Herb came to the Community Dining Room for a warm meal. He was disheveled and depressed and very quiet. I began a conversation with him, personal connection being a large part of what we offer here at the Community Dining Room; a welcoming place to find food, friendship and referral services. Before I tell you Herb’s story let me say you’ve heard these stories before and each one is an equally important insight into the sometimes difficult lives our neighbors lead. It is very important to remember and to give thanks that there are social service agencies, like the Community Dining Room, available to help during times of hardship. The Community Dining Room is supported in major part by individuals like you and programs like Neighbor 2 Neighbor Lifeline. In fact, the CDR has begun a new program, Wednesday Night Take Out, to help families recently impacted by the economic downturn. This program puts nutritious food in the refrigerators of middle class families for after school snacks or family dinners. It is made possible with N2N funds. Now let me tell you about Herb….

 

Herb lost his job and has still not been able to find a new one. Yes he has worked at low paid service jobs but never making enough money to make ends meet.  Then his car broke down and so goes the story-- so familiar to the working poor in our communities. Being unable to pay his rent, Herb moved in with a relative and was okay for a while but no job was found, unemployment ran out, he wore out his welcome with his family and had to leave and is now homeless. He began to abuse alcohol as an escape from his dismal reality; then he heard about the Community Dining Room. 

 

Coming for lunch the first time, Herb found a warm meal, friendly people to talk with and a welcome feeling of caring. He was referred to a local agency for emotional support and housing options, another for clothing and informed of the many Community Dining Room meals available to him.  The Community Dining Room, working with local social services, helped secure emergency housing for two nights, provided basic toiletries and transportation. Herb found help at an especially vulnerable time in his life and renewed hope. The story is long yet now Herb is slowly beginning to put the pieces of his life back in place. There is no happy ending here but there is hope for a better future and the knowledge that, in our greater New Haven, Branford shoreline area, the Community Dining Room is here with a helping hand extended to all our neighbors in need.