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| By Erin O'Connor Staff Writer WEST SPRINGFIELD - The Child and Family Services of Pioneer Valley has been in operation since the Civil War. The non-profit, United Way funded agency, has over 125 years experience of serving Western Massachusetts, however, recent times have left the Agency's ability to aid immigrants and refugees extremely shorthanded. "There is virtually no or little money for prevention programs," Donna Heap, the director of Family Preservation Services, said to Reminder Publications. The Agency exists for the purpose of strengthening family life and promoting healthy personal adjustments to the traditions that may challenge individuals and families through a variety of programs. "After 9/11 a lot of programs took huge cuts that dealt with immigration and refugees," Heap said. "The funding came from federal money and they were not allowing for it[funding]." Heap said that the problem was that immigrants were already in the country and she questioned what would happen to them. "We cannot just turn away people that have been coming here for years," she said. The Agency suffered another blow last month when the one person responsible for working with the immigrant population in the West Springfield area, Roman Skvarnavicius, died. According to Heap, Skvarnavicius was an Archdeacon within the Russian Orthodox church in Springfield and he had connections with the Russian community. Heap said at one point there were 10 people in the position that Skvarnavicius vacated. Currently the position remains vacant. "We are really looking at our different options and different opportunities that exist," Heap said. "We are in a rebuilding mode." Heap said that people have the misconception that immigrants, such as Russians, come to the US and receive $25,000 in benefits. "It is so untrue," she said. "What benefits they get here they are extremely limited depending on their status. There is a ton of misinformation." Heap said that when she initially began working for the agency there were not a lot of Russian families living in West Springfield. "It has increased over the last 10-12 years," she added. Heap said that many immigrants choose to come to the United States because in their own country they were persecuted. Members of The Agency do not work with just refugees and immigrants. They also work with at-risk families and are a home-based service. They work with families that are referred by the Department of Social Services, the West Springfield School System, and community development programs in the city. According to the Agency's history, they are one of the oldest human resources facilities in Massachusetts and one of the oldest in the country. Their history began after the Civil War when the Union troops were returning home and the widows and children of troops were left with unmet needs. The Agency started with the neighbors looking out for these people's needs with the aid of food and clothing. To obtain more information about Child and Family Services of Pioneer Valley or about the vacant position left by Skvarnavicius call Heap at 737-4718 x. 127 or 1-800-232-0510. |