Nestled atop the Jesup Road in Westport’s downtown area is a homeless shelter that does more than just house those in need. The Gillespie Center serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, distributes food bags once a week to people outside the center; and provides a place for homeless people to stay now and later.
“The immediate goal is to provide housing for the homeless and our ultimate find permanent housing so they can live on their own,” said Jullianna, a case worker at Gillespie.
Jullianna is not the only one working at Gillespie. Staples’ very own Spencer Manners ’14 and Rachel Paul’14 volunteer once a week. There they organize the pantry, do yard work, and wrap up donations.
Paul saw the experience of working at a homeless shelter important in a town as affluent as Westport.
“Sometimes you can lose track of important things living in Westport,” Paul said. “Not everybody can afford a Prada bag. Working in the Gillespie Center put things in perspective.”
Not only can Staples students lose perspective, but they can also often forget the need of less fortunate residents. “If you spend enough time here you’ll see its not always peaches and cream. There are people that need help.” said Ray, a worker at Gillespie.
Close to 400 volunteers a year work just to serve dinner at Gillespie. Despite these numbers, the Gillespie Center is always in need of an extra hand.
Gillespie provides volunteers flexible scheduling and a gratifying satisfaction. Paul explained how a man approached her while she was working in the pantry and thanked her for taking time out of her week to volunteer at a place where it is much needed. “It made my week,” Paul said.
