“I liken my job to fixing puzzles. We are often introduced to an unfinished puzzle where we need to find the pieces that make sense, and try to help people get their puzzle organized, started, or something finished.”
These are words spoken from the Social Services Director of the Social Services Department in Ridgefield, Tony (Anthony) Phillips, a certified social worker who has worked for the town of Ridgefield for the past decade. As the leader of the Social Services Department, he provides a listening ear, sound advice, and assistance to access local, regional, state, and federal programs that help the residents of Ridgefield who need it most.
The Social Services Department creates numerous, incredible programs for the community in an effort to uplift the spirits of those struggling financially, those dealing with food insecurity, and those experiencing an affordable housing crisis, among other things. One of projects included Dirty Hands, a “full plates” produce program that launched several years ago where the department partnered with two local farms and a local store to provide fresh, local produce to 15 families every two weeks.
Another initiative spearheaded by the department was during the pandemic, when the team pulled together a summer food program titled “Feed Our Tigers,” partnering with Tiger Hollow Inc. where local residents shopped for food once a week and dropped off groceries at the Lounsbury House.
Phillps explains that people get introduced to them in any number of ways. “It could be that they want help understanding Medicare, or maybe someone had a medical issue that created more stress for their family.” People dealing with mental health issues or who need help relating to disability access also fall under this category. “It really runs the gamut,” he says of his position. “But we have honed in on financial need and food insecurity as a main focus area, as we have a long line history of offering a food pantry.”
In 2020, the Social Services Department made a shift from collecting non-perishable food items to offering grocery gift cards, to which Phillips commented “has been amazing for our clients as it provides independence and dignity in their shopping process, allowing them to to get what they want and need.” Not to mention reducing food waste.
The department also aids in energy assistance applications for the State CEAP program, which usually accounts for $50,000 in state aid for oil and heat, which goes directly to residents’ homes. Medical CHOICES is another program that helps over 100 residents manage their Medical Prescription Part D coverage.
Considering the day-to-day at the Social Services Department, the team of people there help navigate “all sorts of things” including trying to locate affordable housing, understanding tenant rights when there is an eviction, and helping people access food resources. Speaking specifically on healthy and safe food resources, Phillips explains the department helps manage the Connecticut FoodShare truck that comes to town twice a month, also adding they have two programs that provide locally-grown produce to seniors, and another program dedicated to families, “with the help from Veronica’s Garden, Cornerstone Garden, and Nature’s Temptations,” Phillips notes.
Overall, finding the money to help residents pay rent, buy food, pay bills and receive medical help is the ultimate goal of the Social Services Department, to which Phillips states the department’s emergency fund “is a big part” of how they are able to help struggling families and individuals.
This fund, he explains, allows them to “get people out of harm’s way and move them in a direction toward success.” Examples of this include assisting someone needing help with a security deposit, another person needing a hearing aid, a resident needing another means of transportation if their car gets a flat tire, and so on.
As far as what residents can do to help, Phillips graciously states that donations to their emergency fund are always needed. People can send a check straight to Town Hall with a memo titled, “Emergency Fund,” but they also accept donations online.
And to know exactly who and how you are helping, Phillips explains that donations to the emergency fund allow the department the flexibility to help with rent, food, heat, electricity, “and any other basic need you can think of.”
He emphasizes that their ability to leverage the emergency fund has saved dozens of families and seniors from eviction, electricity shut-off notices and more over the years.
As Phillips mentioned before, the department seeks to support the community of Ridgefield however possible, and that the favor gets returned by local businesses and organizations as well, keeping the “we are here to help one another” mantra of Ridgefield going strong.
“One of our biggest supporters is the Ridgefield Thrift Shop,” Phillips says. “The Rotary Club is another group that continually steps up for our department,” he states, adding that from 2013-2020, the club provided a monthly food truck in front of the Social Services building, ending up collecting over $10,000 in food donations each month.
“When the pandemic stopped the food collections, they were creeping up on an estimated $1 million worth of collections since 2013,” Phillips remarked. “But for our entire history, we have counted on our Ridgefield neighbors to help their neighbors—Ridgefielders always step up to help to help whether it’s sorting clothing at the thrift shop, volunteering to distribute produce in three degree weather, or ringing the red kettle bells during the holidays, Ridgefielders always respond.”
"Ridgefielders always step up to help to help whether it’s sorting clothing at the thrift shop, volunteering to distribute produce in three degree weather, or ringing the red kettle bells during the holidays, Ridgefielders always respond.” -Tony Phillips