Interview with Tom Porell
InterviewerInterviewed by
Samariya Smith
Date2022 December 13
Mediumborn digital audio file
DimensionsDuration: 1 Hour, 4 Minutes, 6 Seconds
ClassificationsInformation Artifacts
Credit LineCommunity History Project Collection
Object number2022.20.54a-b
Description(a) Interview with Tom Porell. Interviewed by Samariya Smith on December 13, 2022 at the House of Bread, 27 Chestnut St, Hartford, Connecticut. (b) Photograph of Tom Porell taken at his interview. He was interviewed as part of the Connecticut Historical Society's Community History Project discussing his experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
At the time of the interview Tom was the operations manager at the House of Bread in Hartford, Connecticut. Tom recalls rapid change during the spring of 2020 and the first real disruption to his life was deciding whether or not the House of Bread would close. Tom described how staff protected themselves and patrons by using gloves, plexiglass shields, hand sanitizer, social distancing, and preparing to-go meals for patrons. Remaining open during the pandemic was mentally taxing for the House of Bread staff.
Tom described the measures that Hartford took to help the homeless population and how covid helped cut through red tape to get help to people who needed help. He felt that Connecticut did a good job trying to help people during covid. Tom talked about the burnout for social workers during the pandemic.
He explained that he did know people who tested positive, but many of the people coming to House of Bread did not go to social places or attend social events where they would contract covid. Tom first contracted covid after a personal vacation in 2022. House of Bread did not mandate vaccines, but they did mandate masks and received some pushback from patrons.
Tom pointed out that when covid was in the news, the drug epidemic was not in the news anymore even though there was still a drug problem. During covid, many towns surrounding Hartford sent residents in need to Hartford because the smaller towns did not have the infrastructure to assist them.
Tom supports absentee voting. He felt that the January 6, 2021 insurrection helped solidify a bridge between “two different Americas.”
During covid, Tom and his wife began birdwatching in their back yard as a new hobby.
Tom stated that during covid he lost the ability to take care of people in a familiar way, particularly by not being able to lead a mission trip to Appalachia for a couple of years. During covid Tom found out that there is a very supportive community around Hartford and there are great people willing to help.
NotesSubject Note: The Connecticut Historical Society’s Community History Project (CHP) is a public-facing initiative, focused on contemporary collecting, gathering items of the recent past as well as from events happening today. This program developed community historians to identify, document, and preserve their experiences as residents of Connecticut, and to share these experiences during a series of community presentations. The project focused on the impact of Covid-19 on Connecticans, particularly on Black and Brown communities, funeral homes, and on nursing home and elder care populations.At the time of the interview Tom was the operations manager at the House of Bread in Hartford, Connecticut. Tom recalls rapid change during the spring of 2020 and the first real disruption to his life was deciding whether or not the House of Bread would close. Tom described how staff protected themselves and patrons by using gloves, plexiglass shields, hand sanitizer, social distancing, and preparing to-go meals for patrons. Remaining open during the pandemic was mentally taxing for the House of Bread staff.
Tom described the measures that Hartford took to help the homeless population and how covid helped cut through red tape to get help to people who needed help. He felt that Connecticut did a good job trying to help people during covid. Tom talked about the burnout for social workers during the pandemic.
He explained that he did know people who tested positive, but many of the people coming to House of Bread did not go to social places or attend social events where they would contract covid. Tom first contracted covid after a personal vacation in 2022. House of Bread did not mandate vaccines, but they did mandate masks and received some pushback from patrons.
Tom pointed out that when covid was in the news, the drug epidemic was not in the news anymore even though there was still a drug problem. During covid, many towns surrounding Hartford sent residents in need to Hartford because the smaller towns did not have the infrastructure to assist them.
Tom supports absentee voting. He felt that the January 6, 2021 insurrection helped solidify a bridge between “two different Americas.”
During covid, Tom and his wife began birdwatching in their back yard as a new hobby.
Tom stated that during covid he lost the ability to take care of people in a familiar way, particularly by not being able to lead a mission trip to Appalachia for a couple of years. During covid Tom found out that there is a very supportive community around Hartford and there are great people willing to help.
Cataloging Note: This cataloging project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-249472-OMS-21.
Status
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