NSB Contributes $1,000 to The Gathering Place in Brunswick

BRUNSWICK—Over the last 14 years, hundreds of thousands of visitors to The Gathering Place in Brunswick have been warmly welcomed with the offer of safety, help, companionship, and hope. The organization offers a daytime shelter at its location on 5 Tenney Way (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon), but that is only the start of the assistance provided by a place guided by the motto “Welcome is Our Mission.”

“We’re the only daytime shelter for the deeply poor and homeless in the Brunswick area,” said Mary Connolly, Executive Director of The Gathering Place. “We build relationships and trust with our guests so we can help support their vast needs.”

The organization’s impact has grown from a handful of visitors the day the doors were opened to over 100 each day.

“We have an amazing staff, volunteers, and board of directors who are dedicated to ensuring that those who arrive find a sanctuary free of judgement and full of hope,” said Connolly. “Visitors gather for snacks, socialize, search for jobs and apartments on our computers, work on puzzles and, above all, are treated with respect.”

That noble mission inspires generosity from many people and places, including Norway Savings Bank, which donated $1,000 to the 4th Annual Gathering on the Green, a golf tournament set for Brunswick Golf Club on Thursday, August 21, that benefits The Gathering Place.

“The Gathering Place serves seniors, disabled veterans, individuals with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities, and many who suffer from chronic health issues that are left untreated,” said Dan Walsh, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank. “The need for this organization has never been greater and their commitment to lessening the danger and uncertainty felt by many in need has never been more crucial.”

The Gathering Place presents an atmosphere of graciousness defined by the preservation of dignity.

“We can be a destination for help and a path forward,” said Connolly. “Thanks to the efforts of so many individuals and institutions like Norway Savings, we are able to offer this place of safety and connection. It is this very spirit that gives hope to the poor and homeless.”

There are many ways to lend a helping hand. If you would like to see a wish list of items needed at the organization, visit www.brunswickgatheringplace.org/wish-list. To make a financial contribution, head to www.brunswickgatheringplace.org/contribute. To consider volunteering at The Gathering Place, go to www.brunswickgatheringplace.org/volunteer.