Brittany Botelho Is Helping New Bedford’s Elderly [TOWNSQUARE SUNDAY]

Brittany Botelho is a busy lady. She serves as Executive Director of Project Independence Adult Day Care in New Bedford. She's also a staff member at New Bedford Fresh Start, a program to help those in need with counseling, furniture and more.

Once a month, she serves on a Community Crisis Intervention Team working with at-risk families. If that's not enough, Brittany is also Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health New Bedford Site Board of Directors.

"The work that I do is helping others," Botelho said. "Everyone is worth helping. Everyone deserves a chance to live well."

Botelho, a licensed social worker, joined Townsquare Sunday to discuss her work in the community, most of which centers on the elderly.

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Botelho was hired to lead Project Independence two years ago.

"We are working to keep people living in their homes or a home environment for as long as possible," she said.

"When they are with us, they are offered nursing support, social services, nutritional support and activities that supply stimulation," Botelho said. "When they go home, we supply them with cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, and food supplies because 95 percent of the people we work with are low income."

Botelho praised the 20 staff members at Project Independence for the important work they do.

At Fresh Start, she assists people with hoarding remediation, going directly into people's homes to provide counseling and help them discard items. She also leads a group discussion every two weeks to help folks better understand the hoarding problem.

Botelho calls her work "a blessing."

"I know it's a lot to take on, but if you have the ability to do something, why not help?" she said.

Anyone wishing to learn more about hoarding or other programs can contact New Bedford's Community Services Division at (508) 961-3136.

Townsquare Sunday is a weekly community affairs program heard Sundays on WBSM.

The program highlights individuals and organizations seeking to make the SouthCoast a better place to live and work.

If you would like your organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please email the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.