Local Summit Hosts Community Groups That Help Families in Crisis

In a time of family medical or other crisis, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck community is equipped with volunteers to assist its community members. At its October 10th monthly public breakfast program entitled “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit presented panelists representing some of the community organizations that are ready and able to help families in a time of crisis.

Tina Sadarangani, the president of Larchmont Friends of the Family, and Nancy Borzain, its Assessment Coordinator, described the role of their organization and the nature of the support they provide. The organization’s mission, which traces its roots back approximately 25 years, is to assist families with dependent children who have a family member who has suffered from a serious illness or death. “We intervene at the acute stage in a medical crisis to provide a bridge to the new normal,” said Ms. Borzain.

To be eligible for assistance from Friends of the Family, a family must live within the borders of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck School District. The assistance often takes the form of meals, transportation, and financial help, but is not limited to those needs. In one instance, Friends of the Family paid for the funeral of a family member. “Our support is customized to the family’s needs,” explained Ms. Sadarangani.

Friends of the Family assistance is designed to last for three months during the family’s initial “acute stage.” A plan is created, an assistance letter is drafted and in each instance the family in need must agree to participate. All information is kept confidential. During monthly visits, the family’s conditions and progress are evaluated. Although the program is intended to last only three months, Ms. Borzain described how the relationships she has forged with the family members often continue for a very long time. She also noted that former Friends of the Family clients frequently become volunteers.

Friends of the Family often partners with the Community Resource Center (CRC) and the Mamaroneck School District. Selene Gonzalez, CRC Senior Case Manager, explained that the CRC has a wide network of partners and can connect to many organizations that provide various forms of assistance. It was noted that the pandemic fostered greater cooperation and collaboration among local aid organizations.

As happens with Friends of the Family, a CRC caseworker will make the initial assessment of a family’s needs. The CRC then will develop a plan for the family and collaborate with other organizations, if appropriate. Through its network of partners, the CRC can secure for its clients the needed services and assistance to a family in crisis.

For example, most recently the CRC has been assisting families who have suffered losses from the floods in Mamaroneck that occurred two weeks ago. The assistance has included providing food and financial support, arranging for shelter and securing transportation to schools. Most clients who seek help have learned of the services of the CRC and Friends of the Family through word of mouth.

The Mamaroneck School District also provides support for a family in crisis, explained Lissi Garcia, School Social Worker and Case Coordinator for the District. The process often begins with an initial conversation with a student. Thereafter, Ms. Garcia and the school social work staff will refer the student and family to other organizations that can help. The family often requires long-term support and the school district will follow the family for years, if necessary, to ensure that the needed assistance continues to be available. Ms. Garcia reported that often a family in crisis frequently have more than one child and each child may be attending a different school within the district. Coordination of assistance is therefore necessary.

The school district works with the CRC and Friends of the Family, among other organizations, to help the family with whatever issues it is encountering. Both the CRC and Friends of the Family rely upon community support to continue their work. Volunteers with many different skills and donations are always welcome and needed.

The Larchmont-Mamaroneck Local Summit is an informal community council that seeks to make a better life for the community by keeping it informed of major issues of concern. The next meeting, on November 14, will address food insecurity. Visit the Local Summit online: https://www.localsummitlm.org/ LMC Media: https://lmcmedia.org/.