Ludlow woman files complaint against food shelf
Toolbox
By JOSH O'GORMAN Staff Writer - Published: November 23, 2008
LUDLOW – Food shelves typically serve up free canned goods along with a large helping of good will, but one woman has filed a complaint with the state claiming her local food shelf has been less than neighborly.
Martha Pierce, 35, of Ludlow has filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit claiming she was treated unfairly by a representative of Black River Good Neighbor Services, an agency that assists residents of Cavendish, Ludlow, Mount Holly and Plymouth with food and financial assistance.
Pierce said she first went to Black River Good Neighbor Services about six months ago to ask for help for herself, her husband, Scott Pierce, 31, and their three children, ages 17, 15 and 7. Pierce said she and her husband were behind in their rent, and she appealed to Black River Good Neighbor Services for financial assistance.
"I go in, and it's eating a big piece of humble pie just to go there, and she starts questioning me right there on the floor in front of everyone – how much money we make, how many kids we have. There was no privacy," Pierce said.
Pierce was referring to Audrey Bridge, Black River Good Neighbor Services' store manager. In addition to operating the secondhand store, Bridge also takes client information to determine if they are eligible for assistance.
Pierce was told she was not eligible for rental assistance because she was behind in her rent, and in the last week of August she and her family were evicted from their home. While her husband stayed with her mother in Mount Holly, her teenage children stayed with friends and she and her youngest child stayed with a coworker.
Pierce said when her husband returned a second time to the food shelf, Bridge said she didn't understand why his family needed food when Martha Pierce had been seen at convenience store in town buying beer and cigarettes.
Pierce acknowledged she does drink and smoke, but referred to herself as more of a social drinker and smoker.
"But why should that even matter, and who's to say the beer and cigarettes were even for me?" Pierce asked. "I run errands for people all the time, and there's no way to know that what they saw me buying was for me."
On Nov. 1, Pierce's family moved into a house in Ludlow and Tuesday she returned to Black River Good Neighbor Services for food. Pierce said when she asked for food, Bridge questioned how many children she actually had living with her.
"To be talked to like that, I feel like she's picked on me and been rude to me," Pierce said. "I mean, to question a mother about her children like that? Nobody should be treated that way."
Bridge declined comment for this story and referred questions to Black River Good Neighbor Services President Martha Quinlan.
"Anything that happens with a client and us, we are bound by confidentiality," Bridge said.
Pierce filed her complaint with the Attorney General's office Tuesday. Jason Duquette-Hoffman, program coordinator for the consumer assistance program, confirmed his office had received the complaint. His office keeps complaints on file for six years, and said this was the first complaint against Black River Good Neighbor Services during that time.
Duquette-Hoffman said the complaint had not yet been processed. Once it is, a letter will be sent to Black River Good Neighbor Services asking it to resolve the complaint with its customer.
He said if the first letter doesn't resolve the problem, his division will follow up with additional letters and phone calls. Duquette-Hoffman said his office receives between 300 and 900 consumer complaints a month.
Since 1986, Black River Good Neighbor Services has provided food, clothing and financial assistance. Sixty-five volunteers and two employees, one full-time and one part-time, run the assistance program.
The organization is in the middle of preparing holiday gift baskets, which contain ingredients for meals and gifts for children. In 2007, they distributed baskets to 114 families, giving food and gifts to 170 adults and 132 children.
Quinlan said she was unable to discuss specific clients but she did clarify her agency's policies. When someone comes in for help, Black River Good Neighbor Services asks for information about their income, rent payments and household size in a private office separate from the thrift store.
"I would be very surprised if she (Bridge) talked to anyone in public," Quinlan said.
Quinlan said it is true Black River Good Neighbors will not assist people with past-due rent or utility bills.
"We just don't have the money to pay people's back rent," Quinlan said. "If someone comes to us needing help with bills for that month we might be able to help."
Quinlan also said Black River Good Neighbor Services would not deny help to someone because they drink or smoke.
"Some people who come in are chain smokers. We're not going to discriminate against smokers," Quinlan said. "It's their income, not how they spend it that makes them eligible."
Sometimes it is necessary to question people looking for assistance to be sure they really need it, Quinlan said.
"We don't cross-examine people unless we know something they don't think we know," she said. "We have to judge if they're lying to us or not."
For now, Bridge has the full support of her board of directors, Quinlan said.
"Our store manager has done a tremendous job," she said. "She's increased volunteers, increased food coming in, and I'd hate to have a disgruntled person ruin our relationship with her."
Contact Josh O'Gorman at josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com.
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