Mayor Raises $1,500 for “Building Hope Together”
By Robin Vinci at October 2, 2023 | 6:15 pm | Print
The Mayor’s Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness has a new name. The plan will now be known as “Building Hope Together”.
Mayor Erin Stewart Saturday night served up drinks at West Side Tavern with tips going to the organization raising $1,500.
“When I came into office, one of the first challenges I was faced with was where the emergency overflow shelter was going to be,” said Stewart. “Nobody had figured it out and it was November and starting to get cold. We were able to find Frank Maccarone who was so generous to donate his building and we made it happen.”
Stewart said the homeless problem has increased in New Britain and it is often working people with families who lost their job and were living paycheck to paycheck.
“All of sudden they are out in the cold,” said Stewart. “Seeing the plan in its seventh year now, we relied on funding that didn’t exist. It needed to be refocused on what our homeless population needs and what we can do for them.”
Every penny raised by the group now goes towards helping those in need.
“We need every resource we can get. The more dollars that come into the plan, the more we can keep people in homes,” said Greg Howey, leader of Building Hope Together. “Sometimes we help by paying one back rent or a couple utility bills.”
“We want to thank the mayor for supporting the plan as other mayors have done. This Mayor is really taking it to a new level by revising the plan and working with a coalition to bring more people to the table,” said Floyd, administrator of Building Hope Together who works out of the YMCA. “The more people the better.”
Floyd has been getting people in need in contact with case workers and agencies that can give them what it is they need. Money is raised for everything including small things like bus passes to get people to job interviews.
“Mary has the connections with employers that have said they will hire homeless people,” said Stewart.
“Erin has really brought new life to the plan and has gone above and beyond,” said Robin Sharp, Executive Director at YWCA New Britain and an administrator for the group. “It’s great to have a partnership with the business community and our elected officials and service providers.”
Stewart said when the group meets it is about people who can make things happen.
“I wanted to do something to raise money for the plan and I decided to do a celebrity waitress night at West Side Tavern. The amount of people that came out was amazing. It was a rough night,” said Stewart. “I worked in a restaurant to get me to get through college. I realized why I wanted to quit. I got home and my feet were swollen, my legs hurt and I was drenched in sweat. It was all worth it as it was for a really good cause and I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Anyone interesting in donating can send a check to The New Britain Work Plan to End Homelessness C/O YWCA, 19 Franklin Sq., New Britain, CT 06051.
