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Published on 01/04/1999 All articles from this issue

CSA makes changes to serve community needs

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By Clyde Noel

Special to the Town Crier

The Mountain View-based Community Services Agency went through many changes in 1998. The agency's executive committee and staff said they feel the changes will better meet the needs of the community. The nonprofit agency provides food, clothing and health support for low-income area residents.

"We're like a moving target. What is appropriate one day may not be the next," said Thomas Pamilla, executive director of the agency. "We took a hard look at the effectiveness of our programs and how they related to changes in the community. We needed a possible new direction for CSA."

The new direction is working on affordable child care for families in the agency's program. When the staff looked at recent welfare reform legislation and its effect on the poor, they decided to look into the possibility of setting up local, affordable and high quality preschool child care centers.

The Packard Foundation provided a grant of $27,000 to conduct a feasibility study to look into the need for child care and a preschool location.

Judy Marcus, a Los Altos Hills resident and president of CSA, said when you think about CSA, "you have to remember, we are local.

"We serve your neighbors and others, and because of local support, we have been able to help people regain their independence in the community," Marcus said.

During the year, CSA closed down the Community Kitchen after a census indicated fewer people responded and practically no families with children used the program. The Clothes Closet was also closed because few people asked for clothing. If caseworkers recommend clothing in the future, the client will be sent to St. Vincent de Paul Society.

The Food Closet program was expanded to include nutrition to the homeless and a strong outreach effort for single parents with children.

"We found it was difficult for single moms to come to the kitchen because of the hours," Pamilla said. "The preference was to eat at home as a family."

CSA set aside a store downstairs that is open all day and several evenings. Clients can come in and shop for food.

The agency also established a relationship with the University of San Francisco School of Nursing. Students do their internships with the homebound elderly and work through social workers. The nursing students are also asked to get involved with the food and nutrition center and help clients understand what a proper diet means. The nurses write out a diet in the client's language.

In another part of the nutrition program, CSA is working with the American Cancer Society to help people understand diet and its relation to cancer.

Each weekday more than 100 seniors go to CSA's Senior Nutritional Program at the Mountain View Senior Center for a noon meal and socializing.

Maureen Wadiak, director of program management, said, "People have a mind-set, and we have to change their thinking. They can be struggling and still make ends meet, but they need help. Accepting help is not to be seen as a handout, but rather a hand up."

As people live longer, their money may run out. And society is faced with trying to assist the older population, she said.

"We try to keep them as independent as possible and as long as possible," Pamilla said. "But another problem is affordable housing."

CSA applied for a HUD grant to provide services directly related to the housing program, but of the five grants provided in Santa Clara County, CSA was overlooked and rated seventh. Pamilla now has a $100,000 hole to fill as a source of funding for housing services.

CSA continues to offer shelter to the homeless through the Alpha Omega program.

Pamilla said there needs to be an increased level of awareness of people at risk in our community.

Community Services Agency needs volunteer drivers to collect donated food from local markets for distribution in the Food and Nutrition Center. Weekday and weekend shifts are available.

For more information, call Penny Morehead 964-4630.