Press Release  Probation employees help spread holiday joy to struggling families

Massachusetts — Massachusetts Probation Service (MPS) employees across the Commonwealth are making sure that struggling families and individuals are being remembered during the holidays. Probation Departments are also conducting food, toiletry and winter clothing drives. 

The following are examples of the generosity exhibited by Probation employees and their Trial Court colleagues: 

BERKSHIRE COUNTY 

The Berkshire County Community Corrections Center hosted a surprise Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday, November 22, for its clients, several of whom had no place to go for the holiday. The dinner—which featured rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, salad, stuffing, rolls, pies, and chocolates—was followed by an art activity on “thankfulness,” said Kyle Schadler, Berkshire CCC Program Manager. The food was donated by Old Colony YMCA and staff who either purchased it or prepared it. 

“Some of our participants didn’t have a place to go for Thanksgiving . Some had no families to celebrate with. Some never celebrated the holiday and then some had negative thoughts about holidays in general,” Schadler said. “We wanted participants to feel appreciated for all their hard work. We feel this was a good way to build solidarity between staff and participants.” 

For the fourth year in a row, Northern Berkshire District Probation Department is coordinating Project Warm Winter: Support Our Veterans, a collection of items for local veterans. Winter hats, gloves, boots (new and used) for men and women, gift cards or certificates for supermarkets and restaurants, and hygiene products such as laundry detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, shaving cream, and razors are being requested. The items are being collected for Veterans Services of North Adams. The collection deadline is December 8. The items will be delivered December 13. For more information, please contact Bonnie Fachini, bonnie.fachini@jud.state.ma.us.

BRISTOL COUNTY 

Attleboro District Probation Department is participating in the court’s 10th Annual Holiday Blanket Drive for children through December 8 . Last year’s drive provided warm blankets for more than 60 children. The blankets are donated to the Greater Attleboro Area Council for children as part of its “Christmas is for Kids” Program. The council is a volunteer organization serving Attleboro, North Attleboro, Seekonk, Rehoboth, and Norton which states that it is dedicated to “enriching the lives of over 1,000 children in need every year.” Blankets may be left in the Clerk-Magistrate’s Office. For more information, contact Operations Supervisor Virginia Richardson at Virginia.richardson@jud.state.ma.us or 508-222-5900, ext. 313. 

New Bedford District Court Probation Officer Michael Borden is continuing a charitable giving program, which includes outfitting children and providing toys, that he started at Fall River District Court 20 years ago. Each year for the past two decades, Borden and his host of elves collect and wrap up toys—which are stored floor to ceiling in his basement year-round—and distribute them at Christmas time for needy children and their struggling families. This year, Borden has expanded this effort to New Bedford District Court where toys will be available to his fellow Probation Officers to give to probationers with children. Borden will also outfit children at the Fall River YMCA and provide them with toys. 

ESSEX COUNTY 

Essex County Juvenile Court Probation Department conducted the Holiday Gift Collection, a winter weather items drive. Warm weather clothing such as pajamas, fleece jackets or hoodies, hats, mittens, gloves, and socks and fleece blankets were collected. New toys and children’s books were also donated. These items were collected for low-income, at-risk, and under-housed children in Northeast Massachusetts and distributed by the Community Giving Tree, a resource available to family advocates and social workers for the donation of holiday gifts. Three of the Essex Juvenile Courts served as drop-off sites: Lawrence, Salem and Lynn Juvenile Probation Departments. Lawrence Juvenile Probation Officer Manager Jamie Burrows, Salem Juvenile Court Probation Case Coordinator II Susan St. Laurent, Lawrence Juvenile Probation Case Specialist I Jessica Giguere, and Lynn Juvenile Probation Case Specialist I Amanda Le coordinated this county-wide drive. 

HAMPDEN COUNTY 

Hampden Superior Court Probation Department is hosting a weekly Holiday Raffle for probationers through December 22. The raffle is for toiletry baskets and free haircuts. Two to three toiletry baskets will be raffled off each week. The haircut coupons will be given to every male probationer, and to every female probationer with a son. The 1,200 coupons-- valid through March 31, 2018-- are being donated by Sport Clips Haircuts at Five Town Plaza in Springfield. 

Hampden Juvenile Court Probation Department—Springfield office-- conducted a Thanksgiving Food Drive; approximately $425 worth of groceries were collected and used to stock the Open Pantry, a local food bank. The drive was part of the Rock 102 Mayflower Marathon. The Springfield Juvenile Probation charitable drive was coordinated by Probation Office Manager Mary Jane Santamaria and Case Specialist IV JudyAnn Perkins. Probation Operation Supervisor II Marilyn Grant collected $100 from court personnel to donate to the Springfield Rescue Mission. 

Hampden Juvenile Court Probation Department – Springfield office is conducting a Coat Drive for Care & Protection families. Hampden Juvenile is accepting donations of coats, hats, gloves, and sweatshirts at its 80 State Street location on the second floor. Coordinating this winter-long effort is Hampden Juvenile Assistant Chief Probation Officer Keith M. Gibbings. Mr. Gibbings may be reached at keith.gibbings@jud.state.ma.us . The first drop-off deadline for items is December 15. 

In Hampden County, the Holyoke Juvenile Court Probation Department organized its Annual Thanksgiving Drive through which it accepted food and monetary donations to purchase turkeys. The food was delivered on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving directly to the homes of families whose children are Probation-involved. Holyoke Juvenile Probation Officer Raquel Cabrera Maldonado coordinated this effort that provided Thanksgiving meals with all the fixings to seven families.

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY 

Hampshire County Courthouse is the site of a clothing drive for clients of the Interfaith Cot Shelter. The Northampton District Court Probation Department is collecting new and gently used clothing for men and women, including shoes and belts. The deadline for donations is Friday, December 8. Items may be dropped off in the District Court Probation Department, 15 Gothic Street, Northampton. For more details, kindly contact Sally Wickles at sally.wickles@jud.state.ma.us, or by phone at 413-584-8417, ext. 278. 

MIDDLESEX COUNTY 

Lowell District Court Probation Case Specialist Ineabelle Dominguez and Probation Officer Katherine Diaz collected more than 20 bags containing canned goods, canned meats, and pasta as part of the Lowell District Court’s food drive for Catholic Charities which provides services to Lowell veterans and the Lowell Food Pantry. The donations were delivered on November 21 just in time for Thanksgiving. 

Middlesex Probate & Family Probation Department recently conducted two successful drives for Respond Inc., a domestic violence shelter and advocacy center in Somerville. The first was a Thanksgiving drive during which the following items were collected: gift cards to local stores (Market Basket, Stop & Shop, Shaw’s, Target) and local pharmacies (CVS, Walgreen’s, Rite Aid); Charlie cards/T passes; twin-size bedding, including sheet sets, blankets, comforters, pillows, and pillow cases; paper goods; laundry detergent and cleaning supplies; vacuum cleaners (used); movie, show, and museum passes; diapers, wipes, diaper cream; child/baby safety items (gates, outlet covers, pack and play, etc.); formula, bottles, and bibs; baby shampoo, bathing supplies; air purifiers; fans (used); crib sheets; Pack-n-play crib sheets; Baby monitors (used) and baby blankets. This was followed by a Christmas “wish list” drive for a mother and her two daughters, ages six and eight. The formerly homeless family recently moved into their new home. Middlesex Probate & Family Probation employees bought the mother gift cards for local supermarkets and restaurants due to a reduction in her food stamp allotment. The employees also purchased a television set for the family, clothing, bedding, and toys such as dolls, super hero figurines, remote control cars, and a boombox. The items will be delivered to Respond, Inc. this week. 

The Middlesex Superior Court Probation Department staff are fulfilling the wishes of families involved with the Department of Children and Families as part of their Adopt-A-Family holiday initiative. DCF provides the department with a list of families and their holiday wishes and needs. Probation employees purchase these items and donate them to DCF. The deadline for donations is December 8 with a delivery date to families set at December 12 . Middlesex Superior Probation Department is also partnering with court staff on a Toys for Tots drive. The gifts will be collected at the court’s holiday luncheon on December 15 . 

PLYMOUTH COUNTY 

Plymouth District Court Probation is working in with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) again this year to outfit and provide toys for children in struggling families. Probation Officer Melissa Melia is leading this effort which includes collecting monetary donations to use in the purchase of gifts this holiday season. 

Assistant Chief Probation Officer Monica Coven is helping feed the area’s homeless population through the “Meal Train” initiative which was established by the Plymouth Task Force to End Homelessness. Coven volunteered her time to cook and serve meals for 15 homeless men on Wednesday nights during the month of December at a church in Plymouth. Plymouth District Chief Probation Officer Carole Bambrick, ACPO Janice Boyle, PO's Denise Pelchat, Melissa Melia, and Tracy Connoll, Probation Operations Supervisor Nealy Wennerberg, APO Danielle Carter, POM Jodi Fitzsimmons and Probation Case Specialists Denise MacDonald, Sandy O'Brien and Bethany Santos have all joined ACPO Coven to provide, prepare, and serve the home cooked meals, including beverages and dessert.

SUFFOLK COUNTY 

The Trial Court Community Service Program assisted local parish food pantries with transportation, delivery, and distribution of meals for people at Thanksgiving. Community Service crews worked with the Greater Boston Food Bank by loading canned goods, dried goods, fresh turkeys, and vegetables onto Community Service vehicles. This food—more than 200 turkeys and 1,100 pounds of additional food—was delivered to the Grant AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church and the Edwin Cooper Center both in Roxbury. The Edwin Cooper Center Director David Jackson said that 50 complete family dinners were delivered on Thanksgiving Day. 

All eight divisions of the Boston Municipal Court Probation Departments —Brighton, Central, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston, and West Roxbury –are conducting BMC’s third annual Sock Drive. Each BMC Probation Department is collecting socks and other cold weather gear such as hats, gloves, and scarves which will be distributed to homeless people on the street and/or dropped off at homeless shelters and to programs that care for this population. Donations may be dropped off at any of the BMC locations until December 15. The items will be distributed and delivered December 18 -22, 2017. 

WORCESTER COUNTY 

Worcester Probate & Family Probation employees are conducting a Christmas Toy Drive for children, newborn to 18 years old. The toy donations will be made to the Planting the Seed Foundation and benefit children and struggling families in the Worcester area. The drop off sites are the Worcester Probate & Family Probation Department, 225 Main Street in Worcester, and Worcester Fitness, 440 Grove Street. The items are scheduled for delivery December 15 through December 24 . For more information, contact Stacey Pignataro, Stacey.pignataro@jud.state.ma.us, 508-831-2258; and Lisa Martin, lisa.martin@jud.state.ma.us, 508-831-2257. 

Worcester District Court Probation is hosting its 14 th Annual Gifts to Children effort for children enrolled in the Worcester Comprehensive Day Care Services program. Each Worcester District Probation employee picks a child from a list provided by the day care center which highlights each child’s needs and wishes. Through this effort, Worcester District Probation employees and Worcester Complex employees have outfitted and provided toys for nearly 70 children each year. Assistant Chief Probation Officer Matt Deveau has served as Santa Claus every year. This year he will be accompanied by elves: Keith Leavitt, Beth-Ann Martunus, Erick Zelayandia, Karen Dube, and Riaza Rivas. The drop off deadline for donated toys and clothing is December 8 . The items will be gift wrapped and delivered to the children on December 14 . For more information, contact Lois Ciuffredo at lois.ciuffredo@jud.state.ma.us, or 508-831-2133. 

Worcester District Court Probation is also the home of Hope’s Closet which celebrated its fourth anniversary in November. Hope’s Closet— a Probation-established program stocked by donations from the court complex-- provides clothing, toiletries, sleeping bags, blankets, and bus passes to struggling individuals, families, and children. Over the years, the closet has helped 4,000 people. The need is even greater than years past, according to Ms. Ciuffredo who has worked along with Probation Officer Supervisor Pamela Therrien, Probation Officer II Kerry Coakley, and Probation Officer II Dawnmarie Varney Mahoney in maintaining the closet.

STATEWIDE 

The Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service Program is partnering with Trial Court Facilities Management to distribute information and collection boxes for the annual Toys for Tots Program to all the courts across the commonwealth. New unwrapped toys may be dropped off at receptacles located at every courthouse, fire station, State Police Barracks, and local supporting businesses. 

Trial Court Community Service crews from Norfolk and Suffolk counties sorted already collected toys when the Toys for Tots organization needed to relocate from the terminal they had used to store their inventory, according to Community Service Statewide Supervisor David Skocik. US Marine Corporal Vin Dolan credited the Trial Court Community Service program with filling the gap left by the decreased number of volunteers to sort and transport toys this year.

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