HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-02-01-HSC-min.pdf Human Services Committee Minutes
February 1, 1995
Present Donna M. Hooper, Chairman; Rosalyn L. Gittleman; Eva S Glick; Eva
Havas; Jeanne S Luongo; Richard Safford; Jolley Anne Weinstock;
Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator; Betsy Fitz, Food Pantry;
Suzanne Larsen, RePlace
Fbod Pantry
Betsy Fitz, who is a volunteer buyer and organizer of special events for the
Food Pantry, spoke about its utilization trends In 1993, the Food Pantry was
serving 120-130 families per week Each family had an average of three to four
members By the end of 1993, with the Pantry s financial reserves dwindling,
it was decided to curtail access for out-of-town users Lexington residents
were allowed to come once a week while others came once a month Currently,
the Food Pantry serves 50 families a week In 1993, 35% of recipients were
from Lexington whereas now 80% to 90% are from Lexington Chronic recipients
include the elderly and the disabled whereas families use tends to be more
short-lived Administrative costs are 5-8%
The Food Pantry works closely with the Human Services Coordinator, and users
are required, after the first visit, to be certified in need by a human
service provider or minister
The Food Pantry receives support from a wide range of contributors including
Stop and Shop, Walglreen s, the Lexington Savings Bank, Raytheon, the Lion s,
the Lexington Guide, nursing homes, hospitals, Boy Scouts, Doran s
Greenhouses, Lexington-Bedford Veterinary Hospital, Alouette Gourmet Foods,
Bruegger s Bagel Bakery, and employees of Pepper Ridge Farm Other food
pantries in the area are in Burlington and Waltham. They do not get the same
support as does the food pantry in Lexington
The Food Pantry responds not only to user s need for food It also has a
social aspect It is a place where people can go on Saturday morning to enjoy
hot coffee and bagels People enjoy the greetings, however brief they may have
to be, from staff
The Food Pantry sometimes help recipients with transportation Its volunteers
give rides home or people give rides to one another
The most pressing volunteer need at present is for buyers
Assistive Listening System, Cary Hall
Rick Safford reported that he had investigated different systems, ended up
with a Chinese-made FM system including a transmitter and ten receivers
costing $350 The system will hook into an audio cable which has already been
installed The Committee gave its unanimous support to Rick Safford s report
Human Services Committee Minutes, 2/1/95 Page 2
Review of proposals to evaluate youth services
The Committee agreed to assign the responsibility for recommending the choice
of a contractor to do the evaluation of youth services to its evaluation
subcommittee When the subcommittee has made its decision, Steve Baran will
pass it on to Julia Novak, Assistant Tbwn Manager
Corrections to minutes of 12/7, 1/4 and 1/12
1 See minutes of 12/7, page 1 Dan Fenn was not present at the meeting of
12/7
2 See minutes of 12/7, page 2 Elisa Lundren-Gaveras, referred to as a
research instructor is actually a social welfare policy professor and
researcher
3 See minutes of 12/7, page 3 The Health Protection Advisory Committee
referred to is part of the Lexington public school system,
4 See minutes of 1/4, page 1 Julie Fenn was present
5 See minutes of 1/4 Add the following to section on youth services
budget The Committee postponed decision on FY 96 budget
recommendations for youth services until January 12, 1995
6 See minutes of 1/12, page 1 Note in relation to comments on the Eliot
drop-in center that it involved a change of focus from a medical model
to drop in
7 See minutes of 1/12, page 2 Among considerations relating to the amount
that the Human Services Committee would recommend allocating for FY 96
were legal considerations
8 See minutes of 1/12, page 3 Add to the factors that might lead the
Human Services Committee to seek more funding the development and
expansion of the drop-in center