Agency Overview

255 Main Street, Suite 113, Marlborough, MA 01752 ph: 508.481.4080

Offering Assistance, Referral and Educational
Programs to the Greater Marlborough Community

History

In 1992, in response to changes in the dynamic and the demographics of the city of Marlborough, Mayor Michael Hogan received a grant to create a new agency. This new non-profit was established with two purposes: The first was to address the increasing, and unmet demands on an existing “all volunteer-run” food pantry that was floundering and overwhelmed. The second would initiate a program to focus on the emerging and growing needs of a multicultural, multi-ethnic, and limited English-speaking community. Marilyn Perry was hired as Executive Director, and responsible for overseeing the development of the Food Pantry. Fatinha Kerr was hired as Director of Cross-cultural Services.

Soon after MCSI was established, a needs assessment committee was formed to help design an agency that would best meet the emerging needs of a changing community. Strategically comprised of community members from various sectors, this original committee included city officials, department heads, corporate leaders, health providers, educators, and other community representatives. After the agency was created, some of these individuals remained (and still serve) as board members and staff, to continue to shape the agency, as we know it today. After two years, Marilyn left MCSI to become an Aide to Congressman Meehan, and Fatinha became Executive Director to oversee all programs.

Until the late 1990’s, multiple funding sources, special grants and a “social services friendly” administration (National, State and Municipal) allowed MCSI to grow and hold many programs that included, among others: English classes, citizenship preparation, exclusive interpreter and translation services to the hospital and police, nutrition classes, cultural programs, and other educational opportunities for staff, consumers, and the community at large. MCSI’s central office at this time was located at 11-A Florence Street, and the agency employed as many as seven full-time staff, along with several paid consultants.

In the year 2001, when many state contracts were reduced or eliminated, MCSI accordingly cut back in programs, reducing staff to four FTEs and moving to the present more modest quarters at the Walker building.

When the September 11 tragedy hit our nation, all existing immigrant legalization programs came to a screeching halt, funding was further decreased or eliminated, consumer needs grew exponentially, and we began to feel the severe impact of declining revenues, in contrast with an exponential growth in local consumer needs. Services and programs were pared accordingly…

MCS-Inc is a United Way of Tri-County agency

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The Agency Today

Marlborough Community Services Inc. (MCSI) is a private, not for profit organization based in the city of Marlborough that offers a wide array of programs addressing the most vital community issues. MCSI is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) agency whose mission is to promote, strengthen, and sustain the wellbeing of families by providing social services and wellness programs for people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds, in accordance with Massachusetts general laws. In addition, MCSI upholds the mandates of its primary funding sources that include The United Way, Project Bread, FEMA, MEFAP, and the City of Marlborough. These entities require that we must serve all, without prejudice, judgment, or bias of age, race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, economic status or sexual orientation.

At present, an increasing number of Marlborough residents are in crisis, and lack basic items such as food, clothing and household goods. This crisis is attributed to a depressed economy, shifting employment trends, and a continued reduction of jobs and wages in the workforce. We see additional stresses upon families because of cuts in food stamps, at WIC, in the Welfare Reform Act, in school breakfast and lunch programs, and reductions in USDA surplus food. A significant number of consumers that seek our services face issues of unemployment or underemployment, illness, loneliness, homelessness, depression and despair. Consistent with its mission, MCSI responds by providing essential goods, while also focusing on the underlying issues. Unlike most other pantries, whose sole purpose is to merely distribute food, MCSI workers and volunteers are trained to recognize when the needs of each individual or family require specific intervention. In those instances, clients are referred for further follow-up services so that one’s individual crisis is immediately addressed. The effectiveness of these services is documented, and can be evaluated by the increasing numbers of Marlborough residents who have become self-supporting because of MCSI assistance. Many of these individuals, and in some cases entire families, return as volunteers for special food drives or on a regular basis.

Food Pantry & Direct Services

Services offered through the agency’s Food Pantry include distribution of nutritionally appropriate food to over six hundred individuals per month. Recognizing that the need for emergency food is a symptom of a larger problem, MCSI also provides Direct Services by offering information and referral, crisis intervention, client support and advocacy.

Considering that many individuals who access these programs, may be entering a new life stage, as new parents, single parent households, or newcomers to the community, a special section within the Food Pantry offers consumers access to clothing and small household items. Larger furniture is made available to individuals and families by posting it’s availability on a bulletin board. A “Career Section” maintains clothing and equipment (purses, briefcases, etc.) appropriate for interviews and other special occasions.

A specialized children’s program, also within the Food Pantry location, was established to address the special needs of young parents and single parent households in the Greater Marlborough area. Besides storing and distributing baby food, formula, disposable diapers, toys and clothing for infants and children, this program also provides, maternity clothing, car seats, high chairs, cribs and other infant-related equipment.

As part of the Direct Services component of the agency, when it is indicated, MCSI staff and trained volunteers review qualified consumer’s individual employment status, living conditions, and day care situations with individuals and families, so that if there is a chance for improvement, clients are made aware of the available opportunities and are supported through any changes. This program provides access to a full range of human services to residents in the Marlborough area.

Serving as an educational and supportive advisory center for consumers, our continued mission is to assist families and individuals in becoming self-sufficient, contributing community members.

Interpreter/Translation and Cultural Sensitivity

MCSI also offers Marlborough and the Metrowest community comprehensive Interpreter/Translation and Cultural Sensitivity training programs on a “fee for services basis”, for and about the predominantly spoken languages and diverse cultures in the community. Twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, on-call interpreters provide facilitation to hospitals, local police, fire departments and other employers and providers. This is a revenue-producing program for the agency, designed to help support agency initiatives.

Special Initiatives

It is the philosophy of MCSI that if students feel positive and confident on the first day of school, that may be just the impetus that they need to have a positive academic experience for the rest of the year.

The Back to School Project benefiting nearly 400 students per year provides brand new backpacks filled with school supplies for our “pantry kids” and any other students referred to the program by school nurses and counselors. Our major partners in this program include Fidelity, Saint Mary’s Credit Union, Intel, local churches, service clubs and many individual sponsors.

The Birthday Smiles Program, made possible by Smiling Kids Inc. is another partnership that provides a $35.00 gift card to Target to “pantry kids” on their birthdays. During the past year this unique project generated approximately 350 smiles in just Marlborough!

Demographic Profile:

Ethnic breakdowns for the FY 2000 through FY 2005
“CHANGE” is a comparison between 2000 and 2006

demographicchart

* “Other” is comprised of foreign-nationals that include consumers from Russia and several Asian countries.

Yearly Reports 2005-thru-2009

View our detailed Yearly Reports here:

•2009, •2008, •2007, •2006, •2005

Established Funding Sources

MCSI receives annual support from the following providers:

United Way $25,000.00
Project Bread 5,550.00
FEMA 8,000.00
Foundations/Corporations Varies
Individual Donors/Churches Varies

Food Drives

April: Post Office – Letter Carriers

June: “Stuff a Bus” This is a Marlborough Public Schools Initiative, spearheaded by parents and teachers. All school participate in a food drive that generates more than one bus load of non-perishable foods for distribution through the pantry.

November: Boy and Girl Scouts

Ongoing Basis: Corporations, Churches, schools, civic groups, individual donors, municipal employees and others hold food drives for MCSI throughout the year. Some supermarkets also collect food on their premises. (Although this is helpful, quantities from this source are typically two or so boxes every couple of weeks. We are working on increasing this program to grow in scope and also include other local supermarkets.)

MCSI is a member of the Greater Boston Food Bank. MCSI shops online twice per month from the provided food inventory list (changes each time) at $.16 per lb. The food is delivered to a designated location in Natick for pick up. Food selections are made online and male volunteers drive the agency van to retrieve the food in Natick. The food banks, also affected by the current economic plight, often have low inventories, thus offering pantries limited quantities and varieties of food.

MCSI also shops from other retailers that include the Price Chopper, BJ’s, Wal-Mart, Ocean State Job Lot and Building 19, for critical items that are not always available through the normal sources.

Food Distribution & Daily operations at the Food Pantry

Because we are not a “maintenance” pantry consumers may frequent the Food Pantry on a monthly basis. Since the establishment of MCSI, we have used a “self-declaration” method to determine program eligibility. EVERY TIME that a client seeks pantry assistance he/she must provide proof of residence in the city of Marlborough as well as present a photo I.D.

Funding Sources, especially FEMA require that we serve all income-eligible individuals that seek services, regardless of the town in which they reside. To meet this requirement we supply non-Marlborough residents with a small bag of food to sustain them for a few days, and then refer them to their own local food pantry.

We maintain a database with the details of each consumer and their families, including address, telephone number, family size, and date of birth. Staff and volunteers monitor client’s participation in other programs such as Transitional Assistance, WIC, Food Stamps, Fuel assistance, Housing, Veterans’ benefits, and other programs available in and around the community, designed to assist consumers with other issues that may contribute toward reaching the ultimate goal of self-sufficiency.

Staff

Governed by a Board of Trustees an Executive Director (Fatinha Kerr) oversees the daily operations of MCSI. A Food Pantry Manager (Carol Phipps) operates the Food Pantry. An average of thirty to forty different volunteers provides a Quarterly standard of 1,200 hours of service to the agency.