From left, Holly Lurgio, member of Faces advisory board, Marjorie Rodriguez, co-founder of Faces, Dianyeliz Ozuna, WSU class president, Lu Hantzos, Faces Student Club president and Tina Gorman of the Westfield Senior Center.
Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter
WESTFIELD — The Council on Aging Sassy Stitchers knit and crochet group and Piecemakers quilting group recently completed a project for students in Faces at Westfield State University.
Marjorie Rodriguez, assistant director of the Faces program and an instructor in the social work program in the university, which serves students in or aging out of foster care and those who are housing insecure.
Holly Lurgio, a member of the Faces Advisory Board, had asked Tina Gorman about handmade throws for the student, saying it would be nice for them to have something handmade. Gorman spoke to both groups, and they enthusiastically said yes.
Rodriguez said the first contact between Faces and the Senior Center was when they volunteered to run a bingo game there. “This is the beauty of gathering generations. We thought coming here to do bingo was paying it forward, and we were the ones they gave back to.”
Rodriguez and former foster students Dianyeliz Ozuna, a social work senior who is president of Phi Alpha Honors Society for Social Work and senior class president at WSU and Lu Hantzos, president of the Faces student club, came to the Senior Center on Aug. 14 to pick up the throws and bags made by the seniors.
Gorman said the Sassy Stitchers have been meeting weekly for more than 20 years. “They were so enthusiastic about this project. They were bringing me a couple a week,” she said, adding, “They already asked me if they were doing it again next year.”
Members of the group made 30 throws for the students, and the Piecemakers quilters made 30 tote bags and one quilt.
“There was a lot of thought that went into these,” Gorman said, holding up one of the throw blankets. She said for one woman who recently lost her husband, it gave her something to focus on as she’s going through her own grief journey. “These groups become their own informal support groups. For them, it’s therapeutic.”
Gorman said she’s always looking for that “win-win-win. This benefits the students, helps them.”
As they were pulling some of the blankets out to look at them, both Rodriguez and the students were visibly moved. “Our students, if they could, would walk to class with a blanket,” she said.
Rodriguez, who also serves as coordinator of the Common Goods food pantry, is a former foster care youth and alum of the program. She co-founded Faces as a student 10 years ago with the mission to provide dignity in the transition, and to break through barriers.
Currently, Rodriguez said they are welcoming 60 students who are aging out of foster care or are housing insecure, and another 25 students involved with the Department of Children and Families. She said the youth served by the program, usually numbering about 100, come from all over.
As president of the student club, Lu Hantzos is instrumental in offering the students opportunities to engage on campus, Rodriguez said.
“Faces is more than a club. It is family to me. Every week, I look forward to going to the meetings. It has meant a lot and felt like family — I didn’t have family in my life,” said Hantzos, a sophomore studying psychology.
Hantzos said the club offers social activities, such as a painting night and karaoke night along with community service opportunities to give back; and is not only open to students who are housing insecure but also to their allies.
Dianyeliz Ozuna said she plans to continue her post-graduate studies in social work at WSU, and will remain involved. Rodriguez said she recruits all her students into the post-graduate program.
Lurgio said the Faces advisory board is about a year old. Prior to joining the board, she became involved through drives at Elm Electrical for comforters and dorm essentials for the students.
Rodriguez said the group is always looking for grocery gift cards from Big Y, Stop & Shop and Walmart, and food donations to the Common Goods pantry.
She said there are also two scholarships that benefit students in the program, the Faces scholarship and one given by the Interfaith Center in honor of her own journey, called the Marjorie Rodriguez Empowerment Scholarship.
For more information on the Faces program or to make a donation, contact mrodriguez@westfield.ma.edu.
