Palatine Township Employee Receives Social Worker of the Year Award

Palatine Township General Assistance Caseworker Mary Hengels was recently honored with the 2016 Township of Illinois Social Worker of the Year award.

The honor was announced at the annual Township of Illinois Conference in Springfield, Illinois the week of November 13, 2016.

Hengels has worked at Palatine Township since 2002. She began in the administration department and transferred to General Assistance in 2009 where she worked her way up to the caseworker position in 2011.

Her nomination for the award came from her co-workers.

Samantha Shapiro, the General Assistance coordinator at the Township, was one the people behind the nomination. She cited Hengels' commitment to providing assistance wherever she is needed.

"Mary continues to be an excellent mentor and teacher. She is kind and compassionate with everyone who walks through the doors of our General Assistance office, and is an integral part of our team," Shaprio wrote in her nomination letter.

Palatine Township Supervisor Sharon Langlotz-Johnson praised Hengels for her service to the Township residents.

"In addition to this great honor that Mary most certainly deserves, I am proud of all of our General Assistance employees and their excellent work," Langlotz-Johnson said.