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Social Services director outlines food pantry plan, outreach and budget priorities at Easton senior-center meeting
Summary
At its March 2 meeting, the Easton Commission for the Aging heard Municipal Agent Daniel Simonelli describe a Food Pantry project that 'may be completed by end of this month,' ongoing oil-assistance outreach, and plans for a March budget meeting and a quarterly mailer; eligibility criteria will rely on poverty and public-benefit indicators.
The Easton Commission for the Aging discussed plans for a new food pantry and other social-services outreach during its March 2 meeting at the Easton Senior Center, Municipal Agent and Social Services Director Daniel Simonelli said.
Simonelli told the Commission that oil-assistance outreach remains active and that his budget meeting on March 3 is expected to be straightforward. Pending final budget approval, he said his office plans a quarterly mailer with updates on Medicare, local events and services.
On the food pantry, Simonelli said the project is underway and "may be completed by end of this month." He said he is reviewing eligibility criteria and guidelines for the pantry and that access will be confidential and based on need. Commissioners discussed using established indicators such as Federal Poverty Level, Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP and WIC to determine eligibility.
Commission members pressed logistical questions, including refrigeration and shelving needs, and asked how the pantry would verify applicants’ financial eligibility while protecting privacy. Anne Hughes said she will provide Hartford Assembly statistics to help inform Simonelli’s upcoming budget presentation and the pantry’s income thresholds.
Simonelli also summarized recent and planned outreach: a well-attended "Lunch and Learn" on Feb. 12 featuring Danielle Ramos, RN, on Alzheimer’s; participation in Emergency Planning Team meetings for inclement-weather communications; and a planned resource fair with the Easton Library at the end of May. He said he recently conducted program reviews for SWCCA as part of grant oversight and expects to update the Commission at a future meeting.
The Commission recorded the 2026 Federal Poverty Level for Connecticut as $15,960 for a single individual and discussed its relevance for Medicaid eligibility and pantry screening. Members emphasized that pantry use would be confidential and limited to those who meet the criteria that the Commission and staff adopt.
The Commission approved the minutes from its February meeting on a motion by Diana Gomez, seconded by Paul Lindoerfer; the minutes record did not list a roll-call vote. The meeting adjourned at 5:35 PM on a motion by Paul Lindoerfer, seconded by Diana Gomez. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 6, 2026, from 5–6 PM at the Easton Senior Center.
