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New Opportunities, Waterbury

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Brief Description

"improve the quality of life for economically disadvantaged individuals" 
About New Opportunities
New Opportunities Inc.
newoppinc.org​

New Opportunities
​Contact Data

Main Headquarters
232 North Elm Street
Waterbury, CT 06702
T: (203) 575-9799
Hours: M-F 8:00am-5:00pm

Muriel Moore Child Development Center
444 North Main Street
Waterbury, CT 06704
T: (203) 759-0841
 
New Opportunities Inc
Building Relationships to End Poverty
newoppinc.org​

Meet The Management

Leadership
New Opportunities Inc.
newoppinc.org

Partners 

Partners of New Opportunities
New Opportunities Inc.
newoppinc.org

3rd Party Company Profile

News Archive

2010 New Opportunities: Beautification Award Recipient
New Opportunities Inc. of CT (Connecticut) (newoppinc.org)
Note: New Opportunities of Waterbury has it's own news and archived new page (click here to get there).

Programs

  • Energy Assistance Program
  • Weatherization Program
  • Access Health Insurance
  • Hospital 2 Home Program
  • Meals on Wheels/Meals In Motion Program
  • Money Management Program
  • Rental Assistance Program
  • First Time Home Buyers Program
  • Foster Grandparents Program
  • Senior Companionship Program
  • Rapid Rehousing
  • Rapid Rehousing Domestic Violence
  • Diaper Bank (Child and Adult)
  • Fatherhood Program
  • SNAP application Assistance
  • Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA)
  • School Readiness
  • Family Development Center
  • Early Childhood Education
  • CSBG Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CSBG-CARES)
  • CHORE In-Home Services
Programs - A to Z
(newoppinc.org)

New Opportunities Inc
Building Relationships to End Poverty
newoppinc.org
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Getting Help Can Be Discouraging - 
Even By Those Who Are Supposed 
To Be Helping

WATERBURY - 2013

The NOW program, also known as New Opportunities - "Building Relationships to End Poverty" world wide web home page lists 2 telephone numbers for assistance.  Town Plot Hill resident Vincent E. Martinelli recently called that number, as he personally knows someone who is in need of the NOW services.

When he called that number, Martinelli said, the first person who answered asked the nature of the reason for the call.  Martinelli said that he knows someone who has "low income, and needs some work done to his house".  She was helpful and asked for more information.  Martinelli continued "He has 2 screen doors which need to be replaced, and 2 windows are broken".  The operator sounded confident that they can help, and transferred Martinelli to someone else.

After explaining the situation to the second woman, she said, "I don't understand.  What do you want us to do?".  So, Martinelli explained again, and added that someone had made a presentation at "our neighborhood association meeting and said that you would be able to help".   The woman asked the name of the person who gave the presentation.  Martinelli said that he didn't know the person's name, and that it was several months ago.

"Well", the woman said, "then I suggest you call the association".  The tone, according to Martinelli, was snide, short, and unfriendly.  He told her that "I am the President of the Association, and this is the number I was given."  Continuing her posturing, the woman said "Well, if you're the President, then you should find out who it was that went there, and where she's from".  Martinelli said, again, that it was several months ago - he had called the number from the website because he remembered the "NOW" program from the presentation, but didn't know that he would have needed to provide the name of the person who supplied the information in order to get help.  

"Was it someone from the NOW program? Because we don't do anything like that and I never heard of anything like that, so you need to find out who told you that and ask her", said the self-confident clerk.  Martinelli said that he advised her that New Opportunities did the presentation, and that they indicated that there is a program which can help in situations like this.  He then said, "What did you mean by "if you're the President", because it sounded sarcastic".  The woman never responded to his inquiry according to Martinelli.

He then went online, back to the website, and managed to find his way to the New Opportunities "CHORE" program.  Among other assistance services, the website - a New Opportunities website - indicated that the program will "help with ... minor home repairs ...", and that the services are designed to be completed in order to "contribute to maintaining a safe ... environment".  The website continues to list what InHome service workers do, which include "Minor Handyman Jobs", among others.

Martinelli said that the NOW worker didn't offer her name, and he didn't ask, nor care.  He added that "This is a case where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing."  In conclusion, Martinelli observed that "In a recessed economy - especially in a human services business - there really is no room for contention of entitlement; people should be happy that they even have a job."

The New Opportunities services program can be accessed at newoppinc.org.