WHEAT, the West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce, has been serving the community for 30 years. WHEAT provides a variety of social services for people in need including a food pantry, and energy and rental assistance.

The food pantry has been a member of Connecticut Food Bank since it was founded in 1982. Currently, WHEAT’s pantry serves about 200 people per month out of its modest and homey site on Washington Avenue.

Pictured: Grace Parks, CFB employee, (left) with Rose Majestic, Executive Director of WHEAT

For ten years, WHEAT partnered with the Hospital of St. Raphael by allowing their mobile Project MotherCare clinic to park in their lot and provide care to children and mothers during the week. According to Rose Majestic, WHEAT's Executive Director, "WHEAT is the primary center for a wide variety of social services in West Haven, and Project MotherCare is the only active health clinic serving residents in need – it is a natural alliance."

In 2006, Rose offered storage space in the back of the building as a permanent and bigger home to the clinic. St. Raphael's agreed and renovations began. Work didn't take very long as there was already a working bathroom and a number of built-in cabinets in what became two exam rooms."

With a few new walls, fresh paint, and comfortable furniture, the clinic opened in October 2006. The staff of four, including Andrea Marino, Physician’s Assistant, and Carmen Rodriguez, Social Services Provider, sees patients on Mondays and Tuesdays at the WHEAT site. They average about 10 to 20 insured and uninsured patients a day during slow times; otherwise it can be up to 40 a day. St. Raphael's operates similar sites at locations in the community on the other weekdays.

Andrea says that the staff is thrilled at having the space at WHEAT. "We are so happy to be here,” she says. "Since we used to park the truck in the lot, the continuity of being here is wonderful."

Rose adds, "Our collaboration is a win-win situation. People who come to Project MotherCare find out about the services WHEAT can offer them, and visa versa. There is a lot of open communication between both staffs, alerting each other to needs of patients and clients and how we can lighten the load of those we serve. Providing a permanent home for Project MotherCare is one of our proudest accomplishments."

Luray Bouffard, CFB Programs Coordinator, thinks WHEAT is a wonderful example of community collaboration. "WHEAT is a great resource for the West Haven community. They work together with other agencies in town to ensure all residents get the assistance they need. Offering space to the St. Raphael’s clinic is just another example of how they keep the needs of the community in mind."

For more information about WHEAT, contact:

Rose Majestic, Executive Director
WHEAT
675 Washington Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 931-9877

For information about Project MotherCare,
call (203) 789-3562.