornwall food Pantry, Senior Center and Back-to-School/Holiday Gift programs.
Dinneen informed me that in Connecticut, towns have long been required to have a municipal agent appointed to work with the elderly. The social service positions have grown out of that requirement to meet the need of the wider population. Dinneen connects residents to state programs and regional resources such as the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and its Blue Horizons and Jane Lloyd Funds. The Cornwall Food and Field fund, a local resource, assists with essential bills and emergencies.
To reach Cornwall call 860-671-9315 or email: cornwallsocialservices@gmail.com
Next: Salisbury, North Canaan and Falls Village.
Isabelle Clark Foster is a licensed independent clinical social worker.
Paquito D’Rivera performs at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on April 5.
Natalia Bernal is the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center’s education and community engagement manager and is, in her own words, “the one who makes sure that Mahaiwe events are accessible to all.”
The Mahaiwe’s community engagement program is rooted in the belief that the performing arts should be for everyone. “We are committed to establishing and growing partnerships with neighboring community and arts organizations to develop pathways for overcoming social and practical barriers,” Bernal explained. “Immigrants, people of color, communities with low income, those who have traditionally been underserved in the performing arts, should feel welcomed at the Mahaiwe.”
Partnerships with organizations like Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires (VIM), the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Committee, and Community Access to the Arts (CATA) have helped bridge that gap. But for the Latinx community, there’s an even more targeted effort: the Spanish-language Community Advisory Network (SCAN).
“Six years ago, we started an advisory group of Spanish speakers in the community,” Bernal said. “They tell us what the community wants to see, how they’d like their culture represented. Today, SCAN has 12 members. We meet four times a year and are in constant communication. It’s because of them that we’ve hosted free Spanish-language film screenings and live performances.”
For Bernal, this work is personal. “When I first moved to the U.S. in 2003, it was because I got a Latin American scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. That first year, I went home to Uruguay for Christmas and saw Paquito D’Rivera perform at a jazz festival. I was determined to meet him, and I did. Later that year, Paquito came to Berklee and invited me on stage.”
Now, two decades and 16 Grammys later, Paquito D’Rivera is coming to the Mahaiwe on April 5, and there’s a chance history might repeat itself. “He saw a post we made about his concert and commented, ‘Ay, chica, que maravilla, are you gonna sing a song with us?’ I almost died,” Bernal laughed. “I don’t know if it will happen, but it would be a dream.”
About the possibility of a guest appearance by Bernal, D’Rivera said, “Natalia is a very dear, valuable colleague, and jazz is about improvisation, so the surprise factor is always part of the fun here.”
D’Rivera’s concert is just one example of how the Mahaiwe is making world-class performances accessible. “My whole day has been about offering ‘pay what you can’ tickets for this show,” Bernal says. “We also issued a 50% discount to our partners. We work with ESL teachers, public libraries, literacy agencies, anyone who can help us get the word out.”
That kind of grassroots effort has been transformative. “Last year, we screened ‘Florencia en el Amazonas,’ the first opera written in Spanish ever performed at the Met,” Bernal said. “I sat in the Mahaiwe in tears. As someone who loves opera, it was the first time I heard one written in my own language. It was so powerful.”
Natalia Bernal, Mahaiwe’s education and community engagement managerPhoto by Martin Cohen
For Bernal, it all comes back to representation, on stage and in the audience. “My son is eight. I bring him to everything I can. Spanish shouldn’t just be something that happens at the dinner table. It should be in the world, in all these shapes and forms.”
And that’s what SCAN is helping build: a future where Latinx voices aren’t just included, they are central. “Our SCAN advisors are volunteers, cultural ambassadors,” Bernal said. “They help us distribute surveys, talk to the audience, and strengthen the community. Nobody should feel alone. Everybody should feel like they belong here.”
Education and outreach are central to D’Rivera’s work as well. He said, “It is an important part of our mission to plant and nurture the seed of quality music in our communities.” He continued to say, “Using our visibility and influence in favor of justice is always a very effective vehicle in denouncing violations of human rights around the world.”
This shared mission of education and social justice extends beyond the Mahaiwe. “We are one of the few arts organizations in a monthly meeting with BASIC (Berkshire Alliance for Immigrant Services). We have direct ties to the Berkshire Immigrant Center, VIM, and others so that we are well-informed and ready to serve,” said Bernal.
That commitment to community, culture, and access is why Bernal’s dream panel—Women in the Music Business—would feature Paquito’s wife and longtime manager, Brenda Feliciano. “She’s a tower of power. She’s been managing his career for at least 45 years. If I could organize an event one day, she would be the cherry on the cake.”
Until then, Bernal will keep doing what she does best: making sure the Mahaiwe is a place where everyone, regardless of language, income, or background, feels at home. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll find herself back on stage with Paquito D’Rivera, just like that first time, all those years ago.
For more info and tickets to Paquito D’Rivera, visit mahaiwe.org
There is magic in a home filled with the things we love, and Mary Randolph Carter, affectionately known as “Carter,” has spent a lifetime embracing that magic. Her latest book, “Live with the Things You Love … and You’ll Live Happily Ever After,” is about storytelling, joy, and honoring life’s poetry through the objects we keep.
“This is my tenth book,” Carter said. “At the root of each is my love of collecting, the thrill of the hunt, and living surrounded by things that conjure up family, friends, and memories.”
The creative director at Ralph Lauren for almost four decades, Carter began writing this book during the pandemic, a time of rediscovering comfort. “I found more time to appreciate those special things that give our homes warmth and connection.” Working with Ralph Lauren, she learned that the best spaces tell a personal story. “His desk was filled with toy cars, miniature shoes, superheroes, English dandies, cowboys on horseback. The walls? A gallery of his children’s paintings, iconic photos of Frank Sinatra and Gary Cooper. Everything told a story.”
Carter acknowledges how homes can become overwhelmed with stuff but sees a difference between clutter and collection. “To live happily, create environments that inspire and comfort rather than encumber you! Look around and ask, ‘What is truly meaningful? What makes you smile? What recalls the people and places you cherish?’” Then, she added, “weed out the rest with discipline and courage!”
Provided
Each home in Carter’s book reflects its inhabitant’s spirit. “The first time I walked into Bethann Hardison’s apartment, I knew right away how authentic it was to who she is.” Hardison’s walls are lined with artwork from friends Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Haitian paintings, testaments to a life well lived. “Though her mantra is, ‘the lighter the load, the freer the journey,’ she also admits some things ‘delight your environment’ and can’t be parted with. Amen to that!”
Having survived two childhood fires, Carter deeply understands what truly matters. “It’s not the things, but the people and memories they evoke.” She loves her collections, but they don’t possess her. “They make me happy, but they do not define me.”
She delights in how people showcase treasures. Paula Grief, for instance, lives in a ten-foot-wide house and had to part with many books. “She tucks the ones she can’t live without through the rungs of her staircase. I love that ingenuity!”
When asked about her most cherished possession, Carter tells a story of loss and serendipity. A childhood portrait of her in a blue velvet dress was lost in a fire. “Years later, the artist’s daughter found another version. Now, it hangs in our apartment, surrounded by flea market art and one of my favorite saints, Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Adding to the cozy feeling of this book, Carter’s son, Carter Berg, took the photographs, and her sister, Cary, contributed the illustrations. “Cary once stayed in our apartment and painted a dozen objects from our cluttered kitchen. I hung them immediately. When I started this book, I knew she had to capture my favorite objects.”
Four of the featured homes are local to the Northwest Corner, including Carter’s in Millerton, Joan Osofsky’s in Lakeville, Robin Bell’s in Salisbury, and Paula Grief’s in Hudson. They all gathered at the White Hart/Oblong Speaker Series on March 27.
After perusing the richly colored pages of this book, you may feel tempted to shop. “You don’t need money to create a meaningful home,” Carter insisted. “Some of my favorite paintings cost no more than $10 or $25. Value is personal. It’s not about provenance but the story an object tells you or the one you make up.”
Carter’s advice? “Fall in love with the wackiest thing. Surround yourself with what matters, and you’ll live happily ever after.”
On Saturday, April 5, at 3 p.m., The Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington and Jacob’s Pillow, the dance festival in Becket, Massachusetts, are presenting a special benefit screening of the cinematic masterpiece, “The Red Shoes,” followed by a discussion and Q&A. Featuring guest speakers Norton Owen, director of preservation at Jacob’s Pillow, and dance historian Lynn Garafola, the event is a fundraiser for The Triplex.
“We’re pitching in, as it were, because we like to help our neighbors,” said Norton. “They (The Triplex) approached us with the idea, wanting some input if they were going to do a dance film. I thought of Lynn as the perfect person also to include in this because of her knowledge of The Ballets Russes and the book that she wrote about Diaghilev. There is so much in this film, even though it’s fictional, that derives from the Ballets Russes.” Garafola, the leading expert on the Ballets Russes under Serge Diaghilev, 1909–1929, the most influential company in twentieth-century theatrical dance, said, “We see glimpses of that Russian émigré tradition, performances we don’t see much of today. The film captures the artifice of ballet, from the behind-the-scenes world of dressers and conductors to the sheer passion of the audience.”
Hailed as one of the greatest films about ballet, “The Red Shoes,” 1948, is a dazzling fusion of dance and cinema, featuring a mesmerizing 17-minute ballet sequence performed by Scottish ballet dancer and actress, Moira Shearer. Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the film’s breathtaking use of Technicolor and evocative storytelling continues to captivate audiences, including legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, and Steven Spielberg all of whom have cited the film as an influence on their work.
Garafola recalled seeing the film as a young dancer. “I remember being more taken with the plot then, but seeing it again recently, it was the color, the fantasy, and the glamour that struck me. Given how gray England was after the war, the film’s vibrant costumes and settings create an almost dreamlike escape.”
Owen echoed Garafola’s sentiment. “It’s magical. Color was their thing, and this latest restoration makes it even more breathtaking.”
The film underwent an extensive digital restoration at the UCLA Film and Television archive between 2006 and 2008 and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009. This is the version of the film which will be screened at the Triplex.
Owen said, “I love the depiction of young ballet audiences racing to their seats. That kind of enthusiasm is contagious. It’s what draws young dancers in.” Both Owen and Garafola epressed hope that young dancers will attend the event, sharing in the film’s enduring inspiration.
Owen and Garafola’s Q&A is sure to be lively and educational as they delve into the film’s legacy in both dance and cinema. “It’s not just a film for dance lovers. It’s a filmmaker’s film, too,” Owen added.
Join The Triplex and Jacob’s Pillow for this rare opportunity to experience “The Red Shoes” on the big screen, a film that continues to enchant, inspire, and ignite artistic passion.
Tickets are available for $75 at www.thetriplex.org.