In Memoriam | The Gathering Place

These are members of

The Gathering Place family

who we remember with love and whose passing we mourn.

Doug Palmer, March 10, 2013

Clara Bailey, November 14, 2014

Amy Tripp, January 12, 2015

Christina Bracy, June 10, 2015

Karen Weller, October 6, 2015

Alvin Chandler, August 24, 2017

Cayen Haycock, February 8, 2018

Paul Steadman, May 8, 2018

Barbara Brown, November 29, 2018

Joshua Kane, May 11, 2019

Valerie Herrick, September 8, 2019

Russell Williams, November 23, 2019

Jason Munsey, January 8, 2020

Nancy Lord, January 10, 2020

Charlene Matts, January 13, 2020

Terry Brenner, March 11, 2020

Chris Brawn, September 15, 2020

Ben Higgins, January 19, 2021

Dave Bracy, February 25, 2021

Theresa [Terri] Rubenstein, April 18, 2021

Rochelle Warren, April 29, 2021

Bob Abernathy, May 2, 2021

Diane Jeannine Gamache, June 6, 2021

Cheryl Glass, October 29, 2021

Jai Jacson, October 29, 2021

Ann Buell, November 23, 2021

June Garmin, December 1, 2021

Caroline Russell, December 14, 2021

Tracy Williams, February 13, 2022

Colt Hitchcock, April 18, 2022

Carl Wakefield

Daniel Soto

Steve Otis

If you know of someone whose name should be here, or if you can add a date of death, please contact Judy Gray at graywallace@comcast.net.

The Gathering Place was founded in 2010 and is the only daytime shelter for the deeply poor and homeless in the Greater Brunswick area, and one of only a few statewide.

In 2009 the economy was flailing, and there were few low skilled jobs that paid a livable wage. There was a lack of affordable housing in this coastal community, and there is no public transportation to access employment or any services. For much of the area’s homeless, getting around isn’t just a challenge; it is a major barrier to improving their lives.

At the same time, state and federal funding for housing assistance declined sharply. Local human service agencies that previously provided daytime support to the homeless were forced to drop those services.

This left a critical gap in the social safety net of our community. Even those lucky enough to find a shelter bed for the night had to leave in the morning. They had nowhere to go during the day. They sought refuge in libraries and local businesses that didn’t want the poor and the homeless there.

After a thorough strategic planning process in 2009-10, it was determined that a daytime shelter would provide the best solution. The Gathering Place was born. We opened our doors in early 2011 in shared space.

From the very first day, we decided that “Welcome is our Mission.” And, on that day, 7 guests dropped by The Gathering Place. Now on a typical day, we welcome 80-100 guests. We are a volunteer driven organization with 50 active volunteers offering collectively 100 hours of service a week

At The Gathering Place, our guests find a sanctuary free of judgment and full of hope. They find others who share their experiences and their dreams. With simple card games to life skills classes to computers, we fill lonely daytime hours with positive energy, respect, and possibilities.