One of the greatest gifts of being a volunteer at The Gathering Place in Brunswick is to hear the stories shared by our guests and then being able to offer assistance in whatever way they need at the time. So many of our community has struggled with the COVID pandemic and being able to come to The Gathering Place, sharing this community, has been wonderful.

I am so lucky to have the confidence and love of so many wonderful friends at The Gathering Place and one of my fondest stories came during the holiday season. The end of 2020 was rapidly approaching. Winter was upon us and the Christmas season was present.

It is a time of year when giving becomes the norm. COVID created hardships for many people as we all learned how to navigate this unprecedented time. The most vulnerable population were silently suffering in unimaginable ways and had no place to turn.

The Gathering Place received donations of money, Hannaford gift cards, toys for children and necessary items to keep people warm. Items such as tents, tarps, sleeping bags, warm hats, scarves, gloves, wool socks and hand warmers were a blessing to many.

Every year, The Gathering Place has a Christmas shop where people are allowed to take gifts that they could not afford to buy. One person came in to shop and found items for her children that still had tags on them. She started to cry because she had never been able to get new items for Christmas gifts.

People were calling looking for help in securing placement in shelters. A man called who was married with three children. Christmas was less than two weeks away and they were getting evicted the next day because they could not pay their rent. As we were talking, his wife came in screaming that she had just come from the office where she was informed that an anonymous person had paid their rent for two weeks.

Advertisement

Another person who was homeless was taken into the home of strangers. They gave this person a safe, warm home and fed him till they could secure housing of their own.

Just the other day we received a wonderful letter from a TGP guest who departed on a journey to Moosehead Lake to fish. He had grand plans to sleep under the stars and live off the land. When he left for his journey none of us knew when and if he would return. The letter was such a blessing. Wonderful tales of his adventure and reminder of the connection and community that exists at The Gathering Place.

These are just a few of the many stories we witness at The Gathering Place. It is a place where all people are welcomed and are offered a safe warm place to be, to socialize and to receive a free cup of coffee. This is just the beginning of the story that could not be written if it were not for the generosity and kindness of others who make it possible for The Gathering Place to exist.

Financial donations that were received went directly into paying for improvements in both the outdoor and indoor space making it more comfortable and safe as strict CDC guidelines set limitations on how people could gather.

As vaccines become widely available and COVID restrictions are relaxed, The Gathering Place is looking forward to reopening five days a week and once again offering food and activities.

We all thank you for your generosity and kindness in making a difference in other people’s lives.

Ann Lindner is a volunteer at The Gathering Place. Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local non-profit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community. 

Comments are not available on this story.

filed under: