Community Services Department
High Plains Community Center, 525 Orange Center Road, Orange, CT 06477
Office hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
cnardini@orange-ct.gov
(203) 891-4786
The Community Services Department is responsible for planning, providing and coordinating social services for the elderly, disabled and youth. Family Counseling, Volunteer Coordination and Special Transportation are also provided under the Community Services Department.
The Department provides a wide variety of services for the Elderly. There is a Senior Center which provides social, educational and cultural activities and programs to residents 55 and over between Monday and Friday. The Senior Center Lounge is available for reading, movies, cards, and television. A monthly newsletter is mailed, upon request, to residents over 55 years of age. The "Friendlies" newsletter contains information on all activities, health programs, trips, and special programs. In cooperation with the Community Action Agency of Greater New Haven, a nutritious lunch is served daily at the Senior Center. A donation is requested, and reservations must be made the previous day before noon. An Outreach Worker is also available to provide information, referral, support, and followup to homebound seniors, persons with disabilities, and their families. Assistance with entitlement and income-eligible programs is available through the Outreach Worker. Handicapped-equipped vans are used to transport senior citizens and persons with disabilities to medical, dental, and therapy appointments, adult day care, and for other special needs.
- Administrative Assistant & Transportation Coordinator: Kimberly Callahan
kcallahan@orange-ct.gov
(203) 891-4788
- Senior Services Coordinator: Dennis Marsh
dmarsh@orange-ct.gov
(203) 891-4789
- Youth Services Coordinator: John Ulatowski
julatowski@orange-ct.gov
(203) 891-4785
- Clerical Assistants: Jennifer Antalik and Stephanie Cerillo
jantalik@orange-ct.gov
scerillo@orange-ct.gov
(203) 891-4784
- Elderly Outreach Service Worker: Denise Stein
dstein@orange-ct.gov
(203) 891-4787
- Senior Meal Site: Ellen Davis, Onsite Manager
(203) 891-4765
Under the Community Services umbrella is the Youth Services component which includes a Job Bank for Orange youth between the ages of 13 and 16 and classes and outreach programs both at the Community Center and at Amity Junior High School. Youth Services provides regular evening activities for 7 - 8th graders in Orange through its Youth Activity Program. Youth Services is a member of the BOW Parenting Initiative and the Amity Local Systems Collaborative and does other collaborative programming with agencies in the BOW community. Crisis intervention and short-term counseling are provided by Youth Services staff. Also provided are an intergenerational tutoring program and various special events.
Self-help support groups for people with disabilities and/or their caretakers are formed, as requested. The Tracy Bunch is a weekly program that provides social activities for adults with mental retardation. It meets on Monday nights and often has special programs and/or trips.
Community Services Commission
- Michael Storz, Chairman
- Mark Barwise
- Peter Boppert
- S. Aileen DeFeo
- Kevin Hadlock
- Veronica Hendrick
- Betsy Kirchberg
- John McGill
- Susan Noonan
- James White
The Community Services Commission meets the second Thursday of each month at the High Plains Community Center at 7:30 PM.