Education

Taunton Daily Gazette

partner publisher · 6.7K followers

Taunton leaders use college lessons to help residents

Two Taunton human services leaders are drawing on their college experiences as they connect residents with help for health, financial and personal challenges. Charlene Bonenfant and Marc Dunderdale, leaders in the city’s Department of Human Services, oversee programs that include services for older residents, emergency and fuel assistance and case management, according to a community announcement. Bonenfant is the department’s director and Dunderdale is assistant director. Both graduated from Bridgewater State University, where they said their experiences helped prepare them for careers built around listening to residents and responding to their needs. Bringing health support to seniors at home Among the department’s initiatives is a partnership with Brewster Ambulance that brings staff to senior citizens’ homes for free, noninvasive care. The program also helps people who have recently been discharged from the hospital and is designed to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, according to the announcement. Bonenfant and Dunderdale have also worked to build connections between the department and Taunton public housing communities, helping residents access available programs and services. Bonenfant became director as the COVID-19 pandemic drove an urgent need for emergency assistance and community resources. A 1991 and 2009 graduate of Bridgewater State, Bonenfant earned undergraduate and graduate