Asher Joseph photo
At Friday's Community Action Agency job fair.
Milani Glass and her family once turned to the Community Action Agency of New Haven (CAANH) for help making ends meet. She’s now the Whalley Avenue social service hub’s health literacy and outreach coordinator.
On Friday, Glass sought to help recruit future colleagues-to-be at a job fair focused on available work at her former lifeline-turned-current employer.
The fair, hosted by CAANH at its offices at 419 Whalley Ave., was the first of what Glass hopes will become an annual event to recruit New Haveners to join the agency in its commitment to community engagement — and to equip prospective hires with the necessary skills to navigate a job fair.
Established in 1978, CAANH is a social service agency dedicated to offering its patrons with “pathways to prosperity” through emergency assistance around, for example, water and heating bills, with the guiding mission of deconstructing generational poverty across New Haven.
Friday’s job fair featured a dozen opportunities to get involved with CAANH, from entry-level to full-time higher up positions.
The organization’s employment offerings demonstrated the diversity of its team, with requirements ranging from a high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) for roles such as that of a community health worker, who serves to conduct health screenings and provide referrals, to a Master’s Degree in relevant fields for roles such as that of associate director of programs & case management, which entails responsibilities such as overseeing the day-to-day operations of CAANH’s various programs and maintaining relationships with fellow New Haven organizations.
Milani Glass.
Glass began her term as CAANH’s Health Literacy and Outreach Coordinator last year after working as a clinical technician at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Saint Raphael Campus.
“CAANH served my family when I was growing up, so my uncle knows the CEO well. He encouraged me to apply for this position considering my background, and it’s just been great,” she said.
Shiva Suttle.
Shiva Suttle, who has served as CAANH’s Special Assistant for Community and Organizational Advancement for the past eight months, manned a booth that differed from the other tables. At that table, she was promoting CAANH’s annual Chili Fest, a fundraiser that will be expanded to include gumbo this year. That fest will take place on Sept. 7.
“We’re seeking volunteers to team up to cook for our chili and gumbo competition, which is the highlight of the event. But this year, it’s also going to feature live entertainment, music, and other activities for the kids,” she explained.
The proceeds from the fundraiser will be directed into the organization’s unrestricted aid funds, which provides financial support to those interested in CAANH’s signature programs, such as its energy assistance initiative.
One attendee lingered by the fair’s social work table, intrigued by the prospect of serving others in the way that CAANH has served her. “They’re doing great work. I’ve been to a few of these events, including a workshop for single mothers. That one really helped me out,” she said.
The attendee, who declined to share her name or be photographed for this article, said she hopes to do the same for other people in New Haven who have encountered similar adversity, and to uplift them through her passion for giving back.
Asking about CAANH's social work positions.
Although many of the fair’s attendees did not feel comfortable sharing their motivation to pursue a career with CAANH, they all seemed to echo a similar sentiment: “I want a fresh start.”
Glass, who currently holds a bachelor’s degree in Health Studies and certifications in phlebotomy, nursing, and personal training, will be pursuing a master’s degree from Mercer University in Macon, Ga. later this year.
She leaves behind big shoes to fill, having successfully overseen a vaccination drive and the performance of health screenings for over 600 New Haven residents, and supporting CAANH’s PTS Hub, a center dedicated to providing emergency assistance to New Haveners experiencing homelessness.
“I’m definitely going to miss this place. The people here work hard year-round, so we need devoted individuals to fill these positions, because the [community’s] needs don’t stop.”
Social work used to be an unpaid job and any donations went to help the neighborhood. Now the money looks like it's going to provide more social workers? I would count how many get the help per buck spent on social workers. When social workers suck up more money then goes to help others there is a problem.